Thyra

Hello, so finally settled on itinerary, flights booked, car reserved, some hotels booked: Here is the "down and dirty"

Sept. 17 Arrive SYD: 4 Nights
Hire Car: Leave for Blue Mts.
2 Nights Blue Mts
4 days: Road Trip Blue Mts to Gundagai (visit) and return via South East Coast.
Fly Syd to Cairns
1 night Cairns
3 nights Silky Oaks (big 40!)
Fly back to Syd.
1 night Syd
Home
Anyway, we have this sort of "void" of a road trip planned on the way back for lunch with friends. I would love to know of some interesting stops along the South East Coast, where to stay etc. PS: We are from So. Cal, so driving bothers us not at all. Also active, into animals, nature and my husband will walk 100 miles for a decent pint of beer! Thanks for the help.

RalphR

Thyra: It's not clear to me from your post whether you plan on going back to Sydney from Gundagai in one day or if doing an overnight is an option. Returning to Sydney via the South Coast could be a pretty long day, especially if you plan on going via Jervis Bay. On the other hand, the Hume Hwy will get you back to Sydney in 4-5 hrs. If you have the time for an overnight, a stopover and look 'round Canberra would be a good thing to do. If you're feeling adventuous, you could really get a good feel for the Australian bush by cutting across the Brindabella Ranges to Canberra via Tumut and Argalong. It's a unsealed road a lot of the way, or at least it was back in 1985 when my wife and I did it. From Canberra, you could then head down to the coast via Braidwood and then head north from Bateman's Bay.

A faster (one day) option with a little bit of South Coast would be to take the Hume Hwy back to Moss Vale, look around the Southern Highlands (lovely small towns, some spectacular lookouts, and Fitzroy Falls )and then head to the coast via the beautiful Kangaroo Valley. You will miss Jervis Bay going this way, unfortunately. Some great spots even loser to Sydney such as the Royal Nat'l Park, Stanwell Park and the magnificent Bulli lookout off the main Sydney-Wollongong Hwy.

Say "Hi" to the Dog on the Tuckerbox for me...I presume (and hope) you're not going all the way to Gundagai just to see him!

RalphR

Ooops...should have looked at a map before writing that last message. Jervis Bay isn't too much of a back track if you go via Kangaroo Valley. Still, Gundagai-Moss Vale-Southern Highlands-Kanagaroo Valley-Jervis Bay-Sydney would be quite a long day with appropriate stops, but doable I suppose.

Neil_Oz

Thyra, I think you posted a while back, didn't you? RalphR has made some good suggestions and there are some other options too, but it all depends how much time you'll have between leaving Gundagai and arriving Sydney.

margo_oz

Anything around Jervis Bay is magic. They have whale watching cruises - or I think they do - I was so overwhelmed by near-terminal seasickness that I saw nothing

It's a good place for critters - go to Green Patch.
There's Booderee National Park, with aboriginal sites.
Stay at Huskisson (I think you have some time!)

I love this area!

AndrewDavid

Thyra, If you go via Canberra, please feel free to have the offered beer w/ Neil that we missed. ( A big disappointment as we could (dobbiamo) have chatted in italian w/ him)

A/D

Neil_Oz

Conversed in Italian? Fat chance, but I appreciate A/D's rather seriously misplaced but kind confidence. That aside... Thyra, I need minimal encouragement to have a beer (or whatever) and provide some possibly misleading advice, so if you're heading this way let me know - the number is 6247 0909 (no area code needed from anywhere in NSW) or 0418-486176 on the mobile thingey.

Thyra

My gosh! Thanks for all the posts! And Yes, Neil, you are correct, I had posted a few months back for suggestions on a route from Blue Mtns. to Gundagai... (kudos for great advise on that post as well).

Ralph, though we do have friends in Gundagai, of course we wouldn't miss a stop to visit the "Dog"!

Thanks for all of your kindly and valuable suggestions, I have printed them all out and stuck them in my trip folder which is going with us. We will give you a ring Neil... and we will try to set to rights AndrewD's missing beer... It's a joy to post on this forum... T