Road Trips

[Ian]

Tell us about your most memorable road trips, my first is a trip I did on my motor bike in the early 90's

About year after a bought my motorbike I left Adelaide a couple of days after Christmas,
Stayed a night with a mate in Horsham
A night with a friend in Melbourne
Night 3 (New Years Eve) was meant to be in Lakes Entrance, got caught in a thunder storm with hail and had a early night in Taralgan instead,
Next night was finally in Lakes Entrance,
I was going to spend 1 night in Narooma, stayed for 2,
Spent a night in Nowra
Caught up with a mate in Camden (Sydney) for a few days.
Then rode to Towoomba to stay with friends for a few of nights,
Across to the Gold Coast for 2 nights,
Back down to Sydney for a few days,
4 night at my brothers in Canberra,
A night in Albury,
Another 2 nights in Horsham
Then rode down to Nelson and back home via the Coorong.

With all the side trips etc I did, from memory it was just under 9500km in just under 5 weeks. When I wasn't staying with friends I had a swag, used it 4 times, the rest it was raining.

[Ian]

We have done a number of short road trips (up to 2000km) but in 2002 when my son was 8 and daughter had just turned 4 we did a huge road trip to visit a mate who had moved to MacKay.

Adelaide to Tooleybuc (Vic) for 1 night (stay in cabin)

Tooleybuc to Forbes (NSW) for 1 night (stay in cabin)

Forbes to Western Plains Zoo, Dubbo for Day, then to Coonabarabran (NSW) (stay in bunk house out of town) Did night observatory tour.

Coonabarabran to Mount Morgan (QLD) (stay in cabin) approx 1000km in day

1/2 day town and gold mine tour including dinosaur footprints in roof of cave (we had seen it on Getaway and son was dinosaur mad) before driving to MacKay (QLD)
For the next 7 days we stayed with my mate and visited Eungella National Park, Hamilton Island (day trip from Shute Harbour), Finch Hatton Gorge and just generally looked around the area.
One of the nicest pubs I have ever been to is the Eimieo Pacific Hotel, just north of MacKay.

Then it was back on the road again…………………….

MacKay to Hervey Bay (QLD) for 1 night (stay in cabin)

Hervey Bay to Bli Bli (Sunshine Coast QLD) for 1 night (stay in cabin), saw Underwater World and a bit of a look around the area

Bli Bli to Beerwah (spent 6 hours at Australia Zoo) then to Gold Coast (QLD) for 2 nights (stay in cabin)

Stayed at Treasure Island Holiday Park and spent all of next day at Movie World

Gold Coast to Coffs Harbour

Coffs Harbour to Sydney (NSW) for 2 nights (stayed in cabin at Heathcote)

Heathcote to City by train, Ferry to Manly & back to City, Sydney Tower, Darling Harbour, The Rocks the train back to Heathcote
Heathcote to Homebush (kids swam in Olympic pool) lunch @ Penrith Leagues Club (Son is now a Penrith Fan) then to Queanbeyan (NSW) for 4 nights (stayed at my brothers)

Spent the next few days visiting Cockington Green Minatare Village, National Dinosaur Museum, Telstra Tower, Canberra Space Dome and Observatory, War Memorial, Day trip to Lake Jindabyne, Perisher Valley, Charlottes Pass, Cooma and Thredbo (kids & missus saw snow for 1st time)

Then it was back on the road again, we were heading for Maude (VIC) but after getting a cracked distributor cap and losing ½ day getting a new one we stayed at Albury for a night in a motel.

Albury to Maude & Lara(VIC) Stopped to give the kids & missus a look at the Ned Kelly Museum @ Glenrowan & Beechworth Bakery
Stayed 2 nights with my missus friend (who is also my 2nd brothers ex wife)in Maude
Then we stayed 3 nights with my 2nd brother in Lara
We visited Fairy Park in Geelong, Anakie, Melbourne (Queen Vic markets, MCG, Colonial/Etihad stadim, etc)

Lara to Stawell 1 night (motel)

We spent most of the day in Sovereign Hill @ Ballaratt, we were there from open to close then hit the road ‘till we were too buggered to keep going.

Stawell to Adelaide…............................

Back home, we did over 10500km in our car, my mate in MacKay did over 2000km while we were there as well, so it was nearly 13000km in 29 days (28 nights).

Lots of great memories for all of us, it was the 1st time the daughter had been on a boat, the 1st time any of my family (except me) had been further than Melbourne, 1st time the missus and kids had seen snow etc etc. I just used my sons home work we made him do while he was away from school, a daily diary, to remember everything I have put above.

I know Road Trips aren’t for everyone but Australia is a huge place and you miss so much just flying city to city, I can’t wait ‘till the next one!!

[Q.]

Did the road trip to Lorne Falls Festival twice. On the way there, pass through Casterton, Hamilton, Colac etc, cracking scenery. On the way back (decidedly worn out and hungover), beach hop along the Great Ocean Road, kicking back in the sand and surf and gorging on seafood and icecream.

[mighty_tiger_79]

did one recently, not as long as some of you lads though

from adelaide to stawell for 1 night

stawell to ballarat for 3 nights - included sovereign hill etc

ballarat to warrnambool - via GEELONG and then great ocean rd through to the 12 apostles which included a chopper ride, then onto the Bool for 1 night.

from the Bool down through to Mt Gambier, stopping off at Portland.

Mt gambier for 3 nights - down to pt mcdonnell and surrounding cave areas.

all done in 8 days and around 2000kms.

accommodation was mainly through HOLIDAY HOLIDAY HOLIDAY PLACE YOUR BIDS NOW - travel auctions

[White Line Fever]

Did the road trip to Lorne Falls Festival twice. On the way there, pass through Casterton, Hamilton, Colac etc, cracking scenery. On the way back (decidedly worn out and hungover), beach hop along the Great Ocean Road, kicking back in the sand and surf and gorging on seafood and icecream.

Done the Great Ocean Rd twice, an amazing drive.
The 2 and a half apostles bit of a let down...
but the blowhole on a windy rough day is amazing.
The rainforest bit is wonderful and the little towns on the way are fantastic

[White Line Fever]

This is the blowhole and as the water comes in the water rises rapidly then sucks out and the pressure blows the water in the air.
Amazing.

[White Line Fever]

This is the entrance.
I think it used to be connected, "London's Bridge"?

[White Line Fever]

Finally the entrance that the water sucks in.

[Brucetiki]

Only road trip I've done is Adelaide-Melbourne for the football, and they've tended to have a rushed theme to them (like last year where we left at 7am Saturday, went to the Crows v Collingwood SF, and were home 1pm Sunday and went to the Centrals v Sturt QF).

Best one though was the trip for the 2007 EF (Hawthorn v Adelaide)
This was a true express trip (left 7pm Friday night, was home 3am Sunday, straight there, striaght back) with Dad and my uncles. I was the only one who had the wisdom to try and get some sleep on the way there (albeit only a few hours as they didn't shut up), so by 10:30am Saturday morning my one of my uncles was sleeping in the car, and Dad and another uncle were sleeping on park benches in Southbank.

We arrived in Melbourne at about 5:30am and decided to park in the Etihad Stadium carpark. While my uncle was sleeping in the car, car park security advised him he'd have to move the car because the car park was now being used under their matchday setup. My uncle told security to get lost, they didn't challenge it too much as we ended up leaving the car there and ended up not even having to pay for the parking (and it was the quickest exit out of a football match ever)!

Now being in Melbourne, I couldn't leave without my fix of Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, so my uncle drives around to the Collins St store, and being bumper to bumper traffic, I just hop out and buy the doughnuts. While they're waiting for me, rather than do a lap around the block, my uncle decides to park in a nearby alley, turn on the hazards and put the bonnet up.

Best part was on the way home. One of my uncles decided to travel back with my cousin (who'd parked elsewhere). As we're turning onto the Western Freeway, we get a call from my uncle advising they were lost and asking for help. We ask where he is 'umm, we see a sign for Sydney'. We eventually get them back on track, but they ended up getting home 3 hours later than us lol!

[AFLflyer]

As a kid we did heaps of road trips. Got so many memories a little tacker pilled into the Tarago. Plenty of trips to grampions, flinders etc.

The biggest family road trips:

1) ADL accross Nulabour, followed WA coast all the way up to monkey mia and back again. (6 week trip)

2) 3 month road trip right through the middle of OZ, Coober Pedy, Ayers Rock, Alice, Darwin, weaved through to the east coast and slowly south from Cairns, Townsville etc etc. We had to do a bit of school work and made scrap books on our adventure along the way

Clearly the reason I enjoy travel today.

More recently the biggest road trip was following the east coast (1 month) up to Cairns. We lived in Cairns for 10 months, with plenty of side camping trips in the area. Met some good friends and had an awesome time.

Left cairns and drove to Darwin, interesting terrain across this stretch and plenty of water crossings after heavy rain. Spent some 3 weeks in Darwin and drove back down the middle. All in a ford panel van. Good times and you learn a lot about your own country.

Still left on the list:
1) WA as an adult.
2) TASMANIA in a campervan – can’t wait for this, been planning it for a while.

[redandblack]

Tassie is a wonderful place to hire a car or van and wander around.

Just do a circle trip around the state: it's all good.

[AFLflyer]

Tassie is a wonderful place to hire a car or van and wander around.

Just do a circle trip around the state: it's all good.

yeah keen as mate - will be a good to do it in a campervan i reckon, hit all the national parks. Did a trip in Sth NZ with a campervan and it was a good way to see the sights.

[Thiele]

Have done a road trip from Adelaide to Dubbo for my Aunty for her wedding.

Lastest one was a couple of years ago Adelaide to Wagga via Swan Hill and Albury overnightat both stayed at Wagga for 4nights because of my Cousin wedding did the pub crawl of Wagga. Then we went to Canberra. Saw the dog on his Tucker box on the way to Canberra. Saw the AIS, New Parliment and other touristee things. On the way home went via (Sturt Highway) hay plains and Mildura.

Also if want to call local ones. Road trip to Berri was good.