Hello all...
I've just used one of those online trip planners regarding the directions from Nambucca Hds to Inverell.  I'm not sure it kept me to good roads and I'm asking whether anyone has ever travelled these roads and... good or bad? I'm not a 4WDer or an off-roader:

• Ebor to Guyra - looks a bit suspect in my atlas 
• Guyra to Inverell via Tingha

Thanks for any advice given.

Probably similar to the trip planner you've used but click on this link Google Maps - N.Heads - Inverell

My knowledge of this route is significantly out of date but my recollection is that the climb between Bellingen and Dorrigo is narrow and windy but probably ok for your WL 12 footer with care and that the rest of the run is probably not a problem. The somewhat longer route via Grafton would not be a problem. I can confirm that Armidale (and Uralla) to Inverell via Bundarra is a good road but may not be relevant to your trip.

Hopefully other GN Forumsters will have more up-to-date info for you.

Which ever way you go you have to go over the dividing range,Bellingen to Dorrigo is steep & winding,used by trucks & not a problem, Dorrigo, Ebor to guyra is still a lot of up & down & not a quick road. Via Tingha I have not done.

North to Grafton & then the Gwydir hwy is a far better road. Still have to climb but a easier & wider road.

Just looking on my Hema Atlas - the road is shown in the same red line all the way. That means that it indicates it is all bitumen. However what is the condition of the surface? few days ago I went from Casino to Warwick via Bonalbo and Urbenville. That red line is shown in the same red line. However the road to the west of Urbenville is extremely narrow. The bitumen is just wide enough for a truck but the edges are so narrow that if I had met a timber truck we would have had to creep past each other. This prompted me to go to Jim's link. I brought up the Google Map in that link. I then used the street view to check the road. I checked several places on both the sections either side of Guyra. They all showed two lanes of bitumen with a newish white line down the centre. I then went and and tried to check the roads I have just travelled. When I grabbed the little yellow man at the top of the zoom bar, the road to the west of Urbenville did not highlight and thus there was no street view available. I then viewed samples of the road south of Urbenville and the short piece of the Mt Lindsay Rd I had travelled. Both showed up the poor road surface I remembered. Give the street view a try. Try some sections of road you remember as being poor. You may be surprised how well this shows up the road surface.

As I alluded to in my previous post it's many years since I travelled the Tingha/Guyra road and in those days it was gravel. This obviously suggests the bitumen sealing has been done relatively recently and would most likely be a good road. I have travelled the Uralla/Bundarra road a number of times recently, the last being about 6 weeks ago, and can recall the days when this was unsealed. The sealing was completed only several years ago and hence it is now very good. The T-G road is quite likely a similar story. I often do the Google Street View and Satellite View trick too. I've often used it to check out caravan parks too. Google Maps is a very handy site for overall trip planning and whilst not perfect, it's often more accurate than the maps in one's GPS.

Thanks Jimricho and others who replied to my message.  My concern was that these "trip planners" would show the shortest route but, especially in mountainous country, not necessarily the best or safest way.  In other words, road conditions may have been overlooked.  I didn't think of using Google Earth but it's a good idea.

Having said that, yesterday I checked my own address on Google Earth and I could tell by renovations carried out that the Google Earth image is at least eighteen months old.

Thanks again to all. Your replies are appreciated.

If you detour via Armidale/Bundarra you'll pass some spectacular waterfall and gorge scenery between Ebor and Armidale.  Also If it's a clear day check the view from Point Lookout.

Check these links Google - Waterfall Way

-- Edited by jimricho on Monday 31st of May 2010 08:26:33 AM

Thanks Jimricho.  We've pretty much decided that the way to go is Nambucca Heads to Armidale via Ebor - then Armidale-Guyra-Inverell via Tingha.  And I've noted a stop at Point Lookout.

Thanks again for your help and suggestions.

A lot of history at Tingha. Originally designated as a gold field but no gold, tin instead. The town was built on a common so the streets were laid out haphazardly. (I use the terms "built" and "laid out" rather loosely). Tin was commercially mined up until the late 1970s.  I recall back in the 60s and 70s there were still quite a few old steam donkey engines left in the paddocks.

The original discoverer of tin in the area is buried in a little cemetery at Newstead, east of the village of Elsmore (Google maps) It's worth a drive out there.

Jim