Has anyone driven this route and is it very steep? We recently drove Tamworth to Armidale and struggled up the steep climb just north of Tamworth which was really scary. Didn't have any problems anywhere else on our trip including Maitland to Scone.
Coming from Warwick the Gap is a very easy climb, and since the repairs after flood damage, it is now a great double lane road down, and I believe some of the corners have been made a bit easier to manoeuvre. I took my caravan on my own first time from Boonah to Melbourne, I wasn't worried about going up so much as coming down.
Truck driver friend told me to call up a driver of a nice clean truck, and ask if I could follow him down - he said sure, do exactly what I do, move when I do, and you'll be right.
It made it so easy - would have no problem anymore.
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jules "Love is good for the human being!!" (Ben, aged 10)
Thanks everyone. We went down from Queanbeyan to Batemans Bay which wasn't nearly as bad as I had imagined so we'll just use low gears and take it easy.
If you intend using the main (Cunningham) Highway thru Maryvale and Aratula before turning off to Boonah then all of the above replies apply. We have been up & down the Cunningham Gap with our Patrol & 21'6 Van on multiple occasions. Absolutely no problems especially if you use your gears/motor on the way down. I just sit with or behind semi trailers & wind it down almost never having to use the breaks. Perhaps just a touch now and again to keep the revs down.
But if you are more adventurous and are considering the 'scenic route' via Kilarney, Queen Mary Falls and into Boonah via Croftby, then perhaps you should reconsider. I have been up & down that route several times but without the Van. Whilst I think that I could manage it with the van, it would not be a pleasant trip. Any equipment failure or a meet up with a less than careful other driver could be a major issue. I'd overnight at the Queen Mary Falls CP & do a day trip without the van to familiarise myself with the road before deciding.
If coming the other way you have quite a difficult pull with some hairpin bends & occasional heavy trucks going both ways. Not for me.
We have today returned from picking up a new Knaus (15.5 ft) in Adelaide. We had no problems with the ranges north of Tamworth. Came down Cunningham's Gap in second and third (and fourth) with only minimal use of the brake to keep the revs down a bit. Tow vehicle is a Tiguan 2 L diesel.
There are some rough sections between the bottom of the range and Fassifern. In fact generally the road between Aratula and the Amberley turn off is not up to the standard that it used to be.
-- Edited by Cooper12 on Sunday 29th of November 2015 09:58:19 PM
