What are you towing with? What experience do you have? How long do you have?
The shortest route to the coast is via Wagga and then the Snowy Mountain Highway. Once you cross the Hume Highway, it gets hilly and in places the road winds around a fair bit. Nothing that cannot be safely done with the right vehicle, but you have to be aware of where your van is. After Tumut, the road gets much hillier. Adound Lake Blowering, there are a few steepish hills but they are not very long. However, once you pass Talbingo, you have Talbingo Mountain, and that is very steep, rather long and winds a fair bit. I do this climb with my Pajero and a 16 Ft Poptop van oscillating btween 2nd and 3rd gears, but i have also towed a heavy (over 1.5 tonnes) trailer with an 80 series Landbruiser on gas, and that was struggling in 1st gear.
Once up the top of the mountain, there are other hills but they are really nothing and as you get higher the air gets cooler so any overheating problems will be less severe then. Past Kaindra, it is mostly downhill and no real problems. Between Cooma and Bega, you have some long hills, but they are a doddle compared to Talbingo Mountain. Once you get to Brown Mountain, engage low gear and stay there until you get to the bottom. Again, my Pajero and van do it is 2nd and 3rd gear coming up, so it is similar in grade to Talbingo Mountain. As with any of the major hills, don't rely on your brakes - use the gears to control your speed and you will have no problems.
An optoin to avoid the Snowies is to go via Canberra. This adds about 100 km to the trip and you don't have any major hills to worry about until after Cooma. Timewise, Canberra will probably add another hour to the trip because you have to negotiate some traffic. To go via the coast is a lot further and you have to negotiate Melbourne. Give me the mountains any day!
If you choose to go the Canberra route, Google Map the section from Murrumbateman to Cooma and follow the recommended route as it takes the parkway bypass of the City and generally travels well.
Another alternative route [Google Map it as well] is Murrumbateman directly to Bungendore, avoiding Canberra. Then down to Batemans Bay and along the coast to Wallaga Lake.
Taking this route you would have the option of Clyde Mountain or Brown Mountain to get to the coast. Personally I would take Brown mountain any day because it isn't as steep.
Thanks for advice , Towing with a bt50 auto , tows no problem at all , have taken on a few very steep hills , looks like Camberra way ,Thanks again
Mickle .
Thanks for advice , Towing with a bt50 auto , tows no problem at all , have taken on a few very steep hills , looks like Camberra way ,Thanks again Mickle .
The BT50 should handle all the hills OK. All you need is sensible, defensive driving to go with it.
Thanks Erad , Have been driving trucks ( 8 to 10 cubic mtrs for long time ) Towed 3tonne trailer for 40 odd years , with my work , going on 68 years young ,fit and healthy , not a road
risk taker , towed number of vans over 2850kgs to 3200kgs , You are right about sensible, defensive driving
Thanks Again Mickle.
