Hello - has anybody experience of travelling from Canberra to the East Coast in July - via either the kings highway to Batemans bay or Monaro Highway to Bega - is it safe to tow a caravan down those hills at that time of the year? Your thoughts would be appreciated.......maybe we should not try it? Terry
We travelled the kings highway down to the coast last year ,no problems good road,coming down the mountain its very steep,with very tight bends bends in a couple of places at the bottom ,you will have To bring your rig coming down off one steep decent to almost a complete stop,for one corner,very good road ,but I would personal opinion,have wound my brakes up a tad more..
I have done both the Clyde and Brown several times towing our van. Both are very steep and require putting the tug into low gear - for our Ranger 3rd worked well most of the time.
A tip - the Clyde is about 5-kilometres long while the Brown is almost exactly 10-kilometres. Just as you begin the drop (or come up for that matter) read the odometer and count off the kilometres, otherwise it will seem to take forever.
While towing a caravan seems to be daunting, just remember that semi-trailers and buses also go up and down those mountains. There are uncoupling/coupling bays at the top and bottom of the Brown for B-doubles - they go up/down twice!
As for winter weather, the first time we went down the Brown about two clicks along I said to my wife that I wouldn't like to go down in the wet - and just as I said that there was the boom of thunder and down came the rain!
Murray
-- Edited by Long Weekend on Monday 4th of June 2018 01:22:04 PM
We lived in Canberra for 30+ years and left in 2014 due to the weather.
I think I have suggested and other members have as well that the Canberra, Bungendore, Tarago, Nerriga and then down Serptine Road to the Pacific Highway just South of South Nowra. No mountains, no hair curling turns and no Canberra traffic.
I would not worry about the snow or icy conditions if that was what you are worried about. Usually if the snow shuts the Brown it is only closed for half a day. The RMS is straight onto it and gets it open asap.
As far as being worried about the road, yes it is narrower and winding but it is in good condition and when driven with care, as all roads should be, you will not have a problem. I came down the Brown three days ago, just take your time.
JohnR is right - apart from a short climb just to the north of Nerriga the road is more or less level all the way.
Of course, the distance is a lot longer!
Also, some parts of the Princes Highway going south are not the best.
In about 12 months time when the Braidwood/Nerriga road is sealed all the way (work has begun) then that would be the way I would go - the road is virtually flat and almost straight. At the present time though there is a total of about 16.5kms of gravel. (I towed our Sterling that way four weeks ago. The first 5kms of gravel south of Nerriga reminded me of the Nullarbor Eyre Highway in the 1960s - corrugated, dusty, holes.)
The only time to dodge any of those hills is when snow is present. There is generally a few years between these snowfalls so you are pretty safe. I would suggest tackling these becomes easier with experience. I would recommend that you do not stay away from these hills, use them to gain experience.
As for the Nerriga road to Nowra or Jervis Bay, it is a great road to travel down there but If you are wanting to go Batemans bay or further south it is not worth going all the extra distance to go through Nerriga just to save going down the Clyde or Brown Mountains.
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PeterD Nissan Navara D23 diesel auto, Spaceland pop-top Retired radio and electronics technician. NSW Central Coast.
Hello - has anybody experience of travelling from Canberra to the East Coast in July - via either the kings highway to Batemans bay or Monaro Highway to Bega - is it safe to tow a caravan down those hills at that time of the year? Your thoughts would be appreciated.......maybe we should not try it? Terry
Having done both, I would choose the Clyde mountain in the wet. Both are steep with hairpin bends but the Clyde is wider particularly in the bends. We towed a 3 tonne van with a Ranger with no issues but it was in the dry. Just take it easy and in a low gear. I used 2nd & 3rd.
G`day ,
Here is an alternative route to the far south coast of NSW . Canberra to Cooma to Bombala and down the Mount Darragh Road where you will enter the Princes Highway at Pambula. Sealed all the way and a much easier grade than either the Brown or the Clyde and a great drive.
Cheers ,
Jontee
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Remember, the price of liberty is eternal vigilance.
Here is an alternative route to the far south coast of NSW . Canberra to Cooma to Bombala and down the Mount Darragh Road where you will enter the Princes Highway at Pambula. Sealed all the way and a much easier grade than either the Brown or the Clyde and a great drive.
I have tried that a couple of times. I will stick to Brown Mountain, you get it over and done with one big hill. The Mt Darrah road through Wyndham is too twisty for me. It is very undulating and has a few narrow bridges. There is no way you can make good time on that road.
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PeterD Nissan Navara D23 diesel auto, Spaceland pop-top Retired radio and electronics technician. NSW Central Coast.
G`day Peter D,
To a lot of us its the journey that matters not the destination. If we need to " make good time " we will take the appropriate route.
Cheers,
Jontee
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Remember, the price of liberty is eternal vigilance.
Can't comment on caravans per se, but I did drive a large (48-seater) bus down the Brown many moons ago. One of the corners down there - posted at 15KPH IIRC - was SO tight the bus got stuck!
OK, granted, that's a bit of a stretch, but there are definitely some tight bends to be reckoned with when in a large vehicle.
That said, a group of us took the "back way" via the Nerriga road a few years back. Twas raining at the time. Came up on a number of cars stopped on the side of the road. Turns out they were unwilling to cross a running floodway. We did. Must say I was a bit nervous, though, as we were all on motorcycles! (Had visions of myy 1100cc 'bike being washed off the side of the crossing and me drowning it!). Discretion being the greater part of valour, I was gracious enough to let the adventure tourer riders in the group "test ride" the waters before I did! ;)
Fortunately, I had a rear-facing camera on the bike, and got some good footage of one of our group creating quite a bow wave on her VFR!
I guess the point is, if you avoid the hilly route because of rain, you might also deal with some rain-related "issues" should you prefer the "back road"...
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