Best route Batemans Bay to Wagga

gdave · Newbie

Best route Batemans Bay to Wagga

PeterD · Guru

I suggest that the best way to go would be this route. The hills may look daunting but if you use your gear box to keep the engine revs near the maximum you will climb the hills reasonably quickly. Your engine is constructed to run at high reve for a reasonable length of time. In the good old days bus companies ran trips from the coast to Canberra over the hills you fear. Their vehicles lasted for long mileages doing that. You will treat your motor more kindly by shifting down a gear, let it reve freely and using a reduced throttle opening than letting it slug up the hills than letting it slug up the hills. These vehicles were made to do real work, don't worry about babying them.

If you really wish to dodge hills then use this route. You will travel very much further and take longer to "save" your vehicle.

Possum3 · Guru

Welcome to GN's Dave and Janet, Peter's number one route would be my choice - Take a stop off in Bungendore, stay at Showground for minimum cost - and visit a very pleasant village style experience.

Greg 1 · Guru

I would use the number one route too. The biggest obstacle you face is the climb out of Batemans up the Clyde mountain but once over that it's pretty plain sailing. I have taken our 3 tonne van up and down that a few times now and you should do it no problems. Just take your time and use the gearbox. It's not a bad road through there. Some of the back roads heading out of Bungendore on Peter's route to Yass are pretty potholed. I was over there quite recently and travelled most of those, but you can opt to follow the Kings Hwy into Queanbeyan and then Canberra and out the Barton Hwy to Yass if you want to stay on better roads. A little further but Caberra is worth a visit if you haven't been before

Long Weekend · Guru

The Kings Hwy from Batemans Bay is completely doable. From Nelligen to the base of the Clyde Mountain is a bit winding and undulating. Then the climb up the Clyde is 5kms long, as suggested by PeterD use your gears. I find 3rd gear in our Ranger does the job for all but the tightest bends.

By the way, buses still use the Clyde on regular schedules.

If you stop at Bungendore for a coffee (parking with a van on is problematic) or stay at the Showgrounds ($25 a day - cash only! And you get a handwritten receipt) then head out of town on the Bungendore Road to the Federal Hwy to Canberra. Your choice whether to turn left onto Macs Reef Road or go straight ahead. Macs Reef road has a couple of steepish hills - there is only about 5kms difference between the two roads.

Either way turn left onto the Federal Hwy. Crossing the border there are about 4 or 5 traffic lights before the right turn onto the Barton Hwy to Yass. From Yass it is downhill to Wagga Wagga.

Going that way means you avoid passing through Queanbeyan, going past the airport, then working out how to get onto the Barton Hwy from there.

Murray

By the way, on arriving at Bengendore on the Kings Hwy drive straight through to the newish roundabout: turn left to Queanbeyan or right (towards Goulburn) for the Federal Hwy. Then turn left at the next roundabout only about 100 metres ahead.

The showgrounds are about four kilometres ahead on the left. They are set well back from the road so keep your eye out for the turnoff. The showgrounds have power, water and a dump point.

-- Edited by Long Weekend on Thursday 29th of September 2022 02:23:09 PM