Which way? If going via Canberra & Qeanbeyan then it's a normal sealed country road. If taking the direct route, then there's a fair bit of dirt. Not a normal van route and I haven't done it recently. My expectation is that it would be ok if you slowed and drove to condtions. But check on Livetraffic that it's open, as it can close after heavy rain, as the Shoalhaven R. is very close in a couple of sections.

Of course, if gravel roads are not your thing, then simply go through Bungendore, turn left to Queanbeyan. There is a fairly steep descent down into Queanbeyan itself.

Follow that road straight through Queanbeyan and shortly after crossing the border into the ACT go straight over the first crossroads and turn left at the next one. That is the Monaro Highway that goes all the way to Cooma. The landmark for the Monaro Hwy turn off is that there is an overpass just in front of where you turn. (Of course, you can turn left at the first crossroads, then left down the on-ramp at the next traffic lights situated on top of another overpass. Both ways will put you on the Monaro Hwy.)

Leaving the Canberra built up area there is a steepish climb up for a couple of kilometres but that is about it - just the normal undulating country roads.

Murray

erad wrote:

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I havent travelled this road for a few years now, but as said above, it is a normal well formed gravel road. I wouldnt worry too much about the Shoalhaven River, because although it is near to the road, if it ever came up high enough to flood the road, there would be heaps of trouble elsewhere. Live traffic probably doesnt even know that this road exists. There are no services on this road for the entire length of the route, but driven sensibly, this road is not different to other quiet country roads - not like it was 50 years ago when I first travelled along it.

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The so-named Cooma Road from Braidwood was cut recently for precisely the reasons I gave above.  The flooded section was between the turn-off to Captains Flat and the Berlang campground.  Not a long section, but the road was cut all the same.  If you look at a map you will see why.  The closed road was shown on Livetraffic.  I know thise because my son and his family had a booking at Berlang and couldn't get there, at least not without going the long way around via Cooma which they opted not to do.

The first section of the Cooma Road is bitumen, but I forget how much.  On Exploroz it measures at around 50kms, and something similar at the Cooma end.

Yes - there is at least 30 km of gravel road (I would have thought more like about 70 km left), but this road is a well formed gravel road, no different to any other minor through road going from one town to another. The Forrestry Commission has cleared all the tall trees from sides of the road, presumably to ensure access during a major fire. This was done after the horrendous 2019/2020 bushfires. The road alignment would be OK for 100 km/h, but I personally wouldnt go more than 80, being on the lookout for large grasshoppers and mobile boulders (wombats). Right now, I would also expect a few potholes as well because we have had lots of rain lately, but I would still travel that road if I had to, with no concerns other than the remoteness should I hit a grasshopper or mobile boulder. Driven quietly (especially with a 17 ft caravan in tow), you should have no problems. There are some steep hills near Numerella, but by then the road is sealed, albeit a bit narrow, all the way into Cooma.

I wasnt aware that the road could flood, but it would be a very rare occurrence. Lately we have huge amounts of rain on the coastal ranges - rather unusual for here. At Berlang, you can wade through the river and walk about 3 km and you come to a huge sinkhole. If you have the ability and time to walk the track (uphill there, down all the way back), it is worth looking at. Another 8 km ?? past the sinkhole is Marble Arch, but this is a much harder walk.