Road conditions Cooma to Nowra via Braidwood.

petebalf · Member

Road conditions Cooma to Nowra via Braidwood.

DMaxer · Guru

Hi Peter, Welcome.

I don't know if this helps but I have travelled down a few of those roads. I have done Cooma, Queanbeyan, Braidwood down to Batemans Bay on the Kings Highway and that is fine. A few bends on the way down but nothing traumatic. There is also Turpentine Road from near Braidwood that goes to near Nowra but have not done that in years but believe it is now sealed all the way (I think, but check)

There is a longer route down to Nimmitabel, down Brown Mountain to near Bega and then up to Nowra. Brown Mountain has a pretty severe descent of about 10ks with a few tight bends, not my favourite road however.

Hope that helps.

bristte · Veteran Member

The better (far easier) route from Braidwood would be the Nerriga road. My recollection is that it's all or nearly all sealed, not counting random roadworks. I also seem to recall that a fair bit of it is 80km/h, but that is a small price to pay to avoid the Clyde and the Princes Highway.

PeterD · Guru

The road from Braidwood to Nowra via Nerriga ha been sealed for years

Long Weekend · Guru

I travelled the Nerriga to Braidwood about two years ago and there was 4.7 kilometres (not sure of the decimal but it was just under 5kms) of unmade road of more dirt than gravel. It may have been sealed by now but last time I checked funds hadn't yet been allocated for the work.

That said, if not yet sealed the short distance would be the easiest country dirt road you would ever drive over. No worries.

Leaving Cooma stay on the Monaro Highway all the way to the Federal Highway in north Canberra and take that. A short distance along (I cannot remember the actual distance) take the well sign posted right turn off to Bungendore. Just before Bungendore there is a rather steep drop that can catch you out if you don't watch your speed.

Passing through Bungendore head for Braidwood. As you enter the town speed limits turn left onto the Nerriga Road. While a lot of the road has been upgraded there are parts that are narrow with no center line markings. No Problems though.

I wouldn't worry about Turpentime Road though the Nerriga to Nowra Road is straight and level and goes right into Nowra.

When you pass the Navy airfield the road comes to a T you can turn right then left just before entering the Navy base. That road is about 10kms and joins the Princes Highway at the southern part of Nowra. Or you can turn left and continue on into the Nowra township.

PS: The Nerriga hotel seems to have restricted hours, apparently only open in the latter part of the week. If it is open when you go past it make a nice place to have a break.

Murray

Rodsvan · Veteran Member

The Nerriga Rd takes longer than the Kings Hwy. The Kings Hwy (which would be my choice) does include the Clyde Mountain which is a bit steep with a few hairpins. I would avoid Friday afternoons as you would be sharing the road with a great many Canberra drivers heading for a weekend at the coast, with a lot of them driving like maniacs.

bristte · Veteran Member

As a local I hate the Kings Highway with a passion and try to minimise how often I travel it, towing or not. It's always full of crazy drivers, and thus police, and roadwork. I'm not a fan of the Princes Highway either for the same reasons. The OP Peter can't really avoid the Bungendore to Braidwood section. Actually he could if he took the Oallen Road, which is a bit shorter, but it's not something I would recommend if you're not familiar with it. If I was towing to near Nowra I'd take the Nerriga Road for a more relaxing trip. YMMV.

PeterD · Guru

This link shows some of the options to travel from Cooma to Nowra. If you don't want the adventure between Cooma and Braidwood, I would suggest this one. The road through Oallen has been upgraded since I was towing along it before 2000. I used that road when I was residing in the ACT pre 2000. It was also before the road between Nerriga was sealed, back in those days it was a well maintained surface you could lope along at speeds between 70 and 80 km/h. Going that way was quicker and easier going between St Georges Basin and Kaleen than using Kangaroo Valley or Clyde Mountain.

Long Weekend · Guru

PeterD is right about the road through Oallen being sealed. Over the years I watched the sealing being extended until it is now completed.

On the minus side the road wanders all over the place and you get the feeling that you are lost! Follow the road signs carefully I once turned left at a T intersection instead of right and had to turn around some distance later with the 21ft van on the back.

Actually, the Oallen road joins the Braidwood/Nerriga road just south of the Nerriga Village anyway!

With the exception of a short climb at the north of Nerriga village the road is virtually straight and level all the way.

Also, the road north from Bungendore to Tarago (where the road through Oallen begins) while being a main road is rather rough with the condition much poorer than the Kings Highway to Braidwood.

Just to add what DMaxer says about the Turpentine Road. That is in fact north of Nerriga so you may as well as keep going on the Nerriga to Nowra road.

Hope we haven't confused you!

Murray

petebalf · Member

All great info guys, thank you so much. The second last poster Peter I think was the only one to touch on the cooma - braidwood "adventure". That is actually the road I was considering. Through Snowball and Jinden. What's that road like nowadays?

I had a fun trip through Captains Flat and Braidwood and Nerriga on or around Ash Wednesday on road motorbikes. At that stage 200 kms of dirt from memory. 3 punctures in 18 hrs and ended up totally pissed in the pub while my puncture was being fixed and slept the night of ash wednesday in a tent by the side of the dirt road with ants crawling all over me. many more parts to this story but better not post Ah, the things you do when you are 22. This trip will be more comfortable that's for sure.
cheers
pete

-- Edited by petebalf on Thursday 27th of March 2025 05:45:42 PM

petebalf · Member

DMaxer wrote:
Hi Peter, Welcome.
I don't know if this helps but I have travelled down a few of those roads. I have done Cooma, Queanbeyan, Braidwood down to Batemans Bay on the Kings Highway and that is fine. A few bends on the way down but nothing traumatic. There is also Turpentine Road from near Braidwood that goes to near Nowra but have not done that in years but believe it is now sealed all the way (I think, but check)
There is a longer route down to Nimmitabel, down Brown Mountain to near Bega and then up to Nowra. Brown Mountain has a pretty severe descent of about 10ks with a few tight bends, not my favourite road however.
Hope that helps.

Gday DMaxer,

I know Brown Mountain very well as my brother lives in Tura beach and i have ridden Brown Mountain many times on motorbikes. It's a dangerous road but oh soo much fun, except if your are stuck behind a large truck in the wet! All those roads around there and down to Bombala are great with great mountain road from Bombala down to Orbost.