Sydney - Canberra

Meets Canberra
1

Hey guys,

I’m planning a (fixed) ride from Sydney to Canberra and was looking for some route tips. I obviously want to avoid the major roads where possible but would stick to some if you tell me they are ridable. I’d also need a place to stay during the trip, something nice with a pub close by.

Any tips?

Thanks!

Cheers
Marc

2

Go via the coast then up the Clyde to Braidwood and Bungendore.

3

I think the clyde - braidwood - bungendore option is a bad move. Terrible shoulders for cyclists and full of nutjob ACT drivers.

If it were me, I would do something like this:

Sydney down hume hwy, turn off to Old Hume Highway and head into Mittagong, then Moss Vale (option to stay the night here). Get onto Illawarra Hwy and cross over the Hume to Canyonleigh Rd which eventually turns into Carrick Rd. Follow this and it will pretty much spit you out onto Goulburn (option to stay the night here) or keep going until you hit Collector (http://www.bushrangerhotel.com.au). Then it’s towards Canberra along the Federal Highway until you get to the end of Lake George and you can hop on to the Old Federal Highway which will pretty much take you back to Canberra.

Hows that?

4

I wasn’t serious. The Clyde is 5km @ 10%, plus the drivers and lack of shoulder.

5

Sounds good, thanks! Will have a closer look at it over the weekend.

Cheers
Marc

6

One of the guys at work is doing it via this route:
Event Details

While that’s three days and I’d expect you’re going to knock it out in two (or one if you’re one of those freaky audax types) it’s not a bad route.

7

If youre looking a longer/more scenic route from Goulburn, go via Lake Bathurst/Tarago (theres a pub at Tarago). It can be a bit windy up there, but the roads a pretty quite and its far nicer. I think you can also ride to Lake Bathurst along back roads from the Moss Vale area, but some may be dirt.

8

Thanks. Looks like these guys are taking the Hume for the whole first day and thats what I’m trying to avoid. I’m not in a hurry, am doing it fixed, so will give myself maybe 2.5 days. Will start in Campbelltown to be out of the city straight away.

Funny i was just looking at an alternative from Goulburn and believe was looking at exactly this road. Lets see what I come up with when I have more time to look at it. For now seems Ezy’s suggestion pretty attractive