Driving To Melbourne And Back

[_Ryan_]

I would go flat out to adelaide etc, have a look around, then go via the appostles, GOR, otways(stay over night in apollo bay and do the otway fly etc), then head down the bellarine peninsula, get the ferry to sorrento, then drive up to mount dandenong(stay a night at Gracehill in olinda, eat dinner at wild oak ) go through the yarra valley(mt donna buang, the road from warburton to noojee,) jump on the monash fwy and take it into the city and do you city trip.

THEN, hall arse the whole way home

oh, you must do phillip island, and the prom, and go to flinders blowhole on the [mornington]peninsula.

[Boss-zilla]

I would go flat out to adelaide etc, have a look around, then go via the appostles, GOR, otways(stay over night in apollo bay and do the otway fly etc), then head down the bellarine peninsula, get the ferry to sorrento, then drive up to mount dandenong(stay a night at Gracehill in olinda, eat dinner at wild oak ) go through the yarra valley(mt donna buang, the road from warburton to noojee,) jump on the monash fwy and take it into the city and do you city trip.

THEN, hall arse the whole way home

ill agree with this but you are starting to make an epic long trip.

Also consider taking the train home from Adelaide. Its quicker, you can relax and i assume going back is alot more boring cause you just passed everything not too long before.

EDIT:

Or another idea would be to fly to Melb rent a car and do some of the above drives. something like

>fly in and spend a couple of days exploring the city (goto the zoo, we love it!)

>rent car and do day trips to yarra valley etc

>over night trips? sorrento (check out the old ww2 base) then ferry across to bellarine peninsula to check out Torque (bells beach/rip curl/quicksilver shops?) stay somewhere over night around there then back to melb via geelong (Warrabee open range zoo on the way into melb) then spend another couple of days drinking epic coffee and exploring the cbd (arts centre, museum,HM Thearter for a play etc).

Hmm think i miss Melb/vic been a while since i have been there, lol.

Edited March 1, 2012 by Boss-zilla

[Dsturbd]

Do it , good fun if its your first time .

[_Ryan_]

ill agree with this but you are starting to make an epic long trip.

Also consider taking the train home from Adelaide. Its quicker, you can relax and i assume going back is alot more boring cause you just passed everything not too long before.

EDIT:

Or another idea would be to fly to Melb rent a car and do some of the above drives. something like

>fly in and spend a couple of days exploring the city (goto the zoo, we love it!)

>rent car and do day trips to yarra valley etc

>over night trips? sorrento (check out the old ww2 base) then ferry across to bellarine peninsula to check out Torque (bells beach/rip curl/quicksilver shops?) stay somewhere over night around there then back to melb via geelong (Warrabee open range zoo on the way into melb) then spend another couple of days drinking epic coffee and exploring the cbd (arts centre, museum,HM Thearter for a play etc).

Hmm think i miss Melb/vic been a while since i have been there, lol.

otways/GOR dont get decent until apollo bay(well, the anglesea-apollo bay section is nice, and then through to the apostles is awesome), torquay is a hole.

Man i miss the place, i'm back in 2 weeks for a week, YAY

[Boss-zilla]

otways/GOR dont get decent until apollo bay(well, the anglesea-apollo bay section is nice, and then through to the apostles is awesome), torquay is a hole.

Man i miss the place, i'm back in 2 weeks for a week, YAY

same. wife grew up in anglesea and we were living near by for about 18 months. nice little spot when its not full of tourists

[_Ryan_]

same. wife grew up in anglesea and we were living near by for about 18 months. nice little spot when its not full of tourists

awesome. I spent many a holiday down there growing up. then lorne when I got older!

Would have loved to live down around Apollo bay, but it doesn't work for my career at this point in time... Hence moved from Toorak to Mount Dandenong(prior to coming here), peace and quiet and still commutable.

[Boss-zilla]

same, same!

Just talked to someone about some work that has popped up in Melb. Sounds alright but dont know............................

OT: also do the hot air baloon ride over the cbd Dale, if your into that sort of thing.

[_Ryan_]

same, same!

Just talked to someone about some work that has popped up in Melb. Sounds alright but dont know............................

OT: also do the hot air baloon ride over the cbd Dale, if your into that sort of thing.

And go up the eureka tower- time it right to see day And night.

[Ashy Larry]

Ceduna Pie Shop - Nothing even comes close!!!!!!!!!

If you dont stop there, you will remain dead to me!

[MLCrisis]

Hi. I did this in October 2009. See my thread about it, including planning, with lots of pictures on the last page.

GTR across the Nullabor - both ways

I would recommend using the BP and Shell websites to see which stations sell 98 octane fuel (if you need it). They are very good and give the kilometres to the next one, plus a map. (Which is fairly simple, given that there is one road for the main part!)

Also look at www.nullarbornet.com.au. That is a great website that gives distances between each town, plus information on places to stay, what to do, mudmaps around the areas, etc. Really good resource.

I found every one of the roadhouses to be really good. I did my own study of the ham, cheese and tomato toasty across Australia! All of the people at them were friendly and helpful, with only one exception in the whole trip. The best thing to consider, when judging any roadhouse or motel, is that you should remember that you are going into the back of beyond. If you are expecting them to be like city centre hotels and serve food and coffee to rival Melbourne cafes, you will be disappointed. Go with an open mind and you will be pleasantly surprised.

Places to visit: Streaky Bay on South Australia. Great little spot and only a short diversion from the main route. If you have the time, drive around the peninsular to Port Lincoln. It is supposed to be well worth it (but I have not been). And do the Great Ocean Road! Take a few days to do it and explore some of the smaller places.

Also, go to the Head of the Bight ranger station / tourist station. If the whales are around it is amazing and it is spectacular anyway.

I drove to Geelong in 4 days and then we took 6 days to drive back from Melbourne, but could have done with a few more days to explore. I am glad I did not take the train to Adelaide on the way East, but it would be a good option to reduce your time on the road, if you want to.

Ignore what people say about it being boring. It is the only way to see Australia. You don't experience anything from 35,000 feet! The towns, the people, the vast, changing vistas - it was an adventure that I intend to repeat some time. But maybe next time in the Land Rover, and maybe the GTR on a trailer to try out some of the Eastern States race tracks - now there's a thought!

Cheers.

[Boss-zilla]

^ i remember following that as you went. It was a fun trip sort of but it all depends on if he wants to explore the area between melb and perth or goto melb and have fun there.

[Stinky Rooster]

Well, after some hardcore negotiations, we have decided to alter the plans a little.

Since crossing the nullabor (in both directions) is going to take so much time out of the small amount of holidays I have available to me, we are now going to fly to Melbourne, hire a car and drive back as far as Adelaide (I didnt even know you could do one way car hire, but there you have it!) and take at least 5 days to do it, so all suggestions for between those 2 cities are now valid (and/or cool stuff to see and do outside of the CBD)

kgo

Mk2

[Boss-zilla]

*sigh*

sunday morning, you-me-coffe-talk, k?

[260tech]

*sigh*

sunday morning, you-me-coffe-talk, k?

Do it, you'll never regret it.

GW

[Ashy Larry]

Ceduna Pie Shop / Bakery!

Nothing further needs to be said!

[_Ryan_]

My suggestions stand.

Shall we catch up with a map? I have many!

[32godzilla]

Hi. I did this in October 2009. See my thread about it, including planning, with lots of pictures on the last page.

GTR across the Nullabor - both ways

Damn it! I was looking for this thread before I drove over from Adelaide Australia Day last year! In addition to all of the above, make sure you have good tyres on your car - I learnt the hard way!

Also, fuel is around $2 per litre (for 98) across the Nullarbor, and you won't always get 98. It is a drive I think everyone has to do at least once, and other than tyre blows both my 260RS and R34 GTR were a dream to drive. Oh, and one last thing, there's no mobile coverage from just out of Norseman until your across the Nullarbor, from memory it might have been nearing Ceduna but can't remember.

Some pics from my trip, my old man helped me drive the GTR over (and he's over 70!).

[R DIRTY 3]

Ceduna Pie Shop - Nothing even comes close!!!!!!!!!

If you dont stop there, you will remain dead to me!

This the one near the Shell Servo???

Dale the drive is awesome. As i did Perth to Mt Isa in a truck only a month or so ago i could not encourage you harder to do this!

Make sure you stop at the usual spots like border village for photos with Rooey II and Kimba for the big galah (might be a bit off the road for a car route....follow the truck route through town )

Id post pics up but they are too big apparently

[Stinky Rooster]

Well, all of you have convinced me.

We have pushed the date back untill the end of the year, due to exams and stuff for the loinspawn, and then we will be heading off! I cant wait!!

So, questions that remain to be answered - has anyone done the ferry across the bay in SA? Worth it?

And what sort of date do people recommend? I am thinking before xmas, but maybe just on, or just after?

Obviously traffic wont be much of an issue for most of the driive, but should I avoid adelaide - melbourne between xmas and new years?

[_Ryan_]

Well, all of you have convinced me.

We have pushed the date back untill the end of the year, due to exams and stuff for the loinspawn, and then we will be heading off! I cant wait!!

So, questions that remain to be answered - has anyone done the ferry across the bay in SA? Worth it?

And what sort of date do people recommend? I am thinking before xmas, but maybe just on, or just after?

Obviously traffic wont be much of an issue for most of the driive, but should I avoid adelaide - melbourne between xmas and new years?

I wouldnt bother being a tourist in vic over the holiday periods

I can send you heaps of amazing places that should be dead though... its just some areas will be chockers.