3 Weeks in October
Discussion
Starting with me arriving on the 3rd then heading for Bathurst V8 Race.Camping on the Paddock Campsite already arranged as is Pit-Lane Walkabout on Saturday
Monday 8th sees me heading for Melbourne
Tuesday 9th sees me visiting the HSV Factory
Wednesday 10th sees me leaving Melbourne for Newcastle where i will be spending a week with ex Aussie Speedway Rider,Bob "Bluey" Valentine (i was his Pit-Crew/Minder during his British League Career in the 70's)
After leaving Newcastle,i'll be heading for Brisbane for the Gold Coast 600.
Flight Home on the Evening after the Race.
SO,I Drive a Truck for a Living so Driving big mileages does not Faze me.
Do i hire a Car at Sydney and drive to Bathurst > Melbourne > Newcastle > Brizzy. This way i have all my Kit with me and keep it secure.
Do i Hire a Car at Sydney and drive to Bathurst and back before Flying (or Train) to Melbourne then Fly (Train) to Newcastle then Fly (Train) to Brizzy. This means dragging all my Kit in a Case all round Airports/Rail Stations/Bus Stations/Taxi Offices
Also, any recommendations for Hotel/B&B near to HSV Factory and also same for Brisbane/Surfers Paradise.
Any Help appreciated, Thanks in Advance.
Monday 8th sees me heading for Melbourne
Tuesday 9th sees me visiting the HSV Factory
Wednesday 10th sees me leaving Melbourne for Newcastle where i will be spending a week with ex Aussie Speedway Rider,Bob "Bluey" Valentine (i was his Pit-Crew/Minder during his British League Career in the 70's)
After leaving Newcastle,i'll be heading for Brisbane for the Gold Coast 600.
Flight Home on the Evening after the Race.
SO,I Drive a Truck for a Living so Driving big mileages does not Faze me.
Do i hire a Car at Sydney and drive to Bathurst > Melbourne > Newcastle > Brizzy. This way i have all my Kit with me and keep it secure.
Do i Hire a Car at Sydney and drive to Bathurst and back before Flying (or Train) to Melbourne then Fly (Train) to Newcastle then Fly (Train) to Brizzy. This means dragging all my Kit in a Case all round Airports/Rail Stations/Bus Stations/Taxi Offices
Also, any recommendations for Hotel/B&B near to HSV Factory and also same for Brisbane/Surfers Paradise.
Any Help appreciated, Thanks in Advance.
You're obviously a nut case, with all this fixation on motor racing, & V8s in particular, so you'll get on well here in Oz.
I spent years racing in the days when we personally towed our cars everywhere. I'd do it all driving personally, particularly if you have companion for the trip. It would be a bit silly, even for a motor racing nut to come all the way to Oz, & only see most of it from 30,000 ft. Driving you will get to see just how different various parts can be.
Oz is very much car based, with lousy public transport. I don't even know how you would get from the circuit to the town in Bathurst, & the drive from Sydney is quite pleasant.
I've recently done the drive from Brisbane/Gold Coast to Sydney a couple of times, once by the coast road & once by the inland route, [the 2 major highways], & prefer the inland route. I have also driven Gold Coast to Bathurst a couple of times. These interstate runs are about 11 to 13 hours each, depending on your observance of speed limits to some extent.
If you chose to drive, just remember that the speed limit tolerance is very small in Oz. In Victoria/Melbourne you can be booked for just a couple of kilometers over, & most of Oz it is much less than you're used to. The old 10% margin does not apply any longer.
Have a great trip.
I spent years racing in the days when we personally towed our cars everywhere. I'd do it all driving personally, particularly if you have companion for the trip. It would be a bit silly, even for a motor racing nut to come all the way to Oz, & only see most of it from 30,000 ft. Driving you will get to see just how different various parts can be.
Oz is very much car based, with lousy public transport. I don't even know how you would get from the circuit to the town in Bathurst, & the drive from Sydney is quite pleasant.
I've recently done the drive from Brisbane/Gold Coast to Sydney a couple of times, once by the coast road & once by the inland route, [the 2 major highways], & prefer the inland route. I have also driven Gold Coast to Bathurst a couple of times. These interstate runs are about 11 to 13 hours each, depending on your observance of speed limits to some extent.
If you chose to drive, just remember that the speed limit tolerance is very small in Oz. In Victoria/Melbourne you can be booked for just a couple of kilometers over, & most of Oz it is much less than you're used to. The old 10% margin does not apply any longer.
Have a great trip.
Looking at your schedule I would fly as much as I can because most of your trip will take 12 hour + non stop driving and flying will save you lots of time and is cheaper than driving as you can get flights using Tiger/Virgin/Jetstar for around $60 each leg. I would:
1. Hire car from Sydney airport to Bathurst to Sydney Airport
2. Fly Sydney to Melb
3. Hire car in Melb for a day or 2
4. Fly Melb to Syd and hire car at Sydney to drive to Newcastle
5. Drive Newcastle to Sydney and fly to Gold Coast and hire a car there as public transport there is useless.
For Hotels try www.hotelscombined.com or wotif.com.au Most of the big hotels at Surfer Paradise or Broadbeach are ok and close to most of the actions. Maybe stay at the Jupiter Casino if you like a bet or 2. I like to stay at RACV Royal Pines about 5Km in land from Surfers not far from everything but far enough to have some quite time.
1. Hire car from Sydney airport to Bathurst to Sydney Airport
2. Fly Sydney to Melb
3. Hire car in Melb for a day or 2
4. Fly Melb to Syd and hire car at Sydney to drive to Newcastle
5. Drive Newcastle to Sydney and fly to Gold Coast and hire a car there as public transport there is useless.
For Hotels try www.hotelscombined.com or wotif.com.au Most of the big hotels at Surfer Paradise or Broadbeach are ok and close to most of the actions. Maybe stay at the Jupiter Casino if you like a bet or 2. I like to stay at RACV Royal Pines about 5Km in land from Surfers not far from everything but far enough to have some quite time.
Edited by onny on Wednesday 27th June 03:46
Hi Hasbeen and onny, Thanks for replies even if they conflict in opinion. I have "previous" in Oz;
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
I was over in April 2010 for what should have been a Long Weekend (Yeah,i KNOW ) but got stranded by the Iceland Volcano that went off and shut European Air Space. Stuck in Sydney for 3 weeks,Oh Dear,
. I'm fully aware of the Distances involved. My thoughts behind the options were trying to weigh up the inconvenience of having to lug all of my kit round in a Suitcase,everywhere i go on Train/Plane/Bus against being able to, more or less, make choices on the Hoof.Another reason for me seeking Local advice is that my Sis and Bro-in-Law have come back to the UK so i only have Bob and his Family in Newcastle as contact.
And as for my,apparent love of V8's,
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
I'll continue to study Timetables and Maps etc and come up with a Plan !!
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
I was over in April 2010 for what should have been a Long Weekend (Yeah,i KNOW ) but got stranded by the Iceland Volcano that went off and shut European Air Space. Stuck in Sydney for 3 weeks,Oh Dear,
. I'm fully aware of the Distances involved. My thoughts behind the options were trying to weigh up the inconvenience of having to lug all of my kit round in a Suitcase,everywhere i go on Train/Plane/Bus against being able to, more or less, make choices on the Hoof.Another reason for me seeking Local advice is that my Sis and Bro-in-Law have come back to the UK so i only have Bob and his Family in Newcastle as contact.And as for my,apparent love of V8's,
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
I'll continue to study Timetables and Maps etc and come up with a Plan !!
Edited by Dee Tee on Wednesday 27th June 20:04
There is a Novatel out in Glen Waverley which would be close to the HSV factory but I would only stay there if you had a vehicle to get around. Otherwise stay in the city. More to see and do in the city.
There is a metropolitan train station right outside the HSV factory. Not sure if it is Clayton or another one. Ok its name is Westall, it is on the Pakenham/Berwick/Cranborne/Dandenong line. Trains every 20 minutes or so.
There is a metropolitan train station right outside the HSV factory. Not sure if it is Clayton or another one. Ok its name is Westall, it is on the Pakenham/Berwick/Cranborne/Dandenong line. Trains every 20 minutes or so.
UPDATE;
Just in case anybody is remotely interested.
I decided to Hire a car and drive everywhere. But the Insurance Premiums were more than the car Hire !!
I decided to Fly from Sydney to Melbourne, and then Melbourne to Newcastle. But the Excess Baggage put the Ticket Price up by over a Third !!
Not all bad news,though. I've been offered;
A Fully Set-Up Camping Pitch in the Bathurst Paddock Camp Site, through Facebook.
A Lift from Sydney Airport to Bathurst by a friend of the Lady who provided the Camping.
I'm taking the Sleeper Train from Sydney to Melbourne to Visit the HSV Plant.
I'm taking the Sleeper back to Sydney before taking the train to Newcastle to visit my Mate, ex Aussie Speedway Rider, Bob Valentine.
After a Week with Bob,i'm hiring a Car to drive to Quirindi (to see the Peter Brock Car Collection) and Tamworth NSW (for no other reason than i live in Tamworth UK), before heading for Brizzy to drop the Car off.
Another Facebook Contact has offered me a Room for the Surfers Paradise Race Weekend.He is visiting the IOM TT in 2014 and i've fixed him up with Accommodation and advice for that trip.
It seems that it's only the Cricket and Rugby teams that Hate Poms !!!
Just in case anybody is remotely interested.
I decided to Hire a car and drive everywhere. But the Insurance Premiums were more than the car Hire !!
I decided to Fly from Sydney to Melbourne, and then Melbourne to Newcastle. But the Excess Baggage put the Ticket Price up by over a Third !!
Not all bad news,though. I've been offered;
A Fully Set-Up Camping Pitch in the Bathurst Paddock Camp Site, through Facebook.
A Lift from Sydney Airport to Bathurst by a friend of the Lady who provided the Camping.
I'm taking the Sleeper Train from Sydney to Melbourne to Visit the HSV Plant.
I'm taking the Sleeper back to Sydney before taking the train to Newcastle to visit my Mate, ex Aussie Speedway Rider, Bob Valentine.
After a Week with Bob,i'm hiring a Car to drive to Quirindi (to see the Peter Brock Car Collection) and Tamworth NSW (for no other reason than i live in Tamworth UK), before heading for Brizzy to drop the Car off.
Another Facebook Contact has offered me a Room for the Surfers Paradise Race Weekend.He is visiting the IOM TT in 2014 and i've fixed him up with Accommodation and advice for that trip.
It seems that it's only the Cricket and Rugby teams that Hate Poms !!!
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