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anonymous-user

Original Poster:

61 months

Wednesday 23rd September 2015
quotequote all
I am flying to Sydney in a months time, to take part in the LeMons race at Wakefield park Goulburn, race is on the Wednesday but wife and I will arrive Saturday and dive from Sydney airport to Goulburn,
Assuming I am tied up with car prep, the wife will have 3 days to kill in Goulburn, on the way back we are planning one night in Sydney.
This is driven by available leave days at this time of year so time is tight, so.
1 is it worth driving North from the airport and going anti clockwise round the Sydney ring road, MI.M2 M7, on the way to Goulburn. it only looks about 40KM longer than going clockwise to the M31, would I see anything worth the mileage,
2 whats the road like?. How much are the tolls on the motorway? Do they take cars or cash only?
3 Any suggestions for the wife to do in 3 days in Goulburn, she wont want to drive, is there any public transport to Sydney, Canberra etc.
Having got round to sorted out the Visa's it is lickely we will return to Aus in the near future for a more tourist type trip.

PomBstard

7,109 posts

249 months

Wednesday 23rd September 2015
quotequote all
Berw said:
I am flying to Sydney in a months time, to take part in the LeMons race at Wakefield park Goulburn, race is on the Wednesday but wife and I will arrive Saturday and dive from Sydney airport to Goulburn,
Assuming I am tied up with car prep, the wife will have 3 days to kill in Goulburn, on the way back we are planning one night in Sydney.
This is driven by available leave days at this time of year so time is tight, so.
1 is it worth driving North from the airport and going anti clockwise round the Sydney ring road, MI.M2 M7, on the way to Goulburn. it only looks about 40KM longer than going clockwise to the M31, would I see anything worth the mileage,
2 whats the road like?. How much are the tolls on the motorway? Do they take cars or cash only?
3 Any suggestions for the wife to do in 3 days in Goulburn, she wont want to drive, is there any public transport to Sydney, Canberra etc.
Having got round to sorted out the Visa's it is lickely we will return to Aus in the near future for a more tourist type trip.
Sounds like you'll be having more fun...biggrin

Not really much to see by doing a lap of the M7/M2, except maybe stop at the Opera House and Harbour Bridge. As you come north, look for signs for City North (not North Sydney!) to exit after the Eastern Distributer, but before the Harbour Tunnel or Harbour Bridge - stay on the south of the harbour. Best to check a map before leaving the airport.

After that, just turnaround and follow signs back past the airport to Canberra - Goulburn's about 2 hours away. Its an easy cruise, stick close to the speed limit though cos there are usually a couple of patrol cars around, and Goulburn is where they all train...

The ring road is tolled at various points - you can pay online afterwards, I think you get 2-3 days. It wouldn't be cheap doing a lap! The ED will be $6.50(ish) to get to the Harbour Bridge. There's another on the motorway as you head through south-west Sydney towards Goulburn, and that'll be it.

No idea what you'd do in Goulburn for 3 days. Longest I've spent there at any one time is 90 mins. Canberra's about an hour down the road and there are galleries, museums and stuff there if that's her thang. A tour of Parliament House might be worth it. Otherwise, I can recommend to hire a mountain bike and head out to Stromlo and Sparrow Hill...

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

61 months

Wednesday 23rd September 2015
quotequote all
Yeh I'm going to enjoy myself, but not the wife, That's exactly what I was thinking to drive up to see the bridge, If I stay in Sydney for the night would you recommend a car, or train in for the night and train back to pick up a car at the airport?

Mattt

16,663 posts

225 months

Wednesday 23rd September 2015
quotequote all
I reckon train's your best bet, saves parking fees too. Easy and cheap to get a train to the City.

If you wanted to be extra frugal you could get a train further out of the city and pick up a hire car there.

Jader1973

4,289 posts

207 months

Wednesday 23rd September 2015
quotequote all
Driving in Sydney is horrendous. I'm in the airport right now and am really happy I was only here for the day. Finding a petrol station near the airport was an adventure! Seems the were able to build a huge McDonalds and KFC but not a convenient petrol station!

Train in and then collect a car the next day is a good idea.

Hire car will come with a toll pass - they'll just automatically charge your credit card.

And avoid a Toyota Camry as a hire car - they are horrible (first and hopefully last go in one today - next time I will insist on something else).

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

61 months

Wednesday 23rd September 2015
quotequote all
Toyota Camry keeps coming up on all the hire car sites, I have a lotus Carlton so I was fancying a Holden cause I've never driven one.
I can't find where the airport train stops in the city, I am looking at hotels around the opera house are these a direct line to the airport?

Colonial

13,553 posts

212 months

Thursday 24th September 2015
quotequote all
Berw said:
Toyota Camry keeps coming up on all the hire car sites, I have a lotus Carlton so I was fancying a Holden cause I've never driven one.
I can't find where the airport train stops in the city, I am looking at hotels around the opera house are these a direct line to the airport?
Yes. Get off at Circular Quay station. Super convenient.

A guy on another forum is running an R31 skyline at LeMons. Looks like an absolute laugh.

Goulburn is not on the top 1000 list of thrilling destinations in Australia. But it's only a couple of hours to both Canberra and Sydney. Probably best if she takes the hire car and goes down to Canberra. There's a few wineries if she is in to that sort of thing, National Gallery etc as well. Or stay in Sydney for shopping/sightseeing.

Jader1973

4,289 posts

207 months

Thursday 24th September 2015
quotequote all
Berw said:
Toyota Camry keeps coming up on all the hire car sites, I have a lotus Carlton so I was fancying a Holden cause I've never driven one.
I can't find where the airport train stops in the city, I am looking at hotels around the opera house are these a direct line to the airport?
If you want a Commodore then go to AVIS. I think the only way to guarantee a Commodore though is to request a station wagon - I think they only have SV6 wagons despite having an "or similar" caveat. If you go Full Size Sports the "or similar" is a Ford Falcon XR6.

My parents book a "Holden Cruze or similar" and so far of the 6 times they've been they've never got one - always a Lancer or a Corolla smile

Budget have Commodores too but I think availability varies by franchise - AVIS is a bit more uniform.

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

61 months

Friday 25th September 2015
quotequote all
How on earth do you get a Skyline legitimately? The engine and box as scrap are worth more than the car cost allowed.

My current thoughts are to drive down through the Royal National Park to Wollongong and the cut across country, book say the coastal road in te park is great and entry is free if i'm not stopping?


Jader1973

4,289 posts

207 months

Friday 25th September 2015
quotequote all
Berw said:
How on earth do you get a Skyline legitimately? The engine and box as scrap are worth more than the car cost allowed.

My current thoughts are to drive down through the Royal National Park to Wollongong and the cut across country, book say the coastal road in te park is great and entry is free if i'm not stopping?

R31 Skyline will be a sedan/wagon most likely.

Available for peanuts down here.

suthol

2,338 posts

241 months

Friday 25th September 2015
quotequote all
Berw said:
How on earth do you get a Skyline legitimately? The engine and box as scrap are worth more than the car cost allowed.

My current thoughts are to drive down through the Royal National Park to Wollongong and the cut across country, book say the coastal road in te park is great and entry is free if i'm not stopping?

Driving through the park is free and there's really not much to see until you exit at the southern end at Otford, the road is fairly heavily police because too many people use it for a race track and the northern part between Audley and Garie is a bit bumpy but the tar flattens out once you pass the Garie turnoff and this is where the winding road starts anyway.

Hasbeen

2,073 posts

228 months

Friday 25th September 2015
quotequote all
The last time I drove through Royal National Park was about a year or so back, in my 330 BHP, 4.6L Triumph TR8. Frankly it was a pretty enough run, but rather boring at the current speed limit. If you are going to do it, avoid the weekend. Passing is almost impossible, & it is a popular route with families, with learner driver kids.

Previously, in the 60s, with open road, so effectively no speed limit, it was an extremely interesting drive.

suthol

2,338 posts

241 months

Thursday 5th November 2015
quotequote all
Gday OP, despite the difficulties that the Winefuled Skyline had how did you enjoy Wakey.

A couple of guys I race with were in the Caltex Excel ( the little car that thought it could ) and they had a ball