Highway One Travel Companion

Transcription

1 The Highway One Travel Companion Volume One: Melbourne to Tweed Heads

2 About the Author David Taylor is a hopeless addict to long road trips, small towns and their history and... great road food. Born in 1954 in Brisbane, he joined the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) at 17. After a varied 21-year career as a Radio Technician, Chinese Linguist and Intelligence Officer he founded Southern Computers & Software. After selling the business in 1995 he joined Industry Capability Network Queensland (ICN), part of a national network of independent industry assistance organisations, eventually becoming General Manager in 2007 and guiding the company through a successful merger with Brisbane-based QMI Solutions Ltd. Always interested in small towns, great architecture and history, he drove famous Route 66 in Inspired by the experience and the many similarities between USA s Route 66 and the hidden gem that is Australia s Highway One, he became a full-time writer in He is now planning the next volumes in the Highway One Travel Companion series. He lives just outside Murwillumbah in the beautiful Northern Rivers district in the far north of New South Wales.

3 The Highway One Travel Companion Volume One: Melbourne to Tweed Heads David Taylor

4 Published by Boolarong Press 1/655 Toohey Road Salisbury Qld 4107 & Highway One Research PO Box 1020 Murwillumbah NSW 2484 Copyright David Taylor, 2012 This book is protected by copyright and all rights are reserved. The reproduction of all or part of this book, and/or its distribution in either print or electronic form is prohibited without prior consent in writing from Highway One Research. National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication entry: Author: Taylor, David, Title: ISBN: Notes: Subjects: The Highway One Travel Companion. Volume 1, Melbourne to Tweed Heads / David Taylor (pbk.) Includes bibliographical references and index. Australia--Description and travel. Australia--Guidebooks. Highway One (Australia) Dewey Number: Text layout and website, cover, graphic and creative design by Design Bordello Printed in Australia by Watson Ferguson & Company, Brisbane Disclaimer Although the author and publishers have taken all reasonable care in preparing this book, neither the author nor the publishers accept any responsibility for errors, omissions or contradictory information contained in this book. Any action taken by any party in reliance on this information is taken at the sole risk and expense of that party.

5 Dedication This book is dedicated to the dozens of organisations and people who have generously contributed their time and detailed local knowledge to this book. This has included staff and volunteers from dozens of regional Historical Societies, Visitor Information Centres, Regional, Shire and City Councils, the Roads and Transport Departments of all States, Highway One businesses of all kinds and, most importantly, the people of the road. This book would not have been possible without their help. The interviews have taken place in formats as varied as formal meetings at government premises, chats over coffee with anyone willing, respectful exchanges with clergy, kerbside pointers from friendly locals, long talks with motel owners and fuzzily-remembered brilliant insights gained during long pub lunches and dinners with publicans and road people from Albion Park to Yarragon. The outcomes from these meetings have been sifted, analysed and augmented and combined with existing and original research. The end result is presented here as a tribute to the east coast section of Australia s greatest highway, its history and its people. Special thanks to Julie Argentino for her diligent editing input, Tim McGrath and Johannes Borg for valuable and constructive comment in the early stages of text development, Aishah Taylor for her work in creation of the sketches, Johari Taylor for huge assistance with mapping and Genevieve and Peter of Design Bordello for their creative input. Weileys Hotel. Grafton.

6 Contents Highway One Primer What is Highway One? 9 Australia s Mother Road 10 The Travel Companion Approach 11 The Towns & People 12 Orphans 13 How Long & When to Drive 14 The Highway One Explorer s Best Approach 15 Contents How to Use the Travel Companion Terminology 16 Overview 17 Route Information 17 Maps 18 The Red Route 18 Mileages 19 Road Change 20 Tick the Box 21 Roadology Health and Safety Accuracy 24 Driving 24 Roadside Breakdown Assistance 24 Wildlife 25 Swimming 25 Emergency 25 Victoria 27 1 Melbourne CBD to Pakenham 31 2 Pakenham to Moe 40 3 Moe to Sale 47 4 Sale to Bairnsdale 55 5 Bairnsdale to Nowa Nowa 60 6 Nowa Nowa to Bellbird Creek 64 7 Bellbird Creek to New South Wales Border 70

7 Contents New South Wales 75 1 Victoria Border to Eden 78 2 Eden to Bega 80 3 Bega to Narooma 86 4 Narooma to Moruya 92 5 Moruya to East Lynne 96 6 East Lynne to Fishermans Paradise 99 7 Fishermans Paradise to Nowra Nowra to Dapto Dapto to Sutherland Sydney (Sutherland to Mt Kuring-Gai) Mt Kuring-Gai to Wyong Wyong to Swansea Swansea to Raymond Terrace Raymond Terrace to Taree Taree to Port Macquarie Port Macquarie to Kempsey Kempsey to Macksville Macksville to Coffs Harbour Coffs Harbour to Grafton Grafton to New Italy New Italy to Ballina Ballina to Billinudgel Billinudgel to Tweed Heads (Queensland Border) 231 Contents Bibliography and Further Reading 242 Printed Materials 242 Websites 242 Acknowledgements 243 Indexes 244 Places 244 Giants 247 Icons 247

8 5. Bairnsdale to Nowa Nowa Bairnsdale to Nowa Nowa Victoria New South Wales North: Continue east with the A1 from the Mitchell River bridge in Bairnsdale. Turn right with the A1 at the B500 Great Alpine Rd roundabout at 1.1km. South: At 57km turn left with the A1 at the B500 Great Alpine Rd roundabout. Cross the Mitchell River bridge in Bairnsdale at 58.1km. Watered by the Nicholson River, Nicholson (pop. 1,504) is a handy stopping place on Highway One. The nearby Nicholson River Winery is well known for its Chardonnay. The East Gippsland Rail Trail passes just north of town on its way between Bairnsdale and Orbost. Just west of Swan Reach, Johnsonville (pop. 586) is known as an anglers paradise. Swan Reach (pop. 847) hosts the National Dollhouse Gallery on School Rd east of the Tambo River. Court House. Bairnsdale. 60 The Highway One Travel Companion

9 The lake s entrance. Lakes Entrance. Victoria Detour At 20.7/37.5km turn south 7km down C606 Metung Rd just on the east side of the Tambo River for the fishing and boating village of Metung (pop. 1,203). Surrounded on three sides by water it offers great access to the Lakes. The Metung Hotel dates back to Orphan Robertsons Rd Former Alignment - at 26.3/31.9km look out on the south for the access turn-in to Robertsons Rd. This is a 750m old alignment and is home to the Lakes Entrance Motel, a survivor from those Old Highway One glory days. Robertsons Rd Legend 1. Old Motel 2. Old Road Access 3. Old Road 4. Former path New South Wales Took a short trip down C606 to Metung. Victoria 61

10 History Centre & Museum. Lakes Entrance. Victoria New South Wales North: Cross the bridge into Lakes Entrance at 33.8km. Turn right with A1 Princes Highway at the T-junction with C620 at 57.9km. Arrive at the Boggy Creek bridge in Nowa Nowa at 58.2km. South: From the Boggy Creek bridge in Nowa Nowa follow A1 Princes Highway west. Keep left with A1 at the Y-junction with C620 at 100m. Cross the bridge out of Lakes Entrance at 24.3km. Enjoy the winding drive down through the hills as the country opens up for some great views out to sea as you cross the bridge into the tourist centre of Lakes Entrance (pop. 4,094) make sure you stop at a couple of the lookouts to enjoy the unique local geography. Situated on a man-made channel linking Bass Strait with the Gippsland Lakes, the town was originally a fishing village. History The Lakes Entrance History Centre & Museum is housed in the historic former Johnsonville Schoolhouse right behind the Tourist Information Centre just on the east side of the bridge. Fiesta The Seafarers Multicultural Festival takes place in December. History At 55.3/2.8km turn onto Old Colquhoun Rd at the Historic Trestle Bridge sign and travel about 3km north to take in the Stony Creek Railway Bridge. Built in 1916 from local timber, at The Highway One Travel Companion

11 Trestle Bridge. Stony Creek. Victoria metres high and 274 metres in length, it is believed to be the largest wooden bridge still standing in Australia. Nowa Nowa (pop. 144) was a timber town relying on local mills for income, however, there is currently only one mill still operating. Tourism has filled the void and Nowa Nowa now offers a range of outdoor activities, including cycling, fishing and other aquatic activities. The East Gippsland Rail Trail passes just north of town. Legend 1. Old Trestle Bridge 2. Abandoned Railway Stony Creek Trestle Bridge Fiesta Nowa Nowa is the home of the Nowa Nowa Nudes Art Show held in November each year. Abandoned alignment. New South Wales Victoria 63