Murray Valley to Canberra

[Alanbaird10]

Can anyone suggest a route from The Murray Valley to Canberra avoiding the busy Monaro and Hume highways. We are on a heavily loaded tandem and would prefer sealed roads or unsealed in reasonable condition ,if possible. We have camping gear.
Thanks,
Alan.

[Uncle Just]

I presume by Murray Valley you will start from or pass through near Albury/Wodonga? If so use the Murray River Road to Jingellic. Head north to Tumbarumba, Batlow and Tumut. Then take the Wee Jasper Yass road to Wee Jasper (partly unsealed and hilly but a reasonable surface looking at recent Google maps). Leave here taking the road to Cavan and turn right on the Mountain Creek road then onto the Uriarra road into Canberra (all sealed). The other hillier and mostly unsealed way is to take the Brindabella road via the Bombowlee Creek (sealed) road from near Tumut. I've done a mix of these roads but travelled on to Yass and skirted the top of Canberra via Murrumbateman and Gundaroo to Goulburn. If you do take these roads around Tumut there is a lot of logging in the forest where pine is ubiquitous so expect trucks.

Basically following the Murray Valley part of the way it will be very hilly indeed mountainous if you go via the Alpine Way and over Dead Horse Gap to Jindabyne and up the back way into Canberra via the Boboyan road. So too is going via the Tooma road to Cabramurra and joining the Snowy Mountains hwy. You then have the problem of getting into Canberra without riding the Monaro hwy. The only flatter route to my knowledge would be to plot a course further north from Albury and use the old Hume hwy in parts then return from the north into Canberra. A fair bit longer and can be done of course if you have the time. For example use the route above to Tumut and head up to Jugiong via quieter roads then head east and south to Canberra via minor roads.

Warren H, a much travelled tourer on this forum and very familiar with the remoter areas around Canberra may have some better suggestions.

[il padrone]

On a heavily loaded tandem I would not go anywhere near Dead Horse Gap, Thredbo, and Jindabyne; nor Cabramurra and Kiandra. Even the route through Tumut, Tumbarumba, and Wee Jasper would be quite a workout for you, but that's life on a tandem.

[FatGuts]

There is a way to avoid most of the Monaro Highway. From Cooma you can go by Numeralla, Jerangle, Michelago, Burra and Williamsdale. From Williamsdale cross the Monaro towards Smiths Road. This will plonk you into the Lanyon Valley and you then have cycle paths all the way into the City.

As mentioned the Bobyan road is the most direct route from the eastern side of the Snowies but there are some very steep sections. Beautiful road but I would be more concerned riding that than the Monaro, there are a lot of people who do obscene speeds on that road and there is little room in spots. I would just pull over if I heard a car coming to make sure I would not get run over.

The Monaro for the most part is not that busy, especially during the week. The only times its "busy" is in the snow season and at the end of long weekends and such. Its nowhere near as busy as the Kings Highway. It also has a good shoulder for the most part.

Anyway, pretty well your main routes are:
Murray Valley into Tumut, Wee Jasper, Canberra.
Murray Valley into Kanchoban, Kiandra, Adamniaby, Bobyan Road.
Murray Calley into Kanchoban, Alpine Way to Thredbo/Jindabyne, Cooma and then the Monaro or the way I suggested.

No matter which way you go you are up for some hills but the rides would be awesome.

[FatGuts]

On a heavily loaded tandem I would not go anywhere near Dead Horse Gap, Thredbo, and Jindabyne; nor Cabramurra and Kiandra. Even the route through Tumut, Tumbarumba, and Wee Jasper would be quite a workout for you, but that's life on a tandem.

That rules out about every route other than the Hume Highway.......

[il padrone]

Well the OP did specify a heavily-loaded tandem and a sealed-road only route, so the Hume alignment would be about it. The road through Tumbarumba, Batlow, Tumut and Wee Jasper is probably a reasonable, though hilly option, but I think the last section from Tumut to Wee Jasper and Yass is the most hilly section and mostly gravel.

The other flat road option is the road to The Rock, Wagga Wagga, Junee, Cootamundra, Harden and Yass. Highway riding but much less traffic than the Hume. I have driven most of this once but not ridden it. All I can add is not to plan to do this any time before April. Summer can be a furnace out there.

[lobstermash]

As mentioned the Bobyan road is the most direct route from the eastern side of the Snowies but there are some very steep sections. Beautiful road but I would be more concerned riding that than the Monaro, there are a lot of people who do obscene speeds on that road and there is little room in spots. I would just pull over if I heard a car coming to make sure I would not get run over.

Bobeyan Rd is damned scary with the way some people drive through there, not to mention the varying condition of the road. I used to prefer driving it at night, as you'd at least see other cars and be seen by them. But then you'd also get cattle on the road... Ugh, glad I've stopped doing that drive (I catch my trout locally in a not very secret secret spot...).

The Monaro Highway is generally OK, as it's heavily patrolled by the Cooma Police. I think they get at least half their funding through booking Canberrans for trivial and often obscure traffic offences...

[FatGuts]

Well the OP did specify a heavily-loaded tandem and a sealed-road only route, so the Hume alignment would be about it. The road through Tumbarumba, Batlow, Tumut and Wee Jasper is probably a reasonable, though hilly option, but I think the last section from Tumut to Wee Jasper and Yass is the most hilly section and mostly gravel.

The other flat road option is the road to The Rock, Wagga Wagga, Junee, Cootamundra, Harden and Yass. Highway riding but much less traffic than the Hume. I have driven most of this once but not ridden it. All I can add is not to plan to do this any time before April. Summer can be a furnace out there.

See the thing is with going anywhere near Yass is the Barton Highway, all manner of muppets drive along there and the shoulders are skinny. Way more dangerous than the Monaro. It can be bypassed by heading towards Sutton from Murrumbateman and hanging a right on Gundaroo Road and heading into Gunghetto.

Anyway, the OP is suspiciously quiet....... Cmon Alan, are we on the right track?

[il padrone]

Yass River Rd to Gundaroo, then come in along the Mulligan's Flat Rd ??

I don't know Canberra at all BTW.

[FatGuts]

Yass River Rd to Gundaroo, then come in along the Mulligan's Flat Rd ??

I don't know Canberra at all BTW.

The Barton from Yass to Murrumbateman is good now. Dual carraigeway for the most and they have taken the bends out just west of town which means it has massive shoulders all the way so Murrumbateman Road, Tallagandra Lane and then Mulligans Flat road (what I referred to as Gundaroo Road as it used to be known). After that to Hall, forget it. Its getting better but it is so overloaded with traffic its not funny.

If they went out through the way you said an ended up in Yass (not a bad way mind you), Wee Jasper and then Mountain Creek Roads would to the trick. Nearly all tar but has some steep sections.

[Alanbaird10]

Thanks all for your replies.
Due to the high temperatures and the bush fires we have opted out and hired a car to get us around the fires as we find ourselves in the region around Tumut-Tumbarumba which has had some road closures in the last fewdays.
Alan.

[FatGuts]

Well that was disappointing...........

[neilmny]

Thats a real pity Alan. I was following your adventure/s on Crazyguy.
Safety first I suppose......err no I don't suppose.
Being of a similar generation it was great to read about you both doing
something I would like to do....if only I could get the other half of the team
interested.

[FatGuts]

This Alan Baird?

http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/search/? ... n_type=all" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Alanbaird10]

Yes,that's me.
Alan.

[FatGuts]

I better get reading then