SUGGESTED ROUTES

As I explained on the front page, by definition the event is what happens at the hall, but the getting-there should be part of the day. I’d like to think that you make it a fun day and have an enjoyable drive or ride to the event. You’re free to make your own way there by whatever route you wish – even just come straight from your home to the hall if you want – but here are some suggested routes you might like to take.

The situation with cars on historic registration is, of course, a bit different. The restrictions of “club rego” mean that you can’t have cars just wandering around anywhere they want. So for them, it will be necessary to choose one of the suggested runs; which is why I have put a time and place to meet for some runs in particular. Of course if a club would like to arrange their own route for a run to the event that is fine! I’m just providing a couple of suggested ones here.

I’ve mentioned ones that I think would be particularly suitable for classic cars, but all of the runs are suitable for both cars and bikes. The main difference is the distance – so deciding how far you want to go.

NOTE: I’m assuming that people who read this are reasonably familiar with the local area, so I’ll describe the routes in a fairly general way – I won’t quite do a turn-by-turn description. If you’re not sure about some of the directions, Google Maps is great! Or feel welcome to email me and I will be happy to provide more detailed instructions.

Oh, and for convenience, I’ve described most of the runs as starting in the Dapto area (which is the end point). Obviously, if you live somewhere else (which many people reading this will!), then you’d start from wherever is most convenient for you. And the distances quoted would be different of course.

AROUND THE LAKE. (A good one for classic cars)

Driving beside the beautiful Lake Illawarra is always nice. Turn into Northcliffe Dr and follow to Warrawong – there are nice views out over the lake as you drive. At Warrawong turn right and follow until you cross the bridge at Windang. Then turn right into Reddall Pde. This is a very scenic drive along the foreshore of the lake. Turn left into Government Rd, which takes you onto Lake Entrance Rd. Then follow back through Albion Park etc.

Classic Cars: I’d suggest meeting on the roadside beside the grounds of Berkeley Sports & Social Club. You’ll have to just park nose-to-tail along the roadside, but it’s a good place to park because it’s flat and straight, so easy to see other cars there, and you should be able to get a park. Meet at 1pm, for a lazy drive around the lake and back to Dapto.

KIAMA AND JAMBEROO. (A good one for classic cars).

(It’s a good short run for bikes too!). You get to enjoy some highway running as well as an enjoyable drive through the beautiful countryside around Jamberoo.

The usual meeting place (for cars anyway) when heading south is the Nungarry Rest Area, which is the rest-area beside the highway about half way between Albion park and Kiama. Assemble there at around 1pm, leave maybe 15 minutes or so after that. Bikes usually like to meet at MacDonalds in Albion Park. (Not sure what the attraction is – can’t be the food! – although you can get a cheap tea or coffee). 

Follow the highway south until the Kiama exit. When you get to the T-intersection with the main street of Kiama, turn right and follow through Jamberoo and back to Albion Park.

For a bit of extra rural scenery, turn left at Albion Park, then right into Calderwood Rd (there’s a Caltex servo on the corner). Go for about 4km and turn right into Marshall Mount Rd. (Watch for this, it’s an easy turn to miss). At the end of the road, turn right to bring you back out onto the main road through Dapto. (And then left into Dapto of course). 

BERRY AND BACK (A good one for classic cars)

This is a good run for cars or bikes. And I can recommend Berry Bowling Club for a good cheap meal, if you make it a run for lunch. Distance about 100km.

For classic cars I’d suggest meeting at the Nungarry Rest Stop again, at about 12.30pm. If you’re going for lunch, then maybe meet at 11pm or 11.30pm.

Go down the highway to Berry. As you approach the town (just before you get to the bridge) turn left into Tannery Rd. (There’s a sign to David Berry Hospital). This leads out onto Gerroa Rd (the road from Bomaderry through Geroa and Gerringong etc). Turn left and head for Dapto. If you’ve had lunch at the club – or if you just want a slightly longer drive – continue south (past the Bowling Club) and as you come to the main part of the town, turn left into Coolangatta Rd. This takes you onto the same Geroa Rd, just a few kms further south than the other one.

BOMADERRY, KANGAROO VALLEY, ROBERTSON

Known affectionately as “The Lap”, or “Around The Block” by bikers. You know the way – down to Bomaderry, turn right at the roundabout and enjoy up-the-mountain and down-the-mountain into Kangaroo Valley and then up-the-mountain to Robertson. Call into the “Famous Robertson Pie Shop” to admire the other bikes, and then down-the-mountain and on to Dapto. It’s about 160km for the trip, so allow time for that, plus any stops. (I usually have lunch along the way somewhere).

JAMBEROO AND ROBERTSON

This is a shorter “Around The Block” run, of about 90km. Jamberoo Mountain is steep and very narrow, so maybe not a great drive for classic cars, although I’ve been around the circuit by car many times. It requires much care – whether you’re traveling by car or bike. So slow and easy and watch for on-coming traffic, stray wombats, all that sort of thing. 

Go through Albion Park and on to Jamberoo. Turn right into Jamberoo Mountain Rd. When you get to the start of the mountain the climb it is very steep! This won’t bother most bikes, but it’s a good pull for most classic cars! By the way, there’s a great lookout just a few kms past the top of the mountain, so watch for a little blue camera sign on the left of the road: the lookout is on your right just up from that.

You’ll arrive at the RobertsonPie Shop, so you can call in for a coffee and a browse around the parking area (always entertaining), then back down Macquarie Pass. 

BURRAWANG AND BACK (A good one for classic cars too).

Burrawang is one of those out-of-the-way places that you never see unless you specifically go there. It’s a quaint little place and is actually quite popular with tourists. You can get lunch at the Pub, and sit out the back admiring the rolling hills of the Southern Highlands. The food is good and not too expensive. As a meeting point, I’d suggest the area outside the school opposite the Caltex servo in Albion Park. (That’s Albion Park, not Albion Park Rail – we’re on the way to Macquarie Pass now).

Go up to Robertson, and then continue along the highway. About 4 kms after Robertson you come to the main road into Burrawang on your left. My recommendation is don’t take this one. It’s very narrow, winding and a bit bumpy. Instead, go along the highway for about another 1 km and as you come down to the bottom of a hill there is Burrawang Station Rd on the left. This is a straight road and is wider and smoother and half the distance of the first road. When you get to the end, turn right and travel into the sprawling metropolis of Burrawang. The pub is on the right.

When you leave, just for variety (and a pleasant drive / ride), continue through the town and turn right at the end of the street. This will bring you out a little further west along the highway, then you can turn right and head for Dapto.

STANWELL TOPS AND SEACLIFF BRIDGE

See the sea, and if you’re lucky, the hang-gliders gliding over the sea. And travel over the much-photographed SeaCliff Bridge. Total distance is just under 100km.

Go up Mt Ousley and along to Bulli Tops. Take the old highway (Helensburgh) exit. The old highway usually has very little traffic, and is an enjoyable ride / drive. You can imagine back when this was the main highway. When you get to the roundabout, turn right towards Stanwell Tops. Turn into the parking area at the lookout. Here you can admire the magnificent view down the coast, count the cargo ships out to sea, and maybe watch the afore-mentioned hang-gliders. If you’re on a bike, you’ll want to wander through the parking area looking at all the other bikes.

Then exit the parking area and go down the hill to Stanwell Park and follow the road across the famous bridge. You’ll appreciate why I do the route in this direction now, because you’re on the sea-side of the bridge – and get a better view! Keep going through all the sea-side towns along the way and then at the roundabout in Bulli take the exit onto Memorial Drive, which will bring you the back way past all those congested northern suburbs and out onto the main highway south again.     

Okay, well there are a few ideas for you. You’ve probably got plenty of alternatives yourself, so as I said before, you’re free to make up your own route: but these are just some suggested ones you might like to use.

Enjoy the ride-drive, and we’ll see you at the end-point in Heininger St.

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