Lakes Entrance to Bombala - Which way??

[StinkyPete]

In March I'm heading to the Snowy Mountains with mates, and am seeking advice on which of the alternative roads would be the best way to go from Lakes Entrance to Bombala.     Via Chandlers Creek on the Monaro Highway or via Goongerah on the Bonang Road.    We haven't been on either of these two roads.   

[ST2UP]

South of Delegate use to be dirt in a couple of places.....but that was a long time ago when we drove through.

Cann River and up to Bombala is very straight forward with good roads through the forest 


Are you travelling the Alpine Way at any stage ??


 

[StinkyPete]

This is the draft of our chosen route.     https://goo.gl/maps/1k6MFKP5iwp
Thanks for the "heads up" on the dirt, which would not be appreciated by the Harely riders.   

[Wild Rose]

Cann River and up to Bombala is very straight forward with good roads through the forest 

Love this piece of road  I have travelled it a few times both ways 

[Williamson]

Thanks for the "heads up" on the dirt, which would not be appreciated by the Harely riders.   

The Bonang Highway:

Probably only a few km of gravel these days, it's being slowly upgraded to seal.  What gravel there is, is very good, suitable for a road bike, in my case the Mighty CB1300 and Classic trailer, and with Mrs W on the back.

If you choose this route you get around 120km of curves, corners and bends.


And an option to go through Bendoc, at the Bendoc turn-off:


After the turn-off, heading into Bendoc:


Bendoc:

This is the draft of our chosen route.     https://goo.gl/maps/1k6MFKP5iwp

A couple of sections of this draft route (Yarram to Sale and then Sale to Bairnsdale) are very straight and flat, and can be very boring on the motorcycle.  Let me know if you would like some more scenic and "motorcycle" roads.

[Lionel]

Cann River to Bombala is one of the best motorcycle roads IMHO.
Mr Plod also enjoys the roads around Cann River, usually in unmarked cars parked in unusual positions.

[Kev Murphy]

I can vouch for that, Lionel. Was cruising in that area a couple years back when a 6-pack of crotch rockets went zooming by.
5 minutes later I passed the group having an in-depth discussion with driver of one of those unmarked cars.

20 minutes later while I was taking some photos, they shot by me again.

After I saddled up and started moving again, there they were, all stopped again about 3 km further along with a second unmarked car.

Obviously they learned nothing from the first pullup.

[Williamson]

..... Mr Plod also enjoys the roads around Cann River, usually in unmarked cars parked in unusual positions.

Can't say that I've been troubled by the boys-in-blue.

Cann River to Bombala is one of the best motorcycle roads IMHO .....

Have to agree on that one.  But the same goes for the Bonang Highway, Imlay Road, Mount Darragh Road, Myrtle Mountain Road, Snowy Mountains Highway, to name a few.

[STroppy]

I enjoy the Cann River to Bombala Road, I drove the Bonang 15 years ago, mainly gravel then, but local riders on sporties do it regulary and I believe there is only about 12 ks of good gravel, broken into 2/3 sections,left to be sealed, can't be too bad for the sporties to be doing it.

About 20 ks north of Bombal there is a left turn towards Delgety . . A right turn well before Delgety takes you to Cooma, all sealed and a nice riding road.

Let me know when you are doing it and I can meet you at Bombala.

[Williamson]

.... Let me know when you are doing it and I can meet you at Bombala.

What a top idea!  If there's room on the road and in the group for one more between Melbourne and Bombala, let us know.

In the meantime, and because I can't help myself, here a few of the roads I normally travel to avoid the long, flat, straight roads and traffic in your draft route.

Fish Creek to Bairnsdale: https://goo.gl/maps/B9XixEqahPF2
All good quality (last time was a few years ago) sealed roads, some scenic lookouts, rolling hills, green pastures, very pretty.

Bairnsdale to Orbost: https://goo.gl/maps/S8nHKBBuWat   

All sealed roads.  If you have some time up your sleeve, a tour of the Buchan Caves is interesting (check tour times and dates beforehand).

Not suitable if Lakes Entrance is a destination.  Lakes Entrance, I've been to dozens of times, not somewhere I'm keen on riding through these days, more tourist and slow local traffic, small towns (b/t Bairnsdale and Lakes).

BUT, if members of your group haven't been there before, it is a MUST visit, or even overnight stay (lots of accommodation and keen competition in "off" season).

[StinkyPete]

PM sent to Williamson and STroppy (Sorry about the delay)