Tharwa to Adaminaby via Boboyan Rd

Morgan & Buzz2600

The best repository of this kind of information is one of the local 4wd clubs. They usually run drive days, information sessions, recovery training etc.

I have been told that some of the clubs can be a bit like the good ol’ boys, some look down their noses unless you have a landcruiser / patrol etc, but you never know.

Just be aware that ACT Govt usually closes the road when you might like to drive on it at its most scenic (when it snows)…

Morgan – ditto – I wish there was a repository of this kind of info too. There’s so many great places to explore around the Canberra region. If anyone knows of good websites, let us know. NSW National Parks rarely provide decent detailed information for any ‘off the beaten track’ places. They really don’t seem to want to encourage people to fully explore these places, except to funnel everyone into the touristy parts.

As for Brindabella Rd passed Picadilly Circus (intersection of Mt Franklin Rd) thru to Tumut: the road is perfectly accessable by 2WD. Tumut Shire have been in the process of tarring parts of the road from the Tumut end over the last few years (mainly for the logging trucks). Keep a keen look out for them and the wallabies in the pine forest – they both have the unnerving ability to suddenly appear on the road ahead of you.

Years ago, I used to drive all these roads in my trusty Datsun 120Y. It’s all about driving to the conditions of the road and slowing down. Why bother exploring these places if you’re going to drive like a rally car on a super highway? You miss all the brilliant unique aspects of the bush. Yesterday, we went bushwalking, explored waterfalls, went swimming in a great water hole and saw Wedgetail Eagles, Black Shouldered Kites, Australian Kestrals, Eastern Spinebill, Wallaby, Copperhead snake, an Echidna etc … just brilliant.

The Yarrangobilly Caves thermal pool is great but the walk back up to the top afterwards always leaves you feeling like you need another swim to recover!

Mt Franklin Road can get snowed under & boggy in winter but is fine the rest of the year.

Broken Cart Rd & Long Plain is definitely a longer route but it’s a great part of the world. Enjoy!

Even better, if you’ve got a 4WD (or a sturdy 2WD with clearance – if you’re game) you can get through to Yarrangabilly Caves on Long Plain Rd via Broken Cart Rd but you need a decent up-to-date topographic map (first few kms through the Bondo pine forest can be difficult to navigate as older maps have some mistakes in the alignment of the forest roads) and Crace Lane is a no thru road as its been closed at the NP border. Once again, take care (there are a couple of ‘4WD’ sections before you hit Long Plain) and always drive to the conditions.

Further,although this route is not direct, and considerably slower than Baboyan route, Crace Lane is the track that runs south up Brindabella Valley isnt it?!?!? We used to frequent this road to get to Blue Waterholes Caves, but as BUZZ2600 says, it has had a paddlock at cattle grid gate for a good 20 years now. If considering taking the Bongo route, DO NOT turn left when you cross the river when you drop into Brindabella Valley. You first must turn right, then once back up other side of valley, navigate thru Bongo Forrest (well graded Council forrest tracks).

I’ve done it in my Toyota starlet (more than once) and also on a Postie CT110 Motorbike.
If you drive to the conditions any car can do it and its a nice drive as well. However
watch out for wildlife, especially at night.

4WD I wish!, Ive got a front wheel drive lancer which handles pretty well on dirt

It would be nice if there was a repository for this kind of information. A lot of people were telling me the road to Mount Franklin was 4WD only, but when I went up there in my Lancer, I turned out to be a decent road. One mans impassable 4wd goat track is anothers freeway I suppose.

Buzz2600 said :

If you’ve only got a 2WD another suggestion is driving to Tumut via Brindabella Rd then heading to Yarrangabilly on the Snowy Mts Hwy.

What’s the condition of that road? About the same as Boboyan?

Clown Killer said :

All the above, plus I’d advise slowing right down for the odd cattle grid that you’ll come accross. it’s not the grid itself so much as the wash outs immediately either side of it.

Have fun!

I was having a bit of fun on my way home from fishing one weekend & hit one of them a bit hard. Everything that was on the floor was in my rearvision mirror of the wagon for a second 🙂

I’ve driven that road many times. I can’t imagine wanting to do 80 on the bit in the national park. There’s a couple of blind corners (especially the one a few ks past the Gudgenby valley lookout) and some bits where the road cambers off to the side. But in some places you can do 80 easy. I like to drive at a speed that I can stop in the distance that I can see in front of me. It saved me one time on that blind corner when I came around it to see two utes sitting side by side blocking the road having a yarn!

There are some nice old homesteads down there too, and a few picnic spots.

Hmm, that thermal pool sounds nice. I must Google that.

I have driven it several times in the dry with an ordinary car and the conditions are fine. However, I’ve never timed it, as I’ve taken it for the experience rather than as a short cut. It’s not a good road to be in a hurry along. If you go early, you might see lyrebirds, there’s also quite often lots of other wildlife to see.

My only concern was that occasionally cars and 4WDS come very fast in the other direction around blind corners, so be careful and aware and be prepared to pull over in a hurry.