New Year Getaway - 4th to 8th January 2021

[Dave]

Hi All,

I mentioned that I was planning a short getaway in January at the November club meeting, and here it is
5 days out of town, D Grade (probably) driving, nice scenery, and a fun break before starting 2021...

Day 1 – Monday 4 January - Sydney to Polblue Camp – Barrington Tops - 336km
Sydney to Gloucester via the M1 and the Bucketts Way – 264km (Bitumen)
Gloucester to Polblue Camp via Barrington Tops Forest Rd – 72km (Bitumen and Dirt)

Polblue campground and picnic area - $24.60 book online - https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au...nd-picnic-area

Day 2 - Tuesday 5 January - Polblue Campground to Nundle - 104km
Polblue to Ben Halls Gap National Park – 77km (Dirt)
Ben Halls Gap National Park to Nundle – 27km (Dirt)
D Grade dirt from Polblue to where we turn North at Moonan Flat, and then it’s new territory for me via Ben Halls Gap National Park to Nundle.
We spend the next two nights at Fossickers Tourist Park - 02 6769 3355, 103 Jenkins St Nundle - and explore the area.

Day 3 – Wednesday 6 January - Day off around Nundle.
The town has a great pub, a pool, a historic wool mill, one heck of an antique store and a gold mining museum. Plenty of tracks to explore around town too. Relax!

Day 4 – Thursday 7 January - Nundle to Broke – 200km
Nundle to New England Hwy via Timor – 72km (Dirt and Bitumen)
Scone via Burning Mountain Nature Reserve – 38km (Bitumen)
Scone to Broke – 100km (Bitumen)
The dirt from Nundle back to the New England Highway is supposed to be pretty good, D Grade unless it rains. More creek crossings, and another new track for me!
I’ve passed Burning Mountain before – NSW’s only burning underground coal seam – but I’ve never stopped to look and do the 4km walking track. Time to change that!
McNamara Park in Broke is a Free Camp - 1273 Milbrodale Rd, Broke.

Day 5 – Friday 8 January - Broke to Sydney – 187km
Broke to Wollombi – 31km (Bitumen)
Wollombi to Wisemans Ferry via St Albans – 82km (mostly Dirt)
Wisemans Ferry to Sydney – 74km (Bitumen)
An easy run home. 31km of bitumen from Broke down to Wollombi for morning tea, then mostly D Grade dirt to St Albans for lunch. But it is really scenic!
Then we have an easy run on dirt before crossing the river on Wisemans Ferry before splitting up to head home. Hopefully a nice end to a good few days in the countryside!

Total Trip = 828km, or maybe up to 1000km with some track work around Nundle.

Costs
Polblue Campground = $24.60 per site. Book online – 4 Jan 2021. https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au...nd-picnic-area
Nundle Fossickers Caravan Park - 2 nights = $66 per single/couple for a campsite. I’ve reserved 10 sites.
Broke McNamara Park = Free camp
Fuel for 1000km at $1.50 per litre = $150 ish. Hopefully that’s on the high side.
Food, well apart from dinner and breakfast in camp at Polblue, there are shops, pubs and café’s everywhere we go. I’m going to guess at $50 per person per day, so $250, less if you choose to self cater more often.
Total = $500 ish.

Please post up below if you would like to come, and if you are a definite, please book your campsite at Polblue ASAP. They are likely to go fast. Use the website link to National Parks bookings. https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au...nd-picnic-area
I have reserved 10 camp sites at Nundle so no need to call them, pay on arrival. BUT if you want a cabin there, call them asap as they only have a few left 02 6769 3355.
I have all this in an Itinerary which I can email to you, please PM me your email address.

Thanks
Dave

Definites
1 DaveG
2 RichH
3 BigRig - Raja & Aryan
4 Wayne & Julie (camper trailer)
5 BrianM (camper trailer)
6 GregD
7 Mal & Kim (camper trailer)
8