Looking for a day trip near Coolangatta Gold Coast area.

[Simmo67 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Simmo67]

Hi everyone,
I'm heading up to Coolangatta next week with my boys to celebrate my fathers 70th birthday. Accomodation on him of course :P

I know I am probably lazy and could examine an atlas or something - but just wondering if anybody can recommend a good 4WD Day Trip near Coolangatta/Gold Coast area.

Thanks in advance.

[mav Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close mav]

Re: Looking for a day trip near Coolangatta Gold Coast area.

Hi everyone,
I'm heading up to Coolangatta next week with my boys to celebrate my fathers 70th birthday. Accomodation on him of course :P

I know I am probably lazy and could examine an atlas or something - but just wondering if anybody can recommend a good 4WD Day Trip near Coolangatta/Gold Coast area.

Thanks in advance.

Might see you on the road there Simmo.

I am flying into to Brissy on Wednesday night to pick up a car on Thursday and start driving it back to Alice straight from the car yard. I will be driving from Brissy down the New England to Tamworth then cutting across to Nevertire and staying overnight at Cobar.

Friday will be Cobar to Port Augusta then Saturday will be P.A. to Alice.

So if you are going to be on the New England on Thursday I will keep an eye out for you and flash my lights if I see you.

Cheers

Mav

[damonat Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close damonat]

gee you get around simmo.
you'll drive almost anywhere for a day trip :lol:

[phoenix Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close phoenix]

Simmo

Try Crystalvale near Murwillumbah. From Coolie, about 30 minute drive...

http://www.hillcrestbb.com/others/4wd.htm

Not a bad park, bit of everything. Tracks get a bit slippery after rain (obviously) or dew in winter but generally safe/no damage park.

[mjrandom Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close mjrandom]

No or little 4wding but a day trip from Murwullumbah through the Border Ranges and down the Lions Rd is a nice drive. Pleasant bush walks and some nice creeks. One of the dirty weekend day drives in reverse. A couple of others around there too.

[LiveFreeAndRoam Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close LiveFreeAndRoam]

Re: Looking for a day trip near Coolangatta Gold Coast area.

Hi Simmo,

You'll be in my backyard .

Since you are heading up from Orange, perhaps go via the Norhtern Rivers 4x4 trail. I haven't done this one yet, but it's on this year's hit list.

The GC Hinterland has a lot to offer for day-trippers. Here's one option...

For some light 4WD'ing, head out to Beaudesert and take Duck Creek Road up to O'Reilly's. O'Reilly's is a great place to spend much of the day... plenty of natural features, hiking, bbq, etc. For the less energetic, the tree-top walk is a must and bird-feeding is fun. Whilst the main road is suited to soft-off-roaders, there are a couple of side-tracks that any real 4WD ought to be able to negotiate with care. You could return via Duck Creek Road, though I would recommend taking the road directly to Canungra. Great views that are worth stopping for. Time permitting, the Canungra Winieries is a very worthwhile stop or drive to the Canungra Hotel for a break, before heading back to Coolangatta.

Cheers,
LFaR.

[Spurio Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Spurio]

The NR4wd trail is pretty good, I did it about 3 weeks ago.

If you get the NRMA map of Nthern NSW this covers all the tracks, plus the border ranges, backside of Mt Warning and up to Condie Gorge.

Just use common sense if it rains, some of the BIG river crossing will get very deep, up the northern end around toonumbar they close the roads with gates if it is too wet.

In the south, the Gwyder Hwy is closed about 55kms west of grafton from 8-5pm M-F till xmas but you can use the old grafton road.

Up in the north section there is still a couple of bridges washed out from last summers floods. Council are onto it but may not be finished before xmas. You can drive around these but the Iron Pot creek has a good lean on it which is exciting with a trailer.

the other spots easily done as a day trip i'd go to include the backside of mt warning, the border ranges loop and Condie Gorge

You can pull out at heaps of points all the way along if it rains or you need to pickup fuel supplies.

I extend the southern end to go up the Armidale-grafton road leave it at point lookout turn off and follow the dirt road down to Kempsey from Point Lookout. This is not the sealed road and there are no safety barriers.

[Simmo67 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Simmo67]

Fellas, thanks so much for your feedback.

A little local knowledge really helps. I'm really over the Theme Park "experience" at the moment, so I hope to take my kids and other family members on atleast one decent day trip. I'll drag out my Hema maps tonight and go over your suggestions.

Thanks again. I'll let you know where I ended up upon my return - and post some pics of course (I'd love to be able to photograph like Chippy or mav).

We've done Sea World, Movie World and Dreamworld countless times, but this year it's Wet & Wild apparently :roll:

[Spurio Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Spurio]

Or you could get dragged along to pacific fair, harbour town, australia fair and every other one with the missus :roll:

I suggest:
http://www.goldcoastwrx.com/

http://www.offroadrush.com.au/calendar/goldcoast.aspx

I have done both when she goes shopping, they both definitely beat the boring old adventure worlds. At least in these one you are made to sign a bit of paper that says "motorsport is a dangerous activity that may result in death"

alas, they retard the engines and do not have the punch and pop of a competitive group N, but are as much fun as you can have without a CAMS licence.

[Simmo67 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Simmo67]

Ended up doing a nice little day trip to Binna Burra in the Lamington Mountains National Park. Just a nice drive through the countryside on a bitumen road.

The highlight of the day was stopping for 1/2 hour or so and watching a group of hang gliders do their thing!! Absolutely fantastic :P

Anyway lads have to go. Catch up when I get home.


may sell the prado and get into hangliding I think.............or maybe not :shock:

I'll upload a few pics when I return. Thanks again for the local feedback fellas.