The road trip down 2024
Saturday 7 April 2024
Home to Taree
We woke really early at about 0130 and laid in bed awake for about an hour before deciding to get up.
We had breakfast and set off at around 0430 on Saturday morning with our destination being Goulburn later that afternoon. As we did two years earlier, we planned the trip into 500km increments to make sure we were able to fill up with gas.
Taree was, again, our first gas stop.
Straight past the BIG banana this time as we were too early and learnt our lesson last time…
Taree for gas
We stopped at Taree for gas and then hit the road again for Newcastle…
Taree to Newcastle
We had a short two-hour drive into Newcastle for lunch at Stag & Hunter Hotel.
After lunch we hit the road for Goulburn.
Newcastle to Goulburn
Newcastle to Goulburn was particularly hairy as we had a tyre delaminate about an hour out of Goulburn. We could feel a vibration that was steadily getting worse the further we travelled. We had a pit stop and resumed our travels to find that the vibration had been further aggravated as the car stood still.
We called a tyre place and was put through to their call centre where we were assured that the Goulburn branch was open until 1700. It was 1530 at this stage and we were about an hour away so we bit the bullet and set off on a wing and a prayer.
After arriving at Goullburn, and finding the tyre shop closed, we called back to the call centre and spoke to the same operator who denied ever giving us such information and blatantly lied to our face.
Thanks Beaurepaires and your useless, lying call centre people. I will never use you for any tyres of any sort ever again.
Arriving Goulburn
We arrived at Goulburn, checked into our room and called RACQ. Thankfully they have a reciprocal arrangement with the NSW-based NRMA who came to the rescue and changed the delaminated rear wheel with the spare.
Sunday 8 April 2024
Goulburn
We stayed at the Astor Suites in Goulburn and the next day, with spare wheel safely on the car, we set out for Geelong – new home of the Spirit of Tasmania.
Goulburn to Geelong
We made a ‘traveler’ so we didn’t have to stop for coffee and headed for Benalla. The spare wheel, which was now on the passenger side rear, was apparently rated for 80km/h according to the bright yellow sticker on the rim.
I checked the tyre size, which was 235/50/R17 with a speed rating of 96V which is actually 240km/h. We travelled along at 95-100 for a while but after our stop at Benalla for lunch continued along at 110km/h.
After a quick fuel stop and a bite to eat, we continued our journey towards Gellong and the Spirit of Tasmania.
Benalla to Spirit of Tasmania
We had a nice, easy run down to Geelong…
Once on board, we dropped our bags in our room and went in search of refreshments…
Monday 9 April 2024
We had a pretty good sailing last night with only a little bit of swell rocking the boat.
It’s amazing to me how many car alarms went off during the night, even though people are asked to turn them off 🙄
We’ll stop into Jeremy and Jenna’s for a visit and then travel through to Launceston…