Recently we were camped beside an ex Melburnian who asked how we cross town these days and if we still use Sydney Road. Which reminded me of coming home tired from long weekends only to face a stop start crawl down Sydney Road, then through the heart of the city. Thank goodness we don’t have to do that with the caravan. With tollways and freeways it’s certainly much easier now to skirt the city or go under it. I must say that we still get excited about bypassing Sydney on the M7 and it will be even better when the Pennant Hills tunnel is complete. Sorry Sydney, but we’re not visiting with the van on the back. As for Brisbane, we do wave to the city as we sail over the massive Gateway bridge and Priscilla has had many trips over that bridge.

For caravanners living in the south east of Melbourne and heading north, by far the easiest way to skirt the city is via Eastlink. Leave Eastlink at the Ringwood turn off and head for Lilydale. At Chirnside Park take Victoria Road to bypass Lilydale then pick up the Melba Highway out by the Lilydale airport just before Yarra Junction. The Melba Highway bypasses Yarra Junction and it is a picturesque drive through vineyards and farms and the tall forests of Mt. Slide up to Yea. After a leg stretch in Yea it’s a pleasant drive through Bonnie Doon (check the level of Lake Eildon as you cross) to Maindample then up the Midland Highway through Swanpool to Benalla where you can pick up the Hume Freeway. Apart from the short suburban stretch between Eastlink and Victoria Road these are good roads with less traffic and more scenery. The majority of this route is called the B300 it takes a few minutes longer but it is shorter and a most enjoyable drive when towing.