Final Cruise Details!
Okay, spoke to a few people and did some calling around yesterday and have got a plan for the day mapped out.
We had some trouble sorting out a nice BBQ area in the Newcastle foreshore area, so I’ve gone in a different direction for the final route.
MEETING POINT:
9:30am, Silverwater Boat Ramp, off Silverwater Rd, Silverwater.
PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A FULL TANK OF PETROL BEFORE THE RUN STARTS!
To get to the boat ramp, you must turn into the road at the Clyde St traffic lights just before the southern end of the Silverwater Bridge, which is prominently signposted as “Bus Only”. The Bus Only road actually starts about 30 metres in, PAST the left turn into the access road for the boat ramp parking area. This is a HUGE parking lot so there should be no trouble with parking no matter how busy the day is. (See insert map 1)
DEPATURE:
Leave at 10am SHARP. Head north over river to end of Silverwater Rd. Turn right into Kissing Point Rd, follow until left turn into Marsden Rd. Next is Right turn onto Pennant Hills Rd at Carlingford. Follow Pennant Hills Rd to start of F3 Freeway, turn right onto Freeway.
Follow Freeway north. (see map 1 below for route details)
MAP 1
At the Calga Interchange we will leave the Freeway and head off on the old road to Peats Ridge where we will stop for 5 minutes to regroup.
From there is a couple of kays North to Central Mangrove, then on to Kulnura via George Downes Drive. From there we head on to Wollombi Historic Village. I can’t say I know anything about this place, but we may stop for a little while to have a look if it seems interesting. That is something we can all decide on during the day.
From Wollombi, we take take the Wollombi Rd through Millfield and Bellbird to CESSNOCK (see Maps 2 & 3)
LUNCH:
Lunch will be held at the Cessnock Hotel (234 Wollombi Rd, Cessnock). After speaking to the Hotel’s ‘Kurrajong Restaurant’ yesterday I can tell you they have both an a-la-carte restaurant and a café, either of which would seat our regular numbers with no problems, and a large off-street parking area behind the Hotel.
I will need final numbers for lunch by the evening of Wednesday 24th so I can call and make a booking. They told me the Bistro is open Saturdays from 11:30am and stays open all afternoon, but I will make the Lunch booking for 1pm.
AFTER LUNCH:
After lunch we head off to Kurri Kurri via Maitland Rd, Cessnock Rd and Northcote St. We then turn right into Mitchell Ave, which changes name along its’ length to Victoria St then Tarro St.
Then it becomes Mulbridge St & finally John Renshaw Drive (which was once the old road from the end of the Freeway to Beresfield). This will lead us through the big roundabout at the end of the F3 Freeway. From here we continue past the BP servo & Hungry Jacks, over the bridge onto the New England Highway and past the Hexam Bridge on our way into Newcastle.
We’ll follow this road all the way into Newcastle, drive past the foreshore and stop at one of the car parks, preferably around the Eastern Promenade/Horse Shoe Beach area, but if that’s too crowded, head around to the old stand-by at Bar Beach.
MAP 2
MAP 3
That’s the end of the organized cruise, though I’m sure we’ll and sit around chatting for a while, then we can sort out who’s heading where and come back in groups or make our own way home at the end of the day.
Please post your interest here and let me know confirmed numbers for lunch ASAP.
Cheers
Jason
3FB Cruise Director