MX500 2013 Tablelands Way
The MX500 is the classic BreakFast Club one day event for people who love a good drive. This 500km drive is not for the faint hearted. The MX500 is a challenge for one driver, or a bit more laidback (but no less fun) for two. The route is a loop taking in parts of the Blue Mountains, the Central Tablelands, Southern Tablelands and Highlands passing through National Parks, State Forests, steep gorges, ridgelines, farmlands, colonial settlements, over freeways, A , B and sealed C roads out and back to the city.
The route opens with an 84km drive over the Blue Mountains on the Bells Line of Road to Lithgow and the Shell Servo at Bowenfels for a convenience and fuel break. The route continues west for a great run on the newly resealed road to Tarana for Mount Lyle Road or the Oberon Road, if we have time, for a drive down to Oberon to meet up with members coming up from Canberra to join us for breakfast at around 9.00am.
From Oberon the route heads south for 102km via Norway to little known localities with quaint names like Black Springs, Porters Retreat and the Paling Yards to Taralga over, around and through mountains, cleared valleys, forests and isolated farms on a road rarely travelled and the grand drop down the awesome Abercrombie Gorge. The road was opened up and sealed in recent years all the way from Oberon to Taralga. We will take a refreshment break at the historic Taralga Hotel built in 1876 with its open fireplaces, dining areas and courtyard.
The route continues south for 44km from Taralga to Goulburn then a run of two sides of the Bungonia Triangle back to Marulan for food and fuel.. Following a refuelling and refreshment stop we head home. The route is down the Hume Highway for a 200km run back to the city with the option of taking afternoon tea in a cosy cafe like Two Skinny Cooks, the Magpie Café or Old Bake House in Berrima before hitting the city. From the Southern Highlands you can return to Sydney either down Macquarie Pass entering the city via the Shire, or a quick drive the Hume into western Sydney and the M5 and M7.
RSVP not required with everyone asked to add their name to the list on the Forum thread.
