Taking a drive this weekend? There are some things you should know before setting out. Photo: Michelle Kroll.
Drivers are being urged to plan their trips ahead of time and be careful when hitting the roads over the October long weekend.
Transport for NSW (TfNSW) warns that a spike in people travelling to the South Coast is expected in the coming days.
For people travelling around the South Coast region, the Princes Highway south of Bomaderry has several known pinch points.
These span Nowra, Jervis Bay Road, Tomerong, Milton, Ulladulla and Moruya.
The busiest pinch point will be at Milton and Ulladulla between 6 and 7 October, with TfNSW predicting delays of up to 30 minutes for motorists heading north.
“While difficult to predict, significant delays may occur at these locations, increasing the risk of incidents relating to driver frustration, fatigue and hazards caused by traffic queuing in high-speed zones,” its website states.
“Transport for NSW will have traffic management initiatives in place at the major known pinch points, but travellers should still be prepared to experience delays.”
An information sheet for the Princes Highway also predicts that some areas could see traffic jams during peak times, which are predicted to hit motorists at times between 11 am and 3 pm.
Meanwhile, people can find more information about the ongoing upgrades to the Hume Highway online, with delays expected for the stretches between Sydney and Goulburn and Goulburn to Gundagai.
NSW Police will also enforce double demerit points for a range of offences (such as speeding, not wearing a seatbelt and incorrect mobile phone use while driving) from Friday to Monday (3 to 6 October).
If you’re searching for a coastal escape this weekend, be careful when on the roads. Photo: Kim Treasure.
In Eurobodalla Shire, Moruya’s North Head Drive will temporarily open as part of efforts to manage traffic over the long weekend.
In late July, the major arterial road closed for three months so the council could stabilise a slope and carry out related infrastructure works.
The road will partially reopen, with alternating one-way traffic flow from 5 pm on Thursday (2 October) to 7 am on Tuesday (7 October).
It will then close until November (when there will be a single alternating lane), before the road fully reopens in December.
“Following talks between Eurobodalla Council and Transport for NSW, the latter will delay until 2026 its pavement reconstruction and the extension of the overtaking lane for the Princes Highway near Malabar Drive, although the current shoulder works and intersection upgrade will continue until complete,” a council spokesperson said.
The October long weekend will also mark the end of this year’s snow season, but one business owner says it’s one of the best times to visit.
It began with a slow start, as nearby resorts relied on artificial snow for coverage and May came and went without much snowfall.
But over the season, things picked up in a series of cold fronts that brought the white stuff – starting with 30 to 70 cm of snow dumped over the King’s Birthday long weekend – and there was even more than two metres of snow depth (for the first time since 2022).
Jindabyne Chamber of Commerce president Olivier Kapetanakos said it combined for a decent season after a few rough years.
“The last couple of weeks have been slow. We had a great winter, make no bones about that … September was a little bit quieter [than earlier on] and school holidays are picking up a little bit,” he said.
“We always rely on September to make the cream … If the snow falls well, and we have good spring skiing, then September is the cream. We didn’t get that so much this year, so I’ll classify this year as a good year, rather than a great year.”
Mr Kapetanakos said there was plenty of accommodation (and still some snow around) to welcome anyone who makes a trip to the Snowy Mountains this weekend.
“The weather is significantly better [compared to earlier in the season] … you have a lot of days where the sky is blue and there’s not a lot of wind, and it’s also the time when we don’t have a lot of snowstorms, so it’s really good for young kids.
“For families with kids that are first starting out, September is a great time to come.”
Motorists can also visit the Live Traffic NSW website or download the app for real-time traffic updates.
