Ride Summary

The Macquarie Pass road, named for New South Wales Governor Lachlan Macquarie, is only 8 km long, but there’s plenty of excellent riding crammed into that short distance. This little used back road travels through the Macquarie Pass National Park.

Ride Description

In spite of its short length, the road offers a variety of twisty, challenging terrain for riders. For part of its length, the road hugs a cliff face before entering thick rainforest.  It’s not the scenery that draws riders, but the road which is on the whole well surfaced with some occasional bumpy corners. Open sections are few and far between, but there are plenty of hairpin turns followed by even tighter hairpin turns. If you happen to get stuck behind a slow moving car or truck, it’s best to pull off and let the traffic clear before carrying on. Overtaking is not recommended on this road.

Directions

The Macquarie Pass is located south of Wollongong, due west of Albion Park and the Princes Highway. It’s part of the Illawarra Highway connecting the Hume and Princes Highways. At the top of the pass is the junction with Jamberoo Road.

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Best Thing About This Ride

Great things come in small packages. It’s short, but it’s twisty.

What Else to Look Out For

The road is tight and twisty, so watch out for oncoming traffic. Traffic is mostly local, but it can be slow moving. Visibility is limited, so overtaking is not recommended.