Cooma to Merimbula

You don't say what you are towing the van with, but I assume it is a reasonably heavy one. The road is sealed all the way. There is a steep section about 10 km long down Brown Mountain. I regularly use this road. Milk tankers and other articulated trucks use it every day, so it is not too fearsome. B doubles have to uncouple and take one trailer at a time. The road is relatively wide (for a winding mountain road), and good surface.

You will come to an 80 km/h speed restriction at the top of the mountain. There is a truck uncoupling bay there. From there down, it starts to get steeper. Engage a lower gear and let the engine hold the weight for a few minutes until you get to the bottom. After Piper's lookout (about 3 km) the speed limit changes to 60 km/h. Engage 1st gear and crawl down. It isn't bad, but if you ride your brakes, it will be dangerous. Even without a van, I use gears to check the speed and rarely touch the brakes. Yes - I hold up some cars at times, but there are passing bays which I let them go through.

Don't rush it and observe the wildflowers. Enjoy the trip. There is a pie shop at Nimmitabel and at Bemboka. Both have a good reputation. Once at Bemboka, you have a choice to go through Bega, or take a meandering but pretty road through Candelo to Wolumna and then out onto the Princes Hwy. This is shorter, but will take you longer. The road is narrow (Brown Mtn is wider), but much prettier. Enjoy.

Hello Erad
Thanks for the info, I am towing a Paramount 24 foot which comes out at about 3.1 tonne when loaded, towing it with a 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee 3.0 diesel, what are your thoughts, still ok?.

Thanks for the tips Peter, much appreciated

Regards,
Graeme A

There are sections of Brown Mountain which seem steep on decent, ..with a 3tonne caravan behind you...and your vehicle setup..you'll have a bit of weight.
If your 4wd gearbox is auto...select manual settings and use accordingly, manual...use lowest gear...
In respect the van brake controller...work it, so the van brakes will come on seconds before the 4wd brakes, just to take the pressure off the Jeeps brakes.
Small touchy feely brake jabs just to keep it all under control on decent..not a long on brakes or it may induce brake fade.
If your Jeep has part time 4wd, select 4H...
You will have no problems enjoy the drive and views.

There is another way that brings you out at Pambula, a lot less trafffic but still down hill to the coast.

The t/o is in Bombala and takes you through Cathcart and Wyndham. I have towed up this road and it is not as steep as the Brown Mountain although a bit narrower.

Hi All

Thanks for all the info you have given me for our trip to Merimbula, I think I have a reasonable lay of the land now (so to speak) and taking it easy is obviously the order of the day when we head down from Cooma.

Graeme A.

Thanks Kevin, I will look forward to that.

Graeme A.