Kangaroo Valley
40 km
distance
1h 5m
Contour time
4.0
avg score
Sealed
surface
Scenery
New South Wales
The Kangaroo Valley sits between the Southern Highlands and the South Coast of New South Wales. The valley is enclosed...
Road quality
4.0 RQS
Every segment scored on 40+ data signals.
Accessibility
Fully sealed
Best in Sports car. Peak season: Year-round.
7-day forecast
Tight switchbacks down the escarpment and open valley roads below. One of the best accessible drives from Sydney - under two hours from the CBD.
Scored 4.0/10 by Contour's road quality algorithm across curviness, surface, elevation and traffic. Best suited for sports car drivers.
The road
The Kangaroo Valley drive covers 40 kilometres from Fitzroy Falls on the Illawarra Escarpment to Berry on the South Coast. The escarpment section is the headline - the road drops from the Southern Highlands plateau through the Cambewarra Range via a series of tight sealed switchbacks that deliver you to the valley floor in a way that makes arriving by any other means seem like a waste. The valley itself is broad, green and pastoral - cattle farming on river flats with a village at the centre that has changed remarkably little in 100 years. The Hampden Bridge at Kangaroo Valley township is the oldest surviving suspension bridge in Australia, built in 1898. The final section from the valley to Berry climbs back over the Cambewarra Range and descends to the coast through a pass that is genuinely better on the return leg.
The Kangaroo Valley drive covers 40 kilometres from Fitzroy Falls on the Illawarra Escarpment to Berry on the South Coast.
Why this road
The region
The Kangaroo Valley sits between the Southern Highlands and the South Coast of New South Wales. The valley is enclosed by the Cambewarra Range to the east and south and the Barrengarry Range to the north, giving it an isolated character despite being 130 kilometres from Sydney. The valley was settled for dairy farming in the 1830s and the agricultural character has been maintained.
History
The Hampden Bridge at Kangaroo Valley township was built in 1898 and is the oldest surviving suspension bridge in Australia. It was built to provide year-round access across the Kangaroo River and remains in daily use for pedestrians and light vehicles.
Before you go
Fuel in Fitzroy Falls or Kangaroo Valley township. Kangaroo Valley has good food options and accommodation. The Hampden Bridge is a short walk from the main street. Best year-round - the valley is pleasant in all seasons.
See a routing error?
Flag itWorth stopping for
Fitzroy Falls
80-metre waterfall at the escarpment edge, 5 minutes from the start of the drive.
Hampden Bridge
1898 suspension bridge at Kangaroo Valley township - oldest surviving suspension bridge in Australia.
Route
Start
Fitzroy Falls
End
Berry
Gallery
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