Hi guys,
I am planning to drive from Sydney to Hotham on a Friday night. Planning to leave Sydney around 5pm but I have no idea where to rent snow chains at that time.
I will be reaching Bright at around 12am being conservative…Hoys closes at 12am.
Anyone know where we can rent before we head down on the Hume. Preferably around Liverpool.
what car you got?
took a subaru forester up Thredbo a couple years back without chains.
Hotham you need to have chains at all times during winter… Doesn't matter if you have a fully kitted out Land Rover defender. You must carry them at all times. Yes there are cops and YES they check.
Thredbo has different rules as does every mountain.
As for your question I haven't driven from Sydney but I drive more than 6x a year from Melbourne.
If you are in Myrtleford before Rays closes they are a good place to hire them. Hoys is in Harrietville which is another 20 ish minutes from Bright. on Friday night as they should be open late… Otherwise just rent chains in Sydney before you go. Make sure you get someone to show you how to put them on and then do it yourself. Maybe get someone to video you doing it, so you can look back if necessary. Depending on the cost of chain hire and if you plan on going multiple times and in the future, buying some chains isn't a terrible investment.
BRING A HEAD TORCH WITH YOU!! If you need to put chains on you'll need it.
If it is freezing and snowy, there is a chain fitting service. It's around $15 but worth it if it's freezing.
I'm not sure if you have driven to Hotham before but for the benefit of either you or future readers of this thread….
Bright is the last main town before you get to the snow fields. If you need petrol fill up. If you have a diesel car fill up with alpine diesel. Yes you need it. It's a huge pain if your diesel freezes. (Actually if you have the RACV it's not a issue, you'll just have to wait but that's besides the point)
If you do have a diesel car, call the Bright petrol station and find out when they are open till. It should be midnight…Sometimes if they are having a quiet Friday they'll shut up shop early. They will most likely wait for you though. If you don't think you'll make it, fill up in Myrtleford or buy some diesel additive in Sydney.
The road is very windy and long with sharp corners. It can be a bit scary for someone driving up for the first time so take it SLOWLY. Obey all signs/speed limits For your and other drivers' safety if there is someone behind you and at midnight on a Friday guaranteed there will be, please pull over into one of the many designated spots and let them pass.
Enjoy!!
Thanks for the heads up! Will bring a jerry can along.
You don't need a jerry can, just top up in Sydney and by the time you're in bright you'll need more petrol.
The main thing here is diesel freezes. If you have a diesel car you need alpine diesel or diesel additive so you need to kinda estimate when you'll run out of fuel.
@knick007: seems to me that the shell and BP closes before I will reach bright. Do you know if there are any 24hour service station near? I know that there is one in Myrtleford.
Hotham you need to have chains at all times during winter… Doesn't matter if you have a fully kitted out Land Rover defender. You must carry them at all times. Yes there are cops and YES they check.
chains are cumbersome. just use snow tyres.
No this is wrong, you must still carry them.
http://www.mthotham.com.au/plan-my-trip/travel-to-hotham/by-…
Yes snow tyres are a good idea, but if youre only going to the snow once and dont already have them fitted/need new tyres then they will be an expensive and annoying to get. You must still carry chains anyway as its a legal requirement and even 4wds may be required to use them
No chains are required by law
No this is wrong, you must still carry them.
Strange. This link state that snow tyres are accepted for use on mount Hotham.
https://snowtyres.com.au/safety/australian-regulations/
But would that mean that they would be acceptable to replace snow chains or could use in addition to snow chains? As it still says chains are required for 4WD?
@k-rokfm: I wouldn't think that is the case though, I could be wrong. From my experiences, the snow tires are only good on icy roads. If the snow gets too deep, the snow tires are pretty much useless and have to bring out a shovel and put on the chains.
You guys are doing it wrong. you need Snow tracks
Buy a set on gumtree … Flip them when you're back, if you don't plan on using them again.
Cheaper than renting. You probably wont end up using them, anyway.