(Main loop suggestion: https://www.strava.com/routes/2759631568165080786)
The Budawang Range (or Budawangs) are a rugged mountain range on the South Coast of NSW, forming part of a spur off of Australia’s Great Dividing Range. They’re also a great spot for gravel grinding, with the network of dirt roads and fire trails in and around the Budawang National Park, the Monga State Conservation Area, and the Upper Clyde Valley, simply ripe for two-wheeled exploration.
In terms of a town base for your adventures, there are options aplenty. On the coast side, Milton or Mollymook are both lovely and conveniently-placed spots; a little further south, Nelligen is the perfect launching point for discovering the pristine Clyde River; whereas inland, the best option is historic Braidwood, home to the supposedly haunted Royal Mail Hotel (famous for being the filming location for the 1970 Ned Kelly film adaptation, starring a certain Mick Jagger) and various cafe and bakery options (the Albion Cafe is particularly well-regarded).
While you could devise a much gnarlier ride and follow the 4WD tracks and trails deep into the range itself — a lot of which were damaged in the devastating 2019-20 bushfire season, so make sure you do your research! — the route we suggest is a little more gentle, skirting the edge of the Budawang National Park before dropping down into the lush Araluen Valley, and returning via a significant gravel climb to the charming town of Majors Creek. Paved country roads will eventually take you back to the start in Braidwood.
On this loop, you can look forward to a roughly 60/40 split of gravel to tarmac, and some truly excellent vistas towards the Budawangs and back in the other direction over the Southern Tablelands. Enjoy the paved descent into Araluen, and buckle up for a serious, unpaved climb back out — with the gradient rarely dropping below double digits as you climb more than 500 metres in elevation back to higher ground. With most of the hard work done, we suggest stopping in at the delightful Majors Creek pub for a refreshment, before pressing on back to Braidwood for schnitties and steaks at the Royal Mail Hotel.