Keith, I will give you my suggested trip that I would often take people along for a mountain and valleys trip experience.
I can’t comment on whether roads etc are open as I haven’t lived in the area for 5 years, but when I did I was blessed that I could turn out my drive and within a km of home I was on the start of the trek.
The tracks range from trails that an Hybrid type van (like I recall yours to be like) would have no issues with completing to dirt roads with minimal traffic. ( refer second sentence above). You aren’t going to get bull dust but you will be able to write “wash me” in the dust after travelling the dirt roads and tracks.
1 Head from home out through Richmond and take the Bells Line of Rd to the top of the hill at Kurrajong Hts, turn left at the local IGA, ( unless you head up to the Archibald hotel for a quick liquid refill), turn left into Burralow Rd which quickly turns to dirt and follow this for 9.6km down the Burralow Campgroud. Depending on when you left home you could make this the 1st camp for the trip.
2 Leave Burralow camp ground and take the alternate Patterson Range track out of the valley and continue on for around 13 km of dirt until you hit the Bells Line of Rd, turn left and head west on BLofRd for around 5 km before you turn right into Mountain Lagoon Rd at Bilpin, this Rd turns to dirt around 8 km along the road. As you pass through Mountain Lagoon you can do a side loop around Sams way and see the lagoon. Continue along the Mt Lagoon Rd until you hit Comleroy Rd and turn left here. You will now continue north and eventually you wind the way down to the Colo River, which you follow down river until you find Upper Colo Rd on the left, swing left here and cross the Colo river on the timber bridge. Immediately after crossing the bridge you have the option of turning hard left and heading into the Upper Colo camping reserve grounds and another camp option.
In any case you continue heading up hill on Upper Colo Rd until you hit the Putty road.
3. Turn right here at the Putty Rd at Colo Heights and head towards Windsor, sorry you are back on the bitumen now but only for 3 or 4 kms as you now turn left into the Wheelbarrow Ridge road and soon your back on dirt.
You now follow this road down to Lower Portland near the confluence of the Hawkesbury and Colo River. You continue following the river downstream and the road changes to Greens Road which will wind your way along the river passing ski parks , the South Sydney rabbits retreat and horse studs. You may think you are trespassing but you are on a public road. After climbing away from the river you head along until you hit the Bicentennial Rd that eventually takes you down to the Webb’s creek ferry near Wiseman Ferry.. Don’t cross the ferry unless you want to visit Wiseman Ferry. Around this area there are some paid camping options at various ski parks.
4. From here you are going to turn left and follow the St Albans Rd upto St Albans where you can stop at the pub and also (check) camp at the St Albans Common. you are still on dirt mostly all the way until here.
5 at St Albans you now can head up the Wollemi and Great North road (Dirt) until you eventually come to the bitumen up near Wollemi Greta road.
6 from here you options are to head home or continue travelling but a suggestion maybe head to Scone and take the dirt road over the Barrington Tops to Gloucester or alternatively from near Singleton head back along the Golden Valley way towards Mudgee and the sites around that region.
Enjoy and send me a PM if you want more details.
