Just as an idea, a good Sydney / Newcastle drive is for the Sydney folks to come up the Old Pac to Mangrove Mountain (Where the Newcastle Folks can Meet them...) and then drive down to the Wisemans Ferry Crossing. Start the day nice and early, and the roads are clear and you can have Breakfast down there. Sydney folks can choose their own way home, Newy folks get to drive the twisties again. Its all good. (Except for the boring Freeway part for me.....)

Edit.....ooopppss.....just realised, that's not much help for Canberra folks....sorry.