Driving to Alice Springs/Darwin form Sydney

[nomorecatering]

Whats the best way to get form Sydney to alice Springs/Darwin.

Ist Choice, Sydney via Adelaide and up the stuart highway


2nd choicem sydney, Dubbo, Burke, Charlieville, Longreach, Mt Isa, Urandangi Alice?

Anyone done these trips recently?

I want to stay on sealed roads as I have a 4 cylinder 1.6 ltr manual.

[Pseudonymn]

nomorecatering,

I drove from Sydney to Alice the end of November, in my 4 cyl 1.3ltr manual.

We went, Syd to Armidale (visited friends) Armidale, back to Tamworth, across to Wilcannia, then Wilcannia through Broken Hill, down to Peterborough, then up to Coober Pedy, then Coober Pedy to Alice.

Make sure you have lots of water, you shouldn't need to take extra fuel as there are reasonably spaced Service Stations along this route, but if you are going by yourself, make sure you have a UHF or CB radio, just in case.

Oh, don't forget to have lots of CDs handy as the radio coverage isn't too good.

Enjoy the drive! :} :ok:

[arby]

gday mate

I drove up not to long ago went via dubbo, bourke, Isa, out to the three ways, up the centre, its an easy drive for your 1.3L the toughest part are the hills around lithgow, the rest is pretty much flat,

have fun :ok:

[steelcraft]

nomorecatering do not worry about the drive just take water, tapes/CDs and enjoy the drive. I still remember driving out of Melbourne for Darwin in March 1994 going across the Westgate Bridge and the song "Things can only get better" came on the radio. Have not looked back.
For the drive I stopped every hour from start to finish and took a photo of the road in frount of me. it is an interesting 50 odd photo's.
Enjoy your territtory time.

Regards

Steely

[DIVINE WIND]

Sydney, Mildura, Port Augusta, Alice, Darwin driving a Daihatsu Charade, no worries.
Take a camera.

[Aussierotor]

Geez ,you guys have just blown the long time myth that you need a Toorak tractor or a thumping big V8 to travel north.

[tinpis]

Sydney, Mildura, Port Augusta, Alice, Darwin driving a Daihatsu Charade, no worries.


Absolutely my choice.
O'nite Port Augusta then day drive to AS.
AS to DRW about 12-13 hours (remember no speed limit on Territory roads)
Plenty of gas stations on the way.

DONT DRIVE IN THE DARK OR YOURE DEAD MEAT.

[Capt Claret]

If you want to avoid unsealed roads don't go via Urandangie. After a good dry season you'd possibly get through with a standard car but after the recent rains, probably even 4WD is not the go yet.

Try RACQ (http://www.racq.com.au) and then click on the Road Conditions link, and/or NT Road Conditions (http://www.nt.gov.au/ipe/roadconditions/index.shtml) , where you want the Tennant Ck and Alice regions.

The Urandangi-Tobermorey Rd followed by the Plenty Hwy (and the Sandover) consists of about 700-800 km of unsealed road, flood plains etc. Not recommended in your vehicle. Good in a Patrol though! :} As of today 30/1: Plenty Highway (and Sandover Hwy) From the end of the seal to the Queensland border High clearance 4WD Plenty Hwy is recommended for 4wd only.

If it was me travelling before April this year, I'd go via Broken Hill, Port Disgusting, sorry Augusta (stay at the Standpipe Golf Motor Inn, Highway 1 (Cnr Highway 87) Port Augusta SA 5700, ph: (08) 8642 4033) reasonable rate & rooms, great Indian restaurant.

The reason for this route? If there's another large rain depression, as recently brought widespread rain to NT, Western QLD, NSW; you may not be able to drive from Mt Isa westwards. The Stuart Highway from PT Augusta is less likely to be closed due wx.

If you go via Isa, recommend Barclay HWY to Three Ways, left to Alice (500km) or right to DRW 1000 km.

As others have said, carry plenty of water (20 lt bag should be good), and suggest SAR Time arrangements with friends, just incase you do break down.

Driving at night is frought with danger, I know of some girls that left Isa early one morning and hit a beastout of Isa and were severely injured. I hit my first roo last November when I left Alice for Darwin at 0200 'cause I couldn't sleep. $1700 damage wasn't worth it! :{

[Woomera]

Would route selected not depend upon whether one used Hema's "Road Atlas of Australia" or the AHA's "Guide to Outback Pubs"?

I suspect tinpis's choise may be the latter...........

http://www.click-smilies.de/sammlung0903/ernaehrung/food-smiley-012.gif

Woomera

[nomorecatering]

Thanks for all the great info.

Can anyoone expand on what the road conditions are like, any other driving tips for the outback. I am a real city bloke, never driven outback further west than about Cobar, infact still have problem with the idea that milk actually comes from a cow, and not Woolworths *LOL*.

Apart from the obvious things like having your car, tires, radiator etc in good condition, what else would one take.

How about dealing with road trains.

How early in the day can you head out and how late into the day can you press on, I understand at night it is dangerous due wildlife etc. Where does this zone start, how far west of Sydney can you go before you shouldnt drive at night.

Yes I understand I am in for a real culture shock, but I guess thats half of the adventure.

[Pharcarnell]

I went out to Jervois after the grader in a 4WD and its still a hard slog. Without long range tanks its almost impossible and the recent rains have turned it all to soup.

Divine Winds route is the only sensible way but I'd do shorter legs and stop more. Unless you have air cond, this is NOT the time of year to try it, you will dehydrate quicker than a schooner glass in Rorkes.

Besides, unless your gonna make a habit of doing the "track", act all touristy and look at it all.

All the advise above is good. Stop every hour/100K or so at a watering hole or suitable place, don't stop on the roadside unless you REALLY have to, road trains rule and they wouldn't even feel the bump.

It's getting DAMN wet up here every so often so DON'T try to drive in the serious stuff if you haven't had practice and don't have to do it, you can loose the road in the mist.

Anyway, enjoy. The first time is always the best one.

[Di_Vosh]

Hey NMC,

Here're a few good things to take:

Water, SAR planning, HF/CB radio, and music have all been mentioned. You may also find useful: First aid kit, Food, Sleeping bag, and EPIRB/ELT (if you don't have an HF/CB radio)

Also:
Two spare wheels (esp. if you've got a new car with one of those "razor blade" spare tyres), tyre pump, jump leads, engine oil, radiator fluid, some of that crap that you buy from Wynns that plugs radiator leaks, emergency windscreen (a plastic sheet that costs about $10.00 from an NRMA shop).

As mentioned, driving outback at night is a good way to get "up close and personal" with plenty of Aussie wildlife. Dawn and Dusk are also very active kangaroo times (they love headlights). Not sue how far out of Sydney you have to worry about wildlife, but at a guess, I'd say when the houses stop.

Best advice (My advice) for road trains is to get in front of them, and stay in front. They take a lot of getting around, so give yourself plenty of room. Have a "go - no go" point so that (should on-coming traffic suddenly appear) you either commit to passing, or slow down to get in behind.

Once you've passed them, put your foot to the floor so that you're at least 1 km in front of them before resuming your earlier speed. (They take a lot of stopping and you want that buffer zone).

If a Road train is going faster than you (and they may) give one long flash of your headlights when the last bit of the road train has passed the front of your car. That way the driver knows he has passed you and can move back into the left lane.

Hope this helps

DIVOSH!

[Torres]

Oh dear, these city slickers.........

Get your car serviced, tuned up, radiator checked and tyres less than 50% worn. If you can fit a second spare it could be a useful, cheap investment at the wreckers.

Dealing with road trains? I suggest you don't tackle that problem on, head on. Most of the area you plan to travel is monotonously flat, so you should be able to see far ahead.

Roos? As a general rule, if the area has been subject to recent rains (green grass etc), roos won't be a problem. If dry or in drought, the roos rise for breakie around 1600 and start snoozing around 0500. However, there are early risers and late finishers...... I think you're overstating the problem: I live in the bush, drive 60,000 kilometers each year, drive during night and day, and in the past year hit one small wallaby and twice roos have run into the side of my car. I've taken over two hours for the 90 kms from Auguthella to Charleville (due to 300 roos per kilometer in the drought) and covered the same distance in 45 minutes and not seen a roo.

If it's dry or in drought, emus can be a pest during daylight hours.

PM me if you want additional questions answered.

Oh, and enjoy the trip! :}

[tinpis]

The road from Port Disgusting to Darwin is flat as a ****carters hat and bloody monotonous,great surface especiallly over the NT border.

Lotsa stops fer a pee and leg stretch.IMHO there is not a bloody thing worth stopping for enroute to Darwin except possibly to see how the other half live in the Todd River.
Dont be tempted to stop after Alice Springs it will probably depress you so much you wont want to come on to Darwin.
You in for a pleasant surprise when you get here lovely modern city... er..that is just waiting for someone to move in.

Make sure yer cars works good BEFORE you leave.The highway is lined with thieves disguised as service stations.

[Pseudonymn]

nomorecatering,

as I have said previously, I did the trip two months ago, didn't see many roos at all, but we didn't drive at night that much.
What you will need to be aware of, especially from Pt Augusta up, is cattle, camels and emus.
You hit a cow, easiest way to roll your car, goodbye world. Cows are usually in the shade under trees during the day, but come out onto the road at night, and they are not terribly reflective.
One other thing, if you see an eagle, slow down, they don't move as quickly as other birds if there is good carrion on the road, and one of them through your windscreen is not a good look.
If you look after yourself and your car, you shouldn't have too many hassles, but a service before you go might be a good investment.
With road trains, make sure you give them plenty of room, do not come right up on their bumper as they won't see you, and you won't be able to see around them to the hazards on the road.
The road condition is about the same, if not better than metropolitan Sydney :} but in some places it is very narrow, so make sure you move right over if someone passes you.

I think thats about it, for now... :ok:

[steelcraft]

Get in your car and drive

[Northern Chique]

All good so far.... day time hazards.... number 1 - lumpy road kill from previous night....

daytime hazard number 2 - the dammed big birds masquerading as eagles and blackwing buzzards trying to pinch said road kill breakfast.

daytime hazard 3 - part a - boredom... stop, take a flash, some museli bars, and lotsa water. The more you fill on water, the more you stop and move around.

part b - avoiding the accidents where someone swearved to miss something, went to sleep, lost control for whatever reason.

daytime harzard 4 - limited shady places to stop, but every 100-300 km there is a reliable service station. If your tank is below 1/2, stop and fill up.

daytime hazard number 5 - solved easily with a good set of sunnies.... its bright out there

onto night time hazards .... after longreach, or adelaide what the hell are doing driving at night. The only appealing things you will see is how well your high beam works, and how long you have to leave them dipped for traffic. Kangas, cattle, camels, horses and donkeys dont know what time it is, so they wander and feed all night. Ive hit roo's at 2am on a moonless night, so all the tales saying otherwise are slightly out of left field. Large birds also tend to stop on the road at night.

Ive driven both ways a number of times and had a ball each time. And all bar one trip was on my pat malone. Have done the trip in little cars, through to Winebagos... but all have one thing in common... they were prepared

First Aid Kit.. specifcally a motoring kit.
Water - minimum 4l per day (I usesd to change the water every night stop)
Phone (few places to use them though although stand a slightly better chance with CDMA... Sat phone is great but pretty expensive)
Spare change
Cigarette lighter
A bit of rope
Good spare tyre, prefer no retreads on your car. these can wilt under continuous running at speed on roads that are dammed hot and make sure you have the appropriate tyre changing gear with it.
Maps
Some research on what to do on the way
Blanket
Torch (just in case)
Camera (with city bought film if required.. it can get expensive in some places)
and a sense of humour with a touch of patience...

For my old car, I had a first aid kit for the car - 2 pieces of wire, jumperleads, spanner and screwdriver set, spare radiator hoses, top and bottom, tape, and rags.

The funny part about all that... barring the tape to plaster up a glove box on a rental and a spare tyre change... Ive never had to use any of it in over 100,000 worth of NSW, QLD and territory driving every year.

As part of my job, we potter about at night, usually because someone else did. Even on lights and sirens, we wont go much faster than 100km/hr.