Will driving from SYD to Kununurra kill me?

[Scorpion83]

Hey Ppruners,

I'm planning on driving up from Sydney to Kununurra in late January. A lot of my friends and family are concerned about me doing this trip, understandably so, I'm driving a Daihatsu Sirion and I'll be driving on my own, plus there are floods up North, not to mention the heat.

Any advice from anyone who has done this trip would be greatly appreciated.

Scorp

[McQwerty]

Don't pick up hitch hikers* and/or, if you break down, don't accept help from Brendan Murdoch look-a-likes. You my find you get a few miles down the road, then he skins you and wears you as a costume.


* A poster on here can no doubt tell you a story how his bleeding heart made him pick up a traditional owner who was hitching a ride to "town camp". They got to conversating and the hitcher forgot that he needed to ask the driver to stop, as he needed to urinate due to the copious amounts of goon he consumed. He then proceeded to urinate in the drivers car. Hilarity ensued.

[Peter Fanelli]

It's quite likely, the bush doesn't take too kindly to "city boys" :E

[Valdiviano]

Sell the Sirion, fly to Kun,buy an old station wagon there, camp in the back until you get a job, and BOB is you UNCLE

[Chocks Away]

Don't be a softc*#k.
Get on your horse and do it, you'll love it.
Plenty of us have done it before, numerous times. "Daihatsu Sirion" ? You lucky bugger!
It'll get the city-slicker out of you and you may even grow into a decent bloke, the better for it!
Giddey up!

[Torres]

What is going to kill you? :confused:

I drive 60,000 kms each year in the Outback and it hasn't killed me yet!!!

Usual precautions....

Stick to highways;
Rest often;
Don't ford flooded roads;
Carry two days food and water;
If in doubt, carry extra fuel;
Carry an extra spare wheel or compressed puncture repair cans;
Watch out for 'roos at dusk and dawn and emus during the day.


Cell phone and UHF CB are useful.

[BeerMan]

Did the trip a few years ago myself. Did it in convoy with a mate of mine. We made it in about 5 days I think. Stopped at Cobar, Port Augusta, Alice Springs, Katherine and then Kunners. Spent a night in each place, except Alice where we spent two or three nights. Was about 4,600km from memory, so each leg was about 1000km so pretty big driving days.

Overall, pretty picturesque drive, a little boring in some parts but really interesting to see how the country changes. All main roads so you're not gonna end up in a place where noone will find you if you break down.

Just watch out for the cattle crossing the road!!! They're big - and will really modify the front end of a Sirion!!!

[Mr. Hat]

There are some good pieces of advice here. One thing to consider if you are planning a Darwin to Kunners trip is to factor in the wet season where the road gets blocked off due high water.

Ideally you would have a four wheeldrive that you could sleep in, cross creeks, bounce kangaroos, pack up quickly. The UHF is a good idea to. The number of times i wished i had a 4wd and/or a bull bar. In a sirion you could come second best if you hit something.

I STRONGLY reccomend that you do not drive at dawn dusk or night. (Particularly in a sirion).

Whilst its a great adventure in your shoes (and having well and truly been there and done that) i'd probably fly up and buy a car.

[RENURPP]

I agree, Have a good think about whether driving is the cheapest option.

If you decide to drive its not a bad drive. 4 days is plenty if your aim is to get to your destination without enjoying the scenery too much.

Make sure you have NRMA cover for breakdowns.
Only drive during day light hours.
Check the road conditions prior to leaving and speak to the BOM to ensure you dont end up spending a week or so in Mt Isa or some other god forsaken town due to flooded roads.
Work out early in your trip the fuel consumption on the highway while you still have plenty of fuel options and then check the distances between stops. You may need a jerry can or two. If you can do 400kms you should be fine.
Dont pick up hitch hikers.
Take plenty of food and water in case you break down. A phone with next G should do the job and a computer with next g mobile coverage is excellent as well. (check road conditions, weather, fuel prices)

You should be able to average 100kms/hr all the way to Kununurra.
Its a pretty cruisy sort f drive with long periods of nothing in between.

The roads are generally good, there will be area with rain damage now. watch out for wandering stock and kangaroos and emu's, especially early morning and later in the day.

I personally cover around 1500kms a day when I do thesae type of trips but if your not used to long times behind the wheel that my be way too much and being tired is not on. Stop and enjoy the country, have a beer in the closest pub and a good sleep and try again the next day.

Once you have done it once its no big deal, just a bloody long way.

[Pluto's gone]

Enjoy the trip, make the most out of the situation, stop of at all wierd and wacky places, who knows you may even find a job along the way.

Just do your research on fuel stops to make sure you can make it, a couple of extra jerry's could help and definately and extra spare. Got a personal ELT? Handy for ya remote area flying anyway.

Go on now, have a blast!

[multime]

Dear Scorp
Big drive. Get your car serviced,. RAC !!!!!! yes
Drove a 89 ford escort to KNX.
Good experience, but why is KNX the ultimate be all and end all ass end of low life aviation.? I wasted 2 good years of my life on spag boll, listening to crap and even playing indoor cricket. Just to get a job or keep up.
$220-00 a week ,16 hour days, driving bus,s and no hope.
Think else where , but don,t rely on it.
CP,s normally an anal retentive sad loser who has had a gear up,crashed metro,s. or too fat to do anything else.
In your trip the advice.

RAC . !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
No EXCUSE.



Fly Spray,Black @ Gold surface spray.
Because when you break down in a swamp 90 miles out of Katherine, you will really wish you were dead. Seriously !!!!
Best of luck Scorp.
Multi:ok:

[tinpis]

Just as well there are no requirements for young pilots in PNG these days :rolleyes:

Their mummys would have to take them up

[Jabawocky]

Well said by Torres............

Plus... a GPS and your WAC charts. They are often more use to you on the ground than in the air!

J:ok:

[morno]

All good advice.

I can't stress enough though, DON'T DRIVE AT NIGHT IN YOUR SIRION! (or you will die, :E). Kangaroo's are quite solid, and the only vehicles I've seen that come off first best are large 4WD's with heavy bullbar's, Roadtrains, and Coaches.

Shouldn't have any problems with making it to fuel stops (unless it's a really old car with a small tank). Maybe do a highway drive beforehand and see how far you can get out of a tank. I wouldn't recommend carrying jerry cans of fuel in your vehicle unless you really really need to. However, don't make the Outback the place to think "I wonder how far I really CAN get out of that tank", :bored:.

Make sure you, as they say, STOP REVIVE SURVIVE. I don't particuarly want to be flying you out of some remote town after they've just peeled you off the side of the road because you fell asleep at the wheel. I've seen it enough to not want to see it again.

With common sense and a bit of forward thinking, the drive won't kill you. You'll find it's one of the best things you have done so far (the scenery, the places you'll go through, all interesting in their own way). Outback driving is not like driving up and down the East coast. It WILL get boring, hence the need to stop and have a break, take some munchies, and some good music.

And finally, as well as having some water in reserves, drink plenty while you're driving! :ok:

morno

[DanArcher]

Will driving from SYD to Kununurra kill me?

the drive won't but the heat might, the cow probably will, the croc will bite, snakes will chase ya & so will many other creatures if ya pissem off!

on a more serious note, if your going to drive along with the extra water, food, tools, spare tires, extra coolant & oils, take some good old tropical aerogard!

a bit of info that's normally given to truckies who drive up north & given in no uncertain terms (I got this one earlier on in my driving experience)

At the risk of sounding racist being politically incorrect or upsetting the universe.... 'people' occasionally when drunk have been known to go for a snooze in the middle of the road at night & if god forbid you are unfortunate to hit one DON'T stop. as it's possible & happened before that you might be confronted by the poor buggers mate who's not to happy with you to say the least. simply keep driving, take note of where you were & as soon as possible report to the police.

I know this sounds awful & go's against almost everything we are tought, but the reality is that up north can be a dangerous & unforgiving place at times & first and foremost keep yourself safe.

[Scorpion83]

Thanks guys for the feedback so far, some rather entertaining. I particularly enjoyed the post about covering my plane in black and gold fly spray.

My main concern are the floods if I was to drive Alice to Katherine to Kununurra this time of year. Has anyone been caught out in these floods and would the trip from SYD to Kununurra still take 5 days?

Seriously though, thank you so much for the info.

[hoss]

dont forget to watch 'wolf creek' before you go.

;)

[AussieNick]

ditch the matchbox toy car, fly to kunners, buy a bomb up there and run it into the ground. Will still be cheaper than trying to drive when u factor fuel, accommodation, food, etc etc

[Hasselhof]

My main concern are the floods if I was to drive Alice to Katherine to Kununurra this time of year. Has anyone been caught out in these floods and would the trip from SYD to Kununurra still take 5 days?

If you take that route you'll be fine at least as far as Katherine. The Stuart Highway is completely open at the moment all the way to Darwin. Takes a fair bit of rain to knock it out. If you try and take the shorter route via QLD and the Barkly highway... well thats a different story. Its still closed as far as I know and will be for a little while yet as they try and find the missing bits and put it back together :}

I really hope your Sirion is the 4cyl 1.3L model and not the 3cyl 1.0L model.

[merlinn]

Have to agree with the fly as opposed to driving!

I drove from Adelaide to Darwin in 47 hours in a Hiace, with the dog! Worst drive ever, I think the largest distance between towns was around 200km's, with no phone reception, damn optus!

Do not drive at night! lots of the roads are not fenced and livestock just wander anywhere they feel like, mainly the left hand side of the road, behind crests!:uhoh:

I never realised just how vast and isolated this country was until driving across it.

And you will love the price of petrol in some places:eek:

[aviation_enthus]

Definetly go with that but,

MAKE SURE ITS THE HIGHEST COVER!!!!

Having the low or mid range option is no good. If it really goes bad you'll get the first 120k's or so of a tow free plus a rental car and accom if it's more than a few days repair.

Not sure about NRMA but RACQ Ultra Care only costs $150 a year, far less than you'll spend on the above if you breakdown.

[Towering Q]

dont forget to watch 'wolf creek' before you go.


Better still...take a portable DVD player, set up camp off the highway in the middle of nowhere....and then watch it.:eek:

[hoss]

and dont forget to watch 'rogue' as well. best viewed close to the shore of the ord river.

all the best and good luck scorpion83;).

[Charlie Foxtrot India]

I drove right around Aus in a battered Datsun 1200 back in the eighties. Brilliant adventure.

A lot of good advice above. Reiterate:

Water
Aerogard
Swag
Torch
Hammock (more comfortable than sleeping in the car)
Matches
Fire extinguisher
Camp oven
Baseball bat
A lot of good music to be played VERY loud ...doof doof doof...
EPIRB (406 of course!) and make sure someone knows where you are going and when you'll expect to get to the next place
DON'T GO OFF ROAD AND ONLY DRIVE IN DAYLIGHT!!!!!

Never mind the creepy DVDs, watch some Russell Coight All Aussie Adventures before you go!

[Capt Claret]

Late January could possibly, might be, a problem. The low pressure system that was Charlotte should have passed by then but who knows what other systems might be lurking.

It is not uncommon for the Stuart Highway to become impassable due flooding any where from the Barkly Hwy to Darwin. The Barkly Hwy from Isa to TFC (Tenant Fcuking Creek) is reported to be closed for up to three weeks.

The Victoria Hwy closes, every year it seems, at the Vic River Crossing, due flooding.

Don't be tempted to drive the Buchanan Hwy through Top Springs to Timber Creek, it's a dirt road, 4wd only at this time of year.

Read RENURRP's advice.

[DUXNUTZ]

Tennant Creek scares the bejesus out of me.. highly not recommend spending a night there.

[sms777]

Not only" Wolf Creek ", watch "Australia" as well, it will certainly make you ride a horse up there instead :E

[Torres]

A phone with next G should do the job

Yes, and 70% of the time it will be as useful as an ash tray on a motor bike!!! The Telstra Next G network in the bush has nowhere near the coverage of the old CDMA network, now closed down. :ugh:

You won't need multiple jerry cans - far too dangerous. There are plenty of fuel stops along the way. I don't know your vehicle fuel range but plan ahead and take a small fuel container "just in case". (My diesel Prado comes standard with 1,800 km range!)

The 'roos aren't too bad in the wet, but in the dry and drought they were thick along the edges of the road getting the last green pick. Watch out for emus during the day. They are absolutely stupid and will do the same damage to your car as a 'roo.

Multiple punctures is a possibility. I carry two spares on unsealed roads and always carry a couple of those compressed tyre repair cans. If you get a flat tyre, never pass the first place you can get it repaired.

Take one of those $20 tow straps and a couple of shackles.

Don't follow close behind cattle road trains. :E

A trip like that is no big deal to a sensible person exercising normal caution. I do similar trips every few weeks (2,500 trouble free Outback kms in air conditioned comfort in the past two weeks.)

[Pharcarnell]

Been up and down that so often I gave up counting when I ran out of fingers and toes and I'm about to do it again.

Everything said above is good advise.
Barkly is out till about 1/2 Feb at best guess, maybe longer if it rains a heap more.

If you think you may need fuel when coming into some little town, YOU DO.

DON'T try to pass a road train if you cant see a LOT of road ahead. They're 55Mts and more.

New Vic River bridge is sposed to be open now so it may not trap you there if the river comes up a bit.

Going the Buchanan via Top Springs is a NO NO. Vic River at Dashwood crossing is metres deep. We gave it a miss in a 4X4.

Lots of luck. It can be a pain up here but I love it, so might you.

[Chocks Away]

My main concern are the floods if I was to drive Alice to Katherine to Kununurra this time of year. Has anyone been caught out in these floods and would the trip from SYD to Kununurra still take 5 days?

Yes, it's all about timing.
On my 3rd Melb/Darwin trip I got caught south of Alice Springs/NT border by floods, racing up North for a position I knew was going. Spent the night at the Marla road house, as did many others so it was a boon for the Roadhouse and a top night at the bar:ok:. Missed the job... others came though.

Melb/Darwin after a few trips I was doing in 3 days (knowing the road/roo's and traps). I drove Sydney/Darwin once, which is longer through Blackall/Fug-all/Longreach/Mt Isa - 5 days... and the roads not as good (as per Hasselhof's mention previously).

First trip was in 1990 in 1969 Ford Cortina (2 door Sports!:})... broke down in Tennant Ck, needing a new engine due overheating (caution the afternoon temps!)... jammed in another 2nd hand sort from the wreckers... muffler came off around Katherine so it sounded like a truck, entering the township. It got me to Darwin though, where I finally sold it because it still had a good set of Kumo's on it. If I didn't put a mesh over the front grill for bugs it wouldn't have cooked the engine, never-the-less it was all character building, networking and provided top opportunities to spread the CV and meet companies along the way.

Out of 5 trips, I was caught once by floods. Lived in Timber Creek for awhile too (between Kath/Kunn) and that does flood abit in many parts and isn't up to scratch like the Stuart Highway up the centre is. Good time to have a break Barra fishing with the locals though, if trapped there!

Lots of good advice to heed on this whole thread. Only thing I could add is to keep tuned to ABC National Radio. It's nationwide and keeps you up to date with news/road warnings etc... as well as "ABC Grandstand" - broadcasting sports results all day saturdays too (!!!) and "Macka around Australia" on Sunday mornings.
Mobile phone coverage has improved dramatically on the major roads with the carriers but a cheap Dick-Smith's UHF radio may be an idea, just to keep a listen out if the truckies are hitting Roo's or not. If plenty of rain, they will be off the road side-strip grasses and out in the scrub though.

Give it a run and take time to enjoy the whole experience, it's characters and what this huge country is about. I know you'll be the better for it.
As the Buddhists say 'Life is in the journey, not the destination."

[CoodaShooda]

A useful site (http://http://www.ntlis.nt.gov.au/roadreport/)

Flooding can last well into March, particularly on the Stuart Highway between Daly Waters and Tennant Creek, as I found out to my cost. :{

[jhsg]

hey mate,

I just did the drive from sydney to darwin 2 weeks ago (just before the floods), and it was a great drive. All the roads in qld have now been fixed so you wont have any dramas around the QLD/NT border.

Ensure that when you are going through mid QLD towards the NT you ask the servo's and even truck drivers what the road conditions are like, they will be the best source of information in terms of flooding and surface condition.

the advice given above regarding only driving at day is spot on, Roos and Cows come out on the road at night and believe me - you dont want to be hitting one of them in the middle of nowwhere.

i've also noticed a few people talking about dodgy towns.. when i did the drive the places I'd recommend to stay would be Mt Isa, Cloncurry, and then Katherine.. no where in between is really worth it, as it will be below average, and expensive.. not to mention uncomfortable - which will spoil your rest for big days off driving.

another key bit of advice if fuel, if possible make the most of QLD fuel prices, the best thing you can do is fill up the car and a few jerries at Mt Isa and then smash accross to 3 ways.. its possible in a mazda 3 with 2 additional jerries. but in saying this, dont take any chances with fuel, make sure you do the maths and you know you can make it.. also when doing the calculations, ensure you add 10% - 15% when travelling on the barkley between camowheel and three ways as the head wind (and ability to speed) can dramatically reduce your economy.

have fun with the drive mate.. if you want any specific information on the trip send me a PM..

[RENURPP]

Re reading some of this stuff makes it sound like you are doint the trip on a camel.

Its simply not that hard. Its a sealed highway all the way, except the part the washed away recently!!
People do this drive every day for goodness sake.
There is plenty of traffic, you will see other cars every 1/2 hr or so.
5 days from sydney? only if you stop at every pub. 2 1/2 days from Darwin - Sydney via ISA, just under 2 days from Darwin - Adelaide both trips only during daylight hours.

Be sensible, water food and I forgot the music, check the roads and weather and just do it.

Oh yes, forget the nonense about crocs, you will not even see a croc driving, Simply nonsense. even when you get there they won't be an issue unless you intend swimming in the local Top end rivers and creeks.
As for Wolf Creek, forget that as well, better watching the "End of the World" just as much relevance. :8

Having said that I did meet Murdoch or his brother driving between Burketown and Normanton whist carrying out some running repairs :eek:

[A37575]

I know someone who did that trip in an old Holden Barina. He had no problems. The secret was not to use the air conditioning at all. The engine then worked perfectly. Aircon puts a big strain on the engine and that is the last thing you want on a long trip like that.

[senshi]

You'll be safer in the Sirion, than the Airvan you might get to fly! :}

S

[Atlas Shrugged]

Daihatsu

pfffft....plastic crap.

Do it in a proper car

http://www.webtrade.com.au/p76/images/NZ%20racecar/PrologueWetTAS2001.jpg

[hoss]

ok, now your going to have to watch 'mad max'!

[Towering Q]

P76, great choice Atlas....but you want something that has spares lying on the side of the road....something that the Bush Mechanics can help you with.:cool:


http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k176/towering_q/xd01.jpg

[Capt Claret]

Aircon puts a big strain on the engine and that is the last thing you want on a long trip like that.

Hell and damnation, I've had it wrong for 15 years driving in the tropics arid zones and deserts. Averaging 30,000 km/year, that's about 450,000 km, probably 430,000 of which have had the air-con running, and not one engine failure.

One compressor failure, hit one roo, hit two trees in the one episode, 3 blow outs, one busted 5th gear, 3 different 4wd and one Volvo (remember that one RENURRP?) but touch wood, I'm still waiting for the engine failure and I've avoided approximately 5300 hours of discomfort, driving in temps up to 50+ degrees with no air-con! :hmm:

[RENURPP]

I don't remember much about the volvo. I do remember the hat wearing volvo driver :rolleyes:

I thought you were supposed to turn air cons on when it got hot :confused:and heaters on when it was cold :confused:

[tinpis]

Dont buy a vehicle off Torres, it will be well shagged :hmm:

[Victa Bravo]

What's this thread got to do with aviation?

[Hasselhof]

What's this thread got to do with aviation?

Nothing. But its got plenty to do with one of the avenues for becoming a professional pilot in this country.

[ForkTailedDrKiller]

JUST DO IT!

Think about it. Take a few precautions. Don't do noth'in stupid, but just go do it. It will be one of the great adventures you tell your kids about!

When I was a young fella (a long time ago!) I used to regularly do Brisbane to Clermont (1400 km ?) and back in a Mini Moke!

Don't drive at night! Be very, very wary of roadtrains. Carry a basic tool box, a few spares if your that way inclined, water, emergency fuel, swag is handy, bit of tucker, two spare tyres is a good idea, cell phone, UHF radio - even a handheld could come in handy. In a little light car like a Sirion, BE VERY CAREFUL of crappy road shoulders - they cause a lot of single vehicle accidents. If you need to pull off the seal - slow right down.

DO NOT SWERVE VIOLENTLY to avoid hitting a roo or a pig (Best bit of advice I was ever given about bush driving). Stand on the brakes to slow down as much as possible. Steer a bit left or right as indicated to miss it if possible - but don't make a violent change of direction - you are better to hit the bastard. Lots of people die trying to dodge dogs, roos etc.

SWERVE as VIOLENTLY necessary to avoid hitting cattle, horses, donkeys or camels - cause those things will kill you (lost two mates to collisions with horses on the road)!

I had the Moke fitted with a roo-bar and blew a couple of weeks wages on the biggest, meanest driving light money could buy. You could start a bushfire if you turned it on while stationary. First time I drove the Moke with it I hit a roo in broad daylight and smashed the f*cking light!

Dr :8

PS: In 1977/78 I put 160,000 km on a V8 Torana in two years of bush driving. I coulda done Sydney to Kunnas in 2 days in that sucker. Fastest country road car I ever had - bitumen, dirt, mud made no difference! But man did it suck some juice! 14 miles per gallon - whats that today? 20L/100km !!!!!!!!!!!!!

[TOPendFLYER]

You could take a friend to half the cost of your fuel, or maybe a backpacker??? try www.needaride.com.au (http://www.needaride.com.au) may help you find a passenger of your choice. :ok:

[CoodaShooda]

Don't bother trying Qld route for that next couple of weeks. There's a great big hole where the Rankin River crossing used to be on the Barkly Highway and more rain/flooding forecast.

Up the Stuart Highway's your best bet but keep an eye on the weather.

Don't contract pressonitis. 8 hours stuck in a swamp waiting for a tow, without radio or mobile phone reception and only the mossies for company is not to be recommended. :ugh:

(And that was only 70km from TFC)

[Wally Mk2]

I knew a pilot many years ago whom put his car on the back of a large truck as general freight to go to PH fm ML. He then sat up front with the trucky & spent what he said was some of the most amazing lifes experiences along the way, he was 18 at the time & that's when the Rd to PH was very ordinary.
Perhaps have yr car transported up there & have it arrive in one piece. Of what the Dr:8said is anywhere near the truth why would you even take yr little toy car out of the garage!:)
Hey Dr:8When I read yr comments yr fast car on either dirt or bitumen quickly brought back a few awful thoughts I had the displeasure of obtaining the othe night. Young guy, fast car, V8 'bombadore' & 140k's+ on dirt rd drunk, result? busted neck & a diffrent way of life from now on for him, was he lucky? debatable to some degree:sad:
Still good advice all round there Dr:8



Wmk2

[drunkensailor]

1/ Take you car to a good mechanic a few weeks before heading off.

2/ Carry crap loads of water including enough for an entire cooling system refill.

3/ Zip down to supercrap get a 10 buck puncture repair kit and a 20 buck aircompressor and know how to use it. $30 is cheap insurance when you hit an old bolt at 100 clicks. doing highway driving you are more likely to get a tread puncture than sidewall.

4/ It has been said before but I'll carry on... DO NOT TRAVEL AT NIGHT!

5/ Take the extra day and enjoy the scenery.

;)

[ForkTailedDrKiller]

1) Young guy
2) fast car, V8 'bombadore'
3) 140k's+ on dirt rd
4) drunk


Wally, I had the first three nailed pretty much continuously for 10 years! The big difference is that I NEVER EVER mixed 1 & 2 with 3 & 4. :ok:

Dr :8

PS: Note how carefully I worded that - It was a different era!

[Wally Mk2]

Ah an old Dr:8 is a wise Dr right?:)

Trouble with 2days cars is that they have too good a power to weight ratio & pwr steering, the latter you most likely never had in yr rocket & therefore actually helped yr 'leadsled' stay in a straight line even whilst tugging at the wheel to turn:-) RTS was probably yr biggest engineered feature, by 2days stds rudimentry:)


Wmk2

[Chocks Away]

RENURPP: 5 days from sydney? only if you stop at every pub.

... yes, it was quite a casual experience that trip, smelling the roses and all:p

[Mr. Hat]

another key bit of advice if fuel, if possible make the most of QLD fuel prices, the best thing you can do is fill up the car and a few jerries at Mt Isa and then smash accross to 3 ways..

Disagree with this one. If you have an accident you will burn to death. Trust me fella.

DO NOT SWERVE VIOLENTLY to avoid hitting a roo or a pig

Something to keep in mind if you have time to think. But remember the natural reaction is to swerve. It's the way we are wired!

[ForkTailedDrKiller]

Quote:

DO NOT SWERVE VIOLENTLY to avoid hitting a roo or a pig
Something to keep in mind if you have time to think. But remember the natural reaction is to swerve. It's the way we are wired!


You can train yourself to NOT do this - like not turning back to the strip for EFATO in a single!

Dr :8

[Metro man]

Did BNE -CNS and up into Cape York back in the 1990s in an old Mitsubishi. Most of what has been written here is good advice, here's some from me. If you come to a STOP sign in the middle of nowhere, with no other cars in sight for miles in any direction, you stop and count like you did on your driving test before moving off. Why ? Because that's the intersection the coppers will be watching. Expensive lesson :ugh: :ugh:

Same for speeding, they trap in the middle of the Nullabor Plain so any isolated road is fair game to make up the monthly ticket quota. Don't drive at night, hit two roos myself driving at dusk. I'm sure you are sensible enough not to drink and drive.:=

Have "flight following" with someone back home. ie Leaving X at this time on this road, spending the night at Y. Check in when you get there.

Safe journey.

[tinpis]

Mr Hat agree :ok:
Attended (RFDS SA)a couple of well roasted morts in a valiant that had been tail gated with a couple of jerries in the boot
They never even got to the door handles

[Sir HC]

Don't you love that you can get 3 pages of "help" on how to drive to Kununurra from the city of your choice but the introduction of a 'mulit crew pilot license' only draws 2 pages of replies? To answer your question, with a bit of luck, yes. Then we will have one less "expert" suburban warrior to answer the same stupid question next year. My advice, stay at home, do your instructor rating and help churn out foreign students. That will keep your Mum happy.

[sms777]

You have owned a V8 Torana??? Man, You are are a legend like Brocky was. I hope you still got it because the damned things are fetching over 20k's on Ebay in pieces these days.
Anyways to do the trip to Kunnus i would not do it in anything smaller.
You loose one cylinder you still got more than twice the number your "sirloin" has with only marginal more fuel consumption.
You want to battle the bush, be a man and drive a V8 like real man do!

[Peter Fanelli]

I almost owned a V8 Torana, I passed the eye exam so got a CPL instead.
Oh well.

Don't regret that anywhere near as much as when I could have bought a mint condition Cyan Blue LJ GTR-XU1 with 33,000 kms on it for $3300.00, but didn't.

Now that still hurts. :(

[Horatio Leafblower]

Will driving from SYD to Kununurra kill me?

If you have to ask PPRuNe.... Yes. :(

[Wally Mk2]

Interesting comment there 'Sir HC', just goes to show that a lot in here have a SOH & want to excape from the doom & gloom that finds its way into these pages, all too often even fo just a brief time:sad:
I guess to some the original Q is somewhat well how should I say 'dumb' but some people don't understand even the basics of driving, fair enough we are not all clever. Still this thread is now good for a laugh after some good tips have been put fwd & we all need that:ok:

'PF' you must hate yourself for not buying that car. On the day considered a thoroughbred, now pretty basic but collectable. 33000 k's, $3300 & the LJ had a 3300 cc donk, weird!:ok: Thread drift here but hey why not, it's gunna get slammed shut soon enough anyway. My very first G/F's mum had a LC Torana 2250, the baby six. She always wanted me to go out and put the hub caps back on so the GMH Lion was facing the right way up when parked, she couldn't understand why they always ended facing all over the place after even a short drive.......hmmm go figure..............:Etrue story, I still stay in touch with her after 35 yrs, Torana long gone sadly, would love that car now even with crooked hubcaps!


Wmk2

[Pappa Smurf]

What ever car as long as it doesnt overheat.How many of the "wicked" back packers vans are on the road,and there got nothing going for them.
A lot more smaller cars outback these days ,thanks to fuel prices.
A Daihatsu will only cost you about $400 bucks in fuel these days, about a third of a 4 wheel drive.
Only problem is timing.
Feb ,bloody hot and another 4 cyclones due in that area so could be stranded in some hole for a while(if ya lucky)

[The Green Goblin]

Just get in your car and drive mate, If you add all the time you normally drive in a car (say Syd) one hour to work in the morning and one hour home = 10 hours per week, you just end up doing a few weeks driving in a couple of days instead, you'd be pretty unlucky for something to go wrong. Make sure you get your cooling system sussed before you go and carry a spare water pump/belts and at least 20L of water that can be used for the car/drinking. I always used water with no coolant in it when i drove bush so i could drink the water in my cooling system just in case i got stuck, although having a 4x4 i always took the short cuts to save time and enjoy my time offroad.

You know if you've been driving too long when you stop, get out the car and everything is still moving towards you!

[Mr. Hat]

The other thing with carrying fuel is that the fumes from the boot leak into your cabin and before you know it your car smells like and old heap of ****.

[Reverseflowkeroburna]

It's already been stated to some degree. Vehicle range, KNOW IT!

The Sirloin with its 40lt tank reminds me of a Suzuki that I've done some "outback" travelling in. This particular little beasty had a 32lt go juice reservoir and needed at least a little planning. We even had a few 'character building' moments that required A/C off and best range power settings to reach the next stop! :eek:

As for tools etc, 100mph/gaffer tape can be one of the most versatile tools known to man. The stuff can mend coolant hose splits, patch exhausts (which will degrade mileage), hold the beast together after wildlife encounters, restrain backpackers etc.

Drive and sight-see/increase job opportunities or fly, the choice is yours. Don't blinkered into thinking KU is the only option. Who knows, DBY or BRM might be worth the few extra miles.

Either way, have fun!

[Pseudonymn]

I have a 1992 Mazda 121 bubble which I have driven from Sydney to Alice, via Port Augusta (in convoy with my husband in a triton.) Back to Sydney together with our dog. It is possible for a dog to hold the contents of his bladder from Alice Springs to Port Augusta, although if I hadn't seen it personally, I wouldn't believe it. :ooh:

Then Sydney to Alice, via Mt Isa, together with hubby, without a radio/CD player of any sort. I Spy gets very old, very quickly!

Alice to Darwin, stopping in Katherine to overnight, with my cockatiel in her cage as company.

Darwin to Mount Isa, stopping in Tennant Creek to overnight, again with only a bird and a cat as company. (Seperate cages)

Mount Isa to Sydney. By myself. It's possible to drive from Mt Isa to Roma, in a single day, and get breath-tested twice. In Amby & Roma... :suspect:

Mount Isa to Sydney again, this time in a Mitsubishi 380. Also drove the 380 from Mount Isa to Townsville in one hop. Left Isa at 2pm, got to Townsville at midnight. Was driving very slowly & carefully, saw lots of roos, none on the road, thank goodness.

Be prepared! The 121 only has a 40 litre tank, never had to use a jerry can, but don't drive past an open petrol station, even if the price seems like highway robbery. Carry basic tools, and a basic understanding of how to use them. Make sure you know how to change a tyre, and that you can get your wheel nuts off. Join NRMA, they have reciprocal rights between AANT, RACV, RACQ, RAA.

Most of all, HAVE FUN and enjoy the drive, It's one you will always remember, regardless if it is good or bad.

[300Series]

"Filled my time calulating eta's for the next town "

Drive at 120km/hr then distance to go divided by 2 = eta next town!

I drove Brisbane - Darwin and Darwin - Brisbane twice in a '99 corolla, 120km/hr, 16km/lt with the aircon on! 50 lt tank and not one flat tyre and not one drop of oil used.

If going through western QLD stop at Augathella and get one of the chicken burgers from the truck stop, bloody nice!

Watch Vacancy before you go then again when you are stopped at some motel in the middle of nowhere with noone else staying there.

If driving across the barkly i dont know about its servicability at the moment but the corolla made Camoweal to 3 ways no worries.

Lots of the servo's up this way and out in the kimberely have Opal Fuel, which is the substitute for unleaded. Its the same your car will take Opal. the reason for Opal up here is it stops our brothers from sniffing it.

300

[Capt Claret]

Something like this (from the NT News) might slow you down. 7 km North of TFC on the Stuart Highway!

http://www.ntnews.com.au/images/uploadedfiles/editorial/pictures/2009/01/17/flood-waters-cut-stuart-highway.jpg

and tackling the trip with

http://www.daihatsu.com/catalogue/sirion/download/1024/sirion1024_01.jpg

[Mr. Hat]

new sirion looks alright

[Wally Mk2]

Looks like a noddy car:} At least our 'cousins' will leave it alone should it break down on the side of a deserted hwy, the seats would be crap, the battery wouldn't start their Valiant either :E All in all, a safe car:ok:
'300' ya can't kill a toyota:)


Wmk2

[A37575]

Hell and damnation, I've had it wrong for 15 years driving in the tropics arid zones and deserts. Averaging 30,000 km/year, that's about 450,000 km, probably 430,000 of which have had the air-con running, and not one engine failure.

In a Barina?

[tinpis]

Nobody drives non-aircon cars up here

[Mr. Hat]

new sirion looks alright

[tinpis]

120kmh in a 99 Corolla 1.8Litre?
What were you towing?

[Capt Claret]

In a Barina?

Well, Mrs C had a Barina before the current Astra. It never went anywhere without the A/C ON.

Does one person in a Barina with no a/c on constitute a quantifiable study result, that a/c causes engine failures? :8

[Alex 009]

Planning to do it soon in my Impreza. 40 litre tank with a range of approx 450 km with the roof box on...quite a few stops me thinks

[dmussen]

!. Sell car
2. Jump on jet.
3. Buy something you can sleep in Kunners.
4. Get job.
Really safe alternative.
Cheers.

[Hasselhof]

Nobody drives non-aircon cars up here

I do :{ :{ :{

[Mr. Hat]

dmussen got it in one. No need to make things harder than they need to be. You will have plenty of opportunity in the next jobs to see the countryside.

I had a early nineties car and the mechanic said to me "the aircon in this is actually illegal and once it breaks you will get one thats legal but not as good". That old aircon was brilliant!

[Wally Mk2]

Mr Hat you must have an old ford or something, the R12 gas is nasty to the ozone layer, you know that 'rubber' that protects us from the big bad nasty sun:) Although R12 is still available thru evacuating from older cars & stored/cleaned ready for re-use it's not readily used by the aircond guys. Cost I think is expensive too:-)

Agree with 'dmussen' sell the 'toy' car & use the dosh for something handy towards yr start at Kunners.


Wmk2

[300Series]

"
120kmh in a 99 Corolla 1.8Litre?
What were you towing?"

Nah 1.6Lt and it was going like the clappas. and it was loaded to the hilt!

It is an 06/99 model right before toyota changed the shape of the corrolla's. Brought it in 2005 with 45 000km's on the clock. Got a great deal to I still have it to. I do my own serivicing on it every 10 000km and it has never any major problems. Only thing was the roof came down on me due to the heat and humidity in darwin it stuffed up the glue and the rubber cover thing come off from around the bottom of the gear stick.



300

[multime]

Not only cars.
1970 escort in 88 from Coulandra to Derby. $500 bucks.
The accomodation and expenses will kill your dreams first.
Sorry.
M:{

[Capt Claret]

New Vic River bridge is sposed to be open now so it may not trap you there if the river comes up a bit.

Bridge still under construction. From pic (below from Fri 23/01 NT News) it looks like there's no road on the supports.

http://www.ntnews.com.au/images/uploadedfiles/editorial/pictures/2009/01/22/1_road.jpg

[morno]

Ahhhh the good old Vic River Bridge. I remember crossing that thing a few moons ago now, in my 4x4 when the water was just below the railings. Followed several other 4x4's and a road train, and scared the crap out of me, :bored:.

morno

[Mr. Hat]

Wally - The irony was that the car had aircon like no other but the room i rented only had a fan (in Darwin):ugh:.

I remember sitting in the car drying out the sweat in between walks to different operators. Its a unique feeling being dressed in neat slacks and shirt in 40 degree heat with large debt, no job, no money and attempting to potray the professional "everythings going great guns" look......i soon found that mission australia mission emplyment offices had good aircon and free internet and printing.

Still wonder sometimes how i made it this far!

[sms777]

Your post just brought tears to my eyes. :{
....and here i am, about to do it all over again at 50 just for the love of flying!

Is it still that hot in Darwin? :oh: :}

[kellykelpie]

This sounds like so much fun that I want to do it myself - can I come??

Seriously, this is what life is all about. Yes, there is risk. Be careful. You'll love it.:)

[the wizard of auz]

Jeeezus wept.I can't believe all the hubbub over a drive on national highways to a place. just get in and go a little bit of common sense and you will be right. strewth.
I managed to cover almost the whole damn country in a busted assed HR ute without problem and the tracks were all gravel back then. no special needs at all.


At the risk of sounding racist being politically incorrect or upsetting the universe.... 'people' occasionally when drunk have been known to go for a snooze in the middle of the road at night & if god forbid you are unfortunate to hit one DON'T stop. as it's possible & happened before that you might be confronted by the poor buggers mate who's not to happy with you to say the least. simply keep driving, take note of where you were & as soon as possible report to the police.


possibly the most ill informed piece of advice I have seen on the whole thread.
If you take this advice, prepare to live with yourself with the knowledge that you may well have killed someone, that in all reality may have survived if you had rendered assistance. You will also be jailed.........without doubt.
If you do fear retribution from angered relatives, explain that you are helping, ignore them and render first aid whilst phoning for police and ambulance.
If you are threatened, the folk going nuts are usually blind anyway, so can be forcefully pushed over and rendered useless (well, more useless than usual) at the very least stay in your vehicle and go a couple of hundred meters up the road and call the police.
Unfortunately, it does happen with monotonous regularity, but the people involved understand that the injured need help as fast as possible.
I just don't believe some one could suggest that utter crap. :ugh:

[Allan L]

CC it looks like there's no road on the supports

perhaps washed away in the flood (why isn't there a 'tongue in cheek' smiley?)

they don't build them like they used to:O

[Tiger 77]

possibly the most ill informed piece of advice I have seen on the whole thread.


Theres a very good reason why that advice is mentioned... its true and may save your life.

Regarding rendering assistance if you accidently drive over one of our indigenous mates... well it depends a lot on the situation. But I know of many cases where a driver accidently hit someone lying drunk on the road, got out of their car and tried to help only to be confronted by the family/mates of the injured and bashed. If theres nobody else around to bash you, I'd go and help.

I also know of a doctor who was called up to help a young kid who was on the other side of the river. The entire community was out there and pressuring this doc to swim across the croc infested river to help. He felt so threatened by how violent they were becoming that he had no choice but do it.

I've spent plenty of time in indigenous communities to know that these people will revert to violence to solve any issue. They will see you as the bad guy if you run over someone from their group, even though you may be trying to help. Just be careful.

As for the drive in general, its a long way but nothing really to worry about. Got a mate in Brissy who's about to do it in an early 90's Camry, shouldnt have a problem at all.

Tiger

[tinpis]

Is it still HOT in Darwhine? http://www.augk18.dsl.pipex.com/Smileys/laughpound.gif

Does the Pope **** in the woods? Is a bear a Catholic? http://www.augk18.dsl.pipex.com/Smileys/laughatu.gif

FFS GET IN AND DRIVE!

[sms777]

Hi tinpis,
I thought i would make you smile :D

FFS GET IN AND DRIVE....hey?
Are you for real? I am too old for that sh#t!

Drive to Kunnus would probably kill me :E:E

[The Green Goblin]

An accident running over an Aboriginal on the road?

There was an add on the TV in the NT not to many moons ago.

Went something like:

"Don't sleep on da road, but if you're gunna sleep on da road, make sure you wear bright colours! Like Red, Orange or Yellow!"

[sms777]

Wear bright colours. Yeah right. It is a good advice indeed. But..... will you remember it while falling down in the middle of the road because you are totally ****faced?

How about painting every VB can in fluorecent colour with safety stripes because you are sure as hell going to hang on to that one while going down! :D:D

[the wizard of auz]

Seriously Tiger, I have worked and lived among indigenous people my whole life..... Hell I still live in a non reflective town, and the advice is dangerous, misleading and mostly false. you would be surprised what a little bit of intestinal fortitude shown in the face of adversity with these people will achieve. Not only that, you will also escape a jail term for leaving the scene of an accident and not rendering assistance leading to the death of your victim.
DON'T DO IT. you have a bigger chance of being hunted down for killing someone you could have saved.

[tinpis]

And, better a slap with a nulla nulla than trying to pay a QC.

[Hasselhof]

"The road is for cars, not for sleeping or playing around" (http://www.roadsafety.nt.gov.au/campaign/aboriginal/ind_pedestrian20071128.wmv)

[mrdeux]

I've done the drive (for fun) a few times. The run up through the middle of the country is excellent. Wish the roads were like that everywhere. We went through Queensland a couple of years ago, and quite disliked the experience (overall feeling was 'leave your wallet, but piss off). Qld roads were the worst by a large margin.

The advice re driving at night is totally correct. But, extend it a little and don't drive in the first or last hour of daylight either. You'll see plenty of signs from the people who did. Not only are roos a problem, but we saw dead horses, camels, cattle and pigs.

Give the road trains some respect. I found they were extremely polite (totally unlike the east coast B double and semi drivers).

Last trip we stopped at Pt Augusta, Coober Pedy, Erldunda, Alice, Wycliffe Wells, Banka Banka, Daly Waters, Katherine, Victoria River and Kunanurra. Wycliffe is an easy (and somewhat amusing) way of avoiding Tennant Creek

[wild goose]

Forgive the diversion from topic, but
can anyone advise what sort of salary a first job low time CPL holder can expect in the Kununurra/Darwin type area?
Enough to support a wife and pay back loans for flight training? :uhoh:
Any suggestions besides going up there? (I intend to anyway)

[Wally Mk2]

Someone mentioned road trains? Tell ya an ugly story. I had the displeasure of being confronted by one of these moronic DH's (not all I know but there would be a lot out there on the Rd.)During the 80's I had itchy feet taking me around this great land of ours. To cut a long story short during a conversation with a 'truckie' after I bailed him up post him trying to kill me & my companion I said you guys think you own the bloody rd, he said ...."nope, just the black bit"! Typical ignorant fool I thought.

Some years latter I retrieved an elderly couple from interstate whom where literally blown off the Rd by a speeding overtaking road train whilst towing their caravan. The wife was seriously injured during the roll over caused by the truck, the husband, a quad for life!

I have to agree with 'wiz' here, by not stopping after a possible 'hit & run' would mean a life where you wished you did stop regardless of the risk at the time.

So basicly, do you want to drive on our outback rds? The black fellas in the middle of the Rd, the wild-life, the distance is nothing compared to the real menace out there, the cowboy truckies!


Wmk2

[the wizard of auz]

Most of the have been pushed out of the industry now days wally.It is a pretty professional sort of job nowdays, with CAO 48 type restrictions, log books and all. very much like the AG industry..... got serious and fixed most of the cowboy trouble. the bigger risk these days are the tourists........ believe me, they do things that make the mind boggle. (I drive roadtrain when not flying) I have had them stop on the bottom of a hill around a curve and park on the road and walk off into the bush to take photos, Drive in convoy at 70KPH and dribble on non stop on the recognized trucky working channel. you cant get around ten caravaners at 50 meter spacings traveling at 70KPH. It takes time to get a 175 ton, four trailered roadtrain wound up after being bogged in behind them for forty Ks and not being able to get a word in sideways on the radio. the other beauty is waiting until you have wound her up and indicate to go around, then dive into the gravel and hit the brakes......... showered in stones and have to cross the road to avoid them :ugh:
Dunno why they call it tourist season if we are not allowed to shoot at them.

[Fred Gassit]

Goddamn! This is a long thread about a pretty routine exercise!
Try not to fall asleep at the wheel, about the biggest risk apparently..

[Capt Claret]

It might be a routine exercise for many, but for just as many city folk, it's a journey into the unknown.

My first real outback drive was in '94 from BNE to DRW. I was 37 and somewhat anxious as I didn't know what to expect in terms of remoteness and availability of help. I'd been driving for close to 20 years, and covered lots of km but none of it remote.

Despite a special mention of the trip to the local Missubishi dealer in BNE, they still managed to fit new wheel bearings to the rear axle that failed in 2000 km, some 40 klicks west of Isa. It took 6 hours to get help and back to Isa! :eek:

Good on Scorpion83 for asking. If more folk who don't know what outback travel is like, asked, perhaps we wouldn't read of folk perishing, as they do from time to time.

[300Series]

In the time this thread has been running you could have driven to kunnunurra then came back then driven back to Kununnurra again! Just get amongst it, enjoy it but use some common sense along the way!

300

[YELOSUB]

Driving from SYD to Kun is harsh but u need a to have a car up here so if things dont work out in kun u can head to Wym , Kathrine , broome etc. Cars are expensive and **** up this way.

[Wally Mk2]

Yr right 'wiz' the "Grey Nomads" would be a menice on the roads for truckies can't argue with yr post at all really:ok: but the law is the law, speeding truckies are also a menice with more 'clout'. If the 'Nomads' are doing 70 k's then they are creating havoc no doubt but their not breaking the law by doing so, unlike the cowboys that would still exist out there that travel over the 100 k limit in my state. I too have a heavy truck/bus licence (not used it in a lot of years) so I know what the industry was like. I travel on a dual hwy to work everyday & the trucks are numerous coming down from Mildura. I could count on one hand the ones that stick to the speed limit. The rest are simply dangerous. The speed limiters that are meant to be on trucks I know are 'fiddled' with.

Anyway as one poster said, you could have driven up to Kunners & back by now several times during the life of this thread & another said sleep is the biggest killer, now that is a very pertinent statement.:ok:



Wmk2

[the wizard of auz]

Wally, the tampering only happens in Mexico.........by Mexicans. :E
rare for them to last much past the border here. You know about Sesame street I imagine.:E Nothing at all wrong with doing 70.......... just not ten of them 100 mtrs apart so a bloke going about his business can never get around them safely. more of a menace than the speedsters.
yeah, your right though. could have driven up and back in the time this thread has evolved.

[Wally Mk2]

Yr right there 'wiz' a lot of 'tampering' goes on down here in Mexico:E
Don't worry the truckies are known to 'bunch' up also, just that they are doing 110+k's single file in each others slip stream & i can't get my 1972 ford escort past 'em without following them over a cliff face!:E
Now back to work will ya buddy:ok:




Wmk2