Driving Melb to Broome
 

If anyone has driven from Melbourne to Broome. What is the best way to go. Up the middle of OZ or across to Perth and up the west coast...

Ang ;)

depends how much fuel you have is a looonnnggg way up the west coast....

If ya want to see ****** all for miles ,either way will do.
Depends on time ,if you want to get there quick,head to Kalgoorlie and turn right.Think only a few kilometers unsealed,but a faster way to Pt Hedland which is only about 8 hours short of Broome.
If you plan to return to Melbourne why not do the circle.
Time of year depends to----up until late april theres a good chance you can get stranded in the Kimberleys.The southern route would be cooler as well.
One thing is for sure ,once you get to Broome,especially if its in winter,theres no way you will want to go back to Melbourne and freeze ya bollocks off

Not how much fuel you have-------how much money.Fuel on Nullabour can reach $1.25 a litre and rising ,while up west coast at present is around $1.15.
Cant see via Alice being any cheaper

Cheers
 

Thanks for that guys. I think I will go the Nullabor and then up the west coast. Might also look at the Kalgoorlie to Hedland run. What are the roads like in that run...

Ang,

Why don't you tow High Altitudes' boat up to DRW? He'll probably even pay for your fuel!

Unless you're going in the next week or so, I would say go up the middle. Some of the roads around Katherine are closed and I doubt things would be helped with TC Craig in the area.

If you do go up the middle, definitely spend more than one night in Alice, and make sure u stop in at the Daly Waters Pub (about 250km south of Katherine i think) - we had a very late start from there the next morning ;) . Also check out Mataranka Hot Springs about 100km south of Katherine.

The backpackers in Broome are looking good as I type this :D

Cheers,
TL

Ang737, I'll give you a beer if you're gonna head thru Alice.... But you've GOT to promise to give it to T_L cold when you drive through The Crack..... :}

Going north from Kalgoorlie-Wiluna( all sealed road) then Wiluna-Meekatharrra (good dirt 100km/h stuff for 180 km) will save you 800 km. Call local cops for road conditions before you turn off at Kal, and STOP when a road train approaches you on the dirt road.
Leonora not bad joint to stop overnight, although it was the first place i ever got called a "white C**t. Get used to it. Newman also a good o'night spot. Good luck.

If time (travelling) is of the essence and you're not travelling during the wet I'd make it Melbourne, Adelaide, Alice, Tanami Track, Halls Creek, Broome.

The Tanami Track is dirt for 800 to 900 km but easily done in any normal clearance 2 wheel drive, such that it's a misnomer to call it a track in this day and age. The country side, especially at the Alice end is fantastic. The only fuel once you leave Alice is at Tilmouth Well, about 2-3 hours out of Alice from memory. Next is Rabbit Flat, run by an eccentric family that are only open for business Tues to Thurs if I remember correctly, then Balgo, an hour or so prior to Halls Creek.

Other than the Tanami Track all the roads are sealed.

There's no speed limit on the open highway in The Territory, though if the coppers think you're driving unsafely, you may have some explaining to do. I'd recommend a max of 80 kph on unsealed roads. I learned the hard way on one trip, two trees and a blow out :eek:, when road conditions change in a second, with no warning.

As a rough guide, I can do MEL - DRW in 3 days, driving a diesel Patrol, about 12 hours per day. MEL then overnighting Port Augusta, Alice, Camp along Tanami Track, Halls Ck, Broome would be quite achieveable in 5 days if your vehicle's up to it. Cruise control is well worth it !

Watch out for Russell Coight on those dirt tracks!

Time to hit the road....

Cheers
 

Thanks for that. Looks up the middle to Katherine and across is the way to go. I would take HA's boat up but I don't have a tow bar on my car...

;)

Ang,
 

When are you planning to travel?

The Victoria Highway has been closed for a week or so now with floods at Vic River Crossing! :eek:

Stuart Highway closed last week near Daly Waters.

The Fitzroy River can get to several KM wide, and impassable, at this time of year.

Timing
 

I am planning on setting off April 1 and in NT around April 5

Ang, you should be right by then...... cyclones permitting ;)

The wet has usually all but gone by then, but be aware that is doesn't have to be raining in the general region for a river to be 'up'. The Victoria might be your biggest hassle, but if it is grab a swag like everyone else, coz it'll only usually be like that for a few days, and soon you can get going again.

Now, about that beer..... :}

Beer
 

G'Day Ops. Always willing help out were a cold beer involved...

If youre comin up the centre track........ all you sods forgot tennant creek!!!!!!!!!! :p

Ok so its forgetable! :D heheheee fantastic meals, good beer, great company at the tennant creek hotel...

Im usually easily tracked down... just follow the signs that say ambulance station! I aint kidding!!!

Come April, roads may be verging on opening... check the road reports on the net.. otherwise you may get stuck prior to or at Katherine..... Vic river bridge on the victoria highway has been closed for over a month now... and as of yesterday is some 6 - 8 meters under flood water which will constitute engineering works prior to opening. Contact the Vic River Roadhouse or Katherine Police if you are in any doubt.

Hint List From Multiple Trips...

Bring another person along if you have room, sharing the driving or not, company is usually a distraction from long miles covered.

Lots of water, two litres min per person, and salt free nibbles

CD's or cassettes by the doz... the radio frequencies are literally hours apart...

Stop lots, and take piccies.. keep a journal, you will never forget the experience anyway so why not record all the details

Dont drive at night ..... after Cooper Pedy esp... Kangaroos, camels, donkeys, buffalo and cattle are NOT fenced in and wander particularly at night. If you do, keep below 80km per hour... many cattle have walked out between oncoming traffic, made invisible by a combination of oncoming lights, and your own low beam.

Spares esp if you have an older car and handy tools to fit them. Suggestions would be radiator hoses, fan belts, electrical tape, spare fuses and bulbs...

My 40l fuel tank in the car required frequent stops but does the trip easily without carrying extra, just dont cough too loudly at the fuel prices..... At remote Roadhouses expect to pay upward of $1.40 to $1.60 per litre. In Tennant we are currently paying $1.14pl for unleaded

I stilll carry my EPIRB everywhere... you want help asap is something goes really wrong.

Have a great trip!

Hey NC,

shouldn't that be Tee, Eff, Cee? (TFC) ;) :p

Capt Claret sir!

I stand appologetically corrected! :p definitely Tee eFf Cee! :D

Hey Ops,

Don't worry about the cold beer for TL.......he's done too many trips to Balgo, and prefers 40 degree red can these days!!! :}

:p :p :p

Sounds like we need to send an extraction team for the poor bloke.......... ;)

Bring a trailer Ang, I think I'm gonna need to fill it with beer for some of them up there. Now let me see..... T_L, Batch, Dave I, N_C, giddy, cooda, Doc schmoo..... Geez, I'm starting to feel like Miss Helena. And I'll get you to leave a beer on the corner (for HA), in Katherine when you hang a left up there, just lob it a bit to the north..... better make that two, he's a thirsty fella.... ;)

Stally, where are you hiding these days.... ? There's gonna be a well travelled carton of Boags Premium getting around..... All you bar$tards are drinking my 310 check to line upper case.... :}

Hang-on I've missed somebody...... The Jacster! (that bloke who wont ring his mates)! :p

(edit: I take that back about Jac, he's a busy fella, but he knows he'll be getting a beer or five out of me later in the year.....) :}