Perth to Alice Jan 2018

I know you westies like it hot but it would be much more enjoyable in the cooler months when temps are much less. Less stress on the vehicle and tyres too.

Holmz, there are several routes in that direction which are not "unsafe" if travelling alone, depending on your state of preparation and experience eg, Great Central Road, Gary Junction Road but I wouldn't try the Anne Beadell alone, or even the Gunbarrel (which can be rough/wet), and none would be much fun in stinking hot conditions.

The Nullarbor Eyre Highway route doesn't have to be all that boring either, there are plenty of side trips and alternatives along the way:
Coolgardie to Norseman via Victoria Rock.
Kalgoorlie to Rawlinna railway track (although the track south to Cocklebiddy is tricky to find).
The Nuytsland Coast near Madura (sandy).
The Nullarbor Caves near Nullarbor Road House.
The Old Eyre Highway from the SA border to Yalata, good hard limestone surface, sink holes, blow holes and caves (Kambalda cave is good).
Whale watching (in season).
Googs Track north of Ceduna,
The Gawler Ranges.

No doubt there are others but these are the areas we've covered.

David

From my point of view the heat is the least concern its those bloody flies.
The Great central Road can be just as boring as any where else just not all bitumen and much shorter.
If you left it till a bit later you will have more of a chance of company as not many travel that time of year unless they have to due to heat and did I mention flies.
Martyn

Dandj- good ideas.

mort wrote: From my point of view the heat is the least concern its those bloody flies.
The Great central Road can be just as boring as any where else just not all bitumen and much shorter.
If you left it till a bit later you will have more of a chance of company as not many travel that time of year unless they have to due to heat and did I mention flies.
Martyn

Yep - hence the post. I could delay it for a month or two or three.

Sounds like the great Central is what I should do through the guts of it.

Also need some idea for required gear.
In addition to water, and a book, the eldest is sending me her Delorme (it's an INMARSAT-SMS I think?).
Then I will probably want a jack and a few required tools.
Jack: ?brand?
etc: ?

With a totally flat tyre it is often impossible to get a decent jack under the axle and quite often too hard to dig a hole so two jacks, a small 2t one to lift it high enough to get a decent 4 or 6t jack under the axle plus a piece of form ply or similar about 400mm square as base for soft ground.
I've also got a piece of 4x2 hardwood about 6 inches long with a semi circular piece cut out of one side to fit under the axle as jacking a tube is always a worry.

Holmz, what vehicle will you be using?

I may be wrong but I don't think you have an Oka yet, and other vehicle types may require different advice.

Check out the Great Central Road tourist info here (also called the Outback Way)

David

dandjcr wrote: Holmz, what vehicle will you be using?

I may be wrong but I don't think you have an Oka yet, and other vehicle types may require different advice.

Check out the Great Central Road tourist info here (also called the Outback Way)

David

i

I have an NT model OKA to collect.
Will look at the link, but it sounds better than the gun barrel?

Holmz wrote: I have an NT model OKA to collect.
Will look at the link, but it sounds better than the gun barrel?

Good to hear.

In a nutshell, the Great Central Road is a wide, well travelled gravel road kept in reasonable condition, with a few facilities/road houses along the way. The Gunbarrel is a single lane rough/corrugated outback track with almost no facilities and infrequent traffic.

You’ll need a couple of permit’s for either track, available on line.

David

Holmz wrote:

dandjcr wrote: Holmz, what vehicle will you be using?


I have an NT model OKA to collect.
Will look at the link, but it sounds better than the gun barrel?

Wich "NT" did you buy? there is only 15 NT's out there.

you can travel the great centeral road in a CAR !! tripple road trains use it.

Sorry; the model is an XT, and the destination is NT.

Holmz, you had me going there for awhile as I thought you had upgraded already.
You have had brakes and lines renewed, diffs checked and wheel bearings renewed,all oil replaced, air con done,some electrical checked checked fixed and/or upgraded, some rusted areas patched so not really much else to worry about.
As a new vehicle for you but second hand it is normal to take time to learn how it handles and all the different sounds etc but if your plans are still the same that is to spend some time down south then by the time you head off to Alice you will be some what comfortable with the vehicle and that is half way to a safe journey knowing where you are going and how do you get there is most of the rest.
The basic tools are the minimum spanners, sockets, screwdrivers etc, a suitable jack and then some spare oil grease and coolant in your case maybe hoses and belts as its not a big trip to get home and lets face it if you had trouble on the way home its either you did something stupid ( which we have all done ) or your vehicle wasn't suitable to start with.
Martyn

Holmz, if you're flying to Perth and then driving home (as we did) you'll need to get some some basic camping gear in Perth as accommodation opportunities are limited on any of the routes.

Check the oil and water daily and the tank(s) filled until you are used to its characteristics. Beware using too much power at night, you won't know how good the batteries are.

As Outyonda says, you could do the GC Road in a robust car but I wouldn't, there were some tricky patches of sand around the Docker River area. It's certainly not all smooth as bitumen, quite rough in places, and distances are long between stops. And it does sometimes rain:



Places to stop/refuel/possible accommodation are Laverton, Tjukayirla, Warburton, Warakurna (check out Giles Met Station), Docker River and Yulara, roughly 200kms between each. There are also a few off road camping areas with no facilities.

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Peter and Sandra OKA 374 wrote: With a totally flat tyre it is often impossible to get a decent jack under the axle and quite often too hard to dig a hole so two jacks, a small 2t one to lift it high enough to get a decent 4 or 6t jack under the axle plus a piece of form ply or similar about 400mm square as base for soft ground.
I've also got a piece of 4x2 hardwood about 6 inches long with a semi circular piece cut out of one side to fit under the axle as jacking a tube is always a worry.

- I'll take a hold saw or jiggy to a piece of wood.
- no bottle jacks... just a low profile floor car. (The other vehicle is pretty small).
- - So I'll grab a jack in Perth, and maybe a piece of scrap wood to roll up onto, in order to get the jack under.

mort wrote: ...
The basic tools are the minimum spanners, sockets, screwdrivers etc, a suitable jack and then some spare oil grease and coolant in your case maybe hoses and belts as its not a big trip to get home and lets face it if you had trouble on the way home its either you did something stupid ( which we have all done ) or your vehicle wasn't suitable to start with.
Martyn

Was it Socrates who asked if wisdom was better than luck? or was it Plato, or one of the others?
Those fellows would p'rolly have some hoses, or some tube and clamps to do a repair.
So I will act like a good pupil in that regard, but avoid the hemlock.

One has to admit that the fellow had some convictions, and high morals...

dandjcr wrote: Holmz, if you're flying to Perth and then driving home (as we did) you'll need to get some some basic camping gear in Perth as accommodation opportunities are limited on any of the routes.

Check the oil and water daily and the tank(s) filled until you are used to its characteristics. Beware using too much power at night, you won't know how good the batteries are.

As Outyonda says, you could do the GC Road in a robust car but I wouldn't, there were some tricky patches of sand around the Docker River area. It's certainly not all smooth as bitumen, quite rough in places, and distances are long between stops. And it does sometimes rain:

Places to stop/refuel/possible accommodation are Laverton, Tjukayirla, Warburton, Warakurna (check out Giles Met Station), Docker River and Yulara, roughly 200kms between each. There are also a few off road camping areas with no facilities.

Thanks.
I am thinking of shipping a box over to WA. We do have some gear in a shed (blow up mattress, etc.)
So I was thinking of shipping sheets and some 1.2 spanners a tent, and maybe the canvas from the swag.
... and a used Engle.

- Then buying some new foam rubber from Clarke for the existing swag .
- bottle jack.
- couple of 20 litre water jugs
- corkscrew
- TP
- a book or three.

Got informed today that have a pen international business trip conflicting with the perth trip... and tickets to Perth attract a cancellation fee.

(Trying to sugar coat it)
I guess the good news is that it may be slightly cooler in Feb...

Hate to tell you this but feb is usually as hot as Jan here in WA

Yep Dave is right in fact it is usually when you can get the hottest days try March.
Martyn