Driving the Nullarbor...
 

We've been invited to Brisbane in March, really looking forward to seeing my friends, started to look at the flights and so on. Went to a party last night and this guy said why didn't we drive it, plan it out, sight see along the way, see Australia's unforgiving territory... Has anyone ever done this, do you have any advice? What do you think?

Husband is really up for it, me and my imagination start thinking about certain scenarios, car breaks down, peculiar characters not unlike those out of 'Deliverance' come to our aid... as you do after too much wine... :D

The guy at the party, I swear to god, his response to this was, 'nah, you've got nothing to worry about, the nullarbor's no where near Darwin'!

So what do you reckon, too much hassle or a fantastic road trip? What would you do? :)

Re: Driving the Nullarbor...
 

Sounds like a fab Idea to me, I would interested to hear about anyone who has made.. I mean done it. :)

TF

Re: Driving the Nullarbor...
 

Would you do it? I mean joking aside and all of that... We've driven all through Europe and so on, I think it is the remoteness and sheer vastness of Oz that makes me nervous... :)

I think it would be a great adventure, but we would only have four weeks for the journey, Perth to Brisbane, Brisbane to Perth... But I do enjoy driving, guess you would have no choice!

Re: Driving the Nullarbor...
 

It's not really remote - thousands of cars and trucks travel on the Nullabor road every day. If you break down, someone else will come along within about 5 minutes (really!).

Make sure you're off the road (in a motel) each night. Not to avoid Deliverance characters/Bradley Murdochs but to avoid hitting kangaroos.

Otherwise it's a great trip that everyone should do once.

Re: Driving the Nullarbor...
 

SQUEAL like a pig boy....SQUEAL..... :scared: :D

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Yeh you have got to do it - experience everything in life at least once. But to make sure its a little more exciting buy a 15 year old car with no service history. :rolleyes: :D

Re: Driving the Nullarbor...
 

FANTASTIC ROAD TRIP!! Haven't done that one, but would love to in the future. Have done Perth to Cairns across the Great Victoria Desert.

Perth - Kalgoorlie - Leonora - Laverton - Warburton - Olgas - Uluru - Alice - Tennant Creek - Camooweal - Quamby - Karumba - Normanton - across great dividing ranges to Cairns.

Took us 9 days in total in an old army truck, 40+ degrees in desert and it was the experience of a lifetime. Felt safe as houses. We didn't do any motels, just a sleeping bag on top of truck and maybe a tent if we had enough torchlight to put it up! Camping in the desert under the stars is something i will never ever forget...the night's sky is unbelieveable and the things we saw were out of this world. I felt privileged to have actually done it..

Obviously common sense for safety etc is foremost.

Good luck and go for it.

:)

Re: Driving the Nullarbor...
 

I think I will give it a shot...

Just done a search on here about it, there's a brilliant post by Simone, it's huge with loads of fab info, should anyone else want to drive the nullarbor?

It's reassuring that it isn't as remote as I initially imagined...

Another concern is that my new car doesn't have a bar for the roos... Is this a necessity if we only drive through the day? Is this a stupid question more importantly? :D

Re: Driving the Nullarbor...
 

Welshie, your post was really inspirational, I want to see those stars... :)

Just no deliverance people

Re: Driving the Nullarbor...
 

hi we drove from sydney to brisbane then brisbane to townsville yes its a long way but it was worth it the scenery is fantastic just take your time and enjoy :)

Re: Driving the Nullarbor...
 

ewwwww :eek:

Re: Driving the Nullarbor...
 

Hi

Have you thought about the train, you can then either fly from Adelaide or continue on the trains.

I would imagine you get all the good things of seeing the Nullabor, without the extreme heat and inconvenience of car travel.

Just a thought

Re: Driving the Nullarbor...
 

Hi Honeybob,
You should not even have to have a second thought!!! We came over to Perth this year,end of July.After a month in Perth we drove over to Sydney via Wave Rock,Esperance,The Nullarbor Plain,Adelaide,Melbourne,Canderra and finally to Sydney.We did it in a motorhome and spent many a night just of the road listening to all the wildlife. Absolutely superb.Took us 11 days in total, but you could certainly do it a lot quick,really depends what you want to see.

Plenty of traffic on the roads through the day.Please DO NOT drive after dusk as this is when all the animals are attracted to your headlights.Unless you drive a 40m road train forget it.We saw absolutely loads of dead Roos, a dead Camel and actually killed 3 Parrots ourselves, totally unintentional as they seem to like to dive bomb vehicles!!!

If you go in a car, loads of roadhouses and fuel stops.I would certainly be tempted to give a tent a go at the side of the road a few times.

From Perth i would do the Nullarbor, round the bottom to Melbourne if you have time.Take in Sydney on your way to Brissy and then back straight across the middle via Alice Springs and Ulluroo (sp).

HAVE SOME FUN !!!!

Ian

Re: Driving the Nullarbor...
 

Can you extend the time you have for holidays? I've done the trip the other way round a couple of times and even with two drivers, it'll take 6 days - and that's going the "short" way, through the Western Plains of NSW.
But if you do decide to drive, continue North from Brisbane and drive the Top End, the Kimberley and the Pilbara. Then you really will have seen Australia.
Fabulous trip - the first time I drove it, it was still dirt road to the SA border.
Took half the fun out of it when it was bitumenised!

Re: Driving the Nullarbor...
 

Just what I was thinking, but [Fast Show Voice] Even Better Than That!!!.....[/Fast Show Voice] how's about taking your car ON the train? Look on http://www.gsr.com.au/ they are doing an offer at the mo to take your car for $99. So you could cross the Nullabor in airconditioned comfort, not putting that mileage on your car, no worry about breakdowns, wildlife etc. Then get off in Adelaide or Sydney and drive your own car from there.

Would save you some time too, from Perth to Sydney it's 4352 km and the train takes 3 nights, work that out at 100km/h in the car factoring in stops and overnights along the way :eek:

There are even chances to get off for sightseeing trips along the way, see http://www.gsr.com.au/our-trains/ind...he-journey.php

If you haven't already done so read Bill Bryson's 'Downunder' he does the train journey and it sounds like one hell of an experience.

Re: Driving the Nullarbor...
 

In 1968 i did it sitting in the back of a ute, 4 times from Adelaide to cocklebiddy, we were fencing on Moonera station.
Every time we went over a cattle grid i had to avoid a 200ltr drum of water, which was my traveling companion :D cos i was the "Yung-un"i got the ute back..................... :beer: mm

Re: Driving the Nullarbor...
 

I would say go for it. I been round Europe a few times on a motor bike, and intend to see as much of Oz as I can using the same mode of transport.
common sense things are all you need like, pre-plan route points of interest and hotels and stuff. book some hotels in advance. join the AA or whatever its called there, if your off the beaten track let some one know where you are going and when you expect to get back. Take some supplies just incase. There are loads of professional out back experience Holiday companies who will help. Above all have a great time, take loads of photo's, then tell every one on here what a great time you had when you get back.

all the best
Cockney Rob.....

Re: Driving the Nullarbor...
 

In 1968.....I was just getting born!!!!!!!!! :eek: ;) :D



We will definatly, at some stage do the Nullabour. I have done it as a kid....in a Datsun 1600!!!!!!!!!

You should do it....it is an experiene!

:)

Re: Driving the Nullarbor...
 

I did the Indian Pacific, Perth to Sydney, and it was superb. But I was a backpacker then and could just about manage 72 hours in cattle class...I think I'd fork out a bit more for the trip if I was to do it again.

The Nullabor is breathtaking.

SS

Re: Driving the Nullarbor...
 

Re: Driving the Nullarbor...
 

We did it in a 1977 Falcon Xc wagon, only trouble we had was some dirty fuel from a roadhouse about halfway across.
Didn't have a good line filter in and it blocked the carb.
Stood at the side of the road in the middle of nowhere taking a carb apart, blowing the jets out as it was getting dark was an experience I will never forget.

Don't forget the time zones change as you go along. Not every road house was 24hr back in 92 and that caught us out as well.

Will scan some photo's if I get time, though most of the Nullarbor pictures are of the never ending road disappearing into the horizon type.

If you get the opportunity I would say go for it, it was a good experience.

Kevin

Re: Driving the Nullarbor...
 

Just had another thought when we did our trip, we drove from Perth all around the edge, for want of a better expression, then across and up to Darwin.
The bit up from 3 ways to Katherine was the hardest by a long way or maybe I just had enough of driving, so we sold our car in Darwin and took a tour back to Perth via Uluru, Kalgoorlie etc.
Anyway my laboured point is the Company, I think they were called travelabout, did trips from Perth to all over, all bush camping and taking plenty of back roads and tracks.
Don't know if they are still going or have a route that would suit you but it was a fantastic trip.

Kevin

Re: Driving the Nullarbor...
 

Buy some ROO SHOO's and attach to the front of the car. Best ones are the hard wired in ones and work pretty well. Fan belts, water, petrol and you can be on the otherside of OZ in 2 days.

Re: Driving the Nullarbor...
 

We drove from Far North Coast to Perth across the Nullabor in November and back in February. Wonderful trip. The scenery is stunning especially along the coastline. Worth a little detour off the road to stand on the edge of the cliffs - possible to see whales at the right time of the year.
We took our camping gear but tended to stay in motels on the way.
Be prepared to pay over the odds for fuel !!
Loads of wildlife - especially roos sheltering under the trees, emus, wedgetails and camels - didn't see any wombats although there are massive signs across the Nullabor warning you about the wildlife.
We saw more traffic than we thought we would but it is comforting to know that there are other travellers about if you have any trouble. We also have a UHF radio in the car plus we borrowed a sat. phone in case we got no reception on the mobile.
Always wise to carry plenty of water and spare fuel if you can as the distances between services is far greater than you are used to in maybe the UK.

Liz