honeybob

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...

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?

TigerFeet

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

TF

honeybob

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!

NickyC

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.

CORKER

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

clivefawcett

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.

Welshie

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.

honeybob

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?

honeybob

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

Just no deliverance people

kerrie/wayne

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

Welshie

ewwwww

NIGENABBY

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

bradfordlad

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

TheCrone

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!

Flying Banana

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

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.