We're planning to rent a motor home and drive once round Australia towards the end of this year. Has anybody done this trip, especially passing through the Northern Territories in January, i.e. during the wet season?
Once round OZ
- Thread starter Lutz
- Start date
A year last September we spent 3 months in Oz, we spent 2 weeks in WA, 5 days in the centre, a week in Cairns and 2 months travelling by car finally arriving in Adelaide and flying home via Singapore.
Did you drive from WA to Cairns or did you fly from one central location to the next? That's what we did 25 years ago when we toured Australia last, but this year we want to drive the full distance round the continent. I've been getting conflicting reports on whether the Northern Highway between Broome and Darwin and the Barkly Highway between Tenant Creek and Mt Isa are generally passable with a 2WD motor home during the wet season and I'd hate to have to retrace my steps hundreds of kilometers in order to find an alternative route.
Hi Lutz, I flew from Perth to Uluru and then on to Cairns and hired a car in each location.
As you will know Oz is huge, over 4000 kms E to W and over 3000 kms N to S, so driving was out of the question. The other thing to be fair, there's an awful lot of nothin' and flies between the places of interest.
One thing to be aware of, most hire companies don't want you to go on unsealed roads, so you may want to look in to that before planning your trip.
As you will know Oz is huge, over 4000 kms E to W and over 3000 kms N to S, so driving was out of the question. The other thing to be fair, there's an awful lot of nothin' and flies between the places of interest.
One thing to be aware of, most hire companies don't want you to go on unsealed roads, so you may want to look in to that before planning your trip.
I appreciate that the round trip will be about 14000km, but we've got ample time. We will only be using the main highways and to my knowledge they are all sealed.
My brother in-law and wife motorcycled around Oz, I'm sure highway one is nearer to 24000km (approx 15000 miles ) and if you use coastal roads where the highway is inland the total distance is nearer 26000km+
BI trip was a little over 49000 km, but they went also went inland and back to coastal highway.
They bought a new bike and sold it at the end of the trip for $3500au less than they paid, over the seven month trip the bike cost less than
BI trip was a little over 49000 km, but they went also went inland and back to coastal highway.
They bought a new bike and sold it at the end of the trip for $3500au less than they paid, over the seven month trip the bike cost less than
The auinfo.com route planner calculates a minimum of 12943km if we take in all major cities around the coast, so I thought 14000 plus the odd side trip sounds about reasonable. It certainly doesn't add up to 24000km.
We don't want to go out to eat every day and would rather do our own cooking, so a motor home is more to our liking than hotels and restaurants.
We don't want to go out to eat every day and would rather do our own cooking, so a motor home is more to our liking than hotels and restaurants.
wow i envy you Lutz , what an adventure that will be ,i need to get overthere myself soon ,our grandson and his girlfriend who live in Coffs Harbour Queensland ,have just given birth to a son yesterday , making us great grandparents , wife cant wait to get over there now ,have a great time
Wasn't suggesting a bike trip for you Lutz. Bike info was just re roads and travel experience, after all bikes use the same roads. If time is not a constraint buying could be worth looking in to.
ps
Bikers do actually cook when travelling Lutz. In India in November our bikes were fitted with cool boxes and petrol cookers.
ps
Bikers do actually cook when travelling Lutz. In India in November our bikes were fitted with cool boxes and petrol cookers.
I can't argue with that, but bikes with cool boxes and petrol cookers is a bit too basic for my liking.
ps: I had looked into buying, but even a used motor home of the type that we're considering would cost us at least $A 50,000 and that is completely out of the question.
Lutz.
Checking out the biking forums and travel sites for touring travel in Australia and other countries can be quite helpful.
Brother and sister inlaw had used a motorhome in NZ. They looked at buying a more compact camper in Australia for getting to out of the way places along with the economy factor over long distance travel.
A chunky motorhome returning X MPG against a lot of good accomodation at reasonable prices allowed them to see far more of Australia.
SIL has said if they did Australia again when they're past biking, they would buy a more compact nimble camper van or mix hire car and B&B/hotel flights and camper van hire.
They did some long distances on what are boring roads when it's mile after mile of same same same compared to the variety of NZ.
They met other's doing round trips and they took days of boring driving in some parts compared to smaller vehicles and bikes.
I think it could be the Stuart highway where somebody in a motorhome spent many hours behind Road Trains throwing up a view of dust.
Have you tried any other forums for Motorhomer's trips?
Checking out the biking forums and travel sites for touring travel in Australia and other countries can be quite helpful.
Brother and sister inlaw had used a motorhome in NZ. They looked at buying a more compact camper in Australia for getting to out of the way places along with the economy factor over long distance travel.
A chunky motorhome returning X MPG against a lot of good accomodation at reasonable prices allowed them to see far more of Australia.
SIL has said if they did Australia again when they're past biking, they would buy a more compact nimble camper van or mix hire car and B&B/hotel flights and camper van hire.
They did some long distances on what are boring roads when it's mile after mile of same same same compared to the variety of NZ.
They met other's doing round trips and they took days of boring driving in some parts compared to smaller vehicles and bikes.
I think it could be the Stuart highway where somebody in a motorhome spent many hours behind Road Trains throwing up a view of dust.
Have you tried any other forums for Motorhomer's trips?
Of course, everybody's got their own ideas of what suits them best, but the speed limits in Australia are not that high and I would have thought that a motor home should have no difficulty in maintaining them, especially with so little traffic once you've left the big cities. Therefore, whether large motor home or small camper, the cruising speed will be the same. I can't see the advantage of a smaller camper other than the cost and perhaps the ability to go a bit further off the beaten track if you want and if it's a 4WD. A motor home, on the other hand, will offer more comfort and that must be a distinct advantage, particularly when travelling for hours non-stop.
These were passed to me for you Lutz.
http://www.motorhomesaustralia.net/index.html
http://www.there-and-back-again.org.uk/joomla/
It's strange how you assume motorcycling to be uncomfortable, electronic suspension, comfort settings, touring seats as comfortable as sitting driving a motorhome. Good motorcyclists will cover far more distance in less time than a motor home Lutz with ease.
We're riding daily preparing for South America trip, I'm very steady as a biking granny but covering distance is so much easier on two wheels.
http://www.motorhomesaustralia.net/index.html
http://www.there-and-back-again.org.uk/joomla/
It's strange how you assume motorcycling to be uncomfortable, electronic suspension, comfort settings, touring seats as comfortable as sitting driving a motorhome. Good motorcyclists will cover far more distance in less time than a motor home Lutz with ease.
We're riding daily preparing for South America trip, I'm very steady as a biking granny but covering distance is so much easier on two wheels.
No question a bike could travel faster than a motor home, the question is whilst touring and seeing the sites, can you pull over put the kettle on, keep cool in the air con make a sarnie,pull up a chair outdoors and relax for an hour or so, and do this over and over again?Without having to unpack and then repack everything up.
No air-con to keep you cool no nice bed to lay down on whenever you wish to take a rest. still have two bikes one i have had for 22 years, great feeling of freedom and have done numerous European trips in the past, but if I were lucky enough to tour Australia, given the choice of a motor home or a bike? The bike would be a non starter.
Have a great time Lutz you lucky sod..
No air-con to keep you cool no nice bed to lay down on whenever you wish to take a rest. still have two bikes one i have had for 22 years, great feeling of freedom and have done numerous European trips in the past, but if I were lucky enough to tour Australia, given the choice of a motor home or a bike? The bike would be a non starter.
Have a great time Lutz you lucky sod..
Never meant to suggest Lutz turned to motorcycling, just that bike touring road experiences and where to stay experiences can be useful.
Both my brother and sister inlaw's have been motorcycling in Australia.
It depends how well you plan, equipment you use, how much you want to see and where you want to go. On the seven month trip they covered about everything there is to see including Tasmania. Unlike others who didn't quite make it to some places, they really DID Australia.
They also aclimatised well out in the great out doors rather than the extremes of Aircon and outside temperatures and aircon 'hack'.
In India we had daily stops on our bikes and set table and recliner chairs under our shade, much nicer than being holed up in aircon. Much different to biking when David and I were youngsters.
Both my brother and sister inlaw's have been motorcycling in Australia.
It depends how well you plan, equipment you use, how much you want to see and where you want to go. On the seven month trip they covered about everything there is to see including Tasmania. Unlike others who didn't quite make it to some places, they really DID Australia.
They also aclimatised well out in the great out doors rather than the extremes of Aircon and outside temperatures and aircon 'hack'.
In India we had daily stops on our bikes and set table and recliner chairs under our shade, much nicer than being holed up in aircon. Much different to biking when David and I were youngsters.
Thanks for the link, David. I'll get in touch with Lionel.
The "there-and-back-again" link that you quote, Shady, is unfortunately not much help as the couple were in New Zealnad at the time of the year when we would be in the Northern Territories so their blog doesn't give any account of road conditions in the Kimberley and Barkly Tableland regions, which are apparently susceptible to flooding in January/February.
Motorcycling is out of the question as whenever we travel great distances, whoever isn't driving is reading a book if there's nothing of interest to see outside and that would not be possible on a bike. Besides, with car or motor home there's no need to stop for a drink or to have a bite to eat. Driving through particularly boring countryside we've done 2000km in one day just stopping for petrol or to swap drivers. Can't see those sort of distances achievable on a bike.
The "there-and-back-again" link that you quote, Shady, is unfortunately not much help as the couple were in New Zealnad at the time of the year when we would be in the Northern Territories so their blog doesn't give any account of road conditions in the Kimberley and Barkly Tableland regions, which are apparently susceptible to flooding in January/February.
Motorcycling is out of the question as whenever we travel great distances, whoever isn't driving is reading a book if there's nothing of interest to see outside and that would not be possible on a bike. Besides, with car or motor home there's no need to stop for a drink or to have a bite to eat. Driving through particularly boring countryside we've done 2000km in one day just stopping for petrol or to swap drivers. Can't see those sort of distances achievable on a bike.
Lutz I am assuming you are talking 2000km in a car?rather than a motor home? Having ridden across Europe, last time was 2003,and as i am not a harden biker like my creature comforts,but was still able to leave Dunkirk at 8.30am, and reach lake garda [peschiera del garda] in 11 hours including 4fuel/stops. that's only 750 miles about 1200km but in my old age that was not actually trying.
and its as good as i have achieved driving the same distance over the last few years.You would be surprised how far a bike can be ridden on modern roads...
and its as good as i have achieved driving the same distance over the last few years.You would be surprised how far a bike can be ridden on modern roads...
Hold up here, you seem to be on wrong tack re Sadies posts. She will have passed on info from my brother, road and stopover info from any source on foreign trips is worth looking at. Bikers take a keen interest in weather and road conditions, well worth checking out biking info for far off trips.
Even in Oz you can find traffic. Sadie is correct, you do get further on a good bike and to places a car or motorhome will never get to.
You're obviously are not into bikes Lutz, 2000k's swapping drivers is not special. But face facts, we face traffic and hold ups in Europe and Oz.
You only need to find another vehicle slowing to pull over in a coastal town and a few vehicles travelling 10k under the limit and a bike will soon be many miles ahead of you. Very little stops a bike or slows its progress, and it will be at the speed limit whilst your still thinking of changing up to second or third.
Brindisi to London via the chunnel solo on a bike in under 24 hours and Brindisi to Roscoff for the Rosslare ferry for a husband and wife sharing.
To day we have helmet to helmet intercoms and inter bike comms plus satnav, ipod, radio and phone. I can listen to music or talking books and phone without taking my hands off the bars.
Great trip Lutz, but check out alternative sites and forums for road trip info as Sadies suggested.
You don't have to join us unwashed weary bikers in our discomfort if that's what you think modern day riding is about
Even in Oz you can find traffic. Sadie is correct, you do get further on a good bike and to places a car or motorhome will never get to.
You're obviously are not into bikes Lutz, 2000k's swapping drivers is not special. But face facts, we face traffic and hold ups in Europe and Oz.
You only need to find another vehicle slowing to pull over in a coastal town and a few vehicles travelling 10k under the limit and a bike will soon be many miles ahead of you. Very little stops a bike or slows its progress, and it will be at the speed limit whilst your still thinking of changing up to second or third.
Brindisi to London via the chunnel solo on a bike in under 24 hours and Brindisi to Roscoff for the Rosslare ferry for a husband and wife sharing.
To day we have helmet to helmet intercoms and inter bike comms plus satnav, ipod, radio and phone. I can listen to music or talking books and phone without taking my hands off the bars.
Great trip Lutz, but check out alternative sites and forums for road trip info as Sadies suggested.
You don't have to join us unwashed weary bikers in our discomfort if that's what you think modern day riding is about
Maybe I am biased against a motorbikes, but my wife absolutely refuses to pack and unpack suitcases every day while on a touring holiday and a motor home offers the advantage of just having to do it once at the beginning and at the end. Besides, as I said, we prefer to do our own cooking also while touring, using fresh products as much as possible rather than just opening a tin of baked beans or a packet out of the freezer, so carrying all the ingredients and spices, etc. along without a caravan or motor home just wouldn't be possible.
I'd do Australia your way Lutz. From our times in Oz and using knowledge of family and friends there, to really cover the Australian continent you really need between 1 and 2 years.
Life long bikers, brother and his wife decided to pack in as full a tour as they could in the seven months they could have for touring.
A friends Aussie parents are doing a grand tour at present and are in to their 3rd year.
The Guy was a truck driver most of his working life, retiring at 60 he decided to fully see his country.
Life long bikers, brother and his wife decided to pack in as full a tour as they could in the seven months they could have for touring.
A friends Aussie parents are doing a grand tour at present and are in to their 3rd year.
The Guy was a truck driver most of his working life, retiring at 60 he decided to fully see his country.
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