Campervan in Outback

Campervan in Outback

by Weronika
(Tasmania)

Stuart Highway south of Marla, SA

Hello!
We would like to travel from Melbourne to Adelaide, then through Alice Springs ( and turn to Ayers Rock) to Rockhampton or Townsville by campervan without 4WD in 20 days. Do you think it will be possible and enough safe to go there by campervan? Could you give us some important advices? For instance do we need some gps?

Cheers,
Weronika

Response to Campervan in the Autralian Outback

by: Rita

Hi Weronika,

Wow, that's a huge trip you have planned for 20 days.
From Melbourne to Townsville via Adelaide, Alice Springs and Tennant Creek, this is a tour of (very) roughly 4,800 km, detour to Uluru/Ayers Rock included.
It is doable, but it means you'll have to drive a few hundred kms on some days to get a little extra time at destinations like Uluru, and wherever you want to stay more than one day.

The campervan is no problem. All highways on this route are sealed, and usually in good condition. The Barkly Hwy, which was damaged by a flood in January 2009, is repaired and open now.
Of course, if the weather plays havoc again, you'd better check road conditions on any section before you go.

Telephone numbers for road conditions, recorded information:

Northern Territory 1800 246 199
South Australia Outback 1300 361 033
Queensland 1300 130 595

You definitely won't need GPS. Get a few maps, or better a touring atlas, and you won't get lost.

Australia Touring Atlas by Hema is a very handy guide, highly recommended. It has comprehensive road details, city maps, info about fuel stations and Outback roadhouses, camping areas and many more details to help you for your trip.

The longest distances without fuel and supplies are 274 km on the Barkly Hwy between Barkly homestead and Camooweal. For information about the Stuart Highway south of Alice check the Stuart Highway page.
Distances between supplies north of Alice are never greater than 140 km.

Make sure your campervan is in good condition to do 4800 km, get fuel in time, take always plenty of water, and you'll be fine. Plan your daily schedule ahead, and avoid driving at dark.

Enjoy your trip. It would be great if you come back and tell us how it was. :)

Rita

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Campervan in Outback

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Jun 08, 2009

The open road
by: Australian Camper Van Hire

Rita that was an nice blog. Thought you might like to know that it was picked up by Google alerts for campervan.
Anyway, if you ever want to hire a good camper, check out www.australiancampervanhire.com.

Would be happy to exchange links.

Thanks,

B

Jun 08, 2009

Some places to stop overnight with Camper Van.
by: echoshack on twitter

Weronica,

You did not say if you wanted to bypass Adelaide. We did and went via Mildura to Renmark then cut across country to Port Pirie.
Its a long drive and you would be leaving Melbourne City around 5:30am to get there about 6pm. Maybe best to stop 1 Night Mildura then 1 Night Port Augusta.
Next 1 Night Coober Pedy arrive late afternoon.
Early 7am leave to Ayers Rock late 6pm arrive. Each day is a very long drive but if you want to get to Townsville in 20 days you will have to skip some of the places.

Recommended Overnight stops:
Curtain Springs Station free with hot showers hot food and beer! Half way from Stuart Highway to Ayers Rock. We stopped 2 Nights at Ayers Rock & 1 night at Curtain Springs on way out from Kings Canyon. We did not stop overnight at KC we were rather disappointed with KC as not able to do the rim walk too steep for my partner.

Alice Springs 'Big 4' Caravan Park 2 nights
Recommend a side trip to Stanly Chasm arrive late morning to get the sun correct.

Barclay Homestead on Barclay Hwy 1 easy days drive from Alice Springs via Devils Marbles & Tenant Creek.

Easy drive next day to Julia Creek 1 Night not much to see on way unless you stop at Mount Isa overnight, the Petrol is much cheaper here. So try to fill up at Alice then Tenant creek and top up to get you to Mt Isa.

You are up to about 10 nights to get to Julia Creek Its one long full day to Townsville from here and you may want to go and visit the dinosaurs around Richmond or divert via Longreach, Emerald, Clermont, Charters Towers.

Any way that is about the shortest time you can get to Townsville say 11 nights so now you can build in some extra nights on way. I will cruse at about 95km/h in my 'Troopie' 4x4 Camper and stop for 15 mins each 2 hrs. We should have taken longer but took the long route to Port Douglas for our main holiday. Expect we will travel that way again some time.

By the way if you travel South of Townsville via Ayr to Home Hill you can stop for Free behind the main shops. Council provide hot showers & Toilets it get very busy with about 100 Motor homes, Caravans & Camper Vans.

We did trip mid July and no flies at the rock! I think they had all gone on holiday.

Tony.

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Jun 08, 2009
Rating

Submitted by: echoshack on twitter

Title

Comment
Weronica, You did not say if you wanted to bypass Adelaide. We did and went via Mildura to Renmark then cut across country to Port Pirie. Its a long drive and you would be leaving Melbourne City around 5:30am to get there about 6pm. Maybe best to stop 1 Night Mildura then 1 Night <a href="http://www.ritas-outback-guide.com/port-augusta-australia.html">Port Augusta</a>. Next 1 Night <a href="http://www.ritas-outback-guide.com/coober-pedy.html">Coober Pedy</a> arrive late afternoon. Early 7am leave to Ayers Rock late 6pm arrive. Each day is a very long drive but if you want to get to <a href="http://www.hotelscombined.com/City/Townsville.htm?a_aid=6689" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Townsville</a> in 20 days you will have to skip some of the places. Recommended Overnight stops: Curtain Springs Station free with hot showers hot food and beer! Half way from <a href="http://www.ritas-outback-guide.com/stuart-highway.html">Stuart Highway</a> to Ayers Rock. We stopped 2 Nights at Ayers Rock & 1 night at Curtain Springs on way out from Kings Canyon. We did not stop overnight at KC we were rather disappointed with KC as not able to do the rim walk too steep for my partner. Alice Springs 'Big 4' Caravan Park 2 nights Recommend a side trip to Stanly Chasm arrive late morning to get the sun correct. Barclay Homestead on Barclay Hwy 1 easy days drive from Alice Springs via Devils Marbles & Tenant Creek. Easy drive next day to Julia Creek 1 Night not much to see on way unless you stop at <a href="http://www.hotelscombined.com/City/Mount_Isa.htm?a_aid=6689" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Mount Isa</a> overnight, the Petrol is much cheaper here. So try to fill up at Alice then Tenant creek and top up to get you to Mt Isa. You are up to about 10 nights to get to Julia Creek Its one long full day to Townsville from here and you may want to go and visit the dinosaurs around Richmond or divert via Longreach, Emerald, Clermont, <a href="http://www.ritas-outback-guide.com/charters-towers.html">Charters Towers</a>. Any way that is about the shortest time you can get to Townsville say 11 nights so now you can build in some extra nights on way. I will cruse at about 95km/h in my 'Troopie' 4x4 Camper and stop for 15 mins each 2 hrs. We should have taken longer but took the long route to Port Douglas for our main holiday. Expect we will travel that way again some time. By the way if you travel South of Townsville via Ayr to Home Hill you can stop for Free behind the main shops. Council provide hot showers & Toilets it get very busy with about 100 Motor homes, Caravans & Camper Vans. We did trip mid July and no flies at the rock! I think they had all gone on holiday. Tony.

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Jun 09, 2009

Great camping itinerary
by: Rita

Wow, Tony, that's a good journal, thanks for your comment.

BTW, I was at Ayers Rock in September, and we also had no flies, which was wonderful after doing the Oodnadatta Track.