<span class="highlight">Melbourne</span> to Darwin

Sorry, I should have been more clear. Camping all the way, we have a cub camper trailor.

A little easier Judith, but some places you MIGHT visit (like maybe campsites on the Ood Tk or West Macs, Palm Valley and the like) might be busy too with families.
I guess do the route plan thing with how you want to get there and back, places you want to see, and see what people can offer up from their experiences.
If you're dashing up (or back down) the Stuart Hwy one leg, then you will probably find rest areas are sufficient, or little detours like Rainbow Valley.

If you put 'Melbourne to Darwin' in the search box you will get several past threads that may give you more info.

We want to take in as many sights as we can. We have never travelled with camper before. This is our first big trip. We still have a lot of research to do. Apart from Uluru, Catherine and kakadu, we don't know where to go or what to see.

I suppose it all comes down to how you usually like to travel, and interests etc.
I expect it is just yourself and Laurie, and you just want to see as much as you can, take it all in.
No kids, which would change a whole lot of what, where, possibly route, etc.

Many people do a slow tour to a place, stay X time there, and drive back a faster way (more direct or on the blacktop).
There is a lot to see in the places I have visited on part of your route, but I haven't been north of Alice (by very far), so I'll concentrate on that.

You could do a myriad or routes up there and different ways back.
6 weeks is a reasonable amount of time.

A lot will have to do with your vehicle, experience off road (even the moderate dirt / gravel tracks / roads I mention), and if you've fine tuned your camper set up . . . sounds like maiden voyage of this type, let alone with proposed camper etc ? If so, do consider getting out before June for a couple of shorter trips, and finding out how things work and tune it all up.

A moderate trip would be Oodnadatta Track, on the Dalhousie / Mt Dare, and heading out to Kulgera (on the Stuart Hwy) via Mt Finke.
The only place that could be a problem is around Mt Dare, if it's wet . . . shouldn't be as it's their dry then, but you never know . . .
~ 7 moderate days, touring to a new place on the route each night, a couple of short days in there, and sights time.
You could take longer, you do go right past the Flinders Ranges you know :)

Then perhaps head across to the rock, up to Kings Canyon, around to see the West Macdonnell Ranges, down the Hermannsburg / Palm Valley (a couple of days at PV would be sweet).
Into Alice to restock and refresh for a day.
Another 7 - 10 days.

Ok, as far as I can see, heading up the Stuart Hwy will give you the best option to get to Darwin fairly fast, no doubt there's plenty to see on the way besides wide open space.
Perhaps 3 - 4 days ?

How long in Darwin, a week ?

Maybe coming home you can go into QLD on the Barkley to Mt Isa (2 or 3 days), down the Diamantina and Eyre Development Roads to Birdsville (2 days), check out Big Red would = 1 - 2 days around BV with other local sights inc.

Then either . . . down the Birdsville Track, explore the Flinders for 4 or 5 days, then head home . . .
OR
Innaminka via Cordillo Downs, maybe camp Cullyamurra Waterhole a couple of days, side trip to Burkes Grave.
Down the Strzelecki Tk to Cameron Corner, home via Broken Hill, Mildura, Swan Hill.
Time to stop and explore a number of areas anywhere en route.

You could get a dozen different routes and options to this you know :D

Thank you so much for all your advice.
You are right it will be our maiden big trip. It is just the 2 of us travelling. We will b travelling in a 2009 4x4Hilux with engineered suspension towing a new 2014 Cub daintree le off road camper. We have only had minimal camping experience, just a couple of weekend trips. We have done quite a bit of 4x4 driving but nothing extreme enough to warrant dragging the winch into action. We have both just turned 60.
We are really looking forward to the trip, very excited, but not sure where to go, how long, etc, hoping to play it day by day, just a bit concerned about finding accomodation. My husband also looking forward to wetting his fishing rod if possible.
Once again thanks for your helpfulness. Much appreciated. Regards judee and laurie.

Pleasure Judith, happy to help.
You might have picked up on it, but planning is something I love about trips, maybe as much sometimes !

I think you'd be fine with your setup, experience, etc doing the above.

You'll pick up experience and have fun camping in the new rig, just trial cooking / fridge setups, for sleeping maybe get a a 12v fan or two in the cub (if not already) to help circulate still / more humid air you'll strike.
(2nd battery ?)

Reduce tyre pressures (lux and cub) for a lot of those non bitumen roads for better ride and to protect tyres.
Keep the weight down as much as you can, travel like you are going overseas with a backpack only.

If time gets the better of you then you can always have a date you cut out and high tail it home on the black stuff.
Just go over maps online, Google maps etc really well, and research (Google again) like crazy.
Read lots of trip reports to pick up places to visit.

I wouldn't worry booking before you leave, but would have a list of places and contact numbers (email if yu have access on the road) and contact places a few days before to book or check space.
Some places you might luck out, but with your setup, you can generally get off the road a bit up a track (make sure it's not a driveway !!) and set up for the night.

Have a great trip, and if I see any way I can help with advice further, I'll try and assist more.

Thanks again. We wish you were sitting at the kitchen table trying to plan this trip with us. All we were worried about was the car and camper being tiptop and then just following our bullbar.
I suppose we don't have to worry too much about food supplies as there seems to b plenty of opportunities to stock up.
As this is our first trip we will probably just do all the touristy things and then plan on coming back next time to revisit what we missed.
Thanks again.

Don't stress too much, one motto you can use on the trip is this . . .

"If you don’t have a plan, you can end up doing some interesting things."

We thought 6weeks was a long time. Oh we'll, it is our first trip, we will do the best we can. Thought we would see as much as we can heading up to Darwin say at least 4weeks then travel home.

Thank you.

Thanks Judy and Laurie. Regards Judee and Laurie (what a coincidence)

Yes we follow a very loose basic mud map as an itinery ( if you could call it that) and just follow our nose and have a good look around and enjoy the carefree attitude freedom
Towards the end of the trip we just calculate how many days we need to get home from where we are and then start heading in that direction

I would not be too concerned about where you are going to stay, just go and maybe stay in van parks for a few nights so you can pick up items in town of all the things you realise you don't have and then just get more adventurous from there

Once you get out there it will all fall into a rhythm

Enjoy

I should have asked if you need power every or most nights. I was working in the assumption that you don't.

Hi Motherhen, (what a reassuring name),
Bit concerned about free camping along the trip. Is it safe? How do we know where to set up?
We have dual batteries in camper and vehicle and will be carrying solar panels.
We were hoping to at least alternate nights, one on road next off road (caravan park) or 2nights free camping then 3rd night in park to catch up with washing, water and recharge.
Regards Judee

Judith
I second Idler Chris's comment above about being realistic in how far you travel each day. In winter, most days you should want to be in camp by 3PM, allowing yourself a couple of hours to set up and cook in a relaxed manner in daylight.
Nothing wrong with planning the odd big strategic long day's travel with night set up, but not regularly, besides roos at night make it unwise to travel.
You don't have to stay in a CP most nights, even in a camper without a shower. If you are passing through a town in the middle of the day, most will allow you to use their amenities block and have a shower for $5-10/ head.
As a family we have pulled over and camped in the middle of no where often, but not on main highways because of the noise.
Recommend you look at some of the well travelled persons blogs on this site, look at Motherhens, John and Val's, The Landy are quite detailed. There are many others as well, just trawl through the index.

Also remember that it will be quite cold at night in central Australia, temperatures of -3 are not unheard of (I've often camped out around Alice with frost/ice on my swag/sleeping bag in the morning). Not a problem is you are prepared with warm bedding and clothing for evening and first thing in the morning.
Personally I find a pair of overalls keep me warm in camp at night and importantly keep your clothes clean from the dust which will coat every external surface once you are off the highway.

Mark

One benefit of the sub zero nights in central Australia (and likewise where I live in the south west of WA), they mean clear warm sunny days; perfect for sightseeing and walking.

Hi Judith - you have a good name too ;)

So long as you are not in or close to towns it is quite safe camping. Petty thefts only occur in towns, so we don't feel safe in caravan parks, and axe murderers are only in the movies. Best if you can get out of sight of the road, and it will be quieter. We don't join those crammed into the roadside rest areas, but get out on our own in much nicer places. Some but not all of the 24 hour roadside rest areas have pit toilets, but we have our own on board bathroom so do not want these facilities.

We have adequate solar power, and can camp away from caravan sites for weeks. I have reviewed all the good places to camp between Alice Spring and Darwin that we found or know about, and can share this if you contact me which you can do through my blogs.

We toured Kakadu (for more than a week just seeing the basics) while heading north, and spent three days in Litchfield National Park on the return south, as per my blogs and links.