<span class="highlight">Best</span> <span class="highlight">Time</span> of year <span class="highlight">to</span> leave for AUS trip?

Hi Marc,

4 months is heaps.... Depends on how much you like to do in the day though.

I would leave around August and head north and do the top end until November, then get to Perth around and spend a few weeks getting back.

Cheers, Will.

Go north at the start of winter, say beginning May. That way you should have good weather all the way.

Cheers

Marc, April/May is a good time to head north arriving in the tropics just after the wet season has finished. Good weather & less chance of road closures accross the top. By October the heat in Central Oz can start to get a bit warm for many.
How long depends on how long you have. In 4 months you can get around Oz looking at the key sites of interest off the main routes but to have a proper look & do all the iconic tracks (Canning/Simpson) 2 years+. Many take a full year spending the summer months in Tassie & the Vic High Country heading north for the Winter.
Cheers Craig.............

I travelled around Australia last year for 12 months. Started in Sydney in April 2006 and came back to Sydney in April this year. Travelled 42'000 kilometres (without a flat tyre!!!).



In my opinion, 4-6 months is not enough to drive all around the continent. Otherwise you're too much in a rush and there is no time to have a break for a couple of days to stay at the same place.

For a 4-6 months trip, you got enough time to travel up to the Kimberley. If you prefer the north, so start you trip in April and drive up to Far North Queensland, the Top End and the Kimberley where you arrive arround August. The way back to Sydney on the Tanami Track, around the Red Centre and back home trough Simpson Desert and the Channel Country or on the Oodnadatta Track, the Flinders Range and along the Murray River.

If you prefer the south, drive anti-clockwise through the Snowy River NP, the Victoria High Country, along the Murray River, the Eyre Peninsula in SA, the Nullarbor Plain, the southcoast of WA to Perth. From Perth up the westcoast to the Kimberley. If you start in Sydney in March or April, allow two months for the drive to Perth. Another two months up the westcoast and to explore the Kimberley. Same way back throug the Red Centre.

These are just two plans for a trip for 4-6 months. As road and weather conditions chance very fast, always have plan B, C or even D in your mind.

Enjoy tour trip!
Reto

Been thinking about the same idea.
Talking to a few people on the road, and who have done it, for a basic trip around the block, every one seems to do about 20 to 25,000k.
Our swiss friend in his post has done a few more. Some good ideas there.
And as he says, there is a lot to see.

Being in Brisbane, I think I would concentrate on the west and central Oz for the 4 to 6 months.
Can cover Qld/NSW/Vic in shorter trips later, and have done a few shorter trips over the last 20 years or so, but not made it to WA - yet.

Gday !

About to embark on a journey around Oz at end of July heading north from Perth and have done plenty of research into the whole trip. My original plan was for a rather quick trip (due to finances) of around 6 months. After speaking to lots of people who have done the trip the general consensus was that 9-12 months would probably be the minimum. This way you get to actually stop and enjoy many places rather than just spending all your time driving. The average travel distance seemed to be somewher around 30,000 klm (plus or minus).

Enjoy