Melbourne to ayers rock and back to Melbourne

Peter

Melbourne to Ayers Rock can be easily done 3 days by most direct route so 5 Weeks is a good amount of time to relax and enjoy a bit.
I think your only practical options are to go up the highway from Adelaide all the way to teh turnoff to Uluru or to go up Oodnadatta track which will allow you to take in the Flinders Rangers and Lake Ayer.
Check you hire policy for windscreen breakage because alot of idiots on the dirt dont slow down to oncoming traffic and you are guaranteed to get showered with stones on more than one occasion if you do the Oodnadatta track.

Sean

Peter, well spread out the map. In 5 weeks, try this. Sprint to Port Augusta. Through the Pichi-Richi Pass, Quorn, Hawker, Lyndhurst, Maree, Birdsville Track, Birdsville, Boulia, Donohugh/Plenty Hwy, Alice, Ayers rock (direct or Mareenie Loop), Marla, Oodnadatta, Oodnadatta Track, Borefield Track, Roxby Downs, Woomera, Pimba, Port Augusta. All these roads are in top condition, nothing too hard core, and a fantastic pub crawl,(oops!) range of top class camp grounds and bush camping. This trip would be quite comfortable in 5 weeks. Check it out on your map, and get ready for the trip of a lifetime. Happy trails,Mike.

Variation on Mike's suggested route: Mildura. Broken Hill, Tibooburra, Noccundra, Innaminka(and environs), Cordillo Downs, Birdsville, Boulia, Alice, Hermannsburg/Palm Valley, Mereennie Loop, Kings Canyon, Uluru/Olgas, (The Stuart Hwy in SA gets very boring)Finke, Dalhousie, Oodnadatta, Marree, Leigh Creek, Northern Flinders, Hawker, Quorn. The possibilities are endless, but as Mike said, prepare yourself for the trip of a lifetime. For info on the Territory try the URL & links below. Cheers andsafe travels.
http://www.ntholidays.com/home.asp