Fuel availability on the Tanami Track

Thanks to everyone for the helpful information on availability, need for cash etc. Veronica L.

Ok, Val...I'm curious...what's the reasoning behind the vouchers?!
"Estimate how much you need?!"
Jeez! When we do outback trips we manage to squeeze in another goodness-knows-how-many litres after it's registered as "full"...
Robyn :)

Hi Val

Looks like the voucher/fuel card system is still in place.

Link gives some details. Contact number included to clarify.

Billiluna Fuel Card

Cheers

Anthony

Hi Robyn,

Hopefully this system no longer applies but 3 years ago it went like this:

Bililuna is an aboriginal town and an important fuel stop at the top of the Canning. What's the reasoning behind the vouchers? Security, and it ensures payment in advance.

How does it work?

You estimate that you have space for say 170 litres. It costs say $2.20 per litre. After a bit of a domestic about arithmetic it's agreed that 170 litres will cost $374.

So you buy from the shop three $100 vouchers, plus one for $50 and one $20 - should be pretty close.

The vouchers are like credit cards that you poke into the fuel pump that is very securely locked inside a massive steel enclosure. Put the first voucher into the pump, which delivers about $95 worth before stopping. There's no-one to complain to so "get over it". Now the second voucher and then the third one and the forth one. Getting close now. You start on the final voucher but the tank is full before you've used all your credit! There's no reimbursement, no-one to complain to! It's just one of the hidden costs of travel !

Mustn't grumble! We had a lot of friendly help from one of the local fellows while coming to grips with the system.

Cheers

John

When we called into Bililuna it was like a ghost town, we couldn't find anyone anywhere. In the end we just went on to Halls Creek.

Hi Val, It has changed, I was their in September last year and paid cash for it. Had to go over the road and get the fellow to unlock the pump and he just filled it up, paid cash on the spot.
Andy

Thanks for the explanation and description, John!
If I ever have to pay for fuel via vouchers, I will be sure to include a domestic to some degree about the mathematics!
Robyn :)

When we travelled across the Gary Junction Rd and Tanami last year EFTPOS was available at all Communities, but credit cards are not accepted.

Opening times are the thing to watch. We seemed to have the knack of turning up 5 minutes after they went off for their 2 hour lunch break. There is some flexibility with the people serving but not much and don't bank on it.

We did get to see a lot of the Communities and met a lot of dogs.

Steve

We only had credit card, and at Kintore it was all cash or we could have gone to the shop and got his wife to process out card, but easier to pay cash. On the Great Central Road the permit tells which communities take card or not, but we didn't fuel from any of the communities. We paid cash at Yuendumo - i didn't ask about card.

Mh