Driving from Melbourne to Albany /Pemberton please help us with routes
Submitted: Thursday, Jun 27, 2013 at 21:01
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AjShryl
Hi Everyone!!!
I am a newbie! please help me to find routes, directions and things to keep in mind.
We are a couple relocating from
Melbourne to Pemberton and planning to drive in mid July 2013.
I have read couple of forums but its confusing as i have too many things to remember and to note!
Thought of getting all info. at one place hopefully i will find and get some answers and directions from experts and seniors here.
I have also put up ads on couple of sites for a share drive! hopefully i will find someone!
Fingers crossed
Thanks in advance!
Reply By: Member - John and Val - Thursday, Jun 27, 2013 at 22:12
Thursday, Jun 27, 2013 at 22:12
Do I understand that you dont have or maybe dont know how to use a roap map? If so dont worry as I suspect there are many others in the same boat.
Suggest for a trip like this one a good investment would be a comprehensive Australian road atlas like this one
here from the ExplorOz
shop. It will show you useful things like where to get fuel, accommodation etc, as
well as highways and major and minor roads. Use the key in the front to see what the different colours and symbols mean.
There are numerous sealed roads that will get you to
Port Augusta from
Melbourne. Just choose the most direct route. There is only one sealed road that goes across the Nullarbor from
Port Augusta in South Australia to
Norseman in WA. When you get to
Norseman turn south to the coast and follow the coastal highway until you get to Pemberton.
Its a long drive, though not difficult, but a co-driver would be helpful. Allow at least a week (or up to 10 days) to make the trip, especially if you are the only driver. Its a long way! Try not to drive at night as there will be wildlife (kangaroos, wombats, cattle even camels) on and around the roads at night. In July you wont have to worry about high temperatures, but you should carry and drink plenty of water. Make sure that your vehicle is in good mechanical condition before you leave, and that you have plenty of rubber on all your tyres including your spare. Make sure you can change a wheel if you need to. You wont get much mobile phone coverage across the Nullarbor, but there is plenty of traffic should you need assistance.
Hope that helps a bit, and enjoy the trip.
Cheers,
Val
| J and V
"Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted."
- Albert Einstein
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AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: AjShryl - Friday, Jun 28, 2013 at 13:52
Friday, Jun 28, 2013 at 13:52
Hi Val, Cheers for the info. given to me.
I have added Australian Road Atlas to my checklist
Now, i will give a thought about the co-driver,as the road drive doesn't seems to be difficult/hard as i thought earlier.
We have plenty of time.so we will drive by ourselves. (excited about the drive though)
Night drive and water point to be noted.
coming to car its a Ford Territory Wagon - Just bought it a week ago (this makes even more exciting trip)
Very helpful and useful info. Thanks again Val.
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Member - John and Val - Friday, Jun 28, 2013 at 14:44
Friday, Jun 28, 2013 at 14:44
Hi AjShryl,
You will not find the drive difficult at all, most of the country you will go through is flat or with just small hills. The road is pretty straight and usually in good condition. You will encounter plenty of trucks going across the Nullarbor, just drive so they can get around you and you wont have any problems, and you wont need another vehicle accompanying you.
If you do have a mechanical problem most travellers are willing to stop and assist. Last trip we helped a
young couple with a flat battery and were happy to do so.
In our heavily laden old 4WD going across the Nullarbor we would do 600 or 700km a day with us changing drivers every couple of hours. When you get your atlas you can work out each days travel and hence where to stop each night. If you have plenty of time make an adventure out of it. Some folk say the Nullarbor is boring but really there is a lot to see and experience, just soak it up.
Do try to get into the
Head of the Bight where you should be able to see the southern Right Whales that come close in to the cliffs to calve. Seeing hem so close is quite breathtaking. Further west but ast of
Ceduna are the wonderful
Bunda cliffs, so plan a sightseeing stop there too. The south coast of WA has many beautiful beaches that you can stop at to stretch your legs.
Cheers,
Val
| J and V
"Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted."
- Albert Einstein
Lifetime Member
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FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: AjShryl - Tuesday, Jul 02, 2013 at 17:47
Tuesday, Jul 02, 2013 at 17:47
Thanks for all your help and now we're all set on road routes.!!!
FollowupID:
793039
Reply By: Motherhen - Thursday, Jun 27, 2013 at 23:38
Thursday, Jun 27, 2013 at 23:38
Hi AjShryl
Do you want to follow highways, take dirt road short cuts?
What sort of vehicle will you have and are you towing anything?
Do you need to go to
Albany on the way?
Will you be set up for
camping or will you be requiring motel accommodation?
Don't drive at night across the Nullarbor due to chance of animal strike.
There are several options once in Western Australia to get from
Norseman to Pemberton, which is a piece of paradise.
Motherhen
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: AjShryl - Friday, Jun 28, 2013 at 14:11
Friday, Jun 28, 2013 at 14:11
Hi Motherhen!
I have just a got route directions from ExplorOz (Dave's suggestion and took a printout of it ) and also planning to get a Australian Road Atlas.
Love to do sightseeing on the way.
Preferably motel accom. and also short nap in the car!
Night drive point noted
After all the suggestions and ideas at ExplorOz feeling confident and comfortable now!!!
Thanks for your help
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Motherhen - Friday, Jun 28, 2013 at 14:40
Friday, Jun 28, 2013 at 14:40
If you do sightseeing along the way, see you over here next year LOL.
Basic motel rooms at the Nullarbor roadhouses and hotels or motels in most WA towns.
There are many options but if you need to go to
Albany, following the highways around the coast will be a scenic and easy to follow route.
Mh
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Motherhen - Friday, Jun 28, 2013 at 15:06
Friday, Jun 28, 2013 at 15:06
I just ran '
Norseman to Pemberton' through the ExplorOz trip planner and the route it gives bypasses
Albany (a bit of a short cut ). It looks similar to the one Nico gave a link to.
The easy 'can't get lost way' which does include
Albany is the one that Val gave and all on main highways.
Mh
FollowupID:
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Reply By: Member - Duncan W (WA) - Friday, Jun 28, 2013 at 15:07
Friday, Jun 28, 2013 at 15:07
In days gone by I used Travelmate.com to plan trips etc. Advantage of this site is that you can pick scenic routes or fastest routes etc. Also it identifies
places of interest along the way. if you have kids it also has a kids section.
Lots to see and do before you arrive in Pemberton.
When crossing the Nullabore call in atthe
Head of the Bight to watch the whales. There is a cost to access the board walk but in 06 when we wee there we saw 12 whales and amother and calf would have only been about 50m away from us. Amazing and cheap experience.
If you're not in a hurry go via Esperence and
Albany before heading north to Pemberton.
Enjoy the drive.
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: AjShryl - Tuesday, Jul 02, 2013 at 17:55
Tuesday, Jul 02, 2013 at 17:55
Hi Dunc
We will drive via
Esperance and
Albany and of course the Great bight!
Just can't wait for the drive and very much looking forward for it.
Thanks for the suggestions.
Cheers
FollowupID:
793040
Reply By: AjShryl - Tuesday, Jul 02, 2013 at 18:30
Tuesday, Jul 02, 2013 at 18:30
Hi Everyone,
Day 1 - Start point -
Melbourne, VIC to
Adelaide, SA - 719 kms - 7 hrs 46 mins
Day 2
Adelaide, SA to
Port Augusta, SA- 308 kms - 3 hrs 17 mins
or
Adelaide, SA to
Ceduna, SA - 775 kms - 775 kms - 8 hrs 4 mins
Day 3
Ceduna, SA to
Eucla, WA - 491 Kms - 5 hrs - (Stop Nullarbor, SA and Great Bight)
Day 4
Eucla, WA to
Esperance, WA - 912 kms - 9 hrs 23 mins
Day 5
Esperance to
Albany - 419 kms - 4 hrs 54 mins
(same day)
Albany to Pemberton - 240 kms - 3 hrs
Please let me know if this sounds okay
Thanks
AnswerID:
514148