Tanami track with a Kluger and a Jayco starcraft

sounds like you didnt learn the first time round ha ha ha.....

must of been good to draw you back for the second time !!

Quite the contrary mountainman,

The first time was in 1994 in our Troopy, not towing, from Halls Creek to Alice.

The second time was against my better judgement but....

We were travelling with friends and they wanted to go from Top Springs south through Ladjemanu and Kalkarinji to pop out onto the Tanami midway and then to Alice.

They had never been along the Tanami and I didn't want to abandon them to a lone trip. The section from Top Springs south was great and I'm glad we did it but the Tanami was/is a shocker. I will never drive it again.

Tracey

A few points to remember and consider

1) Its corrugated from the granite mines out to the WA border. Get yourself an air compressor, dont go to super cheap and buy a $100 thing. Buy an ARB or similar, it will cost you $350 to $400 in its own carry case. LET THE TYRES DOWN, I cant say this enough....let them down, dont be shy... My prado goes from 40 to 25psi and I sit between 70-80 without a trailer, its a magic ride.

2) Travel at the right speed, there are utube videos showing vans getting out of control and rolling cars, especially on very slight bends...there will be idiots going past you, probably Government cars, 150 series prados or troop carriers, dont try and keep up with them, its jsut not worth it.

3) last fuel is at Yuendumu, it will be Opal (low aromatic fuel) and I think its 700km to the next fuel stop. Personally to be double safe, calculat the distance from Yuendumu to Halls Creek incase the mission doesnt have fuel...

4) Its magic countryside, take your time and just enjoy it. We stayed overnight at Tilmouth Well and left around 8:30am and made it to Wolfe Creek by sunset and that included a refuel and some food at Yuendumu. Tilmouth Well is an awesome little roadhouse, has a pool, great amenities and the food isnt bad... remember you're in a desert, this place is good considering where you are.

If you ignore road conditons, drive at highway tyre pressures and try and sit on 80 with your van, you will wreck your van and car....

Pete in Alice

Tracey, forgot to mention, that time of year... going to get pretty hot...take water and flynets :-)

Steve, Gary Junction Road ? That is one place I wouldnt recommend they go :-) Just check out some of the youtube videos..

I was hoping to get out there this week from Alice, its a 4 day loop but I was too lazy :-)

Not sure why folks reckon its the worst road ? It sucks if running 40psi on conventional suspension. 25psi on our tough dog suspension fully loaded wasnt bad at all..Its great out to the Granites, gets a little worse to the border and the WA side, well take your time and pick the right line...

2 spares, fully agree and I'd take a plug kit too

Supercheap, each to their own...though you wont get a warranty claim out there :-) Seriously the ARB one, and trust me I refused to buy one for ages saying they were a rip off...I finally gave in and it was just worth it, I would not be without it...

In the end if you never try you never know. You can only deal with what you know, worrying about stuff you don't know will paralyse you and you'll never go.. I'm not suggesting anyone put their life in danger but some reasonable preparation will see the average explorer go amazing places :-)

Pete

G'day Pete,

Gary Junction Road is remote but it's my favourite way to cross to the West Coast. Not much traffic and as a result the roads a lot better. Fantastic scenery and great camp sites, but you have to be prepared for anything because you're pretty much on your own for a lot of it. The Kidson Track gets rough round Razorblade Bore but just west of there it turns into a superhighway now.

The Tanami is a good road overall but I reckon if they have any doubts they probably should give it a miss and go up around the top.

Whichever way you go, it's better than sitting at home.

Hoo roo,
Steve

This is one thing we are in a dilemma with. We're considering a trip up north next year in our Territory but it has 55R/18 tyres on it - totally unsuitable for roads like the Gibb, Tanami and others. But finding an off road tyre of the correct load and speed rating for our car is nigh on impossible...

I don't think that 55/18 profile AT tyres are available. I know guys with 235/60/18 who have wanted them for ages and no luck. I heard that maybe Pirelli Scorpion ATR or General Grabber AT might be available in that size soon. Maybe check with the distrubutors and bring your money with you... :-)

RoadWarrior. I think you know the answer to this dilemma. Leave the Territory at home to conquer the shopping centres and buy a Landcruiser or Patrol :-).

In all seriousness, yes the Territories and Klugers of this world, whilst giving the appearence of capability, don't really cut it in reality. Low profile tyres, smallish fuel tanks etc don't bode well for long distance outback touring.

Following up Merv's mention of carrying petrol out there, check that it's not illegal to take Unleaded Petrol into Communities and some areas. Opal's and Diesel's okay.

Steve.

If your passing through a community with less than commercial quantities it wont be an issue....No cop is going to pull the lid and sniff it.....

Are you certain? We've been told a number of times "No Unleaded Petrol in the Communities".

I've heard of boys driving to Kalgoolie from NT to get some unleaded.

Mine uses diesel but the mates I travel with have petrol Cruisers and we usually end up in Alice nearly dry to fill up with Opal to head west.

If you want a rock solid answer, call up the Police at Yuendumu on
08 8956 4004 and ask them, smack in the middle of Opal territory :-)

I would be more than happy to fill all my jerry cans with premium and drive across the Tanami. If you can lock them then its a bonus.

Folks in the remote parts are going to leave you alone unless you really look suspect ie: Grog Runners. Equally the police aren't going to sniff your fuel...

Alice has premium unleaded :-)

Cheers..Pete

You really cant compare Mataranka to say Wolfe Creek, totally different experience :-) The thermal springs are awesome, we stayed there for 3 days ourselves, loved it.....Wolfe Creek, you gotta see that, its darn impressive..both are great for different reasons...

Pete

Hi Val
Is the Tanami any worse than the Anne Beadell Hwy ?
It would seem the Tanami is a major supply route.
Just asking
Norm

Hi Norm,

Have only been on the western end of the AB, and that was just after the graders had been through, so it was a dream run and I think we only saw one other vehicle. The Tanami is by contrast a wide road that probably sees a grader rather more often than the AB but it also carries a lot of trucks. Really cant compare them. I think one of the sets of banner photos that scroll across the top is from the Tanami - just hover your mouse over it when something likely comes up and it will give you the title of the set.

Cheers,

Val.

Hi Norm and Val. A lovely euphemism that "less attractive desert drive" and IMO correct. The Granites Mine has large rigs running in from Alice and we noticed a month ago that the surface was much rougher in that section. As for the AB the WA side gets graded and the SA does not from the WA border eastwards and through the hellish Tallaringa CP. Shocking corrugations on a track only 1/4 as wide as the Tanami. I doubt that the AB has EVER been graded in the SA section since Beadell' crew built it!!.... W