Trip to Darwin

Submitted: Sunday, Feb 02, 2014 at 18:12
ThreadID: 106059 Views:1822 Replies:6 FollowUps:3
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Hi,

We intend doing a trip later this year with the caravan. We intend to travell from Sydney, Broken Hill & then up the middle to Darwin back to Winton, Roma and back to Syney. We have a 6 week block do you think that this will be enough time to take in alll of the main sites - if not what time frame would you suggest?

Cheers

Roy & Fiona Kimber

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Reply By: cruiser 3 - Sunday, Feb 02, 2014 at 19:14

Sunday, Feb 02, 2014 at 19:14
Hi
you can do it easily in 6 weeks although the longer the better.
As well as the major attractions dont forget to drive the full length of East and West MacDonnell ranges and Litchfield national park.
have a great trip
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Reply By: Idler Chris - Sunday, Feb 02, 2014 at 20:17

Sunday, Feb 02, 2014 at 20:17
You are looking at some 8200 k's just getting to these places, add say 1800 for looking around a total of some 10,000 k's which equates to about 240 k's EVERY day. I know that 3 to 4 hours of driving every day for 6 weeks is not my idea of a relaxing holiday. A suggestion if you cannot get more time would be to go from Alice to Winton via the Plenty Hwy Its a gravel road though but a great drive. If you must stay on the black top you could from Alice go north and turn right at the Barkly Highway and go through Mt Isa.
It total depends on you circumstances (which we do not know) as to what is best for you. If you say what your rig is and what you wish to achieve you are likely to get more informed answers to your question.
Hope this helps.
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Reply By: Member Andys Adventures - Sunday, Feb 02, 2014 at 21:16

Sunday, Feb 02, 2014 at 21:16
Hi Kimber 77,
The trip you described will take 2 weeks just to drive that far, before you see anything. It will take 1 week and that would be a rush to see Litchfield NP and another week to see Darwin and another week to see Kakadu. Another week for Alice Springs and the Macdonald rangers. That's 6 weeks and that is only in the NT you have still missed a lot there and missed SA, QLD, and NSW.
As for a time frame, well that depends on what you want to see and how far you are prepared to travel to see it. You can rush it or take your time. I think that if you travel more than 200km a day you are rushing it and will only see the black tar.
Hope your trip goes well and you still have a great time and see a lot.
Cheers Andy

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Follow Up By: Member - johnat - Sunday, Feb 02, 2014 at 21:27

Sunday, Feb 02, 2014 at 21:27
Timeframes are often NOT flexible, so you do what you can in the time available.
We did a 3 week Tamworth - Tamwporth via BH, Coober Pedy and Alice. Yep, we took it fairly quick to get to Alice, but spent a week or so around there - didn't do it justice, but will be back! We'll also take our time to see the places we "skimmed" on this trip, and have a list of those for later.

My advice for Kimber is - get to Alice as fast as you can (the places between can easily fit into a shorter trip later) go to the East and West Macs, and take your time. Spend time in Darwin (I'll get there sometime, myself) and then leave yourself with enough time to get home in a fairly quick drive. Again, the places you miss can be covered in a later trip if you take notes!
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Reply By: REDHUX - Monday, Feb 03, 2014 at 00:41

Monday, Feb 03, 2014 at 00:41
G'day Roy & Fiona,

It's achievable in 6 weeks but better to take a little longer. I'd suggest 8 weeks minimum.

As a guide, we took 10 weeks last year to do a very similar trip. We did all the major attractions with the exception of the East Mac Ranges, all with a 2 year old.

It's a big country and there are a number of days where you can easily punch out 500kms per day without missing anything along the way.

I'm happy to share information in further detail regarding attractions and timings if you'd like.

Good luck with your planning! It's a fabulous trip :-)

Regards,
RED
AnswerID: 525674

Reply By: Member - Oldbaz. NSW. - Monday, Feb 03, 2014 at 10:23

Monday, Feb 03, 2014 at 10:23
Of course you can do that trip in 6 weeks. Longer is nice, but not always possible. We
towed our van from Sthn NSW to Karratha WA, across the dirt, south to Perth & back home in 6 weeks...& saw everything we planned to see. Sure,we planned to fit it in, & while longer would have been better, it was most enjoyable. Do your research,list what you want to see & allocate your time..you will have a ball..:))))
cheers....oldbaz.
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Follow Up By: Member Andys Adventures - Tuesday, Feb 04, 2014 at 00:24

Tuesday, Feb 04, 2014 at 00:24
Couldn't of wanted to see to much Oldbaz 6 weeks Southern NSW to Karratha to Perth then home. That's like half a lap done in 6 weeks would have just seen the road and that's it.
Unless you have the time, you would be better off taking a shorter trip and seeing everything rather having a rush trip and having to retrace yourself again latter.
Cheers Andy

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Follow Up By: Member - Oldbaz. NSW. - Tuesday, Feb 04, 2014 at 09:16

Tuesday, Feb 04, 2014 at 09:16
G'day Andy, I'm very pleased you don't plan my outback trips. If I
had followed such advice I still would not have seen the Kimberley ,
the Centre, WA Coast west & south & the Nullabor. I've never had longer than 6 weeks away & have covered all of those.
On the trip you denigrate, we walked every gorge in the Karijini,
fished for days in Cape Range, drove the Leonora Loop Trails, Canoeing at Kalbarri, stayed several days with a mate in Carnarvon,
& the same with relos in Freo & plenty more. As said we did & saw everything we
planned to do. We have no need to retrace our steps at all. To advise
the OP not to live their dream, in the time they have, seems negative
& short on adventure....cheers....oldbaz.
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Reply By: Kumunara (NT) - Tuesday, Feb 04, 2014 at 09:50

Tuesday, Feb 04, 2014 at 09:50
Roy & Fiona

I would allow at least 3 months. 6 weeks would only scratch the surface.

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