Great Central H'way

Submitted: Sunday, May 16, 2004 at 10:25

ThreadID: 12912 Views:1921 Replies:3 FollowUps:3

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Member - Irene

Could anyone please give us some info as to whether this road is suitable to tow a caravan through, we will be leaving about the second week of June.

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Reply By: Willem - Sunday, May 16, 2004 at 20:17

Sunday, May 16, 2004 at 20:17

How much of the caravan do you want left over when by the time you reach the bitumen?

Seriously, the greater majority of outback gravel roads are unsuitable for ordinary caravans. You can expect endless kilometres of corrugations and bulldust patches which will shake and rattle your van to pieces. Specially built off road caravans and trailers are the way to go if you want to tackle these roads. These vehicles have special suspensions to cope with the harsh pounding they will receive on these roads.

Best you take the black top the long way around.

Cheers

AnswerID: 58837

Follow Up By: Member - Irene - Monday, May 17, 2004 at 07:58

Monday, May 17, 2004 at 07:58

Willem
Thanks for your reply, we are aware of the conditions of outback roads, have travelled a great majority of them, we have always had an off road trailer that we have taken everywhere.
I believe that if you drive according to road conditions that you can get just about anywhere without any major problems. I understand that trucks and buses use this road and having owned trucks for the past 30 years we would take the van wherever we could get a semi, my concern is not really for the roughness but safety for oncoming vehicles eg if this road is narrow,or has dunes that we have to get through as this would cause problems.
Thankyou again
Irene

FollowupID: 320535

Reply By: Davoe - Monday, May 17, 2004 at 09:45

Monday, May 17, 2004 at 09:45

did the gcr this time last year and a caravan probably would have been ok except for between just after docker river and yulara which is where the grader was up to from thereon it was as badly corragated as any road I have ever been on

AnswerID: 58880

Reply By: Member - Irene - Monday, May 17, 2004 at 10:03

Monday, May 17, 2004 at 10:03

Thanks Davoe, as we have experienced outback roads can change pretty quick, with a bit of luck the grader might start at N.T end this year, sections of the road to Cape leveque last year were teeth rattling and other parts were like a highway, but to experience this country we have to accept this, we don't like travelling the sealed roads, much more to see and experience off the bitumen.
Thanks again
Safe travelling to you.
Irene

AnswerID: 58882

Follow Up By: Slammin - Monday, May 17, 2004 at 22:26

Monday, May 17, 2004 at 22:26

Typical big dirt h'way, long - wide - flat - straight, conditions r a lottery but the NT side is usually much worse. The grading is done by each state/terr. and not beginning to end.

FollowupID: 320658