Anne Beadell fuel

Baz, the 200 is notoriously thirsty (Refer back to our Mungkulu adventure). In similar conditions Pete was pulling 25+ litres to the hundred towing the ulti. In the off-track stuff the figures were similar to the space shuttle at launch!

I'd be inclined to err on the side of caution and pack more fuel.

My 2 bobs worth.

Mick

Ditto
I have a diesel 200 and got about 22l/100K along the ABH towing a Tvan. I assume your tank is 138l too

If you take 2 jerries don't plan any side trips and take extra food and water ......

Personally I would take at the very least 4 ( I took 8 last time). Anyway, at $3.00 per liter, you want to minimise your fuel purchase at Ilkurlka.

It's the same price to buy plastic Jerries at Bursons, fill them somewhere, then at the end of the ABH give the empties away, as it is to buy 20l at Ilkurlka. Maybe cheaper. Or drive over them as you empty them on the way to compact them.

I plan & prefer to buy fuel from remote roadhouses/communities, I would like think that they will still be there if & when I really need them.

I generally like to do that too, and no matter what, you need to buy 100 plus liters at Ilkurlka, which is $300

In this case isn't primarily there to serve tourists, It is owned for the local communities by the local communities and tourists get a side benefit. I had that discussion with the manager when I was there. He said the number of tourist visitors is so low, it makes no difference to their viability.

Ah I just remembered an incident at Ilkurlka. We stayed there overnight and had a nice hot shower opposite the Servo.

About mid day, a 200 with a camper was heading east. The driver was flying but stopped for a very quick chat. He said he had tons of fuel, ( 138l plus a jerry). We advised that she should at least fill up...Nah, My fuel gauge is still nearly on full.

A few days later at Neale Junction we were chatting to a group that had been a couple of days behind us. The 200 guy came up in the conversation.

They had been camped near the WA border. "Yeah he flew past us too. Heading east." Then 12 hours later at about 8PM, he passed again heading west, apparently refilling at Ilkurlka. Then east again. He must have got to somewhere half way to Volkes Hill before turning back, realising that he wouldn't make it.

It's a long way to go if you don't have enough fuel. At best, that guy wasted about $400 on fuel, and 3 or 4 days because he was in too much of a hurry to stop for 10 mins and top up.

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And the pity is that if that fool had become stranded, sensible fellow travellers would have needed to help him out!

Yes, I find that kind of thing amazing. He had a good looking set up. He had obviously just done insufficient homework. Obviously as the track got worse heading east it dawned on him.

It could have been too late and as you say Allan, someone would have to sacrifice their reserve fuel.

I guess $10 per liter at Emu would be a bargain for the guy though.

My policy in the real Outback is " never drive past a diesel pump", because the one that you are aiming for may well be out of diesel, which can entail a wait for a few days. Also by buying a bit here & a bit there you meet some really great characters.

... ain't that the truth Shaker

We typically fill up straight away, at a remote place a while ago, we filled up as soon as we arrived, then set up camp for the night, in the morning as we were driving out (with full fuel tanks) the fuel pumps weren't working and quite a few 4wd'ers trying to start the pumps, the owner finally lost it at them, he was trying to fix the problem but they kept picking up the nozzles obviously causing more issues.

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Yes Sally, 'expect the unexpected' !