2WD Navara & Birdsville, Strzelecki, Oodnadatta Track travel.

We have not so long ago got home from .doing parts of your trip...4wd 17ft poptop van, Broken Hill to Tibooburra part black top last bit rough dirt..then to the Corner and up to Birdsville bits of bitumen here and there but mostly b....y rough, watch the crests of the dunes west of the Corner...dangerous.Cannot offer advise on the rest as we went east from Birdsville and it to was b....y rough. It took us 8 hours to go from the Dig Tree to Birdsville ...we stopped briefly to have a look at the shearing shed. The 2wd would be o.k.

One thing to keep in mind, if it rains the tracks will close, it will then open to 4wd only and could, depending on the amount, be a while before it opens to all vehicles and your friend can move again.

Most of the tracks would be quite doable in 2wd, Old Strez can be a little boggy in places, just remember to let a bit of air out of your tyres to make it easier on your car and suspension on the rough stuff.

Gday Lockie
My brother did almost the same trip a couple of years back in a Holden Caprice. I did a part of the same trip in June and didnt use 4wd at all .

Wow! That's a very big trip!

I can't imagine that a well maintained 2WD Ute, driven to the prevailing conditions, would have any problems negotiating those roads in dry weather.

Enjoy your trip! :)

Lockie, have been through all and never used 4wd. As stated rain is a show stopper.

If it rains then all bets are off, but have driven most of what you asked about and never needed 4wd engaged once....just deflate tyres appropriately and you should be fine.

I did exactly that trip in a Corolla in 1978.
Easily done in a 2wd ute these days but some of those roads are a bit rough at the moment as they are due for a grader.

Thanks to everyone for their responses. I didn't think it would be a problem (unless it had received a lot of rain just prior to us leaving home or having some bad weather while we were travelling) but my travelling companions just had a few queries about their vehicle's ability to get them out and back again, so I think this will help allay their fears.

Best regards,

Lockie.

Outback roads did not stop these cars. Redex. A 2WD Navara will have no trouble.

My answer to your question is it depends on 3 things....the amount of rain that has fallen, how much gear (weight) you carry, and where its loaded, and how much time you allow for travel. Travel as light as possible, be prepared to camp and wait out a wet road, or change itinery.... and take lots of breaks. The newer the tyres on your rims, the better. If the Gods are in your favour, you will not have a problem.

It's not that long ago,well maybe 40-50 years ago, when almost everybody drove 2-wheel drive vehicles, and very few drove Landrovers, Jeeps or the then less common Landcruisers.

When I worked on the Diamantina in mid-60's, Holden utes were all the go, with Goodyear Suburdanite(???) tyres as a dirt road choice.

Adequate clearance and LT tyres will see it handle almost anything.

Enjoy!

Bob

I drove a lot of that earlier this year.

I didn't go out to Cameron's Corner or use the old Strez. But from the point where you plan to join the "new" Strzelecki Track, I drove the roads you listed. Except that I only drove the OT as far as William Creek. But I suspect the OT is pretty much the same all the way up to Oodnadatta.

I last drove the Kempe Road between Oodnadatta and CP in 2008! But I'd wager it's quite good. The road between WC and CP was excellent in June.

I drove from Innimincka out to the Dig Tree and back. No dramas at all. (I also drove west from Innimincka to "Wills Grave", etc. sites. That was a little rougher but unless something dramatic has happened, you would be fine.)

I never used 4WD on any of that, as far as I can remember. A lot of those main tracks are "sheeted" (I think that's that's the right word?). It's dirt but formed so that can be nearly like a sealed road. That describes much of the "new" Strez; the Birdsville Developmental Road; most of the Birdsville track; the stretch of the Oodnadatta from Marree to WC. On those roads/stretches, I often had the cruise control locked on 80 kmh. Which is the max allowed by the hire company. :)

I encountered several spots on the Strez where road crews were busy. And there was work on the BT not far out of Birdsville.

Farther south on the Birdsville Track, I did start encountering bulldust holes.

I'm trying to recall the roughest spots... I remember it did get a rocky for awhile on the Cordillo Downs road. But with all-terrain tyres it shouldn't be any problem.

BTW, the road between Innimincka up to at least the Arrabury junction was quite good. I had aired down expecting rougher conditions. I wished I had simply started out at 40 psi. IIRC the road was rather corrugated the first km's out of Innimincka, but soon improved greatly.

In case you decide to visit, the road out to Coongie Lake is very corrugated (or was in June). At times comparable to what I later encountered on the AB! If you go out there, plan to stay at least 2 or 3 days to make it worth the beating. :)

We did Tibooburra - Merty Merty last week.
In some spots after Cameron Corner a low clearance 2wd may have trouble but I would think a high clearance 2wd would have no trouble.
Track was open only to 4wd last week which probably sums it up.
The rollercoaster ride was fun as usual.