Hyden Norseman Rd

(I tried using the search function but it isn’t working for me tonight)

Heading Perth/Melbourne/Perth in December. Trying to get to Eucla as quick as possible, travelling with the missus, 3 kids and the dog. I won’t be towing, just taking my 4WD.

Is going via the Hyden-Norseman Rd quicker or should I stick to Great Eastern Highway? I last travelled that unsealed road approximately 10years arvo and it was like a dirt highway, is it still the same?
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Reply By: The Explorer - Monday, Nov 12, 2018 at 02:59

Monday, Nov 12, 2018 at 02:59
Hi...it is still a dirt highway (subject to weather) but if you are heading from Perth and in a hurry, I would suggest sticking to the bitumen.

Cheers
Greg
I sent one final shout after him to stick to the track, to which he replied “All right,” That was the last ever seen of Gibson - E Giles 23 April 1874

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Reply By: noggins - Monday, Nov 12, 2018 at 11:21

Monday, Nov 12, 2018 at 11:21
I travel from Mandurah to East quite often and mainly use the Hyden- Norseman rd.
For me it's shorter than the highway , but not always quicker. I usually stop about 100K's out from Norseman for an "overniter".
Because the road is a main access rd for the Mines it's always serviceable .(?)
The area around Forestania can get a bit rough but the rest is reasonably well maintained.
The time saved from Perth would be minimal , mainly because the Hyden -Norseman rd is not sealed so 100 Kph isn't advised.


Ron
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Follow Up By: The Explorer - Monday, Nov 12, 2018 at 11:42

Monday, Nov 12, 2018 at 11:42
It was a little rutted (not severely) out from Hyden about 1.5 months ago as they had a bit of rain...100kph still achievable, depends what you are driving I think. Some bits are smoother than the bitumen. But agree not really much of a shortcut from Perth. I would just take it for a change of scenery.

Cheers
Greg
I sent one final shout after him to stick to the track, to which he replied “All right,” That was the last ever seen of Gibson - E Giles 23 April 1874

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Follow Up By: rocco2010 - Monday, Nov 12, 2018 at 11:52

Monday, Nov 12, 2018 at 11:52
For me in Perth’s inner south it’s about 100 km shorter to Norseman via Hyden.

Whether that is much quicker I guess depends on how fast you like to drive on dirt. Being a cautious type I try to back off a bit, even on good surfaces.

If the schedule is not an issue I would take it any time. Some lovely country and camp spots, particularly in spring when the bush is at its best.

Cheers


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Follow Up By: The Explorer - Monday, Nov 12, 2018 at 12:01

Monday, Nov 12, 2018 at 12:01
Well yes thats the catch...actual start point and average speed on back roads and the road itself compared to what can easily be achieved on Great Eastern Highway.

Cheers
Greg
I sent one final shout after him to stick to the track, to which he replied “All right,” That was the last ever seen of Gibson - E Giles 23 April 1874

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Reply By: nickb - Monday, Nov 12, 2018 at 20:45

Monday, Nov 12, 2018 at 20:45
Thanks! I will be leaving from Malaga which is only 15 mins from Midland so it sounds like the bitumen will be the quicker option. Hoping to get 1500km done in 2 days, on this trip sight seeing is not a priority until we get to Fowlers Bay in SA.
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Follow Up By: noggins - Monday, Nov 12, 2018 at 20:56

Monday, Nov 12, 2018 at 20:56
Fowlers in 2 days
Do-able, don't forget the days get shorter the further East you go.
I did that only a few months ago.
Dawn start with long days and a tail wind helped me along @ 110Kph.

So it will be up early in the morning both days for you.

Fowlers Bay supposed to be good fishing ?
Note :- I said fishing..... not catching LOL


Ron
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Follow Up By: rocco2010 - Monday, Nov 12, 2018 at 21:34

Monday, Nov 12, 2018 at 21:34
750km a day is very doable.

I was flying solo on a winter trip a few years ago and didn’t get out of Norseman until well after 8am on day two because of pea soup fog and it was dark pretty early at Eucla.

Summer time with long days and maybe a copilot you should do it easy.

Enjoy the drive.

Cheers.
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Follow Up By: Zippo - Tuesday, Nov 13, 2018 at 10:50

Tuesday, Nov 13, 2018 at 10:50
Similar to Rocco, I've done Penong pub to Perth solo in one long day, towing a trailer and driving into the sun on a 44deg February afternoon. And having been pinged by the WA cops from Eucla for 114/100 (towing ...) on the way across with SWMBO and the three kids, I WAS watching my speed all the way.

Two days with two drivers is doable. The biggest challenge may well be keeping the kids from fraying your nerves on long days - "are we there yet?", "he/she pulled my hair!" etc. Depending on their ages and disposition, that can be a biggie.

Back to the GEH vs Hyden-Norseman road. We've used that a couple of times in the past few years. No dramas comfortably cruising at 100k. On the GEH you keep getting zoned down for towns with a few over-zealous law officers, as well as the challenge of semis and the inevitable caravan or fifty. The H-N road is far more peaceful and "scenic" (that's not hard compared to GEH) and if the kids haven't seen that much unpaved bushland it may be easier to keep them settled.
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Follow Up By: Allan B (Sunshine Coast) - Monday, Nov 19, 2018 at 10:47

Monday, Nov 19, 2018 at 10:47
.
"1500km in 2 days with 2 kids"?

Don't forget the duct tape! LOL
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Follow Up By: Nomadic Navara - Thursday, Dec 13, 2018 at 18:56

Thursday, Dec 13, 2018 at 18:56
It's a bit more than 1500 km - Malaga to Fowlers Bay - It's over 1800 km.
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Follow Up By: Allan B (Sunshine Coast) - Thursday, Dec 13, 2018 at 19:28

Thursday, Dec 13, 2018 at 19:28
.
Nah Peter, it's only 1500km going east during Daylight Saving. lol

Actually, Nick said "Hoping to get 1500km done in 2 days", He didn't specify that was "Malaga to Fowlers bay".
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Allan

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Follow Up By: nickb - Thursday, Dec 13, 2018 at 19:45

Thursday, Dec 13, 2018 at 19:45
Yes it was 1500km in 2 days. Then sight seeing starts from fowlers bay, a few hundred klicks from Eucla.
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Reply By: The Rambler( W.A.) - Monday, Nov 12, 2018 at 23:47

Monday, Nov 12, 2018 at 23:47
Did similar trip last week to collect a boat on the Mornington Peninsular(pastMelbourne).First stop was about 100kms past Eucla.Left Sat morning early from Craigie and collected the boat on Monday about 2pm.-approx 3500kms.We were back in Craigie at 3pm on Friday having done a detour through StreakyBay to get oysters.Return trip was 7000kms in less than 7 days.We stayed on the bitumen with two drivers and camped on the way.It can be done.
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Reply By: nickb - Tuesday, Nov 13, 2018 at 00:36

Tuesday, Nov 13, 2018 at 00:36
Yeah, no probs with big didstances on my own BUT with 3 kids and a dog the dynamics change quite substantially!!! Not planning on any night driving this trip but if we are on the road by 6:30-7 each day we should be able to do 8-9hrs solid driving between food/play/fighting/whinging/toilet stops haha!!
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Reply By: Rob J8 - Tuesday, Nov 13, 2018 at 21:40

Tuesday, Nov 13, 2018 at 21:40
Hello Nick
Just looked up the rainfall for Hyden. They had 38mls on Sunday.
A fair swag of the wheatbelt had 15+ mls over the weekend.
Drive to conditions at least there won't be any dust.
Safe trip Rob J 6-40 pm 13/11/18
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Follow Up By: nickb - Tuesday, Nov 13, 2018 at 23:31

Tuesday, Nov 13, 2018 at 23:31
Thanks Rob, I hadn’t considered rain out there in December, will keep an eye on it.
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Follow Up By: Ron N - Wednesday, Nov 14, 2018 at 01:23

Wednesday, Nov 14, 2018 at 01:23
I've got a mate in Kulin who reported to me yesterday that some areas of Little Italy/South East Hyden received over 200mm in the thunderstorms that went through the far Eastern Wheatbelt on Saturday night.

I was watching the radar at the time and it showed a big band of heavy rainfall traversing the Eastern Wheatbelt, from North West of Merredin, to the South East, towards Esperance.

Norseman has only recorded 13.4mm out of those storms - but thunderstorms are quite erratic, and you can get huge variations in rainfall over a short distance.

Cheers, Ron.
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Follow Up By: John Baas - Thursday, Nov 15, 2018 at 00:40

Thursday, Nov 15, 2018 at 00:40
Kondinin and Dundas Shires both have their sections of the road as open on their websites.

We did the road in both directions a week apart late Oct. Mostly excellent condition. 80 -90 practically everywhere and could do 100 in sections.

Cheers.
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Reply By: nickb - Wednesday, Dec 12, 2018 at 22:50

Wednesday, Dec 12, 2018 at 22:50
After checking the weather and calling the shires we decided to go the Hyden Norseman Rd. If turned out to be great, road was in excellent condition allowing 100kph on the majority of it. Stopped at The Breakaways for lunch, what a great camping area. Grader was doing a section just east of The Breakaways.
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Follow Up By: Zippo - Thursday, Dec 13, 2018 at 19:01

Thursday, Dec 13, 2018 at 19:01
Good to see post-event feedback. Your experience echoes ours.
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Reply By: nickb - Tuesday, Jan 08, 2019 at 23:52

Tuesday, Jan 08, 2019 at 23:52
We just did the opposite direction today after camping at Disappointment Rock. Again, road was in great condition with 100kph easily doable. Was a little corrugated around the Forestania area so slowed a bit there but all in all a great run.

Unexpectedly all the opposing mine traffic seemed to slow down as they passed (maybe a mine rule?), the only person who didn’t slow down was a white 200 series towing a camper. I slowed to around 50-60 and pulled to the left, he was easily doing 100 and showered me with rocks. The joys of dirt road driving!!
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