Perth - Birdsville - Windorah - Longreach - Gladstone

With good tyres (AT) and lowered pressure you're going to be fine. Those roads are well travelled during the winter months.
Just check if you're route is open, as many indigenous towns are still off limits.

Ah yes, the Newell "Highway" is a gem ........ gradually improving, but still dreadful.
The "highways" in western Queensland are fair to middling, and the LC will be as comfortable as you can get.
Don't know about the Birdsville track.
All good in Western Queensland, just don't expect any particularly interesting scenery, although it should all be very green after all the rain.
Cheers
Jim

Can’t help you with the Birdsville Track or Birdsville-Windorah, Rusty. Haven’t been on them for few years.

Windorah-Longreach is all bitumen, though after Jundah I think most of the black stuff is still single lane, no doubt with the occasional overtaking lane.

Longreach-Rockhampton is all Highway class bitumen, though the Longreach-Barcaldine section is a product of being built on black soil, a bit lumpy on the older sections. Through to Emerald is generally good, though you should take extra care as you approach the Drummond Range, steep hill & numerous sweeping bends.

From Emerald onto Rocky, the highway improves, with those metre wide centre lines, that keep one away from oncoming traffic but no doubt lulls some into a false sense of security………or should that be safety?

Down to Gladstone is more open Highway, wide & fast. If you’ve just done nigh on 4K kms from Perth, seeing few vehicles, this section will get your heart pumping! Enjoy……..

Bob

No problems unless its rained or you are following the Big Red Bash or Birdsville races crowds

Is this trip about getting there rather than any sense of exploring?

Have you considered using the GCR/OutbackWay to Winton then through Longreach? To Alice that's our "favourite" way to escape WA and get into interesting country. I realise that can be corrugated in places at times, but I wouldn't call it rough on any of our mulitiple traverses. And the section east of Docker that used to be horror-corro is now about 50km of blacktop super-highway.

There's really only two half-decent ways Perth-Marree:

- via the Nullarboring and Port Augusta, or
- GCR to Erldunda and then Port Augusta or Oodnadatta Track.

Permits are required though, but accom (which I guess you wont need) &fuel facilites in "permit territory" are open for transiting travellers. With WA still semi-fortress it's a one-way route though so unless you're "emigrating" you'll be returning via Eucla under current rules.

Just my 2.2c worth.

I did Marree Birdsville Windorah then east to coast just before Covid arrived in my Prado.

No worries at all anywhere then, most of the sealed roads are road train width so they are easy too.

I think you will have a good trip, now that Covid is settling down I intend to get up that way again myself.

Safe travels

Hi Rusty Iron,

I won't comment on your query but would like to commend you for providing thanks and a response to each person who made suggestions.

Nowadays there's a tendency by some to ask for advice and when they get it, there is little or no acknowledgment or thanks given. A little courtesy goes a long way.

Have a great trip.