Planning 3-month Lap (Sydney to NT & WA) - Route Advice Needed

We will be travelling on Nissan Patrol Y62 and okay with rough / some off roads.

I have just attached the itinerary as images if that helps. Thank you.

It's been 40 years since I was in the Kimberley and not seen the country between Geraldton and Broome, but I've seen just about everything else on your list.
Would help if you indicated the age of your children (how active they are).

I'm retired so time is less precious to me, but 90 days I thought was ambitious to see half of that in an enjoyable manner. Bigfish's suggestion is a good one. I'll do 1000km days at the beginning and end of a trip and have done 7000km in 20 days from east coast through central Oz and return with the family when i was younger, enjoyed it, but were exhausted when we returned.
Maintain as much flexibility in your plans as possible.

I wouldn't spend any more than 2 days at Nitmiluk (Katherine Gorge), I've done the 5 day walk from there to Edith Falls and loved it, but just the Gorge itself when combined with all the other culture you will see, probably 2 days.
The West McDonnell ranges are spectacular, I've been back there four times from my initial visit, the half Day Ormiston Pound Walk (done anticlockwise) is fantastic. There are a few other gorges to call into in the West Macs just off the main road.
Unless you are just seeking downtime and or building in some lay days (good idea, allows for inevitable unforeseen problems), I wouldn't spend that many days in Broome.
Consider travelling from Geike Gorge (you drive past it) through Tunnel Ck onto Windjana Gorge and onto Derby, then Broome. Gibb River Rd is on most people's bucket list, you are missing most of it.
Broken Hill is a fascinating place, worthy of a couple of days.
I don't think there's much to see between Broken Hill and Sydney that you haven't already seen apart from possibly Dubbo zoo for the kids and Mutawinji NP.

Hi Mark, thanks so much for the feedback — really appreciate it. We’ll make a few changes based on your suggestions. Our child will be 2 years old during the trip. We did a similar trip on the east coast this year (up to Cooktown), at this stage they are more of a scouting trip to see places we’d like to return to later.

A couple of questions:

- Where would you recommend staying or basing ourselves in the West MacDonnell Ranges? We’re currently planning the following (not doing the Mereenie Loop):
• Kings Canyon > Alice Springs (3 nights)
• Alice Springs > Ormiston (1 night)
• Ormiston > Hermannsburg (1 night)
• Hermannsburg > Alice Springs (1 night)

- Would you make any changes to the plan below?
• Katherine > Kununurra (4 nights)
• Kununurra > El Questro Station (3 nights)

Thanks so much!

I've been away bushwalking, sorry for the delay.
Really only 3 spots I remember that you can stay at on the Larapinta Drive.
Red Bank Gorge (most westerly and starting point for climbing Mt Sonder) and Ormiston Gorge are both NT Parks camping areas, small sites, camping only.
Ormiston has a very decent kiosk. Nearby to that is Glen Helen "Resort", Discovery Parks have renovated it recently, that will have cabins as well as camping.
So stay at one of those 3 sites and if walking suits, do the half day Ormiston Pound Walk.
Travelling east and just off the bitumen there are the Ochre Pits (I didn't find them inspiring), Elery Big Hole (waterhole in a split in the range) and Stanley Chasm and Simsons's Gap (latter two have plenty of Alice Springs day trippers).
Alice Springs is full of commercial tourism, but is the best resupply area with supermarkets, butchers and bakeries. Personally I get in and out as soon as I can, I was last there two years ago.
Only feature I go back to each time is the Araluen Art Gallery (to look at).
I won't comment on the Katherine too Kunanurra section as my memory is too scratchy from when i did it 40+ years ago. There are members of Exploroz (can't remember who) who live in Kunanurra.
Just keep that flexibility in your planning.

Thanks Glenn. Out of curiosity did you visit Monkey Mia / Shark Bay as well? A bit unsure how long to stay around there.

Bigfish , Sorry but I couldn't agree with you in regards to time and distance . We have done 3 similar trips in the past through WA ,NT in a shorter time and has been very enjoyable.

I'm with Bisfish on that. If you look at your itinerary there are a disproportionate number of day tied up with the WA loop. I say that as a Westie who knows the tyranny of distance from our annual forays into northern/eastern Oz.

Nick's suggestion is good, but be aware that the first part of the Mereenie Loop is usually fairly corrugated once you cross the range. Either Larapinta Drive through Hermannsburg or Namatjira Drive and the ochre pits. Or a slight backtrack from Kings Canyon through Ernest Giles Drive and the Henbury Meteorite Craters. Either way, you can avoid the "double loop" into Alice.

I'd do El Questro down to Broome and then backtrack out to Halls and beyond. Yes you'll miss Karajini. (*)

From Halls, you've seen Kununurra and Katherine, why repeat that when you can head east from Halls thru Kalkarindji to Top Springs and then the Stuart Highway. One thing that always motivates us is NOT driving the same road again if we can avoid it. (Being from WA, there are limited entry/exit options, but driving the Nullarboring nine times [at least] is eight times too many).

Depending what you wanted to see between Sydney and Pt Augusta, maybe that could be simplified to once also. Consider returning to Sydney from way up the Stuart Hwy aka through the backblocks of Qld.

(*) or continue past Karajini and then cut through the WA goldfields to Kal and use the GCR, although that repeats Uluru, and Alice(or Erldunda).

Just some initial thoughts. Feel free to ignore.

E&OE - new keyboard here, terrible touch and it's not great on spelling either.

Zippo: Your must have a different set of maps to me .

Protik, The hikes and gorgeous etc around El Questro are fantastic but if you were not going to do them, then it is one you could probably drop off & save some time for the next time. There is a lot more to see and do a long the Gib River Road but that is not for everyone . I don't know if you have mentioned what vehicle you are traveling in and the sort of terrain you are prepared to take on.

Personally I think the time period you have for this trip is more than ample we have done this a few times so that has been our experience .

Thanks both. We will be travelling in a Nissan Patrol Y62. Driving-wise comfortable with moderate off-road terrains but have mostly excluded them on this trip (e.g. Mereenie Loop) as will be travelling with a 2 year old - probably will be carrying more nappies than recovery gears.

I am still unclear on how to avoid the double loop into Alice - which route would you suggest instead of below and also where would you stay / split the nights?

Kings Canyon > via Ernest Giles Road > Alice Springs (3N)
Alice Springs > Namatjira Drive > Ormiston (1N)
Ormiston > Hermannsburg (1N)
Hermannsburg > Parpinta Drive >Alice Springs (1N)

Protik, I guess it depends on what you are your must see out on the Western McDonald's there are several different routes you could take but there will be an element of off-road driving . So my original suggestion was to take in the most popular spots out there for the less travel.
" Bang for your bucks" There is not a lot to see along Larapinta Drive all bitumen I think from memory and the only main tourist Road west of Alice Springs... taking in hermansburg and Palm Valley etc . Ernest Giles road is a very nice drive but not a lot to see and the meteorite crater is basic "boring" . The Owen Springs tourist drive I think is marked as a four-wheel drive track? after my time there.
Most of the popular places of interest are along the Namatjira Drive and if you were to take them all in will take you some time. If you were to take in the mareenie loop I got an idea that there is permit required.

We have driven both the Mereenie Loop and the Ernest Giles Road on several occasions and the Ernest Giles Road has been the worst of the 2, but it will depend on the day.
Cheers,
Peter
OKA196 motorhome

Peter, I think years ago it was used a lot more now there is the bitumen road to Ayers Rock that is the most popular these days.
I used to go out there a bit with a mechanic mate fixing up broken down tour vans .

ps.. the permit for the Mereenie Loop cost $2 a few years back and was available from Kings Canyon and other places.
Cheers,
Peter
OKA196 motorhome

Interesting Glenn, we had a similar experience with monkey mia leaving empty-handed :((
" I think they are more interested in bus loads of people " only went there for the daughter to look at the dolphins but she certainly enjoyed Ningaloo Reef never seen anyone so excited over fish, lol .

I feel a bit the same way these days with Alice Springs lived there for over 20 years 30 years ago and have got no desire to go back to the town . Only stop there long enough to get fuel and food and move on. Have been back for Finke but didn't go into the town...
This dosen't include Central Australia itself stunning part of the country .