Balladonia Road

Generally Agree Michelle.

Not sure about this bit-

Who should consider it:
Experienced outback drivers only
Fully self-sufficient (water, food, first aid, tools, spares)
Comfortable managing breakdowns or recovery without help

Sometimes lifes journey involves risk - and to hear people who try and take that away that from our young people (as in those who do not have much experiance) is so disheartening.

Let them and others live, and have an adventure.
(To be honest it's an easy track IMO)

Cheers
Big Al

Thanks Al — I do understand your point, and I agree that adventure and learning through experience are important, especially for younger people, in fact I champion this point every chance I get!!

That said, when I post here about access to "closed roads", I have to be very careful to stick to the facts and not frame things in a way that could be read as encouragement for inexperienced travellers to take on risks that could have real legal or physical consequences.

My aim on the forum is to be clear and accurate about the reality on the ground, while leaving the personal judgement and responsibility with the individual. Adventure absolutely has its place — but what I share here needs to remain grounded in facts rather than sentiment.

MM

Thanks Guys, much appreciated. We'll see how it looks when we get down that way.

Cheers

'Sometimes lifes journey involves risk - and to hear people who try and take that away that from our young people (as in those who do not have much experiance) is so disheartening."

Well said Al

Been camping and travelling regional areas as a young fella in Holdens, Falcons and Valiants.
Then I bought my first 4wd and you couldn't stop me heading further into the unknown - I went through the deepest water I could find, the thickest deepest mud I could find, over the biggest rocks I could find, the softest sand, the longest beaches and the steepest slipperiest hills I could find.
Well how much fun was that ? - it was awesome until I drowned my vehicle, bogged my vehicle, dented my vehicle, scratched my vehicle, almost losing my vehicle in a fast rising tide along with nearly rolling my vehicle down a mountain. Then having to spend endless hours cleaning, fixing, and repairing the damage along with losing a couple months pay for some short lived enjoyment ! ( insert rolling eyes plus a smiley face wink wink )

But what that taught me was how to prepare a vehicle for all those situations along with how to get out of those situations plus more importantly - how to avoid them ! So after 40 years of travelling this big brown land in a 4wd you will not see me tackle any of the above unless it's the only way out !!

I still have two 4wd's and love heading bush with friends but now I get more enjoyment from helping and instructing the very same sort of young people that I was in similar situations !

We were all beginners at one stage !

Happy and safe travels
Gazz

Yet if they sealed the Hyden to Norseman road they would see an increase in traffic, wouldn't they?

"Yet if they sealed the Hyden to Norseman road they would see an increase in traffic, wouldn't they?"

Probably not - most general traffic from the Perth side has to come through Norseman anyway. Same as general traffic from the east heading to Perth come through Norseman - Dundas Shire doesn't continue too far west from Norseman, so no benefit to them really.

Keep the main route going through Coolgardie I reckon (In my opinion)

While technically traffic all goes through Norseman, how many just go through the BP roadhouse andintersection and not through the township when going W-E or E-W?

It's approximately 100km shorter going through Hyden to/from Perth as against through Coolgardie, and plenty of scenic places and camping along the way. I am aware that the main road intersection is a few kilometer's north of Norseman, but the diversion via the Lake Cowan lookout is worth it. BTW, that lookout wasn't posted as "no camping" when we went through there, and it was a 4 day trip for us from Hyden to Norseman, and we almost made it 5.

At the Forrestania Plots campsite, we met an older gentleman who twice a year drives from Ballarat (Vic) to Perth to see family, and if this road was open then he always used it. He said that he had it worked out that in getting to the outskirts of Perth he only went through 4 sets of traffic lights, and they were all in Pt Augusta.

For 15 months I was part of a works team from Adelaide travelling each Monday morning to Mt Gambier from Adelaide via the north edge of Kingston SE, at a similar intersection with a roadhouse, where we nearly always stopped for a snack and/fuel, then returned to Adelaide on Friday afternoon. The only times we ever went into Kingston was on a Friday if we diverted to buy Lobster's to take home when in season. At other times we were transporting large blocks of Yahl cheese from the Mount to take home. Delicious.

Another example would be Tennant Ck and 3Ways where for many a lot of traffic may only divert to Tennant because of 3Way fuel pricing which can make it financially worthwhile. BTW, I've worked in Tennant Ck a few times and a bit of work at the old roadhouse itself. There was once a proposal to realign the Barkly Hwy to go directly into Tennant to help the town. Thankfully, the only thing that resulted was altering it from just north of the roadhouse to just south of it.

Having a township nearby doesn't always result in traffic spending time/money in there. The same as highway bypasses can affect towns.

Just travelled across via Hyden to Norseman. Much shorter from SE metro Perth (612 viz 723 for us. Good condition and 70-80 most of the time with the CT. Nobody would bother via Coolgardie if they sealed the 238 k unsealed and maybe put in a road house.

regards

We 'always' go the Hyden/Norseman route but check the shire road reports. About 10 years ago we got to the road conditions signs and were blocked; had to make a huge detour south to Esperance to get back up to Norseman (or we could have gone north to Sthn Cross but just as long...). Otherwise, it's a great scenic (about 80 kph) 'shortcut' avoiding the heavy traffic mostly.

There is a free camp in Norseman for self contained motorhomes, in the middle of town.
Cheers,
Peter
OKA196 motorhome

Answering PhilD:

If you want anything other than fuel and roadhouse "food", you'll quite probably go into town rather than just the BP - even though there's slim pickings in there. I've always found Norseman a depressing place as a traveller, to the point where we'd rather overnight at Fraser Range and next stop Hyden (or vice-versa).

Sealing the H-N road would have no effect on us. For the Nullarboring route we always use it (when open), alternatively Perth-Kal-The Rock depending on our destination plans.Coolgardie is every bit as depressing if you aren't there for the history.

Re the "elephant in the room", I have heard that same story from numerous sources including the boss lady at the Balla RH and one businessman from the town.