Sydney to Alice and Uluru

Mazdan,
opinions will vary. It depends on "how much time/money you can spare", having lived at Yulara for a number of years, I would not personally be planning on spending much time there (personally). I would sugest a day or maybe two to see Uluru itself and teh same for Kata Tjuta. Kata Tjuta is much more spectacular than teh rock in my opinion. As for areas liek Kings Canyon and Mereene Loop Road, you could kill weeks in that area, take your pick of numerous sites to visit.

On the way out and back, totally your choice, you could do it exactly as you planned or do you want to include areas liek Lake Eyre, Chambers Pillar etc etc. Once again, depends on how much time/Money you have to spend, oh...and vehicle.

Best advise, do a little research, which obviously you are, and most of all be prepared for travel in remote areas. Don't get stuck without some kind of contingency plan.

I know I have not helped much but, its a very big question with a lot of factors to consider. Whatever trip you do, I can guarantee you will enjoy teh Red Center either way.

Toytruck

As you only have 4weeks I'd suggest that you skip the Strez and Birdsville and save them for their own trip(s).
We've done Sydney to Alice many times with kids in five days, quickest/easiest route is Syd to Nyngan, Nyngan to Broken hill, BH to Port Augusta, PA to Coober Pedy, GP to Alice/Uluru/ wherever in the centre. These stops will give you a reasonable 500-550 k day.
Of course if no ankle biters you can travel harder and longer but it doesn't make for much of a holiday.
You will easily spend the rest of the time around the centre.
Allow a day longer if coming back via the Plenty or Barkly and QLD.

Mazdan,
key issue here......what vehicle are you in??????

Last time we were there had 3 weeks west and south of Alice.

Alice - 2 to 3 days ,
west through the gorges, around the loop to the west and south,
Goos' bluff etc.
end up at kings canyon, then palm valley. - 1 to 2 days at each.

south to Uluru, 2 days there.

head east then to finke river and down to chambers pillar.

back to alice up the fink.

about 3 weeks.

I agree with Toytruck.

4 1/2 years ago a group of us (7 vehicles) left the Mmid Nth Coast of NSW and went to Tamworth/Warren/Cobar/Broken Hill, then at Yunta we turned nth and went up to Gammon Ranges via Lake Frome, then Leigh Creek/Maree/William Creek/Cober Pedy/Kulgera/Erldunda/Ularu.

We spent 3 nights there, then went to Kings Canyon for 2 nights (do the rim walkVERY early in the day ie" start at about 6am and carry plenty of water. It is steep and bloody hot in October), Merrennie Loop to Hermansburg and Alice Springs.

Spent 5 nights in Alice and only saw a fraction of what was on offer, then nth to Three Ways (we were supposed to go via Plenty Hwy to Boulia, but due to various reasons this did not happen) Barkley Tablelands to Mt Isa, south to Boulia, Birdsville, Inamminka, Camerons Corner, Tibobourra, Bourke and home.

Would spend less time at Ularu, more time at Olgas, more time at Alice and have more time to do the Plenty rather than having to rush.

You have to do all of the West Macdonell ranges including Palm Valley, Grosses Bluff, Glen Helen Gorge. In Alice I reckon its a must to allow 1 day to do the Desert park alone, let alone all the other things to look at. There is the Transport Museum south of Alice if you are interested in that sort of thing (what red blooded aussie isnt).

Its up to you, but I reckon that we did 10000K in 4 weeks and that simply is not enough time.

Next time, we will take longer to get there and spend twice as long there. Even on the journey home, there is SO much to see and enjoy.

Hi Mazdan,

Just got back from Alice and you might want to rethink the Plenty Highway, last week there was 2,000 sq km of water between Boulia and Bedourie and apparently it's all heading towards lake Eyre on the Oodnadatta.

The round trip through Longreach/Mt Isa/Camooweal/Tennant Creek then south might be an option.

ENJOY :-)

Did this trip in Aug/ Sept last year.....read post 37962....

we did it in just under 6weeks and a total of 9697km.......

we did 3 days of driving then would stop somewhere for 2 nights to give the ankle biters a break (and us!!)......

we did the old strzelecki track (also known as the strzelecki creek traack),joined the birdsville after walkers crossing and came down the oodnadatta.....so got to touch a bit of everything in the "track" respect....

we estimated...sorry swmbo...which is me.....about 6000km total....we did this as we hit alice springs......

Laura

Gday Mazdan,
What sort of people are you? Do you want to walk all the walks and do the touristy bits or do you want to get out further and relax around a camp for a day or two? Is climbing the Rock a must do or is seeing it good enough? Have you been here before? 4 weeks in and around Alice, you will see quite a bit but throw in the Strezleki and Birdsville and I reckon you might be cutting your time a bit short.
Its a bit like me driving to Sydney ( with a few stops on the way ) and trying to see it all and relax when I got there ( dam near had a nervous break down! " shut your mouth Kimprado!"LOL).
Give us a bit of an insite to what sort of a group your travelling with and what your interests are and Ill try and give you a few ideas.
Cheers
Hairy

Dont forget to go to Ayres Rock too..

A big hunk of rock sticking out of the ground. Very nice too.

Mazdan,

I tried to post this last night but I often have problems on the work computer.

We travelled from Broken Hill to Alice Springs and Ayres Rock and home to Broken Hill in 2002. We were away for 3 weeks.

Day one was BH to Coober Pedy 999km It was a big day but set up the rest of the trip. Overnight in CP then a half day sight seeing around there before heading north to camp at Erldunda. From there we went to Chambers Pillar for via Rainbow Valley and Hugh River Stock Route. htat was a really good day but we were a bit late into CP and got last pick of the camp sites.

Next day we went to Alice along the old rail line sight seeing as we went.

We stayed 5 nights at Macdonald ranges CP. Hadd a good look around town and did day trips to the West Mac and East Mac Ranges. On the West Mac day we just started close to town and worked our way out looking at the tourist spots as we went. Made it as far as Standley Chasm where we had a long walk before headign back to Alice.

When we left Alice we drove out past SC before we started looking at things again. This allowed us to get to Palm Valley for the night while still seeing plenty along the way. We took the tiem for a good swim at Redbank Gorge.

Again we were late into Palm Valley and had to use the overflow camping area which was a long way fromt he facilities but it was quiet.

Next day we had a long walk through the valley and then headed out around Mereenie to Kings Canyon. We stayed two nights in Kings and the walk is magnificent.

From there we went to Yulara where we stayed 3 nights. Can't recommend the camp ground at all.

We met up with friends there and travelled via Finke to Mt Dare. One night camped at Mt Dare, three nights in the Sipson Desert one Birdsville and 2 in Innamincka via Walkers Crossing. On the last day we travelled from Innamincka to BH and that was home.

That was three weeks, four would have been better but it was what we had. We were towing a CT but it does not slow us down any.

theoretically you could do that in 4 weeks from Sydney but it would be a lot of driving. I would do it but then I am used to travelling Sydney BH in one day.

Hope this helps have a good trip,
Duncs

Gday Mazdan,
Here is a bit of an idea on how i would go about seeing what you want to see presuming your comming in from the south.
Starting from the rock on day one...
Set up camp and go do the sunset veiwing of the rock.
In the morning early as possible climb the rock if its open (October your chances are fairly good)

Closure of the Uluru Climb
For safety reasons the climb will be closed under certain circumstances.
Heat - closed at 8:00am if the forecast maximum temperature for Yulara is 36 degrees centigrade or more;
Wind - closed if the estimated wind speed at 2500ft is 25 knots or more;
Storms - closed if there is any storm activity between NW and SW closer than 50km to Uluru;
Rain - closed if there is a greater than 20% chance of rain in the next 3 hours;
Lightning - closed if there is a greater than 5% chance of thunderstorms in the next 3 hours;
Cloud - closed if cloud descends to or below the summit of Uluru;
Darkness - closed from half an hour after sunset to half an hour before sunrise;
Rescue - closed during all rescue operations on Uluru.
Cultural Reasons - closed upon request from Traditional Owners following a death or due to a cultural event or ceremony occurring.

Depending on your fitness head straight over to the olgas and do the walks and then back over to the culture centre.
I cant stand uluru (expensive over rated tourist ripp off!) so I would drive over to Kings Cayon that night If time permits. Otherwise in the morning.
You'd be better off Staying at Kings Creek Staion rather than the resort and might get to see a bit of Station life there as well.
You need a full day to do the Cayon walks and to relax a bit maybe even two days there to unwind.
If you head from there to Boggy hole and come out at hermansberg you could see Palm Valley, Wallace rock hole, Stanley Chasm and Simpsons Gap on your way into Alice. ( probably allow another two days to see all that).
You will need atleast two days in Alice to cover the town stuff that you have listed ( and that will be pushing it)
I reckon youve nearly blown week one already.
If you spent another two days doing the Western Macs you would cover that pretty well ( Ellery, Serpintine, Ormiston,Glen Helen and Redbank George)
If you want to swim through redbank make sure you take some tubes, its about 500m long and once your half way through there is no getting out (sheer smoth cliff faces with nothing to pull your self out of the water with), well worth doing though!
The Eastern Macs will probably take about three days (Coroborree Rock, Trephina George, John Hayes rock holes, Arltunga, Ruby George and Glen Annie.also Ndhala george and rock carvings)
You said about Ross River ( working Cattle Staion ) sorry mate but you couldnt be further from the truth, Just another tourist rip off and arogant wankers as well. Its alright to call in for a beer but they wont even let the kids use the pool unless you book in!
The Arltunga road is a tourist drive that comes out back up the North Stuart Highway, its a nice drive and goes through The Gardens Staion. The Hayes family now own The Gardens and are a pretty nice mob, Im sure if you called them in advance they wouldnt mind you calling in and seeying how they live. (Make sure you ring in advance, unanounced guests usually dont go down too well!)
If you do contact them ask them about Winneke gold mine and see if you can go in there for a look.
There are a few places on your list Ive left out and Ill try and explain why ( some being I dont think you will have time and if you do there are better places I personally would be going first.)
Gosses bluff and Tylers Pass - Just another hill and if you do the loop road from the Canyon youll miss Boggy Hole ( unless you do a lot of back trcking)
Henbury Meteoite Craters - Nothing exiting (IMOA) and out of your way.
Devils Marbles - 390 km North of Alice
The museum - because we dont have one.
Panorama Guth - because it burnt down

As for Aboriginal culture - while your down at the Rock, take a quick cruise through Mititjulu (JOKING!!!!). One of my mates (Central Arrernte bloke) might take you for a look around town and show you the sacered sites and tell you a few sorries. (VB dreaming etc....OOpps I mean Yeperenye Dreaming!) Hes pretty shy and could chicken out but at this stage its looking hopeful. The Strellow centre is worth a look too as far as a culture lesson. Too many of the cultural tours are a crock. They arent done by locals and are not relevant to the area. Example-the first thing they do is sit down and play the didgeridoo. The didg is a top end instrument, never has and never will come from the centre.

Ther are few things you havent listed which would be worth seeing if time permits.
Chambers Pillar
Gem tree
Hugh George
Birthday Waterhole
Ewaninga rock Carvings
Owen Springs
Apparently if you really lucky and are prepaired to hang aroud Hermansburg for a week or so you might even get to see Handy come out of his office and do some work (dont like your chances though!) BUT if you do see him TAKE A PHOTO, otherwise no one will ever belive you!

As for turn offs like Boggy Hole etc I cold pick them up on google earth and give you the coordinates if you want?

As im typing I keep think of more ideas so have a red through this, see if it helps and if you need any more info let me know.
Probably should do it via email hey?
Cheers
Hairy