How much planning do you do?

How far do you intend to travel in 6 weeks?? ACT to "up the west coast"?? What and back again,in 6 weeks. Up the west coast = Broome?. Sounds like a lot of km's in a short time.
Two drivers and only stopping for fuel, you should have plenty of time :)))

Chris

Having a vague idea of what's ahead suits me, but after that, then just taking it as it comes.

I don't know whether it's because we are over-governed/regulated causing many to over-control their lives, or if it's just in their nature, but it seems to me that too many people won't just go out and enjoy it as it comes.

Then again, maybe I'm too lazy to do the planning?

I suppose it depends on the type of person that you are.

Banjo (WA)

Yep, Sounds like a lot of driving and not a lot of looking around. If you just want to do it to be able to say you've done it then OK, but if you want to see some of the countryside then 6 weeks is way short.

Hi CS

We did Melb.-west up west coast-cross to Katherine-down the centre -home in 6 weeks. Still found time to see quite a lot. But, there's no substitute for planning, booking ahead etc. Don't miss eighty mile beach c/van park, just south of Broome, deelightful place.

Regards

Roosey

Hi Chris,

No substitute for local knowledge. Have a good look at the advertising brochures at visitors centres, a lot of it is advertising hype but if something interests you ask the locals about it.

Chris

Being a well seasoned traveller, I only plan the route and where I might need to refuel. This plan will include a more or less time-frame. Most of my travel these days is to remote locations having done the coastal thing in years gone by. I don't think that I have ever booked ahead, except last year, when booking into a carvan park in Karratha was essential. Most of the time it is pot luck and only about 10% of camps have ever been in caravan parks. We bush camp all of the time

The Great Ocean Road, Barossa Valley and the South West of WA is a must do on your travels.

Cheers

Depends where you think you may go. We normally do planning for fuel or food reasons and as a reminder of what is where (getting old and the memory is not what it was). Sometimes fuel is only available on some days or certain times. Often we have a list of things we think we may like to see. If there is a big town a visit to the Visitors center will get you started most times. I doubt you will miss the "big" tourist type things this way. The Hema maps often have a lot of things marked on them.

We put all this into an Excel spreadsheet with the distances and road type. This allows you to book services if required. A lot of places are booked solid for weeks in peak season. It also lets you work out at a glance how long the next bit may take. ie stop at 2pm of go on type decisions. We have estimated days on there as well, if only to allow us to book enough leave. It is NOT a timetable. We often change things, skip bits, stay extra time at places we like, take a route we found out about while travelling. The problem we have found with having no idea what you want to do is that you end up doing nothing but driving for 8 hours a day for your entire holiday.

Steve

I don't think you have to plan everywhere you go or everything you do, but I would at the minimum work out how far I would be driving (including 100's of kms in side trips) and divide that by the number of days I was going away for, then decide if it was a realistic figure. It depends on how much time you want to spend relaxing or fishing or whatever, and how much time you want to spend behind the wheel. If the average daily km's was over a few 100 km, I would probably decide on a closer destination.

I would make sure it wasn't the time of year that a particular area had its highest rainfall or that it is the tourist season. Or perhaps things like annual fishing contests which attract people from all over and fill up caravan parks and camp grounds.

Booking caravan park sites.

If you only staying for 1 or 2 nights. You should not need to book ahead for W.A. outside of school holidays. Especially if you arrive before midday.

Its a pain in the butt having to plan your trip down to the day and book all the accommodation in advance - if you've not ever visited the town/park before.

Disclaimer: This is my humble opinion. Do you own research.

I always plan food, fuel, route and a rough itinerary. If travelling during holiday periods will always book ahead to save on angst of getting somewhere and having nowhere to stay.

Depending on how far up the West Coast you want to go will also have some bearing. North of Canarvon and you are heading into cyclone season at that time of the year and its getting hot. North of Broome and its the wet season - so you might end up staying longer than planned.

South of Canarvon around to Esperance and the WA/SA border its getting into holiday day season and you may have to book in some places.

Karl

I've done a fairly detailed plan, although I have no problems changing it on the fly. however we're pretty organised people so will probably follow it pretty closely.

I've done this so we can see what's coming up and so we don't drive past things that we know we'd like to see/do. No good finding out something is 100, 200 or more kilometres back! When you're on a tight timeframe, is probably more important to plan than if you've got the rest of your life to wander around the countryside. Just depends on your trip expectations.

Cheers, Nige

Hi Chris,

I think you are already planning. That's what this question is.

I would plan a route work out in broad terms what you want to see and do and then be prepared to chuck it all away.

At a basic level I would invest in a good atlas of Australia, a map book which has good maps and some info places. On our first trip which was to WA we used See Australia by 4wd, but there are many such publications available now.

One trip to a good map shop should equip you with all you need for a basic level of planning. Keep the books in the car with you and as one drives the other can read about the places you are approaching. Our kids do a lot of the reading while on trips and they have found some very interesting places in the books they read as we travelled.

Duncs

You will need a movie camera because you wont have time to stop for still photos.
I have done many "quick trips" during my working life but mainly flew (more correctly travelled by plane) to the main centre and hired camper from there. Never had any plan other than follow my nose and remember the day to be back at the airport. Now in retirement I have allocated 15 years to fill in the gaps in what I know I missed.

Neil

Thanks for all the replies folks!

Sounds like there is, like in everything else, a big range in what people do and how much they plan.

For those that think this is a short time frame for the trip, in some regards I'd agree, but given that we've done the trip to Perth and back in 3 weeks with 10 days in Perth on two seperate occasions this trip will be a relative doddle ;)

Thanks heaps for all the input, I guess the general idea is that at least a little bit of forward planning is a good idea ;)

Well, so much for the massive lazy streak in me! better get planning, starting with looking fo rthe new 4 wheeler ;)

Cheers,

Chris

We used to do a detailed itinerary, meal planner, panrty list etc etc. Now we do a basic meal planner and pantry list first that will cover the time away. Then we will list the places we would like to see on the trip and then leave it at that. We found that it was impossible to stick to an itinerary as we found great places and sh$t places which are not what they are described to be by websites, others etc.

Just enjoy the trip and play itby ear.

Regards
David

Interesting point raised earlier. 6 weeks/15000klm. 3 services. A bit of planning just around that I guess.

Nowadays we don't really plan at all. Just work out a few places we will travel via getting somewhere and head off. Forget something? Just pick it up at the nearest Kmart, Bunnings or Woollies. Yup they're everwhere.

I remember our first trip across the Nullabor 1984. Planned for months. Bought all the books on the outback. Stocked up on all the recovery gear etc.

Bitumen all the way. Nothin to it.

Went to Darwin and back [from Eastern Vic] a couple of years ago. Didn't plan, except for dates I had to be places for my business. Just had a walk around the shed and rest of the house and threw together a few things the day before and off I went.

Unless you are going off the beaten track, across deserts or onto private property, most of Australia has all mod cons.

Just do it!

We went to Darwin about 3 years ago, with friends in a Patrol. We had an appointment with a footie match, and took one week up the centre to get there and one week to get back through Queensland.

We didn't want to drive in reduced light or at night, so had to book ahead for the cabins we stayed in, in some cases booking the same day whilst on the road!

Fuel was the main issue, and making sure we kept up with our plan. We managed to see a lot of the sights on the trip.

9750 kms in 2 weeks! We're planning for our next trip but we're going to take our time this go around!

Enjoy your trip!

We always do a bit of reseach and a rough itinererary/plan. Always have a lay day planned here and there in case of suprises. Normally book ahead while on the road for busy places.
We are heading across the Nulabour and up the West Coast to Broome then down the Tanami and home leaving early June (like a heap of other people). Taking about 7 weeks for the 15K and mostly staying in National Parks where we can.

Can I recommend "Roads and tracks of Western Australia" (spiral bound) as an excellent tour guide for our great state.