Is this Trek to Ambitious ???

Submitted: Wednesday, Nov 21, 2007 at 13:44

ThreadID: 51850 Views:3864 Replies:13 FollowUps:2

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Steve from Top End Explorer Tours

I am going to Cairns with the little man for Xmas, After Xmas I will take the little man ( 5 1/2) on His first trip of a Life time.

I will go down the coast to Frazer Island ( done that last year ) then to Longreach, this is were I need your advice, I would like to go to Innaminka then to Maree and then ??.

Is it to ambitious to go to Birdsville and across to Dalhousie to Mt Dare,to Oodnadatta, or would it be better from Maree to go to Oodnadatta then on Marla up to Kulgera to Finke and chambers pillar then on to Alice.

My set will be: L/cruiser 100 series with off road camper trailer, Camper trailer will have a 2 tonne axel and 2 spares, the car will have 3 spares 2 cranking batteries and 2 deep cycle batteries, a draw system that will have 2 fridges ( 115 lt capacity easy 2 weeks provisions ), I will carry 120 lt water 280 lt fuel including car, a comprehensive tool kit and I know how to use it, essential spare parts, a 1 kva gen set + fuel 4 x 5 meter x 0.5 meter rolls of carpet, compressor, 1 spare spring for trailer, and a spare deep cycle battery in the camper.

Travelling in mid Jan on our own, I have looked at the trek notes and I am confident we can handle the heat.

My 4wd experience is over 25 years, but little desert treks, some in the Tanami and Finke to Alice last year.

Looking forward to some experienced replies.

Thanks in advance.

Cheers Steve.

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Reply By: Wizard1 - Wednesday, Nov 21, 2007 at 13:56

Wednesday, Nov 21, 2007 at 13:56

At that time of the year it would be too ambitious. The heat in that part of the world would be too much to bear. It certainly would be memorable for all the wrong reasons.

Most people travel the deserts in during the cooler months for good reason.

AnswerID: 272940

Reply By: QLD Kev & Darkie - Wednesday, Nov 21, 2007 at 14:30

Wednesday, Nov 21, 2007 at 14:30

Steve,

I think the heat will make the sand very soft to be travelling that time of year, You may be limited to early morning travel to maximise travel distance and minimise vehicle strain.

Have you thought about crossing via the Plenty highway?? I am not sure of the conditions of it at that time of year.

I am sure you will make an informed decision which ever way you go.

Good Luck

Cheers Kev

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He was presented with a difficult decision: push on into the stretching deserts, or return home to his wife.

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Reply By: Willem - Wednesday, Nov 21, 2007 at 14:35

Wednesday, Nov 21, 2007 at 14:35

Steve

In mid January I hide in the cool spots as much as I can. But I have learned from experience.

The deserts will be hot and no amount of equipment is going to make travelling comfortable.

Your part of the world is hot and the humidity is high in the summer months . In the southern regions summer day time temps can get into the high 40's with ground temps even higher. The heat can be searing.

I'm not saying your trek cannot be done. I know of people who have gone out into the Simpson and the Gibson Deserts in the heat of summer.

The thing is, that what you do, is to increase the risk factor

Its up to you to make the final decision

Cheers

AnswerID: 272944

Reply By: Ralph C - Wednesday, Nov 21, 2007 at 15:17

Wednesday, Nov 21, 2007 at 15:17

Hi Steve,
My wife and I have just come back (June to Sept) from doing a trip which included a trek up the Oodnadatta track across to Mt Dare, Dalhousie springs, Marla, Marree, Finke, Alice not necessarily in that order. We didn't do the Birdsville track. It was plenty hot enough then. At Christmas there will be few travellers out there and there is the ever present threat of monsoonal rains being the wet season.
We have a modified 80 series 'Cruiser and were towing a Jayco Hawk weighing approx 1500 kilos laden. All up weight of our rig estimated at under 4000kg. To be frank I agree with other comments on the forum re the heat. The risk of dehydration / Elecrolyte imbalance, particularly of a small person (whose ratio of skin surface area to body mass is much greater than an adult) Also I think you might find you are too heavily laden and will notice a drop off in performance if you have a turbo diesel when travelling in the afternoon.
Finally, we were stranded at Mt Dare for 6 days due to an mechanic re-using the locking tabs on our front hubs. The front left hub came undone and caused thousands of dollars worth of damage. Worth getting your hubs checked by an expert before you go and carry two spare locking tabs. Only $2-6 each.
Cheers Ralph

AnswerID: 272949

Reply By: Member - Doug T (FNQ) - Wednesday, Nov 21, 2007 at 15:25

Wednesday, Nov 21, 2007 at 15:25

Steve
Birdsville -Marree OK Innaminka - Maree OK
Birdsville to Dalhousie to Mt Dare,to Oodnadatta A BIG NO, that means Simpson Desert , I'm not saying it could not be done but NOT ALONE. I would do SD in Summer but only with a convoy and only about 2 days after a good rain.

Doug

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AnswerID: 272952

Reply By: Member - Dick (Int) - Wednesday, Nov 21, 2007 at 16:01

Wednesday, Nov 21, 2007 at 16:01

Steve

You are well equipped and I think most of the trip can be done in the summer but if you breakdown (and have no air con running) on any remote road, then the heat can lead to a disaster with children involved. You appear to be very heavily loaded and that in itself would worry me. What do you estimate your weight to be.

Under no circumstances attempt Birdsville to Dalhouse as the risk is too great. Some days, after rain you could drive across with no problems but other days the hot sand is almost undrivable. In the summer it is unlikely there will be other vehicles out in the desert so you only need to get bogged on a dune and you have a disaster. Even if you call for help, it could take days for someone to reach you.

A trailer is hard work in the desert, and even harder (near impossible) in the summer.

In the late 60's I flew in that area in the summer and also drove across twice but I knew I could always call support if I had to. The desert was full of oil crews then and help would not have been more than a few hours away.

Just my thoughts.

Cheers
Dick

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Reply By: Member - Phil G (SA) - Wednesday, Nov 21, 2007 at 16:43

Wednesday, Nov 21, 2007 at 16:43

We did a family holiday in Innamincka after Xmas one year. Had a good time - we had good shade, cooled off in the waterholes, spent a lot of time swimming, and ducked down to the pub in the afternoons because it was air conditioned. Great night at new years eve too. But sometimes it was 47 degrees in the shade.

But out in the desert, you have no shade, no water to cool off in, and the heat and flies are worse. Give that bit a miss.

AnswerID: 272964

Reply By: Steve from Top End Explorer Tours - Wednesday, Nov 21, 2007 at 19:15

Wednesday, Nov 21, 2007 at 19:15

My fear was Xing from Birdsville to Dalhousie, I may consider Longreach, Innaminka, Maree, Oodnadatta, Painted Desert,Coober Pedy , Kulgera, Lamberts center, Finke, Chambers pillar, Alice.

We wanted to do the Oodnadatta track same time last year, but it flooded the day before we got there, so we did the Finke track instead.

Unfortunately when we did it I couldn't walk as I did my knee in Melbourne, so I am keen to go back.

The only problem is this is the only time I can do such treks, As my tour season doesn't permit any other time.

Just to clear a few things up, my trailer will only be about 1000 kgs,

1/2 the water and fuel will be in or on the car, the axel will be 2 tonne rated not loaded, I also have a Sat phone a proper first aid kit and a Senior First Aid Certificate.

I will heed all your advice, I will make all decisions based on info after phone calls to police roadhouses etc.

I understand that the heat in the desert is different, I will treat it accordingly, but as I type it is 38 and about 90% humidity, we have had days recently of over 42 in the shade and the ground temp on the escarpment reaches 70 +.

Thanks for your advice, as I said I will only go if it safe to do so.

Cheers Steve.

AnswerID: 272989

Follow Up By: Member - Kiwi Kia - Wednesday, Nov 21, 2007 at 21:01

Wednesday, Nov 21, 2007 at 21:01

Hi Steve, As you know one of the problems with travel in remote areas is getting help if required. I travelled a lot of the areas that you intend to cover a few months ago and I felt more alone between Oodnadatta and Charlotte Waters then I did in the Simpson, didn't see one vehicle above Oodnadatta but saw about eight vehicles each day in the Simpson. So, even if you don't travel through the Simpson I suspect that you still won't see very many vehicles anywhere out there in the heat at that time of the year. It's also possible that shops/fuel locations may be closed (Maryvale, Mt Dare etc.) as no sensible :-) people will be traveling at that time of the year.

FollowupID: 536339

Reply By: Peter 2 - Wednesday, Nov 21, 2007 at 19:19

Wednesday, Nov 21, 2007 at 19:19

I'd give it very serious thought.
Having been out in the SD about twenty odd trips over the last 25 years, some when the roads were 2wd, several times in sept/oct when temps were in the high 40's and low 50's I wouldn't even consider it.
We've got friends and acquaintances that live in these areas and that time of the year not much gets done through the heat of the day, usually only in the early morning and evening.
Everything is fine while the vehicle is going well, a puncture and the effort required to change a wheel in those temps will nearly do you in when you aren't used to it.
When we've been out there in sept/oct you literally cannot drink enough to replace lost fluids the heat is so dry. The sand is like powder during the heat of the day and after sunset everything radiates the heat back at you.

AnswerID: 272992

Follow Up By: Peter 2 - Wednesday, Nov 21, 2007 at 19:23

Wednesday, Nov 21, 2007 at 19:23

bugger! hit send before I'd finished.
By all means travel the highways and main roads, travel in the cool of the day and keep a constant eye on tyres and the cooling system but give the remote stuff a miss.
As Willem said you will probably find the trip will be memorable for the wrong reasons but a worthwhile experience.

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Reply By: Nick R (VIC) - Wednesday, Nov 21, 2007 at 19:23

Wednesday, Nov 21, 2007 at 19:23

I have no desert experience yet but all the above posts seem to make sense, I stayed in the Barossa 2 summers ago and it was uncomfortable.
I think the trip is a bit ambitious for another reason, while your vehicle seems well prepared I think the 5 1/2 year old will be bored to tears with all the driving, you'll need a good compliment of Bob the Builder stuff, Wiggles stuff, Telly Tubbies stuff, you get the picture......

Nick

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Reply By: Louie the fly - Wednesday, Nov 21, 2007 at 20:03

Wednesday, Nov 21, 2007 at 20:03

I think you need to keep in mind that he is only 5 1/2 also (which I'm sure you have). You want 'His first trip of a Life time' to be memorable for both of you for all the good reasons. Last thing you want is for him to want to go home coz its too hot or something like that. Having traveled the outback with kids good planning is a must. I want to do this with my son, going on 13. Trouble is I can't drag him away from his sport long enough.

Good luck.

AnswerID: 273001

Reply By: Steve from Top End Explorer Tours - Thursday, Nov 22, 2007 at 00:14

Thursday, Nov 22, 2007 at 00:14

As stated above I will only travel this way if plausible.

My I say that I have no hesitation in taking the little man along, He loves the bush and follows me everywhere, we spend time fishing and going bush when ever we can, he just loves coming on tour with me.

He travels well he has been to the Kimberley, Germany twice, and 14000 km trip 1/2 way round the block early this year, he knows when he is thirsty, he can walk 7-8 kms a day in 30+ heat, and does it like his old man bare foot.

If it's to hot or to wet and we can't go that way, we will find some were else to go and have a ball doing it.

Once again thanks for the advise.

Cheers Steve.

AnswerID: 273052