Hyden - Kalgoorlie

Hi bgreeni

It is a good wide gravel road, well maintained for road trains servicing the mines (watch out for them).

It is also a well signed tourist route with interesting rocks and features along the way. Call in at The Breakaways - very colourful rocks.

Unless it is bucketing down with rain, it is a good 2wd road.

Motherhen

Hi Bruce

As Motherhen says the Hyden Norseman rd is a good dirt road, the Victoria Rock road from the Hyden Norseman rd to Coolgardie was pretty cut up the last time we travelled it in 2005.

I'm talking about the southern section after the Woodline Rd meets it travailing south from cave hill, is link Site Link

we have travelled it twice and was in the same state both times, it is near the lakes,

You could do it in a 2WD but not alone and not at this time of the year.

very much no mans land out there you would be safer in the Simpson Desert

Cheers

Richard

ps someone else was traveling the Holland track this week with kids, I think there mad... ;-)

Hi Bruce

I have spent my boxing day holiday today getting together a report of our September tour of the Goldfields, during which we travelled along the Hyden-Norseman Road, as well as the Victoria Rock Road, which as Richard has mentioned is cut up badly at the southern section. It has been cut up with deep wheel ruts when it was wet, and this first few kilometres was slow travelling in order to dodge the ruts. After leaving the Shire of Dundas, the road is much better. It could be travelled with a sedan with caution and very slowly, but high clearance would be better. If in doubt, try it as you'll soon meet the worst as you head north from Lake Johnston, and if you need to turn back, continue on and go to Kalgoorlie via Norseman.

In fine weather, most of the roads we travelled are easy 2wd. We did also take a number of real bush tracks, for which high clearance would be wise, but these were additional to the way you have chosen.

My report is posted on the caravaners forum.

http://au.msnusers.com/Caravanersforum/Documents/Documents%20folder/Goldfields2007%2Edoc

Motherhen

I came across the Nullabor and took the Norseman-Hyden road on Sunday 2nd December. I was in a GU Patrol with a standard 7"x4" box trailer. The road was in good condition and the corrugations weren't too bad. Averaged about 80-90km/h comfortably and the trailer had no dramas. I wouldn't take a standard trailer there again though, EVERYTHING in it was covered in thick orange dust...

I am back from the trip. As mentioned the southern end of the Victoria Rock road is not good, but I managed to get through in the fairlane, though at one point I nearly chickened out and turned back. Coolgardie shire seem to take more of an interest than Dundas shire with some improvement when you cross the boundary. It certainly is lonely out there with not a car passed between the turnoff and Coolgardie. Hot to - thermometer showed 51 at one stage.

I would think hard before tackling it in a low clearance 2WD again.

Bruce