Places to see & stay: Adelaide to Alice Springs

Submitted: Friday, Feb 29, 2008 at 13:25
ThreadID: 55038 Views:2465 Replies:6 FollowUps:5
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Hi. We (2 adults & 2 children - 8 yr old twin girls) plan to leave early May for a working holiday from Adelaide. We have a Nissan Patrol and an 18ft Outback Expanda. The first part of our trip will be from Adelaide to Alice Springs and would like some recommendations of good places to stay and interesting things to see. How long do you recommend we stay in each place? And, what are the "must see" places?

Can't wait to hear your experiences & recommendations.

Leanne
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Reply By: MEMBER - Darian (SA) - Friday, Feb 29, 2008 at 14:50

Friday, Feb 29, 2008 at 14:50
Do you want some gravel road diversions ? How long do you have for that leg to the Alice ?
AnswerID: 290033

Follow Up By: leeb1973 - Friday, Feb 29, 2008 at 15:18

Friday, Feb 29, 2008 at 15:18
Gravel road diversions are fine. We have as long as we want!! We are going to "play it by ear" and stay longer in places we like (or places that have available work - my husband is a carpenter).
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Follow Up By: MEMBER - Darian (SA) - Friday, Feb 29, 2008 at 19:23

Friday, Feb 29, 2008 at 19:23
Work opportunities up there is a foreign subject to me, but as I'm sure the others here would recommend.....
Get into the Flinders as soon as you can and amble north.
Exit from Arkaroola west over to Parachilna and scoot up to the Oodnadtta track, via Marree. Plenty of the outback to enjoy up there. After Oodnadatta, I'd go via Hamilton and up to Finke, through Eringa and Abminga etc. After Chambers Pillar and up through Maryvale, you could drift into the Alice after a good outback gravel roads run - more interesting than the sealed in my view. I guess you'll be asking about work at every place you pass through on the way - I think the mob here would be interested to hear how it all went - I certainly would.
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Follow Up By: Hairy (NT) - Saturday, Mar 01, 2008 at 01:45

Saturday, Mar 01, 2008 at 01:45
Gday Darian,
Would you tow a van through the places you just sugested if you owned it?
Might be good as a bleep bet or something but I wouldnt recomend it???
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Follow Up By: MEMBER - Darian (SA) - Saturday, Mar 01, 2008 at 09:45

Saturday, Mar 01, 2008 at 09:45
Shoud have said exit Arkaroola via Copley to the west - Parachilna being lower down. Re vans in these general regions - if the van is designed for 'a bit of rough travel' (a whole can of worms I know) I'd have thought a careful driver would be happy up there. Some side trips may indicate leaving the van for awhile - but that's vanning I'm told.
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Reply By: Hairy (NT) - Friday, Feb 29, 2008 at 15:40

Friday, Feb 29, 2008 at 15:40
Gday,
Have you been to the Flinders Ranges?
Apart from them Id stop at the Rock and Olgas and go straight to Alice.
Kings Canyon would be better coming from Alice through Boggy Hole/ Palm valley etc without your van. Same as Rainbow Valley, Chambers Pillar and all the other touristy bits.
Unless you go through the desert there isnt a lot to see on the way up.

Cheers
AnswerID: 290047

Reply By: Member - Kiwi Kia - Friday, Feb 29, 2008 at 17:02

Friday, Feb 29, 2008 at 17:02
Coober Pedy to Painted Desert via Mt Barry and Arkaringa road. You can go on to Oodnadatta or back to Stuart Hwy after Painted Desert.
AnswerID: 290068

Reply By: mfewster - Friday, Feb 29, 2008 at 22:29

Friday, Feb 29, 2008 at 22:29
Gentlemen. He is towing an 18ft expanda caravan. I would not recommend going off well formed gravel roads with minimum corrugations.
AnswerID: 290133

Follow Up By: Hairy (NT) - Saturday, Mar 01, 2008 at 01:47

Saturday, Mar 01, 2008 at 01:47
Yeh ....Im with you mate!!!!
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Reply By: Skippy In The GU - Saturday, Mar 01, 2008 at 06:23

Saturday, Mar 01, 2008 at 06:23
A must see place and stay a few days would be the Clare valley.

You could ride your bike on the Riesling trail ( or hire some from tarlee or Clare )
Visit all the wineries , i think as long as you stick to the trail you won't get done for drink riding

Riesling Trail Bike Hire
AnswerID: 290167

Reply By: leeb1973 - Saturday, Mar 01, 2008 at 16:10

Saturday, Mar 01, 2008 at 16:10
Thanks everyone for your replies.

I should have explained a bit better but we are actually travelling from Adelaide up to Darwin then down the WA coast and back to Adelaide. We have said we will be away from anywhere between 6mths to 2yrs - depending on how much we enjoy ourselves and how the money situation goes :) We think we'll have enough money so that we don't have to worry about work until we get to Darwin and then we could base ourselves there for a while.

I asked for places to stay/see from Adelaide to Alice to get more specific info from that area rather than such a large area like outback SA, NT & WA! And because I got some great ideas don't be suprised if you see me ask again for other "sections" of our intended route :)

Thanks again everyone.
Leanne
AnswerID: 290249

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