Great Central Road Feedback

Hi Bretto

We will be going the opposite direction an a few weeks time. Spoke to someone who had come over a few days ago - they said the WA side was actually better than the NT side (usually people report WA side the bad one). I don't expect it to be in good condition at all.

I would also like to know what are best places to get fuel - any feedback on this appreciated.

Motherhen

Bretto,
did the great cental road in the end off june. Laverton to Giles as smooth as. Giles to the border quite shaley rock but still ok. The border to the Olgas sandy & coorugated. We bushed camped west of Warbuton & stayed at the Docker river camp site (only one other vehicle camped. Diesel at Laverton $2.00 . Warbuton $2.32 . Uluru $2.27. Have a good trip. Agroe

Hi Bretto80, we did it 12 months ago so can't give a recent update on the road but as for where to stay I would be suggest Warburton, when we went over we had planned to stay at Warakurna but circumstances had us stay at Warburton (which by the way was quite good), the next day when we went through Warakurna we were glad that we had stayed at W.

Hope this helps a little. Enjoy your trip

Cheers

D

Hi Bretto
I would prefer to stay at Warakurna.

Cheers

Stephen

Brett,

I was on the top half 4 weeks ago and she's pretty rough and sandy approaching the WA border and crap from the border to the rock (as it always is). Very sandy and corrugated.

Mick

G'day Bretto, have you been up to Empress Spring, a hole with a metal ladder down to an open cave. David Carnegie named the cave in 1896. It is a very isolated place, I and I guess many others have camped there over night by the number of names in the book. Carnegie could have perished if an aboriginal hadn't lead Carnegie and his party to the cave and to a small amount of water that was there.The turn off to the north is just to the west of Tjukayirla roadhouse. The drive through this area is very interesting and it is always good to visit a place of Australian history. give it a go LOS

G'day again Bretto Just looked my notes and another place we camped was just west of the border 24-59- 175s 128-44-184e it a small track that leads of south and then rejoins the GCR prefect for an overnighter and no visitors LOS

Hi. We just got back from our trip and found this stretch of road in good condition. Was able to sit on the speed limit most of the way only having to slow for a few not so good spots. Fuel was up to $2.60 a ltr at Warburton. We did not like the look of the camp sites so we found a place in the bush outside the reserve lands to camp, so can not help you there. NT side of the road did have some soft spots breaking out. Regards Tony

Was on the road a few days ago. As others have said - corrugated and sandy on the NT side of the border, and very good (better than many tar roads) on the majority of the WA side. (from Laverton to Giles). Giles to the NT border was OK.

Diesel was $2.05 at Yulara/Ayers Rock and $1.85 at Laverton (I didn't need any fuel along the way, so can't comment on the price at roadhouses like Warburton).

Hope the info helps.

John

Hi Bretto, We got back a week and a half ago, We went from Laverton to Yulara on the Great Central Road and it was a good road all the way to Warakurna. We chose to drive on to the Docker River campsite which was a bad mistake as the road between Warakurna and Docker River was terrible but, our on our off road camper mover sideways enough to snap the fitting and drop our water out. Fortunately we were carrying heaps more. It was annoying but not too much of a concern. We passed a couple of graders along the way. The Docker river camp while in a lovely spot was dirty, there was no water for the flush toilets or shower and as we chose to pay our $10 on the way in before checking it out, we were very annoyed. there was also no firewood as all we had read about this camp had led us to believe. I think they need to stop advertising this camp if it isn't going to be maintained. The road from Docker River to a few kms short of the Olga's was pretty ordinary but you would do the whole road in a conventional vehicle IF you took it slowly. On the way back the graders had done a wonderful job of ironing out the corrugation's on the WA side of the border all the way to Warakurna. This time we decided to stop there overnight and what the BOM guys launch their weather balloon next morning. It was an interesting tour of the facilities. We were totally blown away by the beauty of the outlook that these guys have out of their office window. We left there and headed for Warburton. We chose to come home via the Heather Hwy and the Gunbarrell. Heather Hwy was very slow going to say the least. The Gunbarrell was a little better. They were both rough.
Hope this helps
Rena