Great Central Road Feedback

Submitted: Sunday, Oct 26, 2008 at 16:45

ThreadID: 62897 Views:3260 Replies:4 FollowUps:2

This Thread has been Archived

Great Central Road

Part of the "Outback Way", the Great Central Road is the main thoroughfare through Central Australia and links WA to NT. It is widely used by buses, trucks, 4WD and occasionally 2WD vehicles.

Great Central Road

Section: Treks

The Great Central Road is the main thoroughfare through Central Australia and links WA to NT. It is mostly unsealed but is widely used by buses, trucks, 4WD and occasionally 2WD vehicles.

Teago

Would it be OK to tow a 17' off road van across?> Cheers teago

Back Expand Un-Read 0 Moderator Share

Reply By: Member - Kiwi Kia - Sunday, Oct 26, 2008 at 17:02

Sunday, Oct 26, 2008 at 17:02

It was in pretty good condition a month ago. Very few patches of corrugations. Just another good outback dirt road these days.

AnswerID: 331972

Follow Up By: Member - Tony B (QLD) - Sunday, Oct 26, 2008 at 18:02

Sunday, Oct 26, 2008 at 18:02

I agree with that. Its a highway in fact. Just drive to the current conditions, there were many vans doing the trip when I was out there a couple of months ago and they were cruising on 60 - 80k. Cheers Tony

FollowupID: 599844

Reply By: Member - Mick O (VIC) - Sunday, Oct 26, 2008 at 17:06

Sunday, Oct 26, 2008 at 17:06

I was on it two and a half months ago and it was pretty corrugated and sandy between the NT/WA Border and Yulara. That's the normal state of affairs for that section. Fair to poor between the WA border and Warburton and fairly good from Warburton west.

You should be fine. Cheers Mick

''We knew from the experience of well-known travelers that the
trip would doubtless be attended with much hardship.''
Richard Maurice - 1903

Lifetime Member
My Profile My Blog My Position Send Message

AnswerID: 331974

Follow Up By: Motherhen - Sunday, Oct 26, 2008 at 23:03

Sunday, Oct 26, 2008 at 23:03

The NT stretch was freshly graded a few days before we came through mid September. Prior to that people had come across a road train sand bogged right in the middle of the road. Residual corrugations are never cut out completely, so it may well be bad again by now.

Teago, it is just a dirt road - we have been on better and we have been on worse. Let your tyres down all round and take it easy. The 'locals' even travel in sedans.

Motherhen

Motherhen

Red desert dreaming

Lifetime Member
My Profile My Blog Send Message

FollowupID: 599888

Reply By: Peter_n_Margaret - Sunday, Oct 26, 2008 at 17:14

Sunday, Oct 26, 2008 at 17:14

Agree with the above. Came up late '07.
Suspension pins and bushes & springs are the top failure items on trailers. Shockies would be an advantage too, if you can fit them.

Cheers,
Peter
OKA196 Motorhome

AnswerID: 331975

Reply By: Wayne's 60 - Sunday, Oct 26, 2008 at 19:51

Sunday, Oct 26, 2008 at 19:51

Hi Teago,
As you can see from the mixed replies, it's all to do with your perspective on how badly corrugated a road is. We were there four weeks ago and while parts of it were very good to drive on, other parts were not so good.
One couple we spoke with, when we were at Giles, had driven from Laverton in one go and were happy sitting between 100 and 110 kph. We were not happy with trying to match that speed and took most of the day to travel from Giles to Tjukayirla Roadhouse. There was also a very nice looking trailer at the weather station, with broken springs, that was waiting to be flat-bedded back to Yulara.

As said in the preceding posts, drive to your capabilities, your vehicle's capabilities and the road conditions as you see them.

Have a great trip and I wish we were back out there again.

Cheers,
Wayne & Sally.

AnswerID: 331998