cairns to perth

Submitted: Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 at 14:23
ThreadID: 66103 Views:2905 Replies:7 FollowUps:18
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Hi,
We're planning to drive all the way from Cairns to Perth during the month of March.
I think we'll cross QLD and NSW to arrive @ Port Augusta then form there to Kalgoorlie then Perth?
I'd an experienced advice about the road and about the weather at this time of the year. I've been told Kalgoorlie/Perth could be flooded if there is a cyclone around...
All advice is good to take...
Thanks in advance
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Reply By: get outmore - Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 at 15:00

Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 at 15:00
never heard of the road between coolgardie and perth (it doesnt go through kalgoorlie)
being flooded
gets closed occasionally for bushfires-thats about it
AnswerID: 349886

Follow Up By: marie&xavi - Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 at 15:23

Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 at 15:23
Ok cheers
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Follow Up By: Foxhound (WA) - Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 at 15:41

Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 at 15:41
There is a sealed deviation that turns off the Norseman Coolgardie road through Kambalda to Kalgoorlie, about 100K from memory.
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Follow Up By: new boy - Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 at 16:21

Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 at 16:21
Get out more
It DID flood on that road before Global warming /climate change ect round Barndee and the other little siding name eludes me both siding are gone now this was back early 60's .I drove to Merredin in a mini delux at 8pm went through the first patch of water OK but being young forgot to dry the brakes so when I hit the second patch and the brakes I was already 20 feet into it to embrassed to back out so went to 1st and kept going the mini made it and I got some strange looks on the other side but admit more good luck than managment.
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Follow Up By: Motherhen - Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 at 16:48

Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 at 16:48
Probably back in the days of the 'floodways' or 'spoon drains' as they were known, before they put culverts across the water courses New Boy.

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Follow Up By: get outmore - Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 at 17:04

Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 at 17:04
sure it can flood anywhere but along that road as it is today the chances are so remote you wouldnt consider it
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Follow Up By: DIO - Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 at 18:13

Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 at 18:13
By the way floods have occured out on the Nullabor. Remember some years ago, big rains in the goldfields washed out the Transcontinental link between Perth and the rest of the world. Caused heap big damage too.
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Follow Up By: marie&xavi - Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 at 18:56

Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 at 18:56
Ok, so March is definitly not a good time to cross Australia!!! lol
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Follow Up By: Motherhen - Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 at 19:29

Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 at 19:29
Even cyclonic rain closing roads in that area usually clears away in a day or two. Closure for fires is usually only a few hours to a day, and if longer than a few hours, there are alternative routes (may involve good dirt roads). March is a bit late in the year for cyclones.

Mh
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Reply By: Foxhound (WA) - Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 at 15:52

Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 at 15:52
The road from Port Augusta across to Perth is in good condition, I travelled it only a few months ago. Best fuel prices at Nundroo,Eucla , Mundrabilla Norseman. Weather will be fairly hot that time of year,don`t worry about flooding unless there has been a big cyclone up north west. Have a good trip.
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Follow Up By: marie&xavi - Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 at 16:40

Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 at 16:40
Ok. thanks for that!
Is there enough petrol station or better to bring back up?
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Reply By: bgreeni - Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 at 17:17

Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 at 17:17
If coming from FNQ, have you thought about going via Mt Isa, 3 ways and Alice. Cuts a lot of time of as you can travel faster in the NT.

Also you can cut across from North of Glendambo to Wirulla to save some distance (Need to check road condition on that short cut)

Of course you would also need to check rain/floods through Western Qld.

Certainly no need to carry fuel as available every few hundred km.

Bruce
AnswerID: 349905

Reply By: marie&xavi - Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 at 17:42

Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 at 17:42
Hi,
Yes we thought about going through Mt Isa and Alice Springs, we just weren't too sure about the road conditions....
all this part it's sealed I guess?
We're not 4X4 experienced drivers so we don't want to get stuck!!!
AnswerID: 349908

Follow Up By: bgreeni - Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 at 17:46

Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 at 17:46
Certainly all sealed if you go via Port Augusta. The worst bit is Mt Isa to the border. The short cut is dirt but is supposedly suitable for 2WD - ie good dirt/gravel.
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Reply By: marie&xavi - Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 at 17:48

Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 at 17:48
Ok, Thanks Bruce
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Reply By: marie&xavi - Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 at 17:48

Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 at 17:48
oh and do we need permit to cross there?
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Follow Up By: DIO - Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 at 18:12

Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 at 18:12
Probably need one to enter and leave the QLD & NT !!

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Follow Up By: bgreeni - Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 at 18:13

Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 at 18:13
Don't know, but I think not. Others might be able to advise.
This link Road condition gives the road condition
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Follow Up By: marie&xavi - Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 at 18:58

Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 at 18:58
Yeah i'll check out the road condition...
Thanks for your help guys
I'll have to check for the permits!!!
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Reply By: Motherhen - Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 at 19:31

Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 at 19:31
marie&xavi, you may have noticed from recent events, that the southern half of WA is indeed the luckiest region in Australia when it comes to damaging floods and fires.

Mh
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Follow Up By: furph - Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 at 20:25

Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 at 20:25
Sorry Mh, have to disagree there.
Up here in the New England district of NSW, right on top of the Great Dividing range, 1100m.a.s.l., we can never have a flood. With the regular, annual cool weather burn off (it actually never gets tooo hot) bushfires are a non event also.
But I have lived with floods and fire (East Gippsland) and have compassion for what some people must endure.
furph
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Follow Up By: Motherhen - Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 at 20:54

Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 at 20:54
Hi furph - sounds like heaven. How did the region fare in the recent NSW droughts?

Mh
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Follow Up By: get outmore - Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 at 21:14

Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 at 21:14
Some of ausralias biggest bushfires occur in southern WA - You dont hear much of them normally except like when the 3 truckies were killed. these fires often burn for months. the fire that burnt out the holland track was not fought until it had burnt all the way almost to the start of the weatbelt.

we had a fire burning south of work (north of norseman) for a month and a half
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Follow Up By: Motherhen - Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 at 21:50

Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 at 21:50
Very true get outmore. So far this year we have had two big fires right here where i live. In January, the greater part of half our Shire was burnt out, with seven dwelling lost, but fortunately no fatalities. Last weekend, another was in the majority in forests, and again no fatalities. We were blanketted in thick smoke, and could smell bush burning, but with the smoke blanket reducing visibility and changing wind directions, there was no way to ascertain from observation which way the threat lay. We have had at least two other fires which have caused concern in this period. Compared to Victoria this year, we are indeed the lucky state. Even fires in NSW and SA have probably been more damaging. In remote areas, scrub fires often do burn for months.

No comments on reasons for this from theorists please, this thread is to answer marie&xavi's question.

Mh
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Follow Up By: get outmore - Friday, Feb 20, 2009 at 00:23

Friday, Feb 20, 2009 at 00:23
canr remember exactly but pretty sure VIC has the highest percentage of the states population NOT living in the capitol

may have a small influence as to why so much property and more importantly lives are at risk during fires in that state
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