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Submitted: Tuesday, Apr 28, 2009 at 21:53

ThreadID: 68337 Views:3213 Replies:7 FollowUps:5

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Member - John & Kaye (QLD)

Hi All

We've just joined ExplorOz - it looks like a great site!

We have just rented out our house so we will be heading off on the big trip at the end of next week (Friday 8 May...we hope).

We have a Landrover Disco3 (diesel) and an Odyssey Signature camper trailer. We have done a couple of 6-week trips, both coastal and outback (as far as Windorah) and are very happy with our rig so far....

Our idea at this stage is to head west to Boulia, then across the Plenty Hwy into the Northern Territory. If anyone has travelled this road recently we would be VERY interested to hear what the road conditions are like.

After that, we are a bit undecided as to whether we should go south to have a look at Alice Springs, and then head up the Tanami Rd to the Kimberley.....or to head north to Darwin andKakadu, and then around to the Kimberley.

Any and all opinions would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers
John & Kaye

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Reply By: Member - Mick O (VIC) - Tuesday, Apr 28, 2009 at 22:18

Tuesday, Apr 28, 2009 at 22:18

Welcome aboard John & Kay,

sounds like the world is your oyster at the moment. So many choices and all the time in the world to make it happen. You'll find the site provides a wealth of info and we hope you'll contribute as well with trip and track reports and perhaps blogs and photos of your travels.

Welcome and enjoy your trip.

Mick.

Plenty (of Dust) Hwy

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

Lifetime Member
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AnswerID: 362153

Follow Up By: Member - Min (NSW) - Wednesday, Apr 29, 2009 at 09:51

Wednesday, Apr 29, 2009 at 09:51

Hi Mick,

We are also planning to travel the Plenty in early June. I read your blog which was informative but can you comment on the Donohue as it is by all accounts a different story?

Any info, especially recent, would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

FollowupID: 629968

Follow Up By: Willem - Wednesday, Apr 29, 2009 at 11:49

Wednesday, Apr 29, 2009 at 11:49

John n Min

The Donohue Hwy was upgraded in 2007 to a 100kmh dirt highway with caution of course on bends and dips. A very smooth drive then in July of that year.

Ity depends whether or not road trains have been trucking cattle which could soon churn the road into bulldust or corrugations.
The recent floods in the area may have affected the road though.

Best thing to do is to ring the Shire Office at Boulia as ask them what the condition is before you leave.

Cheers

FollowupID: 629992

Follow Up By: Member - Min (NSW) - Wednesday, Apr 29, 2009 at 17:53

Wednesday, Apr 29, 2009 at 17:53

Many thanks Willem. We will call Boulia Shire Office as suggested.

FollowupID: 630054

Reply By: Member - Fred B (NT) - Tuesday, Apr 28, 2009 at 22:26

Tuesday, Apr 28, 2009 at 22:26

Hello John & Kaye,
welcome to the zoo... (: .... Enjoy the trip and if you do decide to visit our piece of heaven, you will enjoy it. There is lots to see and do. All the best.

Fred B
VKS 737: Mobile/Selcall 1334

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AnswerID: 362157

Reply By: Member - Rick P (NT) - Wednesday, Apr 29, 2009 at 07:30

Wednesday, Apr 29, 2009 at 07:30

Welcome to the zoo as fred said. Sounds like your on the right track, spend some time in the Alice though, East & West McDonald Range at least, even if you don't get to Uluru. Then up to Darwin and Kakadu, Litchfield etc. Then head over to the Kimberley. You might as well see as much as you can while you are up here.
Have a safe trip and watch out for those crocks while you are up here.

AnswerID: 362175

Follow Up By: Willem - Wednesday, Apr 29, 2009 at 08:04

Wednesday, Apr 29, 2009 at 08:04

East and West MacDonnell Ranges

Macca's is just off the Stuart Hwy?

LOL

FollowupID: 629949

Reply By: Member - Min (NSW) - Wednesday, Apr 29, 2009 at 10:10

Wednesday, Apr 29, 2009 at 10:10

Hi John & Kaye,

Look at the weather/climate conditions where ever you plan to go. All of Australia is a must, depending on the time of year. May is a wonderful time to be in the Top End with waterfalls at their best and not too many people. I wish we could go then rather than June.

I assume you are going to be on the road for a long time so try to be in WA say, from Carnarvon south in September and October for the spectacular wildflowers. They should be very good in areas where there has been rain around July.

We have found it really pays to do your homework widely so you don't miss things that may be of real interest to you but is not mentioned in just one or two sources. Others suggest it's better to just wander and be surprised. Sometimes the surprises can be nasty and waste time and fuel.

Have a ball,

AnswerID: 362207

Follow Up By: speleo - Monday, May 18, 2009 at 12:16

Monday, May 18, 2009 at 12:16

We did very little planning...
Found on the web there was a lot of Bull dust on the Plenty, and there was, see my flickr stream, but otherwise we had the time to wander as the mood took us, and with the Camps 4 book, always found a place to stay.
We have found you need three sets of maps, like the Reader's Digest The Complete Driver's Atlas of Australia, and the Hema maps, and local maps whenever you can get them.
We also have the Geoscience maps on the old Win98 laptop, which we used for Zanthus down to Balladonia, we then got a mud map for Cocklebiddy to the Eyre bird Obs!

Bill

FollowupID: 633191

Reply By: Member - Boo Boo (NSW) - Wednesday, Apr 29, 2009 at 11:08

Wednesday, Apr 29, 2009 at 11:08

You won't be disappointed.

The amount of help and information you can get on exploroz,,, and give ,,,, is enormous.

Enjoy your trip and this site.

Ragards BooBoo

AnswerID: 362223