14 weeks off
Submitted: Friday, Mar 26, 2010 at 20:59
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hunty01
Hi all,
The wife and i have 14 weeks off and are planning to see some of Australia for our honeymoon instead of going overseas. We are planning on driving our Subaru WRX hatch with our campertrailer from
Adelaide to
Darwin and round the West Australian coast. As it is such a long Trip we have the setup of Dual Batteries, Solar Panels, Fridge ect. We would love some input and sugestions on what we really need to take with us as its not a braked trailer and some
places of interest that we will be able to get to with our AWD.
Cheers Hunty.
Reply By: dirttracker - Friday, Mar 26, 2010 at 21:04
Friday, Mar 26, 2010 at 21:04
Well I never! A towbar on a WRX. I don't know what to say....
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Follow Up By: hunty01 - Friday, Mar 26, 2010 at 21:22
Friday, Mar 26, 2010 at 21:22
Say what ever you want. Im not one of those show ponies that wont take their rex on dirt. Ive had some great adventures in this car.
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Reply By: Mick O - Friday, Mar 26, 2010 at 21:52
Friday, Mar 26, 2010 at 21:52
Hunty,
what a trip.
Where to start. Mate there's so much to see. I did the same trip in 06 but in reverse.
Starting from
Adelaide.......
Barossa,
Flinders Ranges,
Gammon Ranges,
Coober Pedy, The Break aways, Uluru and Kata Juta,
Kings Canyon, The Western MacDonald Ranges,
Alice Springs,
Katherine, Kakadon't,
Litchfield Darwin!
Kununnurra,
Wyndham, the Ord
Dam,
El Questro, Purnululu (bungles) hmmm maybe not with the WRX,
Tunnel Creek,
Derby,
Broome,
Cape Leveque,
Port Hedland, Karatha, Karajini absolutely,
Newman and surrounds, Out via
Tom Price and Parabadoo to the coral coast,
Exmouth,
Cape Range &
Ningaloo,
Coral Bay, Canarvon, duck into the Kennedy Ranges and out again, Hamelin,
Denham,
Monkey Mia and Francois
Peron NP (Bottle Bay overnight),
Kalbarri and the National Park, and then
Geraldton. From there you've got a heap of options down to
Perth and south including Margaret River, The Karri forests,
Albany and Esperence.
What a trip. enjoy.
Mick.
Try
here for some info.
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Follow Up By: Member - mazcan - Saturday, Mar 27, 2010 at 15:13
Saturday, Mar 27, 2010 at 15:13
gee mick o i have enjoyed reading most of your
blogs and suggest they do to
but i've gotta hand it to ya mick
driving around aus in reverse !
that really takes the cake lol -ha ha
cheers
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Follow Up By: hunty01 - Tuesday, Mar 30, 2010 at 01:23
Tuesday, Mar 30, 2010 at 01:23
Mick O thanks heaps for the ideas.
Just LOVE the flinders. Have been through most of the Flinders as i grew up in
Whyalla.
When you say Kakadont it that just because most of it is 4WD only to see some of the sites or just too touristy?
Bungles is something that id really love to see. Are the roads through there really more suited to a 4WD.
Cheers heaps Hunty
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Follow Up By: hunty01 - Tuesday, Mar 30, 2010 at 02:25
Tuesday, Mar 30, 2010 at 02:25
Oh yeah i read about
El Questro in one of the camper trailer magazines and sounds amazing too, how accessiable is that place?
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Follow Up By: Mick O - Tuesday, Mar 30, 2010 at 12:37
Tuesday, Mar 30, 2010 at 12:37
Just being a little facetious there Hunty.
I'd do
twin falls /
Jim Jim Falls tomorrow. There is a touristy element that comes with being marketed as a prime tourist location. If you're going that way it has to be seen though.
It's a rough track into Elqestro only because of the amount of Traffic it gets. It's very rocky so watch your tyres and travel slowly. There is a water crossing just before the ELQ
homestead which shouldn't be much of an issue to you. I towed my camper in there. Another great place to stop and explore the many gorges and walks.
Cheers Mick
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Reply By: Kanga1 - Friday, Mar 26, 2010 at 22:11
Friday, Mar 26, 2010 at 22:11
Hi Hunty01, depending on what sort of tyres you have on the WRX and what sort of spare wheel/tyre you have ( I believe WRX's have a space saver spare). You may want to take a spare full size rim and tyre with you, some of the tyres for performance cars may be hard to get around the back blocks, likewise belts hoses and an air cleaner element. I have seen Mini Mokes and a Subaru Outback on the Gibb RR, but they had pretty tough tyres and
suspension for that trip.
Places like Karajini National Park in the
Pilbara are definately worth a look,
Dales Gorge camp site wouldn't be a problem for you. Good luck to you, Kanga.
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Follow Up By: Fatso - Friday, Mar 26, 2010 at 22:26
Friday, Mar 26, 2010 at 22:26
It's a honeymoon fellas. Don't get too serious.
Throw out the spare tyre & pack the void with all the real essentials. Chocolates, lovely scented massage oils, champagne & maybe some silk sheets.
Don't worry about how substantial your car is. The Subaru will take you to some very memorable moments. This is not because of the
places you will go to, but rather the company you will be have when you go there.
It's love that makes the world go round.
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Follow Up By: hunty01 - Tuesday, Mar 30, 2010 at 01:34
Tuesday, Mar 30, 2010 at 01:34
Hey Kanga
I had thought of the tyres as they are a sport tyre on there but i also thought of putting some steel forester wheels on it, might look a bit weird but could be better for sizing and they wont break as easily as a alloy wheel and they might ride a bit better when on the drit roads.
Karajini is one place
well be going for sure. Ive seen heaps of pics and that place looks awesome!!
And Fatso i totally agree with you. Its the people that your with at that special place that makes it really special, I'd jst like to be somewhat prepared with what i could face with a trip of about 15000kms
Cheers Guys!!
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Reply By: Member - John and Val - Friday, Mar 26, 2010 at 22:21
Friday, Mar 26, 2010 at 22:21
Hunty,
We covered a lot of that route in 08 and 09 - have a look at our
blogs, but we would endorse Mick O's suggestions.
Rocky Pool east of
Carnarvon is a good
camp spot. Further south the National Parks are must see
places - Stirling Ranges, Fitzgerald River and Cape le Grande are easily accessible with spectacular scenery.
Have a great trip,
Val.
| J and V
"Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted."
- Albert Einstein
Lifetime Member
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Follow Up By: Member - Heather G (NSW) - Saturday, Mar 27, 2010 at 06:42
Saturday, Mar 27, 2010 at 06:42
Hi Val,
I think
Rocky Pool is no longer an overnight stay
rest area probably due to campers leaving faeces and
toilet paper lying all over the ground! Otherwise it was a lovely place.
We stayed there last winter a couple of times on our way to and from the Kennedy Ranges but I note since that there has been an update to Camps 5.
I agree the Stirling Ranges are also worth visiting - great walking there.
Regards,
Heather
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Follow Up By: Member - John and Val - Saturday, Mar 27, 2010 at 11:35
Saturday, Mar 27, 2010 at 11:35
Hi Heather,
Interesting... we were there for a few days in early August last year and it was pretty busy with campers. But I did see (when leaving!) a small,
old sign near the main entrance that said no camping etc. The Camps Aust update (for Camps 4) is dated 18/05/09, and is probably technically correct - day use only.
I guess it comes down to what can be policed. A Google on
Rocky Pool brings quite a few hits. The site for
Carnarvon actually encourages people to
camp. So I guess travellers will keep going - and staying - there unless and until whoever manages the area makes a determined effort to stop people from camping.
It was a lovely place to stay and we were actually surprised at how little undesirable rubbish was lying around, given the numbers of people there. But we did
camp a bit away from the main area.
Cheers,
Val
| J and V
"Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted."
- Albert Einstein
Lifetime Member
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Follow Up By: Member - Heather G (NSW) - Saturday, Mar 27, 2010 at 20:50
Saturday, Mar 27, 2010 at 20:50
Hi Val,
I think the amount of garbage probably varies and is dependant upon who was in the area the night. We spent some time burying paper and other related stuff when we arrived and may have just been unlucky as we camped quite a distance away from the main area as
well (turned left to find it).
It was still lovely and we werent aware of the 'closed' for overnight stays until after we had been there. There were quite a few others there so it cant be too closely watched. We didnt leave any traces of our stay, which is how we usually
camp.
Cheers,
Heather
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Follow Up By: hunty01 - Tuesday, Mar 30, 2010 at 01:40
Tuesday, Mar 30, 2010 at 01:40
Thanks
John and Val .
We leave nothing behind as i grew up with the emu bob in scouts. I hate rocking up to
camp sites and people have left there rubbish behind. Its not hard people.
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Follow Up By: get outmore - Tuesday, Mar 30, 2010 at 07:47
Tuesday, Mar 30, 2010 at 07:47
Unfortunatly the bitumanised the road out to
rocky pool and beyond which brought the nomads
was packed full of them when i passed there in october last year
i went there in 98 and the place was empty cept for me
very corragated road out there
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Reply By: Member - Brian R (WA) - Saturday, Mar 27, 2010 at 01:02
Saturday, Mar 27, 2010 at 01:02
Hi HUNTY
reading the responces and your reply I think I have the the guest of it. Go the route you have in mind be ready to fast forward or to slow and when time runs out just head for
home. just consintrate on being togeter and enjoying the surrouds, relax and enjoy and have a great trip
Brian
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Follow Up By: hunty01 - Tuesday, Mar 30, 2010 at 01:44
Tuesday, Mar 30, 2010 at 01:44
Brian love the advice. We want this trip to be an enjoyed trip aswell as a driving experience.
Cheers!!
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Reply By: Member - Heather G (NSW) - Saturday, Mar 27, 2010 at 06:54
Saturday, Mar 27, 2010 at 06:54
Wow Hunty - sounds like a fantastic honeymoon. Lucky woman!
Take half of what ever you decide you need - and try to ensure it is the lightest option available (ie plastic plates instead of ceramic).
Once you leave
home you will find that many of the items you think are essential never get used until you return (in my case make-up or any clothing more dressy than jeans but I am old and can just avoid looking in a mirror too often!!)
You wont need to pack too much food either as even the smallest towns have a 'supermarket' of some kind or a pub to eat at. (It may not be the kind of place you are used to).
It is a honeymoon after all so take the time to enjoy each others company and be prepared to be flexible as to one anothers needs and feelings.
I have to agree with one of the other answers - champagne, silk sheets..... and the other items sound pretty good to me too!
Hope you have a memorable and enjoyable trip.
Regards,
Heather
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Follow Up By: hunty01 - Tuesday, Mar 30, 2010 at 01:53
Tuesday, Mar 30, 2010 at 01:53
Gday Heather
Ive passed on your advice to the wifey. The only things she will need to get dressed up for is the
Darwin cup. So thats easy. Shorts, Tshirts and some warm stuff for coming up through the centre.
Weve thrown in a few camps with the new trailer and really have only the needed essentials packed.
Cheers!!
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Reply By: Member - DAZA (QLD) - Saturday, Mar 27, 2010 at 09:07
Saturday, Mar 27, 2010 at 09:07
G/Day Hunty
The
Cook and I spent our Honeymoon in Nth QLD, it was 1969 we had a 3mx3m Tent, a Kerosene Pressure Light, a Kero Stove an Esky and Two
Camp Chairs, we slept in our 1964 EH Holden Station Wagon, I used to back it under the tent in the evening, we even went through a severe storm one night, I stood in my underpants holding on to the Centre Pole so the tent wouldn't blow away, we have great memories, and so will you and your bride to be.
Cheers
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Follow Up By: Patrol22 - Saturday, Mar 27, 2010 at 10:40
Saturday, Mar 27, 2010 at 10:40
Why the underpants Daza.......not too many North Queenslanders wore them in the '60s and especially not on the honeymoon :-))
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Follow Up By: Member - DAZA (QLD) - Saturday, Mar 27, 2010 at 11:38
Saturday, Mar 27, 2010 at 11:38
Geez, my new bride was more concerned about me getting hit by lightning, and I was worried that I could get airborne with the wind, so I needed the undies on just incase I did some flying lol lol.
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Follow Up By: Member - mazcan - Saturday, Mar 27, 2010 at 15:18
Saturday, Mar 27, 2010 at 15:18
gee daza
you must have looked a site standing there hanging onto your center pole as you call it
some blokes just love to brag
lol
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Follow Up By: hunty01 - Tuesday, Mar 30, 2010 at 01:56
Tuesday, Mar 30, 2010 at 01:56
Daza I just love it!!!
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Reply By: hunty01 - Tuesday, Mar 30, 2010 at 02:20
Tuesday, Mar 30, 2010 at 02:20
Cheers for all the replies peeps!!!
Since we were both suffering with a great head
cold which ment the weekend was spent inside the house, we decided to start on our itinary, not just surfing the net as we only have got about 13 weeks till we take off. So out came the camps book, info and the internet (gota love this site!!!). We pretty much have the jist of the adventure sorted now. Town to town, distances and a good approx of nights that we want to spend at most of the locations. Oh and a house sitter organised too!!
We can pretty much say were gona love the trip even before we have even left. Gona just have to throw in a few more little camps before we go just to make sure were sorted with everything. Bring on Easter trip to
York Peninsula.
Once again thanks Peeps!!!
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