Help Plan our Trip

DrOcelot
I am assuming that your 2002 Prado is a 90 series(original shape), rather than a 120 series. That being the case I think you are a little ambitious with your expectation of 350-370 km from the sub tank. When towing my 1100kg caravan on the bitumen I am happy to achieve 350. However, your fuel consumption can be expected to rise markedly once you get on a road like the Plenty Highway. You will have to lower your tyre pressures, which, giving you a larger footprint will increase consumption, and dragging the camper through corrugations and bulldust will make that even worse. You can assume this will have the same effect on your consumption of gas (if you have any by then). Have you had a look at the trek note for the Plenty Highway Have a look heretrek note

We did Winton through to Alice at Christmas, and conditions obviously change, but we did not notice any significant increase in fuel usage through corrugations and bulldust, compared to travelling on bitumen. I reduced tyre pressure by 5, but the slower dirt road travel more than balanced out the potential higher fuel use from higher bitumen speeds.
I guess it relates to vehicle speed as much as road conditions, and both vary greatly with changing situations.
Our trip was in a petrol Monterey with 1250kg of CT, and just after heavy rain, with no road grading done.
There's a bit of a shortage of service stations out there, but I would suggest you call ahead to make sure they have fuel where you expect it, rather than drive up and find out the fuel supply ran out.
Just standard planning required.
Cheers

Can someone confirm whether Jervois still only takes cash? That was the case when we were last there in 07

Val.

According to the Road Conditions reports elsewhere on this site The Donahue
& Plenty highways are both closed due to flooding, so may be wise to check
as you get closer to those areas....oldbaz.

can anyone recommend a better way to getting to alice springs from Byron Bay or East Coast? I am concerned by the lack of range and would like to stay on bituman as much as possible. Also I have no real time liimits

Hi DrOcelot

I would also question how your Sunwagon will survive a long corrugated road such as the Plenty.

It is a pretty good bitumen road Winton to Boulia (with lots to see in both towns) and on to Mt Isa. Then the Barkly Hwy and on to the Stuart Higway.

Motherhen