Travelling to Alice Springs at Xmas, which route to take.......?

GCR will be hot but take it easy no probs. check rain as they get a lot of tropical depressions and check roadhouse hours as some operate on reduced hours in off season.
permits are easy and most don't worry about the central road, never been asked yet and have travelled numerous times. there was talk of dropping permit system for central road but don't know where that's at.

Martyn,

You can apply on line for the WA permit here:
WA Permit

The NT one here:
NT Permit

Don't know what it's like at this time of year but I did it back in August and it was in good nick. It was a bit corrugated near Docker River but your rig will not have any problems.

I obtained 8 different permit for my WA trip this year and was not asked for any of them.

Hi Martyn

I am assuming that you are talking of travelling in the very near future. The weather patterns in this area have changed dramatically, and the rains are getting more frequent, with daily heat also building very early.

Obviously you are well prepared, yes it will be hot and sometimes very wet, which will throw the humidity thropugh the roof, but if yoiu are ready for that the GCR will allow for your time restrictions.

Safe travels

Cheers

Hi Martyn,

As stated, the GCR shouldn’t present any real worries to you. It is particularly rough between Docker River and Yulara (may as well say it deteriorates once over the WA border. Again I’m unsure as to the time you’ll be travelling but if it’s summer, well you’ll know what to expect.

After Alice you have a range of choices. For a bit of adventure I’d head down the old Ghan trail to Mount Dare, perhaps pop into the mound springs at Dalhousie and then down to Oodnadatta. From Oodnadatta you can head out to Coober Pedy and continue down the Stuart Hwy or better still, continue down the Ghan on the Oodnadatta Track. Plenty of history, a good spot to stop at Coward Springs, Maree and it puts you right on the doorstep of the Flinders which is a must see if you’re travelling that way. Try the Acraman Campsite in the middle of the range. Beaut spot in some amazing country.

You could head down through the southern Flinders and the wine country from there or skip across through Burra to Morgan and Renmark and the mighty Murray. Up to Mildura and then down the Calder, Sunraysia or Murray Valley Highways to Melbourne depending on what you wish to see, mountains, river country, wine etc. On the return trip there’s great camping in the Grampians on the way home and then into Penola, robe and up to Adelaide etc. Everything is amazingly green and lush at present. A wet summer is forecast over this way.

Hope that gives you a few ideas. The world really is your Oyster once you reach Alice. So many options.


Cheers Mick