Kimberleys - Great pics & Report

Submitted: Friday, Jul 08, 2011 at 09:22
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We have just finished our Kimberleys trip - 6 weeks of fun & excitement. We would do it all again if we didnt have to go back to work.

If you would like to read about our trip & view our pics, then click on the following link to our website.


Enjoy!

Laurie

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Reply By: wato35 - Friday, Jul 08, 2011 at 10:51

Friday, Jul 08, 2011 at 10:51
Great pics, I was there 2 years ago and your photos brought back some great memories.

Wato35
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Reply By: Member - John (Vic) - Friday, Jul 08, 2011 at 11:53

Friday, Jul 08, 2011 at 11:53
Great stuff Laurie!!
Nice photos.

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Follow Up By: Member - John (Vic) - Friday, Jul 08, 2011 at 23:56

Friday, Jul 08, 2011 at 23:56
The MIL looks happy on her birthday. :))

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Reply By: Zebra400 - Friday, Jul 08, 2011 at 13:08

Friday, Jul 08, 2011 at 13:08
Stats from our trip are:

from Melbourne to Kimberleys return
80 Series landcruiser towing a Tvan

- distance travelled - 12,363km
- fuel purchased - 2,232 Lt Diesel
- cost of fuel $3,781
- Lt/100km - 18.05

Average cost of fuel - $1.69
max cost paid $2.05 at Mt Barnett on GRR

Laurie
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Follow Up By: Inspectorbluedog - Friday, Jul 08, 2011 at 14:16

Friday, Jul 08, 2011 at 14:16
Good one Laurie, the fuel usage wasn't as bad as I expected.

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Reply By: Michaeljp - Friday, Jul 08, 2011 at 14:42

Friday, Jul 08, 2011 at 14:42
Sounds like a great trip you all had. Great story and photos. One question, how hard would it be to ride a MTB from the Surveyors Pool car park to the falls? And how far is it?
Cheers Mick
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Follow Up By: Zebra400 - Friday, Jul 08, 2011 at 20:15

Friday, Jul 08, 2011 at 20:15
The track from Surveyors Pool car park to the falls, is an easy flat track until you get to the rocks. Its just a short walk from there to the pool.

The distance is 2.5 km although the sign at the car park says it is only 1.5km.

Laurie
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Reply By: Member - Michael A (ACT) - Friday, Jul 08, 2011 at 15:22

Friday, Jul 08, 2011 at 15:22
hi it sounded like a great trip. My wife and I are planning a similar trip next year and are looking at the option of hiring a Tvan. How did you find towing the van and were there any issues with it. both good and bad that you could discuss.

regards

Michael A

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Follow Up By: Zebra400 - Saturday, Jul 09, 2011 at 18:45

Saturday, Jul 09, 2011 at 18:45
Michael

The Tvan towed well over corrugations and no problem getting it over rough tracks. The tent is off the ground so you don't get wet from beneath or have any issues with banging in tent pegs.

It was also good not to have to pack up the bed each day - a big saving in travel time.

We found the Tvan wasn't dustproof, with a lot of dust coming in (mostly around the wheel arches). After trying to plug the leaks with silicone and stuffing things like wine bladders into the suspect areas it was reduced from having piles of dust in the tvan after each days driving to a smaller amount that could be wiped up. We also had a leak up the front with a small amount of water running down the inside front after a heavy dew. We managed to seal that up with some silicone.

The stone guards on the tvan weren't very effective, so the previously pristine front of the tvan was chipped by stone thrown up by the towing vehicle. We noticed that other people towing had stone guards attached to their tow bars to stop the tow vehicle throwing up stones. In hindsight, this would have been a good idea.

The tvan we hired had an awning (in addition to the standard shade sail). We discovered that you need to decide to put up the awning before you put up the tvan tent, since it involves feeding the awning through a channel fitted to the lid that opens up. It's impossible to reach it once the tent is up (unless you happen to be carrying a tall ladder).

Packing up the tent needs some thought. It was quite difficult until we talked to other Tvan owners on our trip and soon worked out the easiest way to pack it into the roof of the trailer door. The owners manual doesn't help with this info.

The trailer added 4 Lt/100km to our fuel economy. We have an 80 series TD usually getting 13.5Lt/100km.

I hope this helps.

Laurie

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Reply By: Member - Bucky - Saturday, Jul 09, 2011 at 04:14

Saturday, Jul 09, 2011 at 04:14
Laurie & Heidi
Great presentatioin, and brought back many memories of out 2009 trip

Cheers, and thank you fopr sharing
Bucky
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Follow Up By: Member - Bucky - Saturday, Jul 09, 2011 at 04:18

Saturday, Jul 09, 2011 at 04:18
Out 2009 trip is written up in a blog, done by Vivien C on ExplorOz.
We went up via the Gunbarell, and the Canning.

Viv has a very good grasp of just how to express, and write things up, so I left it all up to her..
Have a read, and enjoy some of her work

CHeers
Bucky
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