Advice on Route from NSW through to South Australia

We went down that way last year but turned off at Balranald. Toolybuck was a brilliant place to stay as was Ouyen. On the way back you could head up through Tailem Bend and across to Loxton. Have a look through old Loxton town. Then to Mildura and you could go up to Menindee/ Kinchega NP/Broken Hill. Sadly, two weeks will be no where near long enough but thats all we had as well. Hope that helps. Cheers,Bob

Some ideas to consider Gaz - Mildura - Wentworth - Rufus River / Lock 7 (Camp Area on banks of Murray) - Renmark / Lyrup Flats (Camp Area on banks of the Murray) - North side of River via Overland Corner (Camp areas) in Hotel vicinity maybe a few K away at most, Morgan - Adelaide - Burra - Red Banks Gorge area (Camps) - old Morgan Mail Run regions to Yunta - Broken Hill - such will provide some beautiful terrain, remote camp spots, good dirt roads, wild life etc. and NOT MUCH Traffic ! Just watch out for flood affected areas along the Murray AND sometimes summer storms can close the back roads in a few hours or less in the station country south of Yunta etc.
Cheers - Mobi

Hi Gaz,

we stayed in Yanga N Park near Balranald in June on the banks of a river....a lovely place then but I don't know how much water there would be there now, or how busy it might be.
There were new pit toilets. Not sure of other facilities and can't remember whether there was a fee.

Here are a couple of photos I took while we were there

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Regards,

Heather

hi ll, try Rainbow in western Vic, the 2 lakes there are full, its a wheatbelt town , not far from SA border, theres a nice camp spot beside the lake (Lake HindMarsh), rainbow pub is a friendly place, enjoyed my short stay ,cheers Barry

Hi Gaz,

When you leave Canberra you might be interested to take the scenic route to Tumut, via the Cotter and Brindabella. Its a formed gravel road but with some steep winding sections, but nothing that you would not be quite comfortable with. From Tumut you could do a short side trip to have a look at Blowering Dam.

Further west there are campsites along the Murrumbidgee and Murray Rivers but they may be busy around Christmas. Lake Mungo is an interesting place but it may to a bit hot depending on the weather. Check access road conditions at Balranald. We went into those western Vic parks a few years ago. We enjoyed Hattah Kulkyne and had a lovely spot right on the river there. The lakes were then dry but would now have plenty of water in them.

WE hope that you have many adventures in your Troopy, they are a great touring vehicle. Just a thought, and a point that you may already have covered - we have had heaps of adventures in our Troopy, but found that we got a lot more enjoyment after we had done a good 4WD course. We thought that having driven him for over 10 years we knew what there was to know - how wrong we were. The training gave us the confidence to safely get to places that we would have deemed off limits before.

Have a wonderful maiden Troopy trip.

Cheers,

Val.

Hi Gaz

We had a week around Hattah about 2 years ago. Our favourite spot was Lake Albacutya. Had toilets and cooking areas but no people! It was mid winter though not to sure how busy it will be in the summer. There was another site Pink Lakes, they really are pink!!

I would suggest that the camps along the Murray will be as full as the coastal ones. In past years we have heard of the bush camps being full of yobbos. You may get some good camping along the Murrumbidgee. There a few new national parks around Balranald.

As far as Mungo goes I think you may be best to ring the rangers there. From Mungo I would suggest the old road to SA north of the Murray from Wentworth.

You could also check out www.outbackbeds.com and stay in the outback with friends! It's a great network you should also be able to pick up one of their touring maps at any inland VIC. cheers zenonie

Gaz,

I think you’re planning a loop – Canberra, then into SA at Mildura, returning through Broken Hill. We are Canberra based and have used both routes.

First a couple of things worth knowing.

1) You WILL have to surrender any fruit and veg you are carrying when you enter SA, so don’t try to carry anything across the border; expect to stock up in SA. There is also a fruit fly exclusion zone starting just west of Rankin Springs – carrying most fruit and veg is banned in the zone, policed by mobile patrols.
2) Bush camping is usually pretty safe and the locals aren’t generally hostile, but the area around Wilcannia is an exception. Don’t plan on stopping by the side of the road there. (We’ve heard of well meaning Elders advising campers to move along rather than risk being confronted by the young bloods during the night.)

As you say, there are lots of great sounding options. If you haven’t seen the Western Plains, following the Sturt Hwy out through Hay is quite an experience. There’s good quiet camping on the southern side of the river at Maude – leave the Hwy at Hay and travel west to Maude and south back to the Hwy. As others have said – avoid attempting to drive on the black soil plains after rain.

Good camping on the river bank at Robinvale. This is often very busy, but a Troopy in 4WD will allow access to the quieter areas beyond where the caravans can go. Mungo NP, north of Mildura/Robinvale is a very special place, and well worth the diversion unless rain has closed the loop road within the park. There is interest in all the national parks along the Murray, but If I had to choose just one, it would be Mungo.

Once in SA, my preference would be to spend a little time in the Flinders and Gawler Ranges rather than simply heading for Adelaide. Good quiet camping for a Troopy in Parachilna Gorge – see for example our Flinders blog here..

From the Flinders it’s a pretty straight forward run to Broken Hill and back east. Silverton, just outside BH is an important arts centre. Good camping by the Pamamaroo Lake weir near Menindee. Suggest bypass Wilcannia by travelling through Ivanhoe. Willandra NP, off the Mossgiel - Hillston road may be a convenient spot to overnight. Provides an interesting insight into life on a big station in the “good old days”. Maybe south to Griffith to see the irrigation area, then east through Rankin Springs on the Mid Western Hwy. Good quiet camping in the State Forest to the SW of Ranking Springs, and a good comfort stop in the town. Down through Temora to join the Hume Hwy near Yass.

Hope that’s some help.

A final thought - you have great flexibility with a Troopy. Suggest don't focus too tightly on destinations. It's what you experience in between them that matters! You can stop anywhere it looks good. Best to stop in time to be fully set up well before dark, not under gum trees (they drop branches!), and out of sight of the road if you prefer your own company.

Cheers

John