Tanami track with van

Hi Jeremy

We went through in 2008, and I understand the WA side just gets worse and worse. It seems the NT side may receive some maintenance from time to time.

As someone said when we were debating whether to go or not, as soon as you pick up speed on a good patch, something will come and bite you. So it was eyes on the road al the time for the driver.

Rather than try and give you an idea of speeds (which probably varied between 10 kph and 80 kph) I can give you our time frames. We left Halls Creek in the morning, and had lunch at Wolfe Creek. I had planned to stay there for the first night, but with some hours of daylight we moved on and stopped towards the Balgo turnoff. Second night we stayed in a rest area near The Granites mine, and didn't leave early due to the need for a bit of carpentry :O Third night was a bit past Yuendumo. Fourth night Alice Springs.

There have been a few threads on fuel supplies from the communities such as Balgo. Rabbit Flat was still operating in 2008 and we were going to purchase some there just to patronise this remote roadhouse, and it was publicised that it was open all weekdays in peak period, but we got there to find it closed and no-one around but a friendly very old dog.

With a 260 litre fuel tank, we had enough to get to Tilmouth Wells, but purchased just a little at Yuendumo to be sure (where it was one cent cheaper than at Tilmouth!).

Let your tyres down to 25 psi cold. We had ours at 27 and did suffer for it (including having to remove water tanks that had come loose). With a large van like yours, take it very slowly.

We had debated our route for a few weeks, as a member here had broken caravan springs and was sending me messages “Don’t go the Tanami”, and another person we had expected to meet up with in the Kimberley had overturned their caravan at a slow speed when hitting a strip of bulldust. We didn’t have time to do any sightseeing if we went the long way round so planned that for the following year, hence eventually chose to go ahead with the Tanami Road, following the advice to check everything that can come unscrewed at each stop. Have you any idea how many screws there are in a caravan?

How’s that for all the pros and cons for you to decide what is best for you?

Motherhen

I did this trip a couple of years ago, but from the other way, and I towed a single axle RoadStar.

Rabbit Flat at that time was going through one of his episodes and wouldn't open period, so we drove straight past. I filled up at Yuendumu and I topped up with a 20 litre jerry of diesel, and to be doubly sure I got some more fuel at Billiluna. I was driving a Tdi Discovery, which had a 89 litre fuel tank.

I found the road conditions in the N.T. to be great, but over the border in W.A.Well, I've been on better fire trails, it was appalling.

Three days were used up on the journey, and towing a van, I didn't flog the vehicle, and poked along at about 60-70 KPH, sometimes less.

A fellow in a Range Rover overtook us up near The Granites, the road wasn't too bright, at a great rate of knots, and we came upon him stopped, changing a tyre on his van. He said that he had blown two tyres and had no further spares. He didn't pass us again. He was going much too fast and suffered as a result. So ensure that your van has decent tyres, and if they are over 5 years old, get new ones.

Just remember this, if you have to be recovered, get ready to sell your wife and children into white slavery. It will cost you.

Give the mines a call in the area. They might, emphasise might be able to help you out with fuel if forewarned.

Greg

We drove along half of the Tanami in 2010. We entered from the north at Tanami Gold Mine (we came down via Kalkarindji and Lajamanu) and went to Alice Springs.

We were towing a 3500kg Bushtracker behind a 200 series diesel Landcruiser.

The Tanami is a disaster for caravans. I did all the right things with speed (20kph, faster was impossible) and tyre pressures.

You will hear people say: not a problem, like a highway, a breeze etc etc, BUT it's a disaster for caravans.

If you go down there, I'm positive you will damage your van and regret the whole thing.

By the way, Rabbit Flat will never re-open.

IS it really worth it !! Our van was a huge investment money wise & we intend to treat as it should be treated...with care.

Hi Jeremyh, we did the Tanami last year, however were not towing a van. Concerning fuel, you can top up at Billiluna 67 klm from Wolfe Creek Crater. Check opening times. The next fuel is at Yuendumu 579 klm east. Once again check opening times. Tilmouth Roadhouse a further 102 klm further on is next and them 190 klm on to Alice Springs.

The road was fair but as already stated, speed and tyre pressures are critical. Good luck and happy planning.

Cheers,

Mike

Gidday Jeremyh,we travelled the tanimi in May last year we were in a diesel Prado, towing a 2.5 tonne Gunyah offroad caravan.It took us the best part of 2 (long) days, we camped on the W.A./N.T. border.
As stated the road was rough,unrelenting corrigations,speed all over the place between 10 & 70k's. We suffered no real damage as such, we did get the vans wheels re-aligned on our return home.
We were glad we did it and dont regret it, having said that I doubt I would do it again.We topped our tank at Billiluna and carried an extra 40ltrs with us, we got to about 40k's from Alice Springs before I put 20 ltrs from our reserve into our tank.
For us it was a good experience. Hope this is of some help to you, Cheers Steve.

Thanks to all for your comments and help. I think we will plan to do the tanami on the way back but before we start we will check the road conditions and discuss with fellow travellers who have just done it, plus keep the pressures and speed down like we always have on other tracks. We may regret our descision to do it, maybe, but I will definetly regret not doing it, so its worth a shot.

We did it 3 years ago in a Patrol ute towing a Jayco Destiny Outback from Halls Creek to Alice Springs. The road west of the Nt/Wa border was very bad, so bad that we broke a leaf spring on the ute. We were still driving coming on dusk and the shadows accross the road hid the BIG potholes, We travelled at about 60-70kmh so the rig rode over the corrugations and used the system where the other half looked ahead for potholes dips etc and I looked closer and she missed one in the shadows. Carried a spare spring for the van but not the ute. Still drivable. Found that driving 10-20kmh shook everything up too much so prefer to ride over the corrugations. Met a bloke when we fuelled up at Billuna who was driving a very new Pajero and said he was travelling at 15kmh and it was shaking the car to pieces, the front bumper was hanging off. We carried 60l in jerry cans, 180 in the ute, topped up at Billuna and made it with about 20l spare. Took 3 days. I wouldn't do it again as there are much nicer drives, my favourite the GCR. There was no damage to the van although I have added extra panels to protect the water/power fittings and made a screen accross the front of the van We have towed it, wt 2,25t, over most of the classic dirt roads and the only damage has been minor, ensuite door fell off, stones cut brake wires, drain fittings smashed, gas safety outlet to drain gas under stove came partially undone and hung down directing the dust inside, what a mess.
Have a good trip whichever wat you go.
Geoff

Gone Bush,

I appreciate you relating your experience........all too often some people with the "best" off roader will exaggerate its capabilities and not tell all the story. I don't have one, so can't comment on its performance, but it is interesting to read of someone actually putting one over the Tanami and revealing truthfully, how it performed.
I am not trying to denigrate or praise that brand, it is simply interesting to hear of it fallibility, rather than an owner not wanting to admit, that his $120k offroader wasn't quite up to the job.

Thanks again for relating your story, it is refreshing.

Robert, (wannabe offroader)