Best route to travel from Perth to Uluru?

Not the quickest....but.... cross the Nullarbor through SA, VIC, NSW, QLD, NT, then down the west coast and wave to home.... then across the Nullarbor again and up the middle.

Do it properly :-]]

Hi Fitz

How much time do you have??

Go one way and back the other. The Great Central is a good drive, but all dirt. Just drive to the conditions and take an extra spare tyre.


Lots to see and some very interesting history out that way.

The only time you want to keep clear of the Great Central is if it is wet.



Cheers



Stephen

I have about 10 days. Would love to travel into every state but wouldn't have enough time.. :(

And what 4wd hire companies would you's recommend? any ones i've checked are expensive. Dont think I would fancy travelling them unsealed roads on one of them wee camper vans.

Where would I get maps of the Dirt roads of the WA outback?

G'day "A Fitz", if you don't intend getting down and dirty and happy with travelling on sealed roads then you don't need a 4wd at all. The first time we did the 1/2 block from Perth across the bottom and up the centre to Darwin and then back to Perth via the western coastal route we just went in our (then) 2wd station wagon. If we got to a destination that had a 4wd tour available we took that. Saw a swag of the Flinders Ranges and Kakadu that way. 2wd cars are suitable for most good gravel roads that service the tourist destinations.

WRT your question about maps showing gravel roads, most good maps show the gravel roads. Just look at the map legend and it will show how they are marked. The HEMA & the West Print maps are good and there are the atlas style map books put out by various companies including HEMA.

If you contact either or both of the South Australian or Northern Territory Tourist Commissions they will send you a swag of maps and really good info. They also have good websites.

Enjoy your trip.

I did the GCR in January. I had a Prado but would be comfortable doing it in a conventional vehicle. Most is good gravel, some corrugations but not to bad. Only need to watch the weather as many of the creek crossings would cause problems after rain.

mate i would FLY ..... heaps cheaper and have more time up ya sleeve, it is very expensive to hire a 4wd and if you choose 2wd you add extra days to your travel and as you say time is VERY limited, it is a long way to drive both the inland and coastal way and you simply DONT have that time up ya sleeve, you can fly direct from Perth to Ayres Rock and hire a car to see the rock or do whatever you need to do eh...
Cheers
Joe

Did you mean you said Perth to Uluru/Alice and in 10 days or does that need to get you back to Perth? Taking the bitumen via the Nullarbor, it is 3600 Perth to Alice Springs, with a 246 run to Yulara (town accommodation village for Uluru) then same back again added. Adding time for any sightseeing would take a few more days. We spent five weeks sightseeing in and around Alice Springs including Uluru (three days there).

If you can hire a vehicle that will allow it, speed between Laverton and Yulara would be dependent on the road conditions at the time, and using a rough estimation, i calculate 2,400 kilometres Perth to Alice Springs (via Yulara). You need to get Permits to transit Aboriginal lands for both the Western Australia and the Northern Territory parts of the Great Central Road, although this can be done on line when you know your dates. As an example of time, we took three days to travel just from Yulara to Laverton, with only a few hours sightseeing (at the Giles Weather Station). We did stop earlier than usual one afternoon because of a strong headwind and dust storm.

Do not drive after dark on any of these roads due to kangaroos and camels.

What time of year to you plan to travel?

Mh