Got 7-8 months - around Oz?

Submitted: Saturday, Jul 14, 2012 at 11:54
ThreadID: 96864 Views:2591 Replies:2 FollowUps:5
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HI,

Early 2014 i'll have 7-8 months up my sleeve. I know the SE corner of Oz (line from Port Augusta to Port Macquarie and south) like the back of my hand, and was thinking of exploring the centre, and as much of the edge as possible.

Want to take at least a month from Port Augusta to Darwin late summer-autumn (the classic attractions and some stops in the middle of away from it all places!). A month around Darwin autumn-winter time (start fo the drier weather).

Then not sure weather to head west and try and see as much of the kimberlies down to SW corner and back via the long straight, or try take in far north qld and drop back down to Syd. I'd love to do both but hear you need at least a year to soak it all up (which i'm fond of doing). Open to ideas/suggestions from more seasoned long range road travellers! Please :)
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Reply By: Motherhen - Saturday, Jul 14, 2012 at 15:30

Saturday, Jul 14, 2012 at 15:30
Hi lj

If you can aim for the Kimberley at around June, sights and road conditions are usually good. We spent nine weeks (but some of this was on doing r&r) in the Kimberley; including three and a half going through the Gibb River Road including the spur drives to Kalumburu and the Mitchell Plateau. We followed this with five weeks (with a bit of down time on r&r) in Central Australia (via the Tanami), leaving Alice Springs to Darwin for the following year. That included almost two weeks taking a look at the main features in Kakadu, and three days in Litchfield NP on the return south from Darwin.

With so much to see in centre, be aware that many walks (such as Uluru and Kings Canyon rim walk) are closed at high temperatures.

Choose the one you want to see the most (Kimberley or FNQ) - or toss a coin. You are welcome to check out My Blogs from 2008 and 2009 on the Kimberley, Central Australia and north to Darwin. Following Darwin we headed east into Queensland but with time running short for us as well as the weather heating up, we had to give FNQ a miss. If time allowed, we would have gone the Savannah Way and possibly to the tip of Cape York.

The south west corner of WA has a lot to offer as well, but isn't as popular during winter. Living here, i find winter the most beautiful time of the year but it can be cold and hopefully wet.

Motherhen
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Reply By: Member - eighty matey - Saturday, Jul 14, 2012 at 15:36

Saturday, Jul 14, 2012 at 15:36
G'day,

you could head west and check out WA's south west while the weather is still warm enough. Head north along the WA coast and by the time you get to The Kimberley things might be dry enough to have a look around.

Work your way up to Darwin, then down the centre check out The Alice, Uluru and all that. Head east to the Oodnadatta track and work your way around through Oodnadatta, or travel down to Coober Pedy. From either of those you could go up the Birdsville Track or the Strzelecki Track and start heading north again. Either way head up to Birdsville.

Depending on how much time you still have you have all of Queensland in front of you then.

There you go.

Steve
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Follow Up By: Motherhen - Saturday, Jul 14, 2012 at 23:12

Saturday, Jul 14, 2012 at 23:12
Now that sounds like a good plan Steve.

Mh
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Follow Up By: Member - eighty matey - Sunday, Jul 15, 2012 at 01:39

Sunday, Jul 15, 2012 at 01:39
It's got me thinking too.

My wife was saying we'll have to do the four points of the Continent and Cape Leewin is one of them for us.

We're starting to pencil in our 2014 trip. We've done a lot in the north, so we might start poking around in the South West and along the bottom.

Planning's half the fun.

Hoo roo,
Steve
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Follow Up By: Motherhen - Sunday, Jul 15, 2012 at 13:56

Sunday, Jul 15, 2012 at 13:56
Hi Steve

If collecting ‘points’ of Australia (excluding small islands), I would choose N, E, S and W rather than ‘corners’ although this has not been important to us. When visiting the Shark Bay area we did not go to Steep Point, and when in Tasmania while we went to Cockle Creek we did not take the four to five hour walk to the South East Cape from Cockle Creek. To reach the southernmost point of Australia involves taking a further walk on an unmarked trail which is recommended for experienced hikers. Keeping away from the populated coastal areas in NSW we also missed Cape Byron, and Cape York is on our possible future agenda.

All the same, Cape Leeuwin which is the south western corner is worth including on a south west tour. What point would you consider the north west corner?

Another point to collect is West Cape Howe; the southernmost part of Western Australia. Much of this National Park can only be accessed by a challenging sandy four wheel drive track, some of which has had matting placed on the dunes and even that is degraded in places causing a few anxious moments for some of our group. We went with friends as it was not a track for our F250. This took us to a rugged black rock coastline. One of our group who had grown up in Albany told us how they used to lower themselves down on ropes in the deep narrow chasm known as The Chimney to go fishing.
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Follow Up By: Member - eighty matey - Monday, Jul 16, 2012 at 15:44

Monday, Jul 16, 2012 at 15:44
Hi Motherhen,

we're heading up to Kalumburu next month. If we do a boat trip to Cape Londonderry that'd be our north west corner.

We've been to Cape York and Byron Bay.
Looks like we're on our way.

Hoo roo,
Steve
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Follow Up By: Motherhen - Monday, Jul 16, 2012 at 16:42

Monday, Jul 16, 2012 at 16:42
- - and that sounds like a great plan Steve.

Mh
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