Fuel Stops between Alice and Darwin
Submitted: Monday, Jul 30, 2012 at 05:34
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Fab72
Hello all,
Later this year I have the honor (cough cough) to drive a TM Barina from
Adelaide to
Darwin. Having never done the Alice to
Darwin stretch before, I'm curious to know what
places sell fuel along the way (and are reliable).
I'll only be travelling during daylight hours so opening times shouldn't be an issue. Not in it for sight-seeing this time ....I have a schedule to keep.
By my calculations, the Barina "should" get 550kms out of its 46 litre tank easily.
Keep in mind that the fuel stops will also double as a feed stop and an opportunity to "powder my nose".
Any help/suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Cheers...Fab.
Reply By: Member - John - Monday, Jul 30, 2012 at 06:15
Monday, Jul 30, 2012 at 06:15
Fab, you will have no problem with fuel, it may be the outback, but roadhouses are located at regular intervals, have a look at a map and the towns and locations shown will all have fuel.
AnswerID:
491908
Reply By: Member - blackbird1937 - Monday, Jul 30, 2012 at 07:12
Monday, Jul 30, 2012 at 07:12
Hi Fab , As
John has stated , plenty of fuel stops . I rode a m/bike with a 250 km range from
Darwin , Uluru , Pt
Augusta ,
Broken Hill in 06 . Many fuel stations even at small towns . Vern
AnswerID:
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Reply By: anglepole - Monday, Jul 30, 2012 at 09:35
Monday, Jul 30, 2012 at 09:35
Hello Fab,
As said above there are plenty of fuel stops on the way. Fuel is quite often much dearer in the very small
places. So fill up at major towns like Tennant and
Katherine. In Tennant fill up at the BP, it seems to be very popular with the locals.
On another topic, if your battery is much older than 3 years have it replaced before you leave. You will be surprised how much it would cost to get one on the road between towns. Enjoy your trip.
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Follow Up By: Motherhen - Monday, Jul 30, 2012 at 21:58
Monday, Jul 30, 2012 at 21:58
When we were in
Tennant Creek (2009) the independent servo at the north end of town was the cheapest - and they offered a 4c/litre discount for Senior's card - and they told everyone about it.
Motherhen
FollowupID:
767569
Follow Up By: Fab72 - Tuesday, Jul 31, 2012 at 04:44
Tuesday, Jul 31, 2012 at 04:44
Hello Motherhen,
Senior's Card? What's that?.
I'm 39 (for one more week at least).
Good info though because generally a servo that offers that sort of service to the Nomads suggests they care. That usually translates into better facilities, fresher fuel and clean
toilets.
Thanks.
Fab.
FollowupID:
767580
Reply By: Fab72 - Monday, Jul 30, 2012 at 16:52
Monday, Jul 30, 2012 at 16:52
Thanks all.
I was thinking of getting juice at
Tennant Creek, then
Larrimah and then straight into
Darwin. That way I'm not pushing the limits of the tiny fuel tank.
I know
Tennant Creek is a big place, just wasn't sure about fuel availability in
Larrimah. I think I'd be pushing it to get to
Mataranka from Tennent Creek.
Gee...I hope the battery is new. It's a brand new car. But I appreciate the sentiment. I also know that an old battery, after being subjected to long stints under a hot bonnet tends to fail right when you least expect it. Especially if vibrations are thrown into the mix.
Thanks all.
Fab.
AnswerID:
491936
Follow Up By: veight - Monday, Jul 30, 2012 at 21:36
Monday, Jul 30, 2012 at 21:36
Cant Buy fuel @
Larrimah, Either push your luck and drive into
Mataranka or buy fuel at Highway inn.
Would be much easier & cheaper to buy fuel at Alice, Tennant,
Katherine.
Price of fuel in
Darwin is currently the same price as
Katherine.
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Fab72 - Tuesday, Jul 31, 2012 at 04:33
Tuesday, Jul 31, 2012 at 04:33
Thanks Veight,
I did think Alice, Tennant and
Katherine, but I reckon the stretch from
Tennant Creek to
Katherine (673 kms) is pretty opptomistic out of a 46 litre tank.
I really need somewhere just short of
Mataranka to tie me over.
Cheers.
Fab.
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Fab72 - Tuesday, Jul 31, 2012 at 04:46
Tuesday, Jul 31, 2012 at 04:46
Just had another look..... Alice,
Tennant Creek,
Daly Waters, Katerine then into
Darwin looks like another option.
I know there's a pub at
Daly Waters but is fuel available there and is it at a "normal" price or an inflated "tourist" price like say The
Prairie Hotel at Parachilna?
Fab.
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: veight - Wednesday, Aug 01, 2012 at 21:57
Wednesday, Aug 01, 2012 at 21:57
There is
Daly waters "Highway inn" (A Road house meters off the stuart highway) or about 10km further up the stuart highway and about 5km is Daily waters Pub.
Purchase fuel from "highway inn"
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Follow Up By: veight - Wednesday, Aug 01, 2012 at 22:08
Wednesday, Aug 01, 2012 at 22:08
You wanted a place "just short of
Mataranka to tie me over"
The Daily waters Highway inn is about 165 km short of
Mataranka
or you can go to
Dunmarra Wayside inn which is about 210km short of
Mataranka
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Fab72 - Thursday, Aug 02, 2012 at 04:28
Thursday, Aug 02, 2012 at 04:28
Thanks Veight,
Now I know where the Highway Inn is. I googled "Highway Inn" before and got thousands of hits.
Distance wise....it's sounds perfect.
Thanks.....Fab.
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Reply By: Member - John - Monday, Jul 30, 2012 at 20:48
Monday, Jul 30, 2012 at 20:48
Forgot to add, buy your fuel in
Tennant Creek not at Three Ways, it is about 12 cents a litre dearer at Three Ways, or was a few weeks ago.
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Fab72 - Tuesday, Jul 31, 2012 at 04:26
Tuesday, Jul 31, 2012 at 04:26
Cheers
John....I'll do that.
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Follow Up By: Member - Kevin S (QLD) - Tuesday, Jul 31, 2012 at 06:15
Tuesday, Jul 31, 2012 at 06:15
Fab. I have a simple rule when driving in remote Australia. Never drive past a roadhouse. Certainty beats price and smiling faces every time. I am amazed that a bloke who has driven a Capteva to the top of big red is so traumatised about driving a Barina to
Darwin. And there is a major roadhouse on the highway at
Daly Waters. The pub is a few km off the highway but definately worth a visit.
Cheers
Kevin
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Fab72 - Tuesday, Jul 31, 2012 at 16:53
Tuesday, Jul 31, 2012 at 16:53
Good memory Kevin...
well done mate.
The Captiva was a totally different experience. I had 40 litres in Jerry cans and the diesel gave me plenty of range. Worse case scenario, the Captiva would have made it from
Marree, to
Birdsville, up Big Red, back into
Birdsville and probably as far back as Mungarainie.
The Barina scares me with it's puddle sized tank, plus it's an unknown. It's a brand new car that I wouldn't have driven so I have no idea about what sort of REAL mileage it gets when hooking along at 130km/ph.
By the way...I've been back up Big Red since then but this time in my Pajero io that you might recall I bought. I've done a few mods since I bought her and she did the trip with ease.
Incidently, on the trip
home, the bowser at Mungerainie had died and I had to do a Jerry Can splash and dash at
Lake Harry. Hence, with no Jerry Can in the Barina, I'm cautious not to run out.
Hopefully this link works. If not, search Youtube by gzwbyc Big Red 2012.
My Pajero io playing in the sand pit
Fab.
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Kevin S (QLD) - Tuesday, Jul 31, 2012 at 17:11
Tuesday, Jul 31, 2012 at 17:11
The link worked. Good video. Looks like the little Paj was made for climbing Big Red. Looks like the kids liked Big Red as
well.
Is the Barina the little hatch? My wife has a Barina
sedan. In a long trip we get between 7 and 8 km per litre. You should get at least 500 km out of a tank and by the time you get to the long stretches between roadhouses you will have a good feel for what it will do. You will enjoy the trip, I'm sure.
Cheers
Kevin
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Fab72 - Tuesday, Jul 31, 2012 at 18:11
Tuesday, Jul 31, 2012 at 18:11
Yeah Kevin....it's a hatch. 5 door TM with a 6 speed auto and (thankfully) cruise control. Good to hear they return decent fuel figures.
Sounds like it should be a walk in the park...be it a squeezy one..hehe.
Cheers. Fab.
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Fab72 - Tuesday, Jul 31, 2012 at 18:14
Tuesday, Jul 31, 2012 at 18:14
Same model (and colour) as this one.
TM Barina
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Kevin S (QLD) - Tuesday, Jul 31, 2012 at 18:39
Tuesday, Jul 31, 2012 at 18:39
It looks very smart Fab. My wife's Barina is an 06 model but she has had it since new and loves it dearly.
Kevin
FollowupID:
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Reply By: Rockape - Tuesday, Jul 31, 2012 at 06:42
Tuesday, Jul 31, 2012 at 06:42
Fab,
Some prices last couple of weeks.
Darwin south to
Daly waters.
Can't help past that as we went out to Cape Crawford/
Borroloola.
Humpty Doo $155.9
Katherine $154.9
Mataranka $$169.5
Daly Waters Roadhouse $165.9
Have a good trip.
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Fab72 - Tuesday, Jul 31, 2012 at 16:59
Tuesday, Jul 31, 2012 at 16:59
Thanks Rockape.
No bad prices considering the remote locations.
Birdsville 2 weeks back was 175.9 for ULP which I though was pretty damn good too. (That wasn't in the Barina..hehe.)
Fab.
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Follow Up By: Rockape - Wednesday, Aug 01, 2012 at 07:21
Wednesday, Aug 01, 2012 at 07:21
Fab,
should have added these are diesel prices.
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