Central Australia 2015

[Designafield Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Designafield]

Hi all, planning a round trip from Brisbane to Central Australia and back via the Simpson next year. Hoping to get a few tips and ideas to iron out the route.

Currently two families of 5, we will be in our Prado 150 GXL (pick it up in 2 weeks - cannot wait!) and another family in a SDV6 Discovery. Kitted out with most of the major accessories (ARB bullbar, snorkel, OME suspension, underbody armour, towbar), just need to sort a roof cage, new spotties and maybe a set of storage drawers.

Looking at 2 and a bit weeks at the moment (Sept school holidays with a couple of days tacked on). The trip itself will kick off from Townsville, as we'll be up north for a 40th.

The current plan from Townsville is:
> Mt Isa
> Old Police Stations Water Hole (is it worth the detour of the highway?)
> Glen Helen Resort
> Finke Gorge / Palm Valley
> Kings Canyon
> Ayers Rock
> Kulgera/Finke (depending on what time we get away from Ayers Rock)
> Dalhousie Springs
> Purnie Bore
> Simpson Desert
> Birdsville
> ???
> Nindigully Pub
> Brisbane

I did most of the route up to Ayers Rock (with a side trip to the Top End) years ago in an old HJ75 Cruiser, but the Simpson is all new.

General plan is to do a couple of days of solid driving straight up so that we can spend more time in Central Aus and the return trip. The kids handle big drives without issue (often do Brisbane - Bowen in one hit - c17 hours). Will be mostly camping, with a few motels/cabins for overnighting on the make-a-mile runs.

Couple of questions:

> Recommendations for camping spots close to Kings Canyon? Stay at the Resort?
> How long does it take to get from Kulgera to Dalhousie Springs via Mt Dare?
> How many days to cross the Simpson itself? We've allowed 3-4 days
> One or two spares? Currently running BFG A/T with c10k on them

Any tips on additional things to see (or skip) greatly appreciated.

Cheers
Adrian

[404pug Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close 404pug]

I always carry 2 spares in those parts. That said, I haven't used any [ run BFGs] but you are only 1 rock from trouble. Kulgera - Mt Dare an easy day [do the 25 k return diversion to the Lambert Centre- geographic centre of Aust.. Not sure of the time from Mt Dare to Dalhousie as I went in from the Oodndatta end. 3-4 days for Simpson is fine.

[Esquire Member Find all posts View Profile Close Esquire]

Gday Adrian

Im heading out there in June / July for the first time since 1991. Back then I stayed at Kings Creek Station which is 36k from Kings Canyon and was a really great place to stay, although the resort wasn't built back then. The Station is still a working cattle station but operates as a camp ground with cabins etc and good facilities. We are staying there again when we head out.

http://www.kingscreekstation.com.au

[Designafield Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Designafield]

I always carry 2 spares in those parts. That said, I haven't used any [ run BFGs] but you are only 1 rock from trouble. Kulgera - Mt Dare an easy day [do the 25 k return diversion to the Lambert Centre- geographic centre of Aust.. Not sure of the time from Mt Dare to Dalhousie as I went in from the Oodndatta end. 3-4 days for Simpson is fine.

Thanks 404pug, I've got a second tyre (no rim at the moment), guess I'll keep an eye on eBay and Gumtree. Good to know Kulgera - Mt Dare is an easy day - Google was telling me it was 7 hours Kulgera - Finke!

[Designafield Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Designafield]

Gday Adrian

Im heading out there in June / July for the first time since 1991. Back then I stayed at Kings Creek Station which is 36k from Kings Canyon and was a really great place to stay, although the resort wasn't built back then. The Station is still a working cattle station but operates as a camp ground with cabins etc and good facilities. We are staying there again when we head out.

http://www.kingscreekstation.com.au

Thanks Esquire, was wondering what it was like. Last time I was out there, we did the hike, had some dinner in the carpark, and then drove through the night to Curtin Springs. Did a lot of night driving to avoid the heat and take it easy on the old girl!

Be interesting to hear about your trip when you get back - always good to get a bit of up-to-date info! Cheers

[vk2ss55 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close vk2ss55]

Getting a genuine alloy spare is not easy . I finished up getting a Speedy Wheels steel rim but it's damn heavy to put it up on the rack
Cheers Ross

[Designafield Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Designafield]

Getting a genuine alloy spare is not easy . I finished up getting a Speedy Wheels steel rim but it's damn heavy to put it up on the rack
Cheers Ross

Don't I know it Ross. I tried to get one for my 120 earlier this year for a rally I did to the Corner Country. The few that were around wanted silly money. I wonder if the basic alloy wheel of the 120 GX will fit? Cheers

[Redsand Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Redsand]

I did a similar trip in 2012 and took 4 weeks there's a lot of driving to it in two weeks.

We camped at Kings Canyon Resort for two nights, you need a full day to walk Kings Canyon
I drove from Alice Springs to Dalhouise in about 8 hours the last 50km from Mt Dare took 1.5 hrs the road was heavily ruttered and covered in bowling ball size rocks, dropped the tyres down to 18 psi and sat on 20-30km. When you get to Dalhousie go straight to the spring for a swim and take a beer, you quickly forget the horror drive in.
I would allow 4 days for the Simspon you could do it in 3 but you will be pushing and could break something and you are along way from help in the middle of the Simspon, take your time and enjoy it. You can push hard on the bitumen to make up time.
I took two spares and didn't' get one puncture( Bridgestone Dueller LT) Dropping tyre pressure to suit conditions is the best way to avoid punctures. I would take two spares if you have the room you can be unluckly.

[Esquire Member Find all posts View Profile Close Esquire]

I agree with the amount of driving. We have decided not to do Dalhousie etc although I really want to. We will be heading straight from Yulara to Marla and then to Coober Pedy via Oodnandatta. We are also missing out on Chambers Pillar, Boggy Hole etc at Finke Gorge National Park . There's always next trip!

[Designafield Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Designafield]

Thanks for the tips and info Redsand and Esquire. We've decided to drop Old Police Station Water Hole (after reading on here and ExploreOz how long it takes to get in there) and essentially drive Townsville to Alice Springs over 3 days on the bitumen. That'll leave us with 10-11 days to make our way home via Palm Valley, Kings Canyon, Ayers Rock and the Simpson.

Thinking we'll stay at Mt Dare for the night and then just drop into Dalhousie and Purnie Bore (instead of staying) and camp in the desert for a couple of nights. I'm assuming that as we'll be crossing in early October, the roads will probably be pretty rough after a season of traffic.

[Redsand Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Redsand]

I think you would be disappointed not staying at Dalhousie it was one of the highlights of the trip for me. The memory of swimming in 35+ degree water as the sun was rising while listening to the birds will stay with me for many years.

Other than a pub there's not much at Mt Dare, Purnie Bore is only worth a half hour stop

[Richoson Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Richoson]

Hi

I just got back in September, my trip was Brisbane to Karumba, then to Alice Springs and Yulara via the Plenty Highway from Mt Isa (the best camping along there is Tobermorey Station, Jervois Station is very average), back to Alice then down to Lambert Centre 1st night, then Dalhousie Springs 2nd night (great camping spot and swimming hole), the desert bush camping for the next three nights and then overnight at Birdsville. A quick trip back to Brisbane from Birdsville was Quilpie first night, from there straight back to Brisbane (1000ks). Have a look at the link on my post "Richos Simpson Desert trip" this will give you an idea of the current conditions.

The road from Lambert to Dalhousie and just beyond was horrendous you will see it in the video. Also the dunes are pretty chopped up we found that going up in 2nd low was the best option otherwise you will get bounced around. Fuel up at Mt Dare but be ready it is $2.45/lt. I used 100lts of fuel to get from Mt Dare to Birdsville in a v6 150 Prado, two adults and loaded for the trip. worked out at around 22lts/100.

One of our group stayed at Kings Canyon and paid $329.00 a night for the room and said it was disgusting, dirty, in poor condition, management were rude and uncaring, nothing like their website.

I have Mickey Thompson ATZ's (4rib) and apart from the usual chipping you will get on high speed dirt, I didn't get a puncture or any other problems. As a matter of fact none of the group of 11 vehicles that we were in got a flat in the trip from Alice to Birdsville. We did however have two shockies shear the top bolt off (EFS), one broken leaf (standard Toyota that had been retensioned), collapsed battery (the vehicle owner is a Battery World franchisee ) and a lot of cans of beer rubbed through.

Hope this helps, see ya on the tracks, Richo.

[404pug Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close 404pug]

Re the 2nd spare...... why not put a call out on here to borrow one for the trip for a bottle of Bundy? A standard Toyota alloy with 265/65 BFG [6mm remaining] weighs 33 kg and the genuine steel wheel with the same size tyre weighs 35 kg. My 2nd spare is a genuine Toyota steel wheel but you will need different wheel nuts [most tyre dealers have buckets of them and they may cost you nothing].

[ntp Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close ntp]

Re the 2nd spare...... why not put a call out on here to borrow one for the trip for a bottle of Bundy

Only one..?

[jaysea007 Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close jaysea007]

Gday

we did a trip this year starting from Sydney but got to many of the places you mentioned - the rock, Palm Valley, Mt Dare, Finke, Birdsville etc (although we did not cross the Simpson). Have a look here for our trip and what to expect

http://jaysea007-darwin.blogspot.com.au/

We were towing a trailer with matching wheels which meant we had two spares but i also took a tyre (no wheel) if i became desperate. (luckily only got one flat from a rail spikes on the track near Finke).

You will have a great time