Advice on taking a jayco swan along the Oodnadatta track and to Dalhousie Springs

[westy90 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close westy90]

Hi everyone,

In about 5 weeks I'll be taking the 90 towing my 2010 on road jayco swan from Adelaide to Uluru, Kings canyon, Alice Springs and down to Dalhousie Springs and then along the Oodnadatta track to Arkaroola and then back to Adelaide.

I am nervous about the leg from the Oodnadatta Track up to Dalhousie and back to Oodnadatta. Have any of you ever done this leg towing such a van? The only mods done to the van are an underslung axle (gives it a bit of a lift) and it also has the drawbar off the off road version on it. So it is pretty standard and just runs light truck tyres.

Am I mad? or should I be ok if I just take my time and take it easy.

Any advice greatly appreciated.

Ps I'm also keen to hear of any must see sights on such a journey. I'll be doing this trip with my partner and 5 kids so I'm open to any advice!

Westy

[rags Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close rags]

Westy
Did a trip a few years ago now up the oodnadatta track to Alice in my old 90 towing our 98 finch raised similar to yours and same tyres.
Made a few mods before we left including stone guards over water tank made from sheet metal and rubbber matting, a stone guard across the front from shade clothe and tube, sealed up the fridge vents,and door vents with some real estate sign board and duct tape, made a rear tailgate window cover out of perspex and attached with velcro tape, had a poly vinyl strip approx 120mm wide with sail rope sewn in that was attached via sail track striping to cover the join between roof and camper body to stop the ingress of dust,dust being the downfall of these campers.
We ran approx 25psi inthe camper tyres. Overall we had no troubles,except for stone blasting the chasis and a bit of dust entry.
Russ

[baggs71 Inactive member. Find all posts View Profile Close baggs71]

Up that way towing last year...
X2 rocks blasting the absolute crap out of any exposed surfaces...other than that....pressure and speed low and your good to go...(oh god now im a poet)

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

After reading Pat /Mr.4x4 write up on the Oodnadatta track in his lastest magazine issue, this sounds like a great trip to tackle with a camper in tow.
Planning and research, such as you are doing now is the key to any successful adventure.
Cheers
Troy

p.s. I will be looking back on this topic for future trip info.

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

After you turn off the Oodnadatta and head towards Dalhousie it does get rougher, but it more of a track and less of a road so you will be travelling slower, so not nescessarily any worse. The Oodnadatta track is usually pretty good, but if its been a while since the grader it can be pretty rough.

As others have said, low speeds and low pressures are the go, and a good stone gaurd is a must. Also stones bouncing of the trailer and onto the back window can cause the window to shatter. Tape some cardboard over the window if you are at all concerned.

Lots to see up the Oodnadatta track, if you can be self sufficent dont be afraid to camp at one of the old sidings (ruins) along the track, one of my all time favourite places to camp.

Kings Canyon is just brilliant. The Olgas are better than the "rock" IMO and less crowded, the valley of the winds walk through the Olgas is breath taking.

If you go to the Macdonnell ranges near Alice, the East Macs are my pick, less touristy and less crowded and very spectacular.

With 5 kids in tow I am not sure how the budget will go for eating out, but if at all possible I would recommend stopping for a meal at the Prarie Hotel at Parachilna, my all time favourite place for a meal anywhere! Free Camping in Parachilna Gorge is also great.

Sounds like a great trip, enjoy.

Cheers Andrew

[Bushbasher Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Bushbasher]

Gotta love that 3.4 pulling the Jayco at @ 4.5km to the litre.

[Dupes68 Member Find all posts View Profile Close Dupes68]

Hi Westy,

We will be heading up that way about a week earlier, straight up the Stuart Hwy, via Uluru and the Olgas and on to Alice for 5 days, then back down the Oodnadatta Track and through the Flinders with an Outback Expanda - or at least that's our intention! We are travelling with friends who will be towing a van too.

I have a stone guard made up for the front, which I think is an essential based on our previous experiences up that way. It's definitely a good idea to tape up your back window (we lost one window each on 2 cars!).

Coward Springs is an absolute must for an overnighter, IMO, and as Andrew has said, there are some great bush camping spots all the way along the Track.

Has the Prairie Hotel at Parachilna opened again, Andrew? We called in there at Christmas and they were well and truly closed.

Safe travels and enjoy the trip. We will look out for you!

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

Has the Prairie Hotel at Parachilna opened again, Andrew? We called in there at Christmas and they were well and truly closed.

I hadn't heard about them closing. I haven't had a chance to go there since last April but I heard the owner on the radio only a few weeks ago. Maybe they close up during the peak of summer when the tourists are few are far between?

As I am typing this I recall the QLD crew coming to the GTG stopped there for a meal last September, Lfar commented to me that it was the highlight of his trip to that point.

Funny story about Coward Springs, we stopped there after stopping for the obligatory drink at the William Creek Hotel on one of our trips coming down the track. The owner of the Hotel asked us to drop the mail of at Coward springs so we stopped in. There was a lovely couple who were riding pushbikes up the Track taking a dip in the spring when we got there. We talked for a while until we realised she wasn't going to get out with an audience, not much room on a pushbike to pack luxuries like bathers

Cheers Andrew

[REV Find all posts View Profile Close REV]

I hadn't heard about them closing. I haven't had a chance to go there since last April but I heard the owner on the radio only a few weeks ago. Maybe they close up during the peak of summer when the tourists are few are far between?

As I am typing this I recall the QLD crew coming to the GTG stopped there for a meal last September, Lfar commented to me that it was the highlight of his trip to that point.

Funny story about Coward Springs, we stopped there after stopping for the obligatory drink at the William Creek Hotel on one of our trips coming down the track. The owner of the Hotel asked us to drop the mail of at Coward springs so we stopped in. There was a lovely couple who were riding pushbikes up the Track taking a dip in the spring when we got there. We talked for a while until we realised she wasn't going to get out with an audience, not much room on a pushbike to pack luxuries like bathers

Cheers Andrew

Yep! sure did stop there in September on the way to the GTG. Great Meal, would have been back again only for the time and expense it takes to get there. I hope it hasn't shut cause I do plan on going back some day.......... I Hope?????


Roo Burger with a few cold beers...................................


Cheers
REV

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

I had a look at their website and seems they did close for a Summer break, but reopened on Valentines day. I couldn't imagine it closing given the poularity of the place and all the awards it has won. Traveller Magazine rated it as the the number one place to get a feed in the Australian Outback and also named it in there 20 things to visit before you die list.

Last time I was there I actually sat across from the Editor of traveller magazines mother who told me all this and showed me the articles, and I was dining with Fred Wright from 4wd action and ended up on one of their DVD's for the caravaning magazine they were doing a DVD for at the time.

Cheers Andrew

[Dupes68 Member Find all posts View Profile Close Dupes68]

[QUOTE=AJ120;394536]I had a look at their website and seems they did close for a Summer break, but reopened on Valentines day. I couldn't imagine it closing given the poularity of the place and all the awards it has won. Traveller Magazine rated it as the the number one place to get a feed in the Australian Outback and also named it in there 20 things to visit before you die list.

You beat me to it - just saw it on their website! That's good because we've been through that way 4 times now and always make a point of stopping in and having a beer and/or a meal.

Your Coward Springs story beats mine - I only got in the spring with the car keys in my pocket! Fortunately Nissan Patrol remotes were not as dear as a replacement Prado one is today!

Cheers
John

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

I just had a look through the pictures from our trip up the track and to the red centre and it jogged my mind about a couple of things.

You hadn't mentioned Palm Valley but it is well worth the trip out IMO.

Another little gem, in the West Mac's if you go out to Glen Helen you can camp at the resort, but if you can be self sufficent there is a campsite almost directly across the road from the Resort on the Finke River, its a brilliant camp spot, easily in my top 5 spots of all time.



Cheers Andrew

[Mark from Brisbane Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Mark from Brisbane]

I'd be more worried about the road in and out of Arkaroola (especially if coming from the Flinders) than I would be the Oodnadatta. I was up that way in 2011 and found the track pretty good. Corrugations (of course) but in the scheme of things pretty good. I am far from an expert (and have far less Km's on dirt tracks than some on here) but I reckon it's mostly about tyre pressures and speed, less and less (of both) makes the trip bearable.

I must say I don't tow a camper so that would add another spanner in the works, but again the theory remains the same.

For me the road in and out of Arkaroola was the worst we encountered on our Simmo trip 2 years ago, those bloody big rocks on that road are a real bastard!!

OH by the way a tip...if planning on going to Mount Dare to refuel DON"T take the short cut, I did that and it was that bad it took me 3 hours, the "long way" coming back took about 45 mins.

[westy90 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close westy90]

Thank you all so much for being so generous with your advice and suggestions. This really is an amazing forum. Keep them coming I am soaking up your suggestions. Eg I have today ordered a stone guard from jayco!ta

Westy

[Whitey1 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Whitey1]

Not sure I'd be taking an on road camper into Dalhousie Springs. Was pretty rough going last year. The Oodnadatta track is on the other hand just another gravel road. Coward springs is a great little campground. Love the shower block and ingenious donkey.