Tassie to Perth and back - 5 weeks with the Wife and Kids

[Smithy - 120 D4D Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Smithy - 120 D4D]

Whilst in Perth go to the swan valley the best brewery is Iron Bark Brewery in Benara Rd Caversham used to be a great sunday arvo with the family and i would make sure i drank the entire beer menu they offered local wines, wood fired pizza, cheese platters folk band playing, sometimes kids face painting and down the road you have a chocolate factory cheese factory a kids cuddle farm min golf - a great day out next door to the Iron Bark is a big 4 caravan park which could be convenient.

Cheers for that. We stopped in, but the place is looking pretty run down and uninspiring, so we moved on. Didn't rate the swan valley much at all...

[Smithy - 120 D4D Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Smithy - 120 D4D]

Well, after a week and a half of relaxing around Perth with friends, and then Mandurah with the family, tomorrow we hit the road again for the leg home.

Heading from Mandurah to wave rock, and camp somewhere near Kalgoorlie, and then on to the Great Central Road, headed east to Uluru. Should take about 4 days to get to the rock...

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

Sounds like you are all having a great time. It is never nice when you know you have reach the half way point of any trip, but you have a lot to still explore so enjoy the time you still have away.

[Smithy - 120 D4D Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Smithy - 120 D4D]

Sounds like you are all having a great time. It is never nice when you know you have reach the half way point of any trip, but you have a lot to still explore so enjoy the time you still have away.

Too true!

Camped about 10 minutes out of Kalgoorlie for the night tonight, then head to Kal' in the morning before moving further North to the western start of the Great Central .

Did just over 700ks today, so a big day on the road, especially by Tassie standards. Visited wave rock on the way through, which was interesting.

[Smithy - 120 D4D Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Smithy - 120 D4D]

After leaving for Kal yesterday morning, we visited the super pit, refuelled, and then headed for the western start to the Great Central Road.

We stopped over at tjukayirla road house last night, which was an excellent stop over, before heading out this morning for warakurna. Given the change in timezones, and it being a Saturday, we arrived 15 minutes late to refuel, and at 38 degrees, none of us felt like staying there (it was only a bit after 3pm adjusted time), so we decided to press on to Yulara in air conditioned comfort, knowing that fuel would be tight, but making a judgement call it would be OK (we did put 40litres in at tjukayirla, so the fuel gauge was reading just above half the second tank, with about 350km to travel.

We hadn't anticipated the poor state of the NT side of the road, and the fuel gauge started to plummet.

We travelled around 200km with the air conditioning off, in 38 degree heat, to conserve fuel. With about 80km to go, the low fuel light came on, and i had that sinking feeling that we weren't going to make it to Yulara.

To make matters worst, some where along the way out uhf antenna whip had broken into two additional pieces (obviously not outback compliant!). I don't know the current range, but it isn't very far!

We finally made it to the olgas (and our first bit of sealed road), and i was sure the car would be out of juice at any minute. We limped towards Yulara, praying that we could at least get to phone reception or pick up a radio signal, but the brave little Prado kept going and going, and we made it to a fuel stop running on fumes, and to a huge sigh of relief by myself that i wouldn't have to suffer the shame of running out of fuel on our adventure, and now i can reflect on my good judgement, and the capability of the Prado. Given that we averaged about 16lt per hundred kms for the entire GCR, its a miracle we actually made it.

We are now happily set up in camp at yulara, and will stay for two nights to have a good look around the Olgas and Uluru before heading south to cooler climates - at least there is a pool at the camp ground!

[Smithy - 120 D4D Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Smithy - 120 D4D]

We spent two nights at Yulara, exploring the rocks for a day, but in 38 degree heat, the kids insisted on a swim in the camp ground swimming pool, which was very refreshing, followed by a sunset camel ride to see the sun go down over Uluru, which was a great experience.

We left Yulara, and have now spent a night on the road, and last night at Coober Pedy in the underground camp ground, where we pitched our tent in an old opal mine, which was an interesting experience.

Heading back south today, and no more dirt roads, unfortunately. Still got a little over a week before we get home.

[Smithy - 120 D4D Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Smithy - 120 D4D]

Roadside camp on our way to Coober Pedy, with sunset sky, and our Coober Pedy undeground camp site.

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

There mightn't be any more dirt roads to travel but I bet you have plenty of it in/on the vehicle to remind you of the great trip you have had.

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

Man you were lucky to make it to Yulara. The most I've pushed ours on the low fuel light is 50km and I thought that was close.

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

Man you were lucky to make it to Yulara. The most I've pushed ours on the low fuel light is 50km and I thought that was close.

My fuel light comes on with 15lts left, I've done 85kms towing the trailer and not run out, I had spare diesel but wanted to experiment.

Good to here you are having a great trip Ben, make sure to add pics when you get home.

Cheers Andrew

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

We travelled around 200km with the air conditioning off, in 38 degree heat, to conserve fuel. With about 80km to go, the low fuel light came on, and i had that sinking feeling that we weren't going to make it to Yulara.

To make matters worst, some where along the way out uhf antenna whip had broken into two additional pieces (obviously not outback compliant!). I don't know the current range, but it isn't very far!

That would have been a bit worrying. Glad you got through.
Look forward to hearing all the stories over a few beers when you get back.

[Smithy - 120 D4D Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Smithy - 120 D4D]

My fuel light comes on with 15lts left, I've done 85kms towing the trailer and not run out, I had spare diesel but wanted to experiment.

Good to here you are having a great trip Ben, make sure to add pics when you get home.

Cheers Andrew

I can assure you, that testing how far you can get with the fuel light on isn't a good idea in the outback, just ask my SWMBO. That said, I put it down to precise judgement on my part...

And yep, now that editing privileges are back, I will go through my posts and add relevant pictures with additional comments, as appropriate.

[Smithy - 120 D4D Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Smithy - 120 D4D]

From yulara we drove south, camped on the side of the road for a night, and then made our way into Coober Pedy. An interesting and unique place, but we won't stop in there again. We spent the night in Coober Pedy, where we pitched our tent underground, at Ribas, which was a great experience for the kids.

After that, we headed to Adelaide for a couple of nights to catch up with rellies, and are now about to start the journey back to Melbourne along the Great Ocean Road for the next four days.

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

Enjoy, we wish we had spent more time exploring the Great Ocean Road.

[Smithy - 120 D4D Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Smithy - 120 D4D]

Camped at beachport for the night, which is a cracking location. I had a fish off the jetty and managed to catch a very small, rather ambitious flathead on my squid jig. About sums up my fishing for the entire trip, really. At least I caught something, I suppose, even if it was unconventional.