Adelaide to Sydney via Strezlecki Track/Cameron's Corner

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

We're heading to the Flinders Ranges in the Sept/Oct school holidays. I'm driving down with our Tvan (Sydney-Adelaide by the quickest route) and meeting the rest of the family who are flying (saves hours and hours of whining kids). On the way back we're doing the reverse - I'll drop them off at Adelaide Airport and drive back.

I'm wondering how feasible it would be to organise for a friend to fly down to Adelaide and for us to drive back via the Strezlecki Track & Cameron's Corner.

I know it will take longer (that's obvious!) but I'm not sure how much longer. I'm wondering if we could do:
- Adelaide - Lyndhurst
- Lyndhurst - ??
- ?? - Camerson's Corner - White Cliffs
- White Cliffs - Sydney

From reading around the place it seems the Strezlecki track would take a day if we don't stop - it sounds like the only real difficulty is the corrugations.

Is there any other interesting way to get back to Sydney that adds no more than 2 days to the trip?

[r4ndll Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close r4ndll]

Darling river run?
Murray river?
Adelaide to Melbourne then Melbourne to Sydney via the dirt:
http://www.4wdaction.com.au/articles/2010/adventure-way

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

Quite doable. Last year I did Southern Flinders via Strez. to Camerons Corner one day. CC to Cobar the next and to Sydney the day after. Strez Track was fine- like all dirt have your tyres at about 28 and 24 on the camper and all will be fine. Don't forget to cover your rear screen on the dirt! It was 3 big days and not covering new territory for me [other than the Strez] but even so we did stop at a few places for a good look see.

[MYT150 Member Find all posts View Profile Close MYT150]

Peter,

I can't see the point in doing it that way other then to put k's on the Prado, as you won't see much and it is not the most interesting roads to drive.

- Adelaide - Lyndhurst - 598km approx
- Lyndhurst - Cameron's Corner - 436km approx
- Cameron's Corner - White Cliffs - 385km approx
- White Cliffs - Sydney - 1,040km approx

Direct from Adelaide to Sydney is approx 1,400km via Murray Bridge, Pinnaroo, Balranald and Wagga Wagga. It is a long day but can be done. Over 2 or 3 days it is a nice run with the option to detour into the Big Desert NP or even up to Murrray Sunset NP. Of course there is also the opportunity to do some wine shopping on the way back as you are passing through or near wine country in SA, and come via Renmark and Mildura.

Regards

Aidan

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

Adelaide to Lyndhurst in a day is comfortable, Lyndhurst to CC in day is also comfortable. We were on the Strez a couple of weeks ago and for the most part it was like a highway.

Cheers Andrew

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

Aidan you are not looking if you think there is little to see! Desert country is incredibly changeable- if you can't see subtle changes within 10 mins at cruising speed you need to look harder. It is not spectacular but is different and worth seeing.

[MYT150 Member Find all posts View Profile Close MYT150]

Aidan you are not looking if you think there is little to see! Desert country is incredibly changeable- if you can't see subtle changes within 10 mins at cruising speed you need to look harder. It is not spectacular but is different and worth seeing.

I didn't say it was not worth seeing, I said he wouldn't see much, as to travel over that area and see what is there to see you need to have some time and be able to stop and look around. I know I have driven those roads a few times and have done many long stretches of outback and highway roads where we have covered 1,000K + per day, and yes you can see the difference in the country as you travel but you are not really getting to experience it, as time is a limiting factor and you can't stop and take the time to enjoy it.

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

Thanks for the replies and sorry for my slow response - I've been busy with work.

I gather there isn't much to see along the Strezlecki track but I haven't been out in the desert before (apart from around Alice Springs nearly 30 years ago as a kid). I figured this was my chance to detour the long way home and get at least a look at it. Plus I've wanted to visit Cameron's Corner! (yeah, I know, it will probably be a let down too...)

Are there places you can stop and climb up a sand dune? Are there many side tracks? Or is it just a long corrugated dusty highway??

Would we be better off getting the Strezlecki track over & done with then spend more time between Cameron's Corner and White Cliffs - looks like there is lots to see around Tibooburra with old mining ruins and mountains to climb.


Aiden - I'll take a look at the two Victorian desserts on a map. Is there anything much to see there? Perhaps, is there anything more than on the Strezlecki track... I'm not really into wine so wine country doesn't enthuse me.

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

On the Strez there are ruins of a station used to raise Whaler horses for WW1- worth a 10 min stop. Further up there is a campsite at Montecina Bore. Plenty to see and do around Tibooburra, Milparinka, White Cliffs .

[MYT150 Member Find all posts View Profile Close MYT150]

Peter,

What is your time frame to get from Adelaide to Sydney? It is not clear if it is 4 days in total or up to 6?

Personally I would say that if you want to go to Cameron's corner then I would suggest that you include it as part of a trip and spend some time in and around Broken Hill and Silverton, lots to do and see, and plenty for the family as well. Then head up to Tibooburra and Cameron's Corner. Then onto Innamincka and vistis the Dig Tree and Coongie lakes. From there either head to Birdsville and back through Southern QLD, or head via the Walker Crossing to the Birdsville Track and head south towards Marree. But that would be a 2-3 week trip to take it easy and see everything and enjoy the drive. And I am sure your family would enjoy it.

There is quite a bit to see in the Mildura area and there is some intereting tracks and camp spots in the Big Desert/Wyperfield NP and the Murray Sunset NP. If you want to try out some sand driving you will get more there then on the Strezlecki. There would also be more wildlife to see and shorter distances between spots.

Regards

Aidan

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

2 extra days - ie 4 in total. That limits me a fair bit to having a lot of driving with comparatively little sight seeing. I'm ok with that - it's what I'm expecting.

We have plans to go as a family to Cameron's Corner & beyond but getting the time off to do it properly is difficult - school hols are only 2 weeks and I've got a small business which I can't disappear from endlessly. Perhaps in Sept 2016 or 2017 when we hope to take 3 months off to go "around the country" (but probably focusing on the North West since it's so far away).

The kids aren't fantastic at long drives yet either - especially the 4 year old. So at the moment we're picking destinations that are 6-8hrs drive from either home or a cheap airport to fly to. I can drive with minimal stops (and no whinging!) then meet them there. The plan worked well for Tassie at Christmas when they flew to Launceston - we'll see how it goes in Sept for the Flinders Ranges. One good thing about Adelaide (I'm sure there are many :-) ) is that flights there were only $90pp - much better than Broken Hill at $500pp!

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

If you take in Birdsville (perhaps overnight) you could spend an extra 2 hrs and head off to Big red to get the sand dunes under your belt.

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

If you take in Birdsville (perhaps overnight) you could spend an extra 2 hrs and head off to Big red to get the sand dunes under your belt.

Hmmm, interesting idea. It adds another 800kms to the journey which is significant. How long does it take to drive the Birdsville Track from Maree to Birdsville?

While I'd love to get to Big Red I think this might be a bit too far for this trip...

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

How long does it take to drive the Birdsville Track from Maree to Birdsville?

Comfortable in a day, assuming reasonable track conditions. I have driven from Birdsville to south of Parachilna in a day, but that was a big day.

Cheers Andrew

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

Comfortable in a day, assuming reasonable track conditions. I have driven from Birdsville to south of Parachilna in a day, but that was a big day.

Cheers Andrew

Did that include a stop at the Road Kill Café at Parachilna?

I can't imagine going all that way and not partaking.

If you haven't done so before and you have time you can stop at Farina between Maree and Lyndhurst.

It was once the railhead and there is quite a volunteer project being undertaken to repair some of the old buildings and mark out the narrow gauge and standard gauge line including the triangle they used to turn the train around without a turntable.

There is an underground bakery working sometimes.

There is also a reasonable campground with a hot shower if you light the donkey.

S.