To the Flinders and Back vi CC

[1coolbanana Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close 1coolbanana]

Its been about 10 years now that I havent had a holiday longer than a couple days so I reckon Im about due.
End of this month Im planning on having 7-9 days on the road heading to the Flinders.

At this stage I will be travelling alone and Im thinking of doing something like this route Ive plotted out below.
Ive not done this since I was 18 so it should be fun :shock:

Normally my offroad jaunts are on a bike and this is the first time in 20 years that Im heading out in a car, first time in the Prado and should be somewhat more relaxing

The rough plan at the moment is Mungo, Pooncarie, Menindee, Silverton, BH, Yunta, Waukaringa, Hawker, Blinman, Arkaroola, Strzeleki, CC, Tibouburra, Tilpa, Cobar, Codo and back home to Sydney.
About 3500 klms

Anyone have anything theyd like to comment on about places I should go, things I sould see?
Ive not done most of this before.

Any suggested destinations for each night, approx distances, be camping mostly with the occasional cabin with a hot shower maybe?

Anybody want to come

Cheers

[Trekrider Banned Find all posts View Profile Close Trekrider]

Looks great Marc, wish I could come. Bit far to come from WA though

[Guest Close Guest]

Wonder if I can get a leave pass and meet you at Finders for some product testing???

Is 7-9 days enough to do all that you've planned? If you break up the distance to 700km travel each day, you will end up with 5 days of travelling.

[1coolbanana Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close 1coolbanana]

Sounds good to me
Be great to meet up.

Im thinking I should try and get an extra couple days off so Ill have 11 days total.
After all, I dont want to be in a mad rush, need time to smell the roses I reckon.

Cheers

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

When planning a trip I usually work on average of 200-250 kms a day, this seems to be about right, anymnore and you feel like you are driving all the time and not seeing anything. Obviously some days you will drive little and others a lot but if it averages out to those levels it makes for a good trip.

Hope this helps.

Cheers Andrew

[1coolbanana Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close 1coolbanana]

Id like to keep it down to that but I just havent got enough time up my sleeve.
Unless I cut the trip short by not doing the Strzeleki or CC but that would be a shame.
Im going to try and take and extra couple days off and that should drop my daily average if I move along everyday to under 350 klms.
Cheers
Marc

[TimA Member Find all posts View Profile Close TimA]

Am planning a Flinders visit myself soon. Here are a few of my ideas of things to see:

Wilpena Pound - flight over and/or tour into (you can't take the 4wd)
Gorges - Brachina (sp?), Parachilna, others?
Stop off at the Parchilna pub and have some feral food if you arrive at the right time. Otherwise drive directly from Blinman to Arkaroola (not via Copley)
Ridge Top tour at Arkaroola (not sure if they allow tag along)
Observatory at Arkaroola

That's where I deviate from your plan. I am planning 3 nights at Arkaroola, 2 at Wilpena Pound or Rawnsley Park. I hit those places on my return leg.

My 2cents worth.

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

Wilpena Pound: Walk into. St Marys Peak on the way. There is an unserviced campground inside: Cooinda. Flight is great but expensive.
Gorges: add Bunyeroo Gorge Scenic drive (starts just a k or so north of the Wilpena turnoff)
Parachilna: Be there around dusk. The Coal train from Leigh Creek passes through around 7PM. That's the Adelaide power supply passing by! Feral Mixed Grill is awesome. Campground is bare but overflow cabins are ok. Hotel rooms great, but expensive.
Plenty of self-drive or tag-along tours to be had, not sure of Arkaroola Ridge Top.

[K & M McF Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close K & M McF]

2 days to Mungo from Sydney, a day from Mungo to Menindee, at least a day from Menindee to Flinders, 2 days to go from Flinders to Tibooburra (min), 2 days from Tibooburra to Sydney. Already up to 8 days and you have spent absolutely no time at Mungo (need a day), Kinchega NP (Menindee), Broken Hill, Flinders (at least a few full days needed) and a couple of days at Sturt NP (Tibooburra). Therefore, you need to add at least 7 days to the trip or cut it back. No point in driving all that way and seeing none of the sights.

[1coolbanana Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close 1coolbanana]

Now since Mungo tourist drives are still closed (I found out today) I may just run the gauntlet and get to the Flinders as quick as possible.
Mungo to Menindee is only 4 hours but maybe I wont bother with Mungo or Menindee.
Ive done Sydney to BH in a day before (on the bike), big day but no big deal.
So maybe Broken Hill day one, get out of NSW as quick as possible and take my time through the Flinders.
Hmmm, what to do.........

[K & M McF Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close K & M McF]

Yes, but what is the point of doing the trip when you do not spend any time looking at the places you are visiting. You can spend a few days alone at Kinchega NP at Menindee. That is why I said it is a day, this gave you half a day in the NP.

If you only have 9 days (say Saturday morning to Sunday evening a week later), then why not:

1 Sydney to Louth
2 Louth to Tibooburra
3 Tibooburra (Sturt NP)
4 Tibooburra to Strzelecki Creek (or Monte Collina Bore) via Cameron Corner
5 Strzlecki Creek to Flinders Ranges
6 Flinders Ranges
7 Flinders Ranges
8 Flinders Ranges to Broken Hill
9 Broken Hill to Sydney

9 is a long way, but I have done Menindee to Sydney (in 1978) in one hit.

If you do not want to go to Flinders, then after Camerons Corner, return to Tibooburra or south. Then via Mutawintji NP to Broken Hill.

[1coolbanana Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close 1coolbanana]

The Flinders is where I want to be going.

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

Just returned from my Flinders / Simpson / Birdsville/ Innamincka / Cameron Corner trip....7000Km in 26 days.......Flinders was great, that Gorge (Brechina or however it is spelt) is a must see....also did Arkaroola, Ridge Tour a must and a drive up to the Pinnacles is worth while as well...it's only 3 Klm from the camp area but slow going.

If going to CC, go further to Innamincka and camp beside the Cooper at the Burke and Wills Dig Tree....great spot, in fact a really great spot.

The Strez Track was easy as, and the road across from CC (Merty Merty) is about a 90 Km an hour track.

Pull up for a Coffee at the Innamincka Hotel, well worth it the best Coffee I had since leaving Brisbane!!

Due to the rain we had at the start of our trip (during our time in the Flinders) the tracks were hard and fast and not much dust......but still fun.

BUT nothing beats the Simmo....what an experience!!

Enjoy

[1coolbanana Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close 1coolbanana]

Thanks mate, I will certainly be checking some of those places out thanks for the tips :-)
Just the sort of things I need to hear.
Unfortunately the Simpson is not something I want to do alone, so that will wait for another time I reckon!

Cheers
Marc

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

Don't even think about the Simmo alone.....we had 6 vehicles, so plenty of recovery options....also one of the guys was a mechanic (now retired) but nevertheless a mechanic....so we had some redundancy options in place.....only a catostrophic breakdown would have stopped us. And let me assure you, in the middle of the Simmo you are a bloody long way from help!!