Perth to Uluru & Return - April 2014

[speed_racer Member Find all posts View Profile Close speed_racer]

Thanks so much for your info guys. I really appreciate it. I am surprised that some suggest not worrying too much about the rock - Although i have heard that from others as well as sometimes the rock itself is a bit of a disappointment? We will still want to go see it, but wont get too fussed about climbing/spending too much time there.

I am a bit sad that we only have a limited time to get there and fit all this stuff in (but aren't we all in the same boat) and I think half of the fun will be in the journey to get there. We are going to leave a day earlier now too so that's good. I am about to drop the cash on the drawers system which is fantastic and can be easily removed/transferred to another car. Just got to sort out the cargo barrier so am doing a bit of reading up on that.

Going to drop the surveyors General corner from the itenerary and added in Kings Canyon Walk, + olgas.

17th Perth to Kal
18th Kal to Tjukayirla RH
19th Tjukayirla RH to Warakurna
20th Warakurna to Curtin Springs
21st Kings Canyon Rim Walk
22nd AM Valley of winds Walk, PM Uluru Chopper flight (bush camp West outside of Yulara NP)
23rd Spare day ( or give me some suggestions)
24th Travel to Bush camp through to somewhere betwen Tjukarila & Warakurna
25th Bush camp to Kalgoorlie via lake ballard
26th Kal to Perth.

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

I don't think you could be disappointed by the rock, it's awesome! Been twice, climbed it twice and thoroughly enjoyed it both times. But it is very regulated and commercialized and you need to share it with a million other people.

The Olga's on the other hand is visited by far fewer people and at times you can feel like you have the whole place to yourself. Sitting under a tree in the Olga's contemplating the world with no one to bother you is a much more rewarding experience than jockeying for the best photo opportunity at sunset with 4000 other people.

Between Kings Canyon, the Rock and the Olga's you will easily find enough to do to fill your spare day, and you will still leave wishing you had more time.

Cheers Andrew

[discoveraus Member Find all posts View Profile Close discoveraus]

Hello Speed racer,

If you do things in the order you arrive at them you will save time and Kilometres. The Great Central Road arrives almost at the Olgas, so do the Valley of the winds walk first, then Uluru and onto Curtin Springs, Kings Canyon and return home. Save the best for last.

regards

Ross

[clarkie383 Member Find all posts View Profile Close clarkie383]

Hey Speed_racer please keep a diary and report back please.
Distances on bitumen
Distance on gravel
Fuel availability and price,closing times etc.
What has been said by others is great but would be good just to keep everyone updated.
I'm going to Alice Springs in August 2015 but this trip of yours has me intrigued to maybe do the drive.

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

I saw Ayers Rock in the driving rain for the first time back in December. Amazing waterfalls and low cloud obscuring the top. It was great to be able to drive completely around the rock and not get too wet whilst taking photos. I've climbed it 3 times in the past and been there when it was nearly 40 degrees. The Olgas are great when the sun is low. Midday puts too much light into the gorges. Just food for thought.

[speed_racer Member Find all posts View Profile Close speed_racer]

Hi Everyone,

Just wanted to follow up on our trip i Got back into Perth yesterday so am still in the process of unpacking all the camping gear which doesen't help when its wet outside!.

Here is a very brief outline of the internary we ended up taking:

17th Perth to Kalgoorlie
18th Kal to Bushcamp 100km West of Tjukarilya RH
19th Bushcamp to Warakurna
20th Warakurna to Curtin Springs
21st Kings Canyon Rim Walk, Sounds of Silence Dinner Uluru
22nd Sunrise Chopper Flight Uluru, Yulara, Valley of the winds walk, Drive to Warakurna
23rd Warakurna to Surveyor Generals Corner, singing rock via Blackstone and Jamieson to Warburton
24th Warburton to Giles Breakaway Bush camp
25th Giles Breakaway to Lake Ballard, camping at Rowles Lagoon.
26th Rowles Lagoon via Coolgardie to Perth.




In short, a ripper of a trip, a lot of driving (5500km) but unfortunately work calls tomorrow. We had plenty of stops, saw heaps of different things, definitely recommend HEMAs Outback Way book, as well as Great Desert Tracks which basically has all the desert maps in a book. Roads were basically sealed until Laverton, then unsealed all the way until we got to Kata Kjuta (Olgas). Corrugations much worse on the NT side, but not an issue if you are sensible with your speeds.

We met some wonderful people out there and saw some magnificent country. 4 people + 1 dog in the prado with all the gear - The car handled it all perfectly. Our dog was so well behaved loved squishing in the car with us. It is sometimes hard to travel with a dog but I don't regret it one bit.

Glad i got my suspension fixed, (Blew out a Grande Suspension Airbag 3 weeks prior to trip, replaced with airbagman Bags installed by Autoride suspension performed faultlessly) Tyres down to 28psi front and 30 rear on the rough stuff. Had the car serviced and auto trans serviced also. My new Drifta drawers and fridge slide worked a treat. Broke my GME Antenna on the corrugations and had to re-tighen my Lightforce 170 Spotties because one was being rattled loose. Some of the doors started squeaking due to the amount of red dust in the hinges, but really the car was faultless. (and clicked over 250,000km on this trip!)

I have plenty of photos, but just need some time to get them sorted uploaded.

Biggest expense was Petrol/Opal. I think the fuel consumption fully loaded was sitting around 17L/100km. Not sure why so high, but probably with the roof loaded and car so heavy, and lower tyre pressures that is to be expected. Paid up to $2.40/Litre in some of the more remote places, $2.20 @ Yulara. The availibility of fuel was not a problem especially with the tanks of the prado.You can get fuel at pretty much every community and roadhouse, but you need to watch out for opening times (as per HEMA Book) as well as remembering that Warakurna operates on CST (90 mins ahead of WA time)

I think with the constant packing and unpacking of the roof i REALLY want a hard top camper trailer now, just so that everythign like the kitchen/water is already there, we can sleep up off the rocks and floor, etc.etc. Probably be spending a bit of time on myswag now too! Next trip will be hiring a camprite camper TL8s to see how we go towing, and try to keep everything off the roof of the car.

Thanks again to everyone who had input into helping me with this. We had a great time and I am glad that I was able to access the collective knowledge of Pradopoint!

Most importantly I will get some pictures up very soon!

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

Speed racer- glad to the trip was a ripper!! And the Prado 120 didn't miss a beat over the 5500 Klm's

Look forward to the photos

Cheers

Kim