Perth to Uluru & Return - April 2014

[speed_racer Member Find all posts View Profile Close speed_racer]

Hi Everyone,

I'm planning a trip to Uluru for Easter 2014. Initally i had wanted to hire a Camper Trailer but this hasn't eventuated. We are taking 4 people and 1 Dog.

I have done lots of long distance travel previously (up through the Kimberly to the NT Border) but have never travelled through the centre. Prado 120 is well fitted out and essentially we want to leave Perth on Good Friday 18th April, and Return on Saturday 26th April. Aware that permits are required, aware that there is a lot of driving in a relatively short period of time.

Can i please get some input into places to stay and bushcamp, somewhere "close" to Uluru that is dog friendly as well as any other hints and tips on where to stay or NOT stay along the GCR.

I have searched and read pretty much all the threads on the Great Central Road from PP and Exploreoz.

I am thinking our itenerary would loosely look like this:

18th Perth to Leonora/Laverton (955km sealed road)
19th Leonora/Laverton to Warburton (692km First 127km sealed)
20th Warburton to Yulara (via Giles, Docker River)
21st Uluru & surrounds
22nd Yulara to Giles (Visit to surveyor Generals corner if permits and time allows)
23rd Giles to Tjukarila Roadhouse
24th Tjuyarila to Kalgoorlie via lake ballard
25th Kalgoorlie
26th Kal to Perth.

As mentioned - please let me know your thoughts - are there any stations worth spending more time at, are any of these places too dodgy to camp a night or not worth stopping at? I know it would be easier to leave the dog at home but we would like to bring her and she is fine with travel and being kept on lead at all times.

Thanks for your help!

[Hendo66 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Hendo66]

Hi Speed Racer
Yes a quick trip indeed! Did this with family(4) back in 2011 but went through to Alice back along McDonnell Ranges, Kings Canyon and back home to Perth.
We did Perth to Kalgoorlie, Kal. to Tjukayirla Roadhouse (best along Great Central Road), the to Warakurna (Ok too), then through to Uluru. Great place 80ks past Uluru called Curtin Springs, good station tucker.

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

Gday Speed Racer

Keen to see how this trip goes - trying to convince the Wife to do the same trip in 2014 after seeing this article in the Weekend West travel magazine in Oct13

http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/tra...beating-heart/

The article suggested looking at this site for more info (if you aware of?)

http://www.outbackway.org.au/

Hope this helps and look forward to your trip report

Cheers

Kim

[clarkie383 Member Find all posts View Profile Close clarkie383]

Please take heaps of pics and document it for others in the future.
If your dog is small be aware that eagles wont pick and choose between a pet and lunch.
Keep them close.

[speed_racer Member Find all posts View Profile Close speed_racer]

Thanks guys - if anyone else has any feedback on this itenerary i am very open.I like the sound of Kings Canyon but dont know if i can make it fit within the itenerary. If only I had more time! Are there any options rather than coming back on the Great Central Road?

I have managed to find a T-Van "Canning" for hire - so am going to try towing this little trailer across the country. Should make life a bit easier, and allow us a bit more room to carry gear, extra water etc, especially with 4 people.

We will probably still take the OzTent RV4 on the roof. Just allows a bit more space to spread out rather than all camping inside a T van.

Has anyone done a similar trip in this sort of timespan?

Our dog is a golden retriever , 2 1/2 years old - I'm sure she will be a Red Dog after the trip. From what I have read, the only place we shoudlnt really have her is in the National Park @ Uluru, but we may be able to leave her responsibly somewhere at a pet friendly caravan park I will need to do more research on this.

[Hendo66 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Hendo66]

Meant to mention, give Warburton a wide berth. Get fuel if you need to, didn't look family friendly so drove straight through (at warp speed7)

Toss up if towing will just slow your speed down, was surprised at how good road was in parts and able to do speeds of 120-130km/h on gravel, of course drive to conditions and I was in the mighty 06 TD Hilux dual cab.

[Hendo66 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Hendo66]

We did
Perth to Kal
Kal to Tjukayirla RH
Tjukayirla RH to Warakurna
Warakurna to the rock

Did same on the way back but did Tjukayirla straight thru to Kal but that was a long day and you gain an hour or two with time difference. I think van will slow you down to much. Only looks about 5 inches on a map but it's a f#£$ long way to the centre of Oz from Perth.

[speed_racer Member Find all posts View Profile Close speed_racer]

No more camper trailer!

Hi Guys, as it turns out the camper hire place suddenly decieded to hire out the camper to someone else (after taking my credit card details!) It was pretty rude of them and we most definitely will not be back. I won't name them publicly but there arent many places hiring out this type of camper trailer in WA.

Anyway its probably going to work out anyway - i will use the money saved on hiring the camper to instead get a set of DRIFTA drawers, cargo barrier and a battery pack like a thumper or something for the back of the car - going to leave a day earlier and then smash out the 2000km to Uluru to hopefully give us a bit more time at the Rock, going to also check out kings Canyon and then Surveyors General corner on the way back.

I am planning at basing us at Curtin Springs Station where i think the campsite is pet friendly but i will let you know what they come back with!

[Hendo66 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Hendo66]

Curtin Springs would be a good base, campsite pretty basic and only just off the roadside, free without power from memory! We tried to abduct the lady who did the cooking (best hamburger in Oz) but she got away, didn't tie her to the roof rack well enough.

Dump the camper trailer & invest the $$ in your vehicle, great idea.

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

Be mindful that the roadhouses at Warakurna, Warburton, Tjukaryla close around 4pm on weekends. Warbo and Chooky operate on WA time and Warakurna works on NT time. There are a handful of places to camp up along the Gt Central Road. The roadhouses are fine except for the continuous noise of the generators and howling dingoes. There are some tracks leading off to rocky outcrops and the like all along the route. I usually find a spot well off the road and out of sight of the locals.

[StuKlose Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close StuKlose]

Hendo66's itinery is the same one i have followed three times (left from and returned to Kambalda rather than Perth) and is the best way to go. It's an easy trip even with a camper trailer. fill up in Laverton and carry as much as you can as diesel/petrol is not cheap.

Drop pressure in your tyres to avoid punctures and for better handling and watch out for wildlife. We saw and often chased a lot of camels.

You will enjoy it as it is a great trip.

P.S. we think the Olgas are way better than the rock.

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

P.S. we think the Olgas are way better than the rock.

Definitely!

The valley of the winds walk is well worth the effort, the spot below along that walk is one of my favourite spots / views of anywhere we have travelled.



If you are staying at Curtain Springs then it might be worth enquiring about camping one night at the base of Mount Connor, we really enjoyed our stay out there.

Cheers Andrew

[discoveraus Member Find all posts View Profile Close discoveraus]

Hello Speed racer,

We visited Ayers rock, the Olgas and Kings canyon last July. I recommend that you visit the Olgas and do the Valley of the Winds walk before going to Uluru. Valley of the Winds is far better as climbing the rock is discouraged stongly but there are several walks around the base which are quite good. Allow a day for each walk.

Curton Springs is a fair drive beyond Uluru and if you do go there look into Kings Canyon ( two fantastic walks here in the Canyon and then around the Rim). This is better than the rock. Allow a day for each walk also.

Allow two nights minimum at Uluru and two nights at Kings Canyon. If time is too tight drop Uluru off and see the other two.

Have a great safe trip, sounds fantastic.

regards

Ross

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

If budget permits, take the chopper rides. I stuck the Go Pro on the windshield and had a hand held still/video camera as well. Awesome pictures from an awesome view.

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

Diesel $2.35 - $2.45 along the Gt Central Road. Yulara it's around $2.48. Go into the IGA shop behind the resort. Buy some supplies and get 25c a litre off your fuel. There's no take-away grog avail at Yulara. You can buy at Curtain Springs though.