Perth to Melbourne Xmas 08' - Complete

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

Not long now and Golly and his 4 girls will be heading over the Melbourne to visit the Wife's family and friends. To fly this time of year with late notice was around 3k + 1K car hire in Melbourne for the 3 weeks. So needless to say "Big Red" was bought and the decision to drive was made. Knowing the Prado is more than capable of the trip and the fuel bill should be around 800 one way, I am looking forward to the trek so much. Havent not done the trip since I was about 8, should be a blast.

Will post up some pics as the trip goes along and finishes up.

Plan is to do it in stints
Perth to Norseman Day 1, 800km
Norseman to Ceduna Day 2 ,(long one) 1200km
Ceduna to Adelaide Day 3, 800km
Adelaide to Melbourne day 4, 800km middayish.

13 days in Melbourne should be enough and all in reverse on the journey back haha..

Woot! cannot wait. Waive if ya see me fellow PPointers :mrgreen: "On the road again, I cant wait to sniff some ***holes with my friends ....."
Gotta love the "Rude".

Anyone ever stayed in these locations over night, would be great to here of some good stay spots, no campervan with us, so motel, chalaeu would be the go. So if any fellow PPointers dont mind sharing any wisdom for us, please do not be shy haha.. :shock:

[leachy_9 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close leachy_9]

Re: Perth to Melbourne Xmas 08'

I'll be watching this thread with interest as I'm making the same trip at Xmas, but once in Melbourne I'll be taking the Prado and trailer to Tasmania.

Leachy

[Chippy Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Chippy]

Re: Perth to Melbourne Xmas 08'

Last time I did this trip I made the first day a bit longer, left Rockingham at around 4.30 am, and got to Balladonia for the first night's stay.
There's some motel accomodation at Balladonia .... but it made the next day's run to Ceduna a bit shorter.

There's more choice of accomodation at Norseman ..... but the trade-off was in shortenning up day two of the trip.
Ceduna has got heaps of motel and cabin accomodation ... so there's no worries there.

Same with Adelaide ... no shortage of accomodation ... but I would try and grab something on the other side of town ... so you don't get as much of the traffic on your way out.

I can fish around for the names and contact details of the places I stayed .... if that will help.

Cheers
Chippy

[leachy_9 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close leachy_9]

Re: Perth to Melbourne Xmas 08'

My initial plan is:

Day 1 Perth to Balladonia 989km
Day 2 Balladonia to Ceduna 1007km
Day 3 Ceduna to Mt Gambier 1205km
Day 4 Mount Gambier to Melbourne 410km

Even though we will have the trailer I think we'll just stay in motels to save unpacking/packing each day.

The main reason for the long day 3 is to allow for a easy day 4 as we'll be catching the Spirit of Tasmania that evening.

Leachy

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

Re: Perth to Melbourne Xmas 08'

Hey Leachy, sounds like a plan hey... what day ya heading over in December ? might run a mini convoy haha..

Yeah if names of the places you stayed at Chippy would be handy

[johnv Member Find all posts View Profile Close johnv]

Re: Perth to Melbourne Xmas 08'

Golly,

Have done the trip from Perth to Melbourne the last two Christmas's. First time with no Camper Trailer. I'd go with the suggestion of Balladonia for the first night as well. If you leave 4.00 - 5.00am you miss the Perth traffic and comfortably make Balladonia mid afternoon. Units are clean and there is a simple BBQ if you don't want to go with roadhouse food.

Remember next day you lose two hours driving east. We changed the clock one hour before bed in Balladonia so it didn't affect us as much the next day. We only drove to Nullabor Roadhouse, not Ceduna. Took in some of the sights along the way.

Leachy - if you get the chance either on the way up or back try and stop in at Koonalda. It's only about 15 klms off the highway between Eucla and Nullabor RH. It's one of the old stops on the old highway. Great free overnight stop with the old homestead and shearers quarters still intact and plenty of history around.

Always love doing the trip.


johnv

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

Re: Perth to Melbourne Xmas 08'

All booked, Balladonia, Ceduna, Murray Bridge onto Melbourne. Solid, cant wait.
Thanks for the help chaps on what point to stop to make it easier.
8)
Golly

[ntp Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close ntp]

Re: Perth to Melbourne Xmas 08'

Trip Report Golly??? Any pics too? Hope you got home safely and had a great holiday. 8)

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

Re: Perth to Melbourne Xmas 08'

Captains Log.... 18th Dec 2008Golly flys home after an 8 day stint on the minesite, arrives in Perth 7.45pm, by the time we have
picked up dinner and fed the hoard, the team gets home around 9.00pm... at this stage I literally
want to crawl into bed.... and I do.

Friday 19th Dec 2008
Wifey and Baby flyout tonight at 7.30pm to gain a few extra days in Vic.

Due to the fact that the bank could not organise a pissup in the Swan Brewery if they were given
the keys and codes to the fridges, Golly and the two eldest girls couldn't leave Perth until 11.00am
bound for Balladonia.... this was the plan, up until this day LMAO!!!!!
Oooo, picked up the new C/Card for the trip, Oooo a friendly Opposite Lock Store in Midland. Well
I couldnt let this go past without a little window shop. KACHINNNNGGG!! One custom Recovery
Kit and bag (Mean Green) into the back of the Prado and we are away!

The usual holiday madness up through the Hills of Perth through Mundaring, Northam and into the
wheatbelt we go. Cruised passed the Ettamogah Pub (pic) and had to turn around and take a snap
of that. Remember reading that comic in Dad's old People Magazines when I was a pre-teen back in
the eighties. The last time I crossed the bite I was 8 !!!.

Then onto Southern Cross (pic) and had another flash back to when I was 17 and had my old ex pursuit
VH Commodore. My uncle was the town copper at the time, and he knew I was on my way out, cheaky
bugga had a road block organised and through me in the cells hahahaha....

Onwards an upwards and into Coolgardie we roll. (pics) hell, this town is straight back in time to the
goldrush days people, good to see the old buildings still up, even though some may have had a face
lift. "Old Lucy, (GPS)" and yes she has a name.... told me to turn right to head to Norseman haha.

By this time it was around 6.30ish and it was time to pull up for the night. The Prado had purred the
whole way, without a hitch. Sixth gear most of the way and changed down to 5th to burn the odd
road train. Very happy in deed.....

Kids managed to watch a few movies and nearly run through there entire MP3 list, so the next
few days were going to be interesting indeed haha... The Gateway Park we stayed at this night and
as soon as we opened the Chalet door, the heat hit me in the face like a baseball bat!. Bloody hell
I thought, so on went the aircon, Oh oh.... after switching it on I thought how the hell am I going to
sleep through this, the thing was noisier than my old HZ I had... hahahaha.. but alas Golly was too
tired and didnt care.... mind you, my middle girl (pic) reminded me a few times that I snored through the
night so that was curtious of her............... not.

Saturday 20th Dec 2008
The town was so quiet you could here a mouse fart from a 100yards.....
4.30am, I rise out of bed, brush up, and wake the girls slowly. Brush there teeth and wash there
face and they can crawl back into the car for some more sleep along the way. I pack the car
ever slow quietly as to not wake the neighbours........ and we are off.
Managed to refuel the Prado the night before and was ready for this morning. After a coffee at the
roadhouse BP, and we roll out. BUGGA!!! 3 road trains were out before me. Nothing worse than not
being able to have the landing lights on because your following a truckie hahhaa...

Got around them all, and then incinerated a few hundred bugs as the Lightforce Strikers blazed forth.
Second day, and it was going to be a big one, but smart Golly already wound the clock forward that
1.5 hours before bed, so this day would be normal for me, and not too long. 1200kms approx was the
leg and expected to get into Ceduna S.A around 6.00ish. On the way to Balladonia (sunrise pic) I had
to stop and take this photo. It was magnificent.... breathtaking.... and the Prado (FLINDERS RED) did
I say that haha, just had to be in the shot...
We wound our way down into Wandoo Pass I think it is, (pic of rusty car) Wow was that something, it
was like the ground just fell away as we rounding the pass down into the servo. The owner I swear
was a relation of the big man out of American Chopper on Foxtel.

Onto Eucla we rolled, but along the way the ranges on the left, I spotted the odd track going up the hills,
and just how much do you think I was tempted to head up there.... very... just the photo opportunity, but
time restraints and the fact I was alone with the girls it was not an option, but to dream is not a crime.
Eucla would have to be the brightest place I have ever burnt my retinas out in my life. The sand is so
white on the beaches and dunes it gives the place a reflective , just landed on Mars feel. The Bite is
something every Aussie must see at least once in there life... it is spellbounding (pics) and one could never
understand just how massive it is until you see it in real life. There are so many fewing areas and tracks
heading out to the edges, there is plenty of opportunity to soak in the beauty of it.
Then there was the Nullabor...... the servo reminded me of From Dusk till Dawn.... middle of nowhere haha
baron plains surrounding, powdered limestone all round the servo, it instantly turned the Grandtreks into
glazed Donuts, and turned my lovely Red baby into a somwhat Dune hybrid.....no.... this will never be... hahaha
As much as the Nullabor is boring, it is a beautiful drive, especially if your lucky enough to roll through there
during a Electrical storm like I did when I was a child. This time no luck, no drops of rain in site. Just
clear blue all the way from Perth to Melbourne.

Into Ceduna we rolled around 6.30pm ish, just as planned. Great little Motel the Best Western there, good
food, great newly renovated rooms and a good place to rest the bones. (pics) of beach and jetty.
Next day Murray Bridge S.A.....

Sunday 21st Dec 2008
Ground hog day for the girls and up again at 4.30am. My two eldest girls, 8 and 15 were angels the whole trip
so far..... far being the operative word.... the 8 year old has a tad bossy streak and this was hell funny...
We headed out of Ceduna and through the small towns heading up to Port Augusta and I noticed the 15year
olds seat belt was not on... So as a daddy does, tells here to put it on... well her version of on, is over her waist
and not clipped in... Little miss 8, picks her up ! Its not on daddy !! So, Little miss teen snarls at the younger and
clips it in........Little miss 8 says Daddy ! its not over her shoulder!!!!, little miss Teen growls this time and its on!
lmao!!! cat fight in the back and daddy is pissing himself in the front cause of little miss 8 and her ways.......
Needless to say, they settled down like the angels of dad's they are and we are rolling....
Into Port Augusta, and onto Port Pirie and into Adelaide we cruise and the Churches are gorgeous (pic).
Now the Plan was to stop and Murray Bridge, but by the time we landed there it would be 1.30pm and the 22nd
was my birthday and I would love to surprise the Mrs in Melbourne a day early.... the girls were keen, so we
kept going ( me being a professional driver for 12 years, it was not a problem, plenty of stops and sweet as )
We landed in Melbourne Sunbury, 9.00pm on the Sunday and Mrs was glowing when she saw us all. You
could tell in her voice along the way she was nervous for us all, but Hey superdad here love, never fear, all
arrived safe and sound.
3 days driving with night sleeps along the way and the Prado never skipped a beat..... Oh what a feeling..!!!

Family Time in Vic 13 days till departure....
Because the main place we were staying was in Sunbury, it was a good 50mins each way to visit alot of other
family and friends of the Mrs we racked up the kms each day hahaha...Hampton Park, Noble Park etc. All on the
other side of the city using the Calder and Monash freeways was a dream. Great setup Vic!! mind you, thanks
for telling Golly you had TOLLS!!!! haahhaha, we passed a sign that said "No Cash Booths" HANGON!! I thought
there were going to be stopping booths, not electronic sensors like they have haha, so a quick phone call on the
handsfree unit to the nice lady on the other end and she charged us $6.00 to use the tollway up until the 1st of Jan
So I thought thats pretty cool.

A couple day trips took us to Mount Masidon (pics) how gorgeous is that place. Hanging Rock(pics), and needless
to say I never informed my 8 year old of the history there, as she is prone to worry alot haha...and St Kilda beach
(little witch ice cream shove from my 8 year old) for a couple of hours as we had friends in Bentleigh East and we
popped down to the beach for icecream and to relax and I must say a multi culteral experience... haha...

Managed to score a compressor from Supercheap as daddy's do on holidays for $126.00 for the Outback series.
pumps up the grandtreks pretty quick and nearly ripped off the bike tyre from the rim its that quick hahahaha.....
We had a great time, chatting with reli's and friends we havent seen for 4 years, and we vowed to do this more
often and holiday alot more with the kids, cause life gets so busy and demanding, a family must have family time
and relax more.... Prado = Opportunity.

The sad part was it had to end, and we packed up (with alot more crap this time mind you! haha) and we left
Sunbury a little deflated and at a loss. So low, we are thinking of moving to Vic, but this pipedream may where off
soon I gather... The return leg was basically a reverse for everything and some of the photos were taken on the
way back you can see here. THis time we had the added entertainment of the Wifey and bubby hahahaha...
I thought that by Ballarat, we were gonna flag down a truckie and get him to deliver bub to Australian Air Express
and mail her back to Perth for us lmao!!!! absolutely gold she was, cranky for a couple of hours, but she settled
down and we got into a routine for the trip. This time we stopped in Adelaide and stayed and the Hilton! oh yes I here you say...
You think Golly was nervouse trusting the Valeh to park the 120..... shite yes! hahaha :shock:
Every couple of hours stopped, changed a bum, bottle fed and have Mum
in the back with her every now and then for playtime and she was an angel for the trip back.

A few things for the tourer in you all.
The Pod we have is the biggest Rhino make and she had 5 x full sport bags, a small chair, bag of shoes and a dirty
clothes bag, around 120kgs on the racks all up, and it hardly made a sound. Don't get me wrong you could here it
but it wasnt so bad you couldnt here your self whisper in the front seat or here the music for that matter.
The back was chockers, and the 15 year old basically lived there on one side seat for the trip back, and at some
stage we had to check if she was still alive hahahahha, legs on the Waeco, and sleeping alot hahaha...
Little miss 8 had the middle seat 2 bays next to bubs chair and she was happy. The big girls chopped and changed
depending how they felt along the way and they had both the DVD screens on so the kids were happy.
Leaving the Lady and Tramp in the front to reminiss about the trip and laugh alot on the way back.
For my fellow PPer's with bubs, get your self those window suction shades, put it up next to baby, and get an old
pillow case and pinch the top seam in the window and wind the window up and tuck the pillow case in behind the shade
and it says nice and flush with the window and baby is out of the sun.

The Bug screen I installed worked a treat, car was running at 110-120kmh in stages and she never moved an ounce on
the thermo and at some stages it reached 42'c out on the road.

With a family of 5, fully loaded, Pod and 180litres of fuel topped up each day she got 12.1ltrs per 100kms along the way.

This trip was not to test the off road side of the Prado, but more to soak in the surrounds in pure comfort of the 120.
I loved it, my family loved it and we will do it again one day..... to me its a trip that must be done every 2 or 3 years
as its a big trip and you need at least 4 weeks to enjoy and prepare for the trip back. We took 3 and it was too short.
God bless Toyota for making such a reliable 4x4 for people from all walks of life to use and enjoy knowing the reliablity
factor is always there.....

I hope you all enjoyed the read, a long one, but funny as hell for me to write and hope you all get a giggle.

Justin/Golly





First a Classic in Cunderdin W.A.

Coolgardie W.A

Southern Cross Hotel W.A

Time to stretch the Legs and soak in the moment... Balladonia heading east at sunrise.... God's Country.

He is still waiting for fuel, 50 years later....

The Bite !

Seaside Ceduna S.A.

City of Churches, Adelaide S.A.

Couldn't let this go by...
Landcruiser Advantage, Prado Grande, My GXL, 20th Anniversary 90 Series.

Mount Masidon VIC

St Kilda Beach VIC
Yes, My daughter got her cousin a beauty lmao!

Hangin Rock VIC ( man I nearly died climbing that little footpath

What the bullbar and windscreen didnt kill, the POD of Death Did !!! :mrgreen:

[ntp Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close ntp]

Re: Perth to Melbourne Xmas 08'

Some nice pics there Golly. I look forward to reading your report when you get chance to update. Looks like you and your family had fun. That's the beauty of owning a 4wd Prado. :wink:

[Snaga Wishing I was lost Find all posts View Profile Close Snaga]

Re: Perth to Melbourne Xmas 08'

Great pictures there Golly. Ha ha... love the one of your daughter and her cousin 8)
Looking forward to the rest of the report.

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

Re: Perth to Melbourne Xmas 08' - Complete

Trip report complete and attached to the pictures post. Enjoy friends....

[johnv Member Find all posts View Profile Close johnv]

Re: Perth to Melbourne Xmas 08' - Complete

Great report Golly,

I agree with you that it is a must do trip.
Have done it three times in the last two years and would jump in the Prado tonight and do it again. You had some big days driving there, but if your enjoying it and be wise and stop regulary, why not. One trip we did Nullarbor Road House to Perth in a day (wife drove some) and that included a counter meal in Merriden. Helps that you gain an extra three hours in the summer.

johnv

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

Re: Perth to Melbourne Xmas 08' - Complete

Top stuff Golly.

Good story teller you are to, Top pics.

Its probably better having done the same trip (almost, perth, adel, syd) but it is different out there and you captured it perfectly.


Jeff.

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

Re: Perth to Melbourne Xmas 08' - Complete

hha thanks chaps, yes I can rattle of a yarn on paper well enough, put me infront of a gathering to speak publically forget it hahaha...
Mind you being an ex lead singer of a cover band, it got easier over the years, and you can zone into the music and the crowd disappears hahahhaa..