Outback Trip Planning - Input Appreciated

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

Hi All

I'm in the early stages of planning for an outback adventure next year, and would appreciate any feedback from fellow PP'ers.

I looking at taking my family of 4 towing a KK in April 2012 and my initial thoughts are:

Day
1 BNE - Cunnamulla - 10hrs
2 Cunnamulla - Thargomindah - 3 hrs
3 Thargomindah
4 Thargomindah - Bollards Lagoon - ?
5 Bollards Lagoon - Innaminka - ?
6 Innaminka - Monocello Bore - 4hrs
7 Strz Desert - Flinders Ranges - 4hrs
8 Flinders Ranges
9 Flinders Ranges
10 Flinders Ranges - Marree - ?
11 Maree - Birds Track mid-way - 4 hrs
12 Birds Track - Birdsville - 4hrs
13 Birdsville (Big Red)
14 Birdsville - Windorah - 5hrs
15 Windorah - Roma - 9 hrs
16 Roma - Brisbane - 6 hrs

I do realise that I'm squeezing a lot of k's into a short amount of time but am restricted due to school holidays.
We have a yearning to get out beyond the edge of civilization but due to distance and time restraints are prepared to travel ech day to so.

Anyone care to reality check this for me?

Thanks

Trev

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

Re: Outback Trip Planning - Input Appreciated

Bollards lagoon is part of a privatley owned station. From memory it costs about $10 or $15 to use the track called the Bore Track. The southern end of the Bore Track crosses Bollards lagoon which is interesting to cross with a large group as there is heaps of dust kicked up. The station owners will close access to the track at the first signs of rain so if that happens you would need to head out via Merty merty and up the Strze to get to Innaminka.

Should only take about three hours to travel from Bollards to Innaminka and the track is pretty easy.


Flinders to Marree could take you about threeish hours as it depends WHERE you are in the Flinders and what you want to see on the way up. Worth while stopping at Parie Hotel for something different as well as Copley. Farina is short of Marree by about 80kms and is where I would stay. Has a pretty good campground for $5.00 per person. Has Donkey Showers and long drops.

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

Re: Outback Trip Planning - Input Appreciated

Hi Trev, as a rule of thumb when planning a trip i look to average no more than 200 - 250kms a day. That doesn't mean we dont put in huge days in the saddle usually at the start or end of the trip but keep the average below 250. Any more than this and you won't have time to stop and really enjoy the area you are travelling to.

Without delving to deeply into your times i notice you allow 8 hrs for the Birdsville track, Probably around the mark if everything goes well and the track is dry. We unsuccesfully tried to come down the Birdsville track last year but rain meant we had to turn around. Out in this country you need to allow time for the unexpected, our detour added over 1000kms to our trip and added 3 days. Had we continued down the Birdsville and not turned around we would have been stranded at Mungerannie for 10 days waiting for the road to open.

Another rule of thumb i use, work out the distance between towns for your trip, then add 20%, we find this works out to a fairly accurate indication of how far you travel with side trips and wrong turns etc. We always reckon your not on holidays until you do your first U turn cause you missed a turnoff.

hope this helps.

Cheers Andrew

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

Re: Outback Trip Planning - Input Appreciated

Thanks guys, some good info there.

Trev

[4wd26 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close 4wd26]

Re: Outback Trip Planning - Input Appreciated

Having just got back from 14,000kms towing a van and also a family of 4 in 5 weeks, it's do-able.

just a option on the first 2 days, we went to Nindigully Pub (you can bush camp there) and then onto burke- via cunnamulla, overall the same distance over the 2 days as you are thinking, but no need to "smash" kms out on the first day.

[ozwapet2 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close ozwapet2]

Re: Outback Trip Planning - Input Appreciated

We try to be off the road by 4 pm. Are you base camping when you get to FR ? - packing up every day can become a chore.
Family will get tetchy too.
Look like you have your heart set on reaching the Flinders - but you can always cut down on the side trips and do them another time.
Do less . see more

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

Re: Outback Trip Planning - Input Appreciated

Thanks guys

The trip from BNE to Innamincka or CC is where I'm having the most trouble planning. I've read about a cattle station at Thargo that you can stay on, hence the two nights there. In saying that I'm flexible on that part of the trip. We may very well set-off the afternoon before and try and get 3 or 4 daylight hours under our belt to reduce the travel time to St George or Nindi.

Maybe we're better off heading straight o Innamincka - down the Bore Track to CC - then across onto the Strez from there?

I intend to base camp in the northern FR's for the three nights and have a couple of day trips - or just kick back and relax - no real plan at this stage.

I appreciate all of the advice.

Trev

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

Re: Outback Trip Planning - Input Appreciated

Brisbane to Cunnamulla in one day is a big trip, I would recommend you consider making your first overnight around St George and go on to Thargomindah from there. We stayed at the Thargomindah Caravan Park and found the amenities clean and modern.
Sounds like a great trip enjoy!!

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

Re: Outback Trip Planning - Input Appreciated

Good camping at Thargomindah between the second and third river crossing on the left. Walk to the pub for a beer, use the toilets or have dinner. Could go to Noccundra for a night, great pub and nice camping on the Wilson River.

You could go straight from Thargomindah (or Noccundra) to Dig Tree, Coopers Creek. Then to Innamincka and camp at Cunnimulla Waterhole. If the roads are better than the last 12 months, then you could go to Coongi Lakes for a day. From here, to Birdsville. First time here you could spend two days in the area. Too much travel to go south to Flinders and Maree. Go back slowly to Brisbane via other places or head north towards Boulia and then back.

[chas0304 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close chas0304]

Re: Outback Trip Planning - Input Appreciated

Hi In May this year I will be travelling with a mate from Gold Coast to Daly River and staying there for one week, then returning via the Savannah Way.
We have planned to do GC to Cunnamulla on day one, Cunumulla to Innamincka day two then Innamincka to Birdsville on day three.
Any opinions on which route to use from Innamincka to Birdsville, Walkers Crossing or Cordillo Downs route, and approximate time for each ?
No trailer and camping with both guys driving.
Chas

[Sunshine Member Find all posts View Profile Close Sunshine]

Re: Outback Trip Planning - Input Appreciated

Brisbane to Cunnamulla is a fair hike and there's not much in Cunnamulla to get real excited about; but then again, each to his own. About 6 months ago we did the Strz Track so the Innaminka to Montecollina Bore and on to Lyndhurst is quite easy as long as it is dry; the Flinders Ranges are amazing and different; I don't know about Bollard's Lagoon and Cameron Corner but I would do Brisbane to Nindigully Pub (we stayed there- free) then on to the Noccundra Pub (we stayed there- pay for electricity if you want it or camp on the Wilson River bank; about 50km past Thargo; a good caravan park in Thargo but otherwise quite ordinary) and then on to Innaminka but that wouldn't include Bollard's Lagoon: we didn't go there so no advice for that.
Looking at a map I think you might be able to get from the Noccundra Pub to Cameron Corner- Bollard's Lagoon and then Innaminka.

[stevensr34 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close stevensr34]

Re: Outback Trip Planning - Input Appreciated

We went from Brisbane to Innamincka a few years ago: stayed in St George the first night, then on to Thargomindah (nice campground and facilities) - although no bakery in town! - and the next day headed to Fort Grey Nat Park campground (near Cameron's Corner):

http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/na....aspx?id=N0032


This is a nice campground and far better than the open sand/dust which is Cameron's Corner...

From there, it was just a short hop up to Innaminka, via Cameron's Corner and Bollards Lagoon ($25 entry?) and we got to Innamincka mid afternoon.

After checking out the Dig Tree, we then went via Walkers Crossing to Birdsville: A Great little track!

Enjoy!

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

Re: Outback Trip Planning - Input Appreciated

OH my god!!!!! posting a picture of a Nissan aaaargh Pathfinder, now that has got be bad enough for a suspension from the forum at the very least. Probably should be banned for life I reckon :lol: :lol: :lol: Might have to go have a couple of Asprin and a lie down to get over the trauma of seeing that :mrgreen:

Cheers Andrew

[stevensr34 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close stevensr34]

Re: Outback Trip Planning - Input Appreciated

OH my god!!!!! posting a picture of a Nissan aaaargh Pathfinder...

Sorry Andrew...
Photo now fixed: my car at the time (90 series) (and Dad)...

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

Re: Outback Trip Planning - Input Appreciated

OH my god!!!!! posting a picture of a Nissan aaaargh Pathfinder...

Sorry Andrew...
Photo now fixed: my car at the time (90 series) (and Dad)...

All is forgiven :lol:

Cheers Andrew