Driving the Nullarbor - Perth to Melbourne

[DREAM TEAM BUFF]

The bitumen is for pussies.

Followed the actual railway line from well inside SA to Kalgoorlie in 2009.

Was truly brutal. But well worth it.

srs.

& people take Motorhomes on that track

 

[whiteoak]

& people take Motorhomes on that track

I hope that they like changing tyres. You'd have to nuts.

It is easily 2 wheel drive accessible in dry weather. But the rocks are brutal on tyres.

 

[RU_]

Done this trip twice when I was younger.. So boring with my gameboy colour!

 

[Macca19]

My recommendation in terms of Petrol would be to fill up at Ceduna, Eucla & Balladonia or Norseman (if you can make it). Avoid Nullabor, Cocklebiddy, Mundrabilla, Border Village. Too expensive.

 

[DREAM TEAM BUFF]

My recommendation in terms of Petrol would be to fill up at Ceduna, Eucla & Balladonia or Norseman (if you can make it). Avoid Nullabor, Cocklebiddy, Mundrabilla, Border Village. Too expensive.

We fill up at Ceduna , Nundroo sometimes , Border Village , Cocklebiddy & Norseman.

 

[bradrowe#32]

Is anyone else surprised that a series of large towns/cities never sprung up along the Nullarbor? For a country where the majority of the population lives on the coast, for mine it seems odd that this never occurred.

 

[whiteoak]

Is anyone else surprised that a series of large towns/cities never sprung up along the Nullarbor? For a country where the majority of the population lives on the coast, for mine it seems odd that this never occurred.

Not surprised in the least.

Large towns and cities supporting, and supported, by what exactly?

 

[bradrowe#32]

Not surprised in the least.

Large towns and cities supporting, and supported, by what exactly?

I'm not talking about a whole network of cities, but perhaps two or three along the coast. Major industries could have been transport, tourism, fishing, mining etc. I'm not suggesting that a city is built now, but why weren't the seeds planted for one 100 years ago. I realise that there are plenty of small towns along the way that died in the arse. Australia has odd places where cities are located, so why not on the Nullarbor?

Or I am being a spazz?

 

[DREAM TEAM BUFF]

Is anyone else surprised that a series of large towns/cities never sprung up along the Nullarbor? For a country where the majority of the population lives on the coast, for mine it seems odd that this never occurred.

They could make Eucla a bigger place.

 

[whiteoak]

I'm not talking about a whole network of cities, but perhaps two or three along the coast. Major industries could have been transport, tourism, fishing, mining etc. I'm not suggesting that a city is built now, but why weren't the seeds planted for one 100 years ago. I realise that there are plenty of small towns along the way that died in the arse. Australia has odd places where cities are located, so why not on the Nullarbor?

Or I am being a spazz?

There are no viable minerals to speak of. May be discovered in the future.

You'd need a port for both mining and fishing. Lots of cliffs and an angry, dangerous Southern Ocean.

Transporting what to where?

Tourism? People need something to see. And there is only so much time that you can spend looking off a cliff at the ocean. And the caves are too dangerous.

The soil, and rainfall, won't support any kind of intensive agriculture. Hence the cattle and a few sheep stations that the dogs haven't eaten out.

So, no jobs. No population.

 

[bradrowe#32]

Fair enough.

 

[DREAM TEAM BUFF]

I hope that they like changing tyres. You'd have to nuts.

It is easily 2 wheel drive accessible in dry weather. But the rocks are brutal on tyres.

I have seen pics of caravans aswell

 

[Kram]

The old man drove across a couple of times back in the day that in was unsealed and badly corrugated for much of way, that must've been an absolute nightmare.

 

[Freo Big Fella]

& people take Motorhomes on that track

Jesus. I did Kalgoorlie-Rawlinna in a 4WD last year and that was deeply unpleasant. Can't imagine it in a car.

 

[DREAM TEAM BUFF]

Jesus. I did Kalgoorlie-Rawlinna in a 4WD last year and that was deeply unpleasant. Can't imagine it in a car.

Try it when it is wet

 

[whiteoak]

Try it when it is wet

Impossible.

 

[DREAM TEAM BUFF]

Jesus. I did Kalgoorlie-Rawlinna in a 4WD last year and that was deeply unpleasant. Can't imagine it in a car.

Many years ago you could only do 40kph.

 

[whiteoak]

Many years ago you could only do 40kph.

???

You can still only do 40kph on most of it except from Kalgoorlie to Forrest.

It took me and a mate nearly 3 days from Tarcoola, (SA), to Kalgoorlie.

 

[Geoff]

Did the Melbourne - Perth run on the 18th of March taking 4 days and a bit. We bought a new VW GOLF MKVI 103 TDI (Diesel) Comfortline in Melbourne and decided to drive it back to Perth. New car stock items, No night driving, Commenced driving at 07:00 each morning, Choosing motel accommodation each night, Avoiding Adelaide. Route = Essendon Fields - Wycheproof - Port Augusta - Nullarbor - Norseman - Perth

Day 1. Essendon Fields (3:30pm) - Wycheproof
Day 2. Wycheproof - Port Augusta via Mildura / Renmark / Burra
Day 3. Port Augusta - Nullarbor
Day 4. Nullarbor - Noresman
Day 5. Norseman - Perth

 

[Ess_don]

Me and a mate are just thinking of doing this atm.. heading to Melbourne, catch a Bombers game by driving across sometime this year.

In terms of the costs, is it significantly more expensive than flying? Obviously it will cost more, especially with the el cheapo $179 flights on jetstar or whatever, but curious on just how much more we'd have to spend on the fuel.
We'd most likely take a Commodore sv6, 10-12L/100km? Then probably just sleep the nights in the car, saving on accommodation.

Of course the experience is a main reason for going, but then again my mate hasnt been to Melbourne before and so I was thinking the time and money would be better spent in Melb instead of driving..

Any opinions? Suggestions?

Cheers

 

[Kram]

Personally I don't know whether I'd bother these days with dirt cheap air travel tbh, I mean it's interesting and I'm really glad our family did it 20 years ago but it's not that interesting to justify the time and cost.

 

[lewigie]

Me and a mate are just thinking of doing this atm.. heading to Melbourne, catch a Bombers game by driving across sometime this year.

In terms of the costs, is it significantly more expensive than flying? Obviously it will cost more, especially with the el cheapo $179 flights on jetstar or whatever, but curious on just how much more we'd have to spend on the fuel.
We'd most likely take a Commodore sv6, 10-12L/100km? Then probably just sleep the nights in the car, saving on accommodation.

Of course the experience is a main reason for going, but then again my mate hasnt been to Melbourne before and so I was thinking the time and money would be better spent in Melb instead of driving..

Any opinions? Suggestions?

Cheers

Didn't Jetstar have 59$ flights out to Melbourne from Perth for June or July or something?

 

[Ess_don]

Didn't Jetstar have 59$ flights out to Melbourne from Perth for June or July or something?

http://www.perthnow.com.au/business...-melbourne-fares/story-e6frg2s3-1226385974809

Think that was just for last year when Tiger is trying to win back customers after being shutdown..
Cheapest I can find now is about $110, still cheap I guess but I remember being able to book a return from Perth to Melb for just under $200! (On Tiger Airways just before they got closed down mind you!)

 

[Macca19]

Me and a mate are just thinking of doing this atm.. heading to Melbourne, catch a Bombers game by driving across sometime this year.

In terms of the costs, is it significantly more expensive than flying? Obviously it will cost more, especially with the el cheapo $179 flights on jetstar or whatever, but curious on just how much more we'd have to spend on the fuel.
We'd most likely take a Commodore sv6, 10-12L/100km? Then probably just sleep the nights in the car, saving on accommodation.

Of course the experience is a main reason for going, but then again my mate hasnt been to Melbourne before and so I was thinking the time and money would be better spent in Melb instead of driving..

Any opinions? Suggestions?

Cheers

I'd say you'd be getting well under 10L/100m whilst on the highway.

I think we spent about $800 on Petrol doing 6700km

 

[DREAM TEAM BUFF]

Eucla medical post seems to be busy .