2024 Route

Leave Home. 14 weeks on the road.  Around 16,500kms. About 3,500 of unsealed roads of sand, gibber plains, corrugations, washouts, bulldust, stones, rocks, dry creeks ...

Big day expected today - 542 kms - bitumen - stay at the iconic Hebel Hotel/Caravan Park (featured on ABCs "Back Roads")

We pick up the Darling River Run - staying at Trilby Station (near Louth) for a few days, once part of Dunlop Station (which was over 1,000,000 acres).  Trilby Station is a mere 320,000 acres!  Road conditions critical esp after rain.  Travel will largely be unsealed roads until we get to the other side of Lake Mungo NP. About 550km.

Making a detour here to White Cliffs (Opal Country) before heading back to the Darling River Run at Wilcannia. Station stay at Glen Hope Station.

Had a change of plans and decided to head to this National Park for 2 nights before heading down to Lake Pamamaroo via Broken Hill.  Unsealed road all the way in and out.

Part of the Menindee Lakes water system along the Darling River

Home to Mungo Man and Mungo Woman - known to be the worlds oldest known cremations dated at over 42000 years old!

First restock point before heading to the Flinders Ranges.  Quarantine station check at the SA/Vic border - need to surrender any fresh fruit & veges.

Using a little known unsealed short cut from Renmark (via Dangalli Conservation Park, Pine Valley and Lilydale) to Yunta via local farm tracks for a night at Waukaringa Ruins.   Will be an adverture!

Fringe the eastern side of the Flinders Ranges to Arkaroola via Lake Frome which is a dry salt lake with arguably the whitest salt in the southern hemisphere.  Had a night at Grindells Hut before heading via Nepabunna to Moolooloo Station in the northern part of the Flinders Ranges.

Bush camp, off grid totally self sufficient Station Stay to explore the area of the various gorges and mining ruins in the northern part of the Flinders Ranges. 60,000 hectares!

A night of indulgence.  Famous for its road kill menu.

Bush camping, totally self sufficient, off grid Station Stay to explore the various gorges and tracks in the mid part of the Flinders Ranges. 69,000 hectares in size!

Back on the bitumen enroute to Eyre Peninsula.  Southern end of the Flinders Ranges.

Caravan Park to restock water, food and clothes washing!

An isolated campsite (Lincoln Track) part of the Lincoln National Park.  Cate's birthday!

Coffin Bay famous for its Oysters. Based at Yangie Bay Campground (National Park).

Had a major change in plans here.  Ceduna was a major restock point for washing, food and water before we headed west across the Nullarbor.  Had very strong winds while in Ceduna with 4 more days forecast.  Decided to head inland (north) and miss the wind.

Begin the trek of 1260 kms of unsealed road and corrugations to Uluru.  Ghost towns and mining ruins abound.  We are pretty much off grid now until we get to Uluru.  Expect fuel prices to be up around $3.65 per litre of diesel.

Stay in an underground hotel and check out the local area.  Then head north to Uluru and the start of the Great Central Road.

Free camp about 110kms east of Uluru.

Leave the bitumen and start the Great Central Road  ... see the great rock

Another free camp somewhere on the Great Central Road

Via Gwalia Ghost Town then onto free camp at Lake Ballard which is famous for its sculpture walk on a dry salt lake bed.

Big Bell Ghost Town.  The pub boasted the longest bar in Australia in it heyday!  Check out Gwalia Ghost town also

Unplanned - needed car repair and a restock point for food, fuel and water before heading to Karijini NP then a series of beach camping between Exmouth and Coral Bay)

2nd largest NP in WA home to some spectacular gorges

Beach camping south of Coral Bay (National Park)

Beach camping further south of Exmouth (National Park)

2 nights layover

Dolphins, red sand dunes and white sandy beaches.  Major restock point for water, food and fuel before heading to Dirk Hartog Island.  Visit Francois Peron NP.

Most westerly point of the Australian mainland. 38 kms along the beach. Beach camp  (National Park) overnight before getting the single car with the TVan barge across to Dirk Hartog Island. 185km from the last fuel stop.  140km unsealed then last 30km single lane track winding around sand dunes. 

This will be a challenge - sand, sand and more sand.  Reversing off the barge (with the TVan attached) onto the beach.  DHI only has coffee in the morning and cocktails in the evening ... how tuff is that!  Need to be totally self sufficent otherwise.  No fuel.  No food.

2 night here and take in the NP

Stopping point as we head south to Albany.

Near Collie - on our way to Albany

4 nights at Parry Beach (near Denmark)

Take in scenic flight of the area including the famous Pink Lake courtesy of Platinum!

Four Mile Campground for a couple of nights (National Park)

Cape Le Grande National Park here we come - white sand, blue water and blue sky! (National Park)

Head across the Eyre Highway. Take it as it comes. Camp on the cliffs of the Great Australian Bight.

Quiet, rustic little coastal community.

Caravan Park and wash and restock point.

Couple of nights in the Gawler Ranges National Park.

A night at Parachilna Gorge before we start the Oodnadatta Track.

On the Oodnadatta Track.  Went through the Painted Desert to Coober Pedy.

Off the Oodnadatta Track before heading south.

Site of the Olympic Dam Mine.  Take a trip to see Andamooka opal mining town on the edge of Lake Torrens.

Free camp

A couple of nights of respite in a house!  Recharge; refill and refresh!

Free camp on the banks of the Murray River. 2 nights. Near Mildura.

A return to Menindee Lakes for 3 nights (Lake Pamamaroo).

Heading north to Charleville then the the home straight to Toowoomba.

A couple of nights trying to stay behind the rain mass covering the continent before we head home.

Transit point.

Last two nights before getting home.  Some significance here since it was where we spotted our first TVan that was the impetus behind transitioning from canvas to a TVan if we wanted to do longer term travel (without towing a block of flats behind us).