g'day stewie and welcome to you, you are in for a hell of a trip, please dont take my following advice as coming from a knowall or that I am assuming that you know nothing it is just freindly advice given in freindly terms from a traveller thats been there done that, just a couple of queries regarding the vehicle, are you sure the coasters motor is petrol, most that I have seen are 2.4 diesel with a 5 speed, sometimes a split box (giving ten gears) the water tank, if it is 40 litres is woefully inadequate particularly if you are planning any desert treks, I would suggest 100ltrs minimum and also carry a couple of 20 ltr jerry cans as backup (in case you rupture the main) same with fuel I would like to see you with a next g phone, the radios are great but the more safety you have the better off you are, some even state carrying epirbs and flares please work out the time of year you intend to attack the centre and top end, as from october onwards to april temperatures of 45 degrees are common and can last for days and sometimes weeks, do not rely on water in any creeks or rivers or dams etc. people have died out there doing that you will enjoy tassie but the far east coast top and bottom and the far west coast top is a trial for you and your gear changing skills, steep up and down, and with hairpin corners at the bottom it is a motorhome freindly zone though and free camps are everywhere do you have the "camps australia wide book", if not I would strongly suggest that you purchase one, it will save you thousands on camping when you come back from uluru you will be on the leigh creek road, keep a lookout on your left for the geological survey road about 150 kms out of port augusta, this will take you through a beatifull gorge full of camps, upon exiting the gorge turn right and head down to wilpena pound and just relax for a few days, when you leave continue on the old main north road and enjoy the drive anyway I better shut up, if you wish to know anything just ask, someone here will have the answer to almost everything (except next weeks cross lotto numbers) you will find it a bit slow in here at the moment as most are on hols

Hi...My parents go to Smokey Bay each year and mobile phone cover is not good between Pt Augusta and Ceduna....They bought a Telstra Pre-paid Next G phone and had signal all the way..as dave said....just a thought. Dave

Dave;

Thanks for the info and tips.
I used to drive busses, and also coming from a farming family reasonable familar with driving in 'off-road' type conditions.

Re the water - Yep, knew that was going to be a big issue when in the sticks, or sand as it will be. Re comms, I will partake in a radio net, and if I get Satellite internet (if), I will then send my mate my most recent GPS position, and the routes I intend taking etc.

As for camping, since I have the motorhome, I probably won't be tenting it all that much, although I plan on getting a small tent for when I trek away from the bus doing photos, just in case I don't make it back before nightfall etc.

The motor is definately petrol, and from all accounts it is very economical. I would have liked diesel, but beggars can't be choosers, so petrol it is.

I wouldn't drink water from dams or lakes, stagnant water doesn't really appeal to me, and for the likes of creeks etc, even if they are flowing, I would still boil it before even thinking of consuming same.

The top end...
Now this is where my madness creeps in :)
I want to visit the top end in both seasons, dry and wet, as from what I have researched thus far it is going to be a photographic paradise, the only thing I am concerned about is crocs, they can run a little bit faster then a big bastard like me can hahaha.

I do photography, which I may have mentioned previously, so I am happy to stay in one area for days, or even weeks on end to get some good photos. Unfortunately some of the places I had earmarked to photograph seem to be 4WD access only, don't think the coaster would take kindly to sand dunnes, river crossings and the likes.

Re EPIRB's, I am definately going to get one at some point, at least before I head into the top end. Honestly my thoughts are if you go out there without such a device you may as well throw yourself into a croc infested billabong, your probably gonna die anyway. Radios, phones etc are all very well and fine, but an EPIRB with GPS is the way to go, RCC not only get your distress signal and can narrow you down conventionally, but with GPS they can pinpoint you within 15 or so metres, they are expensive, but I myself would advise anyone looking to buy a EPIRB to get the GPS models.

Re being a knowitall, well after being around before, I think you would come close to 'knowing it all', any advice is good advice Dave, don't hold back!

The road you spoke of, thanks for that, will definately check it out.

Heat is going to be a issue, my coaster doesn't have aircon in it!!!!!
I've been trying to find a small portable aircon that I can put inside the van and run from an inverter, all I have found so far are the ones that require the outside plumbing, which I don't want, or ones that suck that much power my batteries (coaster has two) would be dead within the hour.
I don't want a mountable type unit, or one that needs piping to the outside world, as when not in use I want to be able to throw it in the cupboard out of the way, as space is at a premium.

I've attached a pic of the inside of the van, hope to get more of it within the week when it gets up here.

Regards;
Stew

she looks to be a good one stewie, sounds like you've got your head screwed on the right way, we have done the top and kimberleys in both seasons and the main difference is the humidity and the inability to travel when you want, they call it "wait a while country" be prepared to just sit for a day or three as the water subsides
 
people say that you cant do the top end in the wet, tell that to the people that live there, the only difference is there is a lot more water around which means the crocs have more area to roam around in, I tried to outrun a snapping handbag once, the mongrel nearly got me, he come flying out of the water and I went base over apex and took off on all fours, with him fair on my quoit, if it hadnt been for the truck parked nearby I would have been gone,
 
the dragon was a big help, she got me insured the very next day, oh well thats love for you!! 

now as for camping, I mean free vehicle based camping, pull up with the motorhome and have a few nights for free, I wouldnt recomend tents up there, heard of a couple that got chased by a medium sized one that was under the camper when they came out in the morning, neverlone sitting in a tent, meals on wheels seems to come to my mind, but people do it

as for air con all I can suggest is a genny, but you do need an air con up there in the silly season, humidity is a killer, dont even think of a swampie (evaporitive)

-- Edited by dave06 at 21:01, 2009-01-08

Yeah looks like I am going to have to fork out for a portable gen/inverter the way its going. Although I will hold that off till the last minute, starting to run out of dough.

I never paid for my motorhome, Santa was good to me this year :)
Just in bits I have brought for the trip, so far in the last month I reckon I've spent around 2 grand, and thats not including radios/gps etc. And I still have plenty of things yet to buy. Once I move out of the house I am in now, and whack the bus at my mates place, I will be able to save a fair bit of money to buy more bits n pieces and toys.

I have a pretty extensive trauma kit, so if I happen across any prangs or minor croc tangles I am pretty well equipped to look after someone until the arrival of ambos (or worse).

Re Camping: I guees you mean those camping fee's you pay for in National Parks and so on. Okay where do I buy this book?

Might catch up with you on the way to the rock, since I have to go through your town on the way to Pt Auguster.

I have no idea what to expect, I have done a lot of camping over the years, although this is a bit different. Although at this stage, I can't see myself renting again and making someone else rich in the process.

Cheers;
Stew

the bible is available through book shops or most camping stores and it will save you thousands as it has done for us, its not only national parks, there are a hell of a lot of out of the way places that others have found for camping that you would possibly never find, just remember there are thousands of us out there free camping and travelling everyday just try to keep your possesions to minimum, dont try to take everything with you, you ill find most stuff we own is only clutter and tottally unnecesary I wish my santa was a generous as your santa, mate I'm jealous

I will get that book, sounds the go.

Re the junk, yeah I am trying real hard to keep stuff to a minimum, I dont want to list (here) what I am taking, might set myself up as an easy target for some pirates hehehe.

I have continuously gone through the 'this is needed/this is a toy' process many times so far, and I dare say I will go through it a lot more yet.

The plan is to stay here locally and live in the bus for 2 months, that way knowing what is excess toys or just utterly useless and other bits I may actually need before I set sail.

The trauma kit, I doubt most would carry a kit as extensive as mine, hopefully people do, it comes back to a conscience thing, I'd never forgive myself if I scaled down the trauma kit and left out something that may save someones life. Its an excess bag I am prepared to live with.

Cheers;
Stew

We came across some full time nomads when we were holidaying in Broken Hill. They had a system of date tagging everything they put in their bus. When an item was used they removed the tag. If the tag was still on an item after 1 year then it meant it was not needed so they would ditch it.

thats an excellent suggestion Pam, we have it down to a fine art but when someone is just starting out it is so daunting knowing what to take and knowing what to leave behind I have a list here that I pulled off a website, I dont understand why anyone would take so much with them, this list is for a camper trailer voyage and it is nine pages long a really good first aid kit is a must everybody should have one, a trauma kit is of course way above that and I really hope the feller that comes across us after an accident has one and knows how to use it

Welcome to the nomad life. 
I'm a solo traveller towing my 20ft van/home with a Landcruiser.
It sounds as though you do have a travel plan and have taken timing of best offers into account, especially the Tassie ferry one.  I'm planning to go to Tassie some time soon, so I've learned something new, again.
If you take to the tropics between October and April, apart from the humid heat of the build up to the wet season, which can be up to the high forties, you will also have to be aware of the affect monsoonal rains have on the landscape, and the roads. Most creek crossings and low lying areas are traversed by floodways, not bridges, which are prone to sudden flash flooding, which can drop almost as quickly as it rose. Most of north western Queensland is currently underwater. And that was before a cyclone made its presence felt.
The channel country will be a picture when the water recedes, and Lake Eyre will be an inland sea again when all the water eventually gets there.
In real terms, the wet and it's torrential downpours and storms, turning dry or trickling streams into raging rivers, which present more threat than crocs. 
If you know it's croc country, don't do anything foolish near any waterways. They are estuarine, which means they hang out in fresh and slightly salty water, usually in tidal rivers and streams. They're also territorial. Don't do anything more than once at the same spot near a croc waterway. Always camp a safe distance from a waterway, and NEVER, NEVER swim there, unless you have an ambition to become croc fodder in your retirement. Unfortunately it's an experience you'd never get to brag about. Common sense is the key, and remember it's THEIR patch, and treat it with respect. So far they haven't acquired a taste for aluminium, so taking a cruise on a creek is the best way to go croc spotting, and barra and barra fishing, of course.
And it goes without saying really, that the heart of this wide brown land of ours is very, very vast, and dry most of the time. If it's wet, the event is recorded in the history books. It does rain out there, but there's not always someone out there to witness, let alone record it.
Commonsense is your most valuable passenger, and then you also have to be sensible. Meeting up with others heading in your direction is also another way to share the experience, the good and the bad.
Check out the free website, ozcaravantagalong.com, and see who's going your way.
Safe and happy travels wherever you go. Cheers Granny