My wife and I are considering the purchase of a motor home and becoming Grey nomads in the next couple of years. Before we spend the big bucks, we have decided to hire a motor home and head to Darwin in May and head home via either the West or East Coast. Figured this would give us a good idea if this is the right choice for us. Any suggestions re travelling to Darwin from Melbourne in a motor home? We have about 7 weeks but are also governed by the "sealed roads only" clause. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
2foot6 said
09:48 PM Jan 19, 2015
Welcome to the forum Harley Z Trying before you buy is a good way to go. For me the best way on good roads to Darwin is Melb to Adelaide to Port Augusta to Alice Springs to Darwin. On the return trip turn left at the three ways just before Tennant Creek and travel through Qld to Mt Isa to Longreach to Emerald to Rockhampton to Melbourne along the coast.We have a Jayco Optimum and love it,once had a van and really enjoyed it, but motor homing is better for us.It took us well over two years of looking before we found the motor home that ticked all the boxes..Every one has different requirements so look carefully with your eyes wide open,check out all the positives and negatives. Happy travelling cheers Peter
-- Edited by 2foot6 on Monday 19th of January 2015 09:52:11 PM
-- Edited by 2foot6 on Monday 19th of January 2015 09:54:59 PM
wendyv said
10:09 PM Jan 19, 2015
Only having 7 weeks to do that trip will mean a lot of driving. But it should give you a good chance to experience the motorhome lifestyle - and start to make a list of the really important features for you, should you decide to buy your own.
It is unlikely that a hire motorhome will allow you much scope for camping away from the mains power grid, so you will mostly be looking for caravan parks. At that time of year - especially if you are leaving early May - you should get into parks if you phone the day before you plan to get there - or the morning of the day you will arrive.
We are outer east of Melbourne and go that way via Yarra Glen, Yea, Seymour, Heathcote, to Bendigo - avoids city traffic. Depending on where you are, the Calder might be better.
From Bendigo - Mildura, Renmark, Morgan, Burra, Peterborough, Orroroo, Wilmington, Port Augusta. Why have the unecessary hassle of driving through Adelaide?
I would also suggest an easterly route back from Darwin, given your limited time. South to Three Ways, east to Mt Isa. Then Winton, Longreach, Barcaldine. I would turn south at Barcaldine and come down through Tambo, Charleville, Cunnamulla, Bourke, Cobar, Griffith, Finlay, Shepparton, Melbourne.
You are not going to have much time for sight seeing, but I would suggest a few days in Alice Springs - a break from travel, and there is quite a lot you can see in the area without going off the bitumen. Ditto Darwin. From Pine Creek, go one way on the Stuart Highway to Darwin and return via Kakadu - all sealed.
There are reasonable/good caravan parks at convenient stages all along the route I have outlined.
Please bear in mind that a trip such as you are proposing is not really indicative of the motorhoming way of life. Most people would take months to do that trip. It is a much more leisurely way of travel.
Happy to answer any firther questions you may have, if I can.
Dougwe said
09:40 AM Jan 20, 2015
Welcome to the gang Harley Z, enjoy here and out in the playground.
I do not have a motor home so will leave any help etc to those that do.
Enjoy your new toy when you get it and the playground but keep safe.
jules47 said
10:10 AM Jan 20, 2015
Hi and welcome to the forum HarleyZ - we travel and live in our motorhome - it is a Jayco Conquest - 23ft - 4 berth. We have a bed down the back, as well as a bed over the front cab, which we use for storage. Toilet/shower combo, and all other mod cons.
One of the things about a motorhome especially, is that they are plenty big enough for one person, or two who get on pretty well. We get on very well, luckily. Good idea to try before you buy, but the hire ones are usually pretty basic. For instance ours has the seats in the cab swivel, great lounge when you have visitors, gives room to move. If you choose to have a separate toilet and shower, you will lose other things (in the size we have anyway) - like cupboard storage, and seating for four at the table.
Another thing with a motorhome - if it is raining, you just pull up for the night and don't have to go out and get wet - saw a lady getting out of a caravan once to open the caravan, slipped in the mud - A over Z - not fun for her, but I laughed my head off (in the privacy of my own vehicle).
We love our home, which is good, because we live in it full time. The trip you are planning is a good one, go up through Mildura as WendyV says, it is a great trip up, and from there to Port Augusta is terrific, heaps of places to stay.
Plenty of free camps along the way, some good, some not so good - but if only overnight most are ok. Another important thing is, be aware of water - good idea to carry extra fresh drinking water, we buy the 10 litre containers, just for drinking, and use the available water for washing, etc. Water is the main issue in any trip away from the coast in Australia - some of the bore water is not very nice, even for washing, end up with white scaly skin.
Harley Z said
12:54 PM Jan 20, 2015
Hi all and thank you all so much for your feedback and advise. We would love to have more time to do the trip (like years of time) but we are still caught up in that neccessary evil called work (although greatful to have a job right now). We have been very fortunate to locate a brand new Jayco with the ability to stay out of the camp sights if we so desire as it has Solar etc. It also has many of the features (toilet / shower etc) that we think we will need / like but as most of you have said....try before you buy. I think we are off to a good start with the rental we will use and as there are only the 2 of us (who get along exceptionally well) we will find out what the space is really like before deciding on our purchase. We will check out the suggested routes and get some planning done before we set off.
Thanks again and we welcome any other advise that may assist us on our adventure.
Take care
chaslib said
04:46 PM Feb 8, 2015
Hi there and welcome HarleyZ .... I don't see where anyone mentioned payload .... I don't want to come across as a scare-monger, but Be very sure of what your limit is and what you are carrying ..... Water, fuel etc takes up a fair bit .... 1ltr = 1kg, then you need to add your weight and the passengers weight, gas, food, generator, extra options on your motorhome such as bulbar, bike racks, solar, etc .... Make sure you know what has been taken into account and what is not. It is a rather scary issue as many Motorhome manufacturers do not allow much margin for error ..... I have found some Manufacturers include some items and some don't ie some allow 10ltr fuel.... make sure you get the dealer to provide the details in writing ... Should be included in your vehicle specs
we have our first motorhome and will not be at ease until we take it over the weigh bridge in Lismore before taking off. Other option is to consider upgrade licence to LR ... We will consider this after our return later in the year shoud we feel it necessary. many of the individual State road authorities and police are becoming very active with their little mobile weighbridge thing.
best of luck with your trial run and the real thing after. If anyone feels I have got any of the above wrong. Just let me know ....
Cheers
Harley Z said
12:57 PM Feb 10, 2015
Hi chaslib,
Thank you for your welcome & your feedback. We had some preliminary discussions about this topic with one of the manufacturers we are considering, however, it is good to get this reminder from you as we head out in the rental. Given this is a relatively short holiday, we will be travelling quite light........I think. (Certainly the drivers side will carry more weight than the passenger side......when I am driving at least :) )
Thanks again for the tip and we will take on your advice.
My wife and I are considering the purchase of a motor home and becoming Grey nomads in the next couple of years. Before we spend the big bucks, we have decided to hire a motor home and head to Darwin in May and head home via either the West or East Coast. Figured this would give us a good idea if this is the right choice for us. Any suggestions re travelling to Darwin from Melbourne in a motor home? We have about 7 weeks but are also governed by the "sealed roads only" clause. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Welcome to the forum Harley Z Trying before you buy is a good way to go. For me the best way on good roads to Darwin is Melb to Adelaide to Port Augusta to Alice Springs to Darwin. On the return trip turn left at the three ways just before Tennant Creek and travel through Qld to Mt Isa to Longreach to Emerald to Rockhampton to Melbourne along the coast.We have a Jayco Optimum and love it,once had a van and really enjoyed it, but motor homing is better for us.It took us well over two years of looking before we found the motor home that ticked all the boxes..Every one has different requirements so look carefully with your eyes wide open,check out all the positives and negatives. Happy travelling cheers Peter
-- Edited by 2foot6 on Monday 19th of January 2015 09:52:11 PM
-- Edited by 2foot6 on Monday 19th of January 2015 09:54:59 PM
It is unlikely that a hire motorhome will allow you much scope for camping away from the mains power grid, so you will mostly be looking for caravan parks. At that time of year - especially if you are leaving early May - you should get into parks if you phone the day before you plan to get there - or the morning of the day you will arrive.
We are outer east of Melbourne and go that way via Yarra Glen, Yea, Seymour, Heathcote, to Bendigo - avoids city traffic. Depending on where you are, the Calder might be better.
From Bendigo - Mildura, Renmark, Morgan, Burra, Peterborough, Orroroo, Wilmington, Port Augusta. Why have the unecessary hassle of driving through Adelaide?
I would also suggest an easterly route back from Darwin, given your limited time. South to Three Ways, east to Mt Isa. Then Winton, Longreach, Barcaldine. I would turn south at Barcaldine and come down through Tambo, Charleville, Cunnamulla, Bourke, Cobar, Griffith, Finlay, Shepparton, Melbourne.
You are not going to have much time for sight seeing, but I would suggest a few days in Alice Springs - a break from travel, and there is quite a lot you can see in the area without going off the bitumen. Ditto Darwin. From Pine Creek, go one way on the Stuart Highway to Darwin and return via Kakadu - all sealed.
There are reasonable/good caravan parks at convenient stages all along the route I have outlined.
Please bear in mind that a trip such as you are proposing is not really indicative of the motorhoming way of life. Most people would take months to do that trip. It is a much more leisurely way of travel.
Happy to answer any firther questions you may have, if I can.
I do not have a motor home so will leave any help etc to those that do.
Enjoy your new toy when you get it and the playground but keep safe.
One of the things about a motorhome especially, is that they are plenty big enough for one person, or two who get on pretty well. We get on very well, luckily. Good idea to try before you buy, but the hire ones are usually pretty basic. For instance ours has the seats in the cab swivel, great lounge when you have visitors, gives room to move. If you choose to have a separate toilet and shower, you will lose other things (in the size we have anyway) - like cupboard storage, and seating for four at the table.
Another thing with a motorhome - if it is raining, you just pull up for the night and don't have to go out and get wet - saw a lady getting out of a caravan once to open the caravan, slipped in the mud - A over Z - not fun for her, but I laughed my head off (in the privacy of my own vehicle).
We love our home, which is good, because we live in it full time. The trip you are planning is a good one, go up through Mildura as WendyV says, it is a great trip up, and from there to Port Augusta is terrific, heaps of places to stay.
Plenty of free camps along the way, some good, some not so good - but if only overnight most are ok. Another important thing is, be aware of water - good idea to carry extra fresh drinking water, we buy the 10 litre containers, just for drinking, and use the available water for washing, etc. Water is the main issue in any trip away from the coast in Australia - some of the bore water is not very nice, even for washing, end up with white scaly skin.
Thanks again and we welcome any other advise that may assist us on our adventure.
Take care
Hi there and welcome HarleyZ .... I don't see where anyone mentioned payload .... I don't want to come across as a scare-monger, but Be very sure of what your limit is and what you are carrying ..... Water, fuel etc takes up a fair bit .... 1ltr = 1kg, then you need to add your weight and the passengers weight, gas, food, generator, extra options on your motorhome such as bulbar, bike racks, solar, etc .... Make sure you know what has been taken into account and what is not. It is a rather scary issue as many Motorhome manufacturers do not allow much margin for error ..... I have found some Manufacturers include some items and some don't ie some allow 10ltr fuel.... make sure you get the dealer to provide the details in writing ... Should be included in your vehicle specs
we have our first motorhome and will not be at ease until we take it over the weigh bridge in Lismore before taking off. Other option is to consider upgrade licence to LR ... We will consider this after our return later in the year shoud we feel it necessary. many of the individual State road authorities and police are becoming very active with their little mobile weighbridge thing.
best of luck with your trial run and the real thing after. If anyone feels I have got any of the above wrong. Just let me know ....
Cheers
Hi chaslib,
Thank you for your welcome & your feedback. We had some preliminary discussions about this topic with one of the manufacturers we are considering, however, it is good to get this reminder from you as we head out in the rental. Given this is a relatively short holiday, we will be travelling quite light........I think. (Certainly the drivers side will carry more weight than the passenger side......when I am driving at least :) )
Thanks again for the tip and we will take on your advice.
Cheers