Hi

We plan on doing a 6 week trip Melbourne to Darwin June/July next year.  We were hoping to go do a circular trip through the centre of  Australia in only one direction. Suggested routes and  or itinerary as well as must see places would be helpful with our planning.

Thanks in advance.

Sorry I should have stated we have an off road camper trailer. We will be looking at  a combination of free campsites and using caravan parks and other paid sites. We  really just wanted to see what others had done and looking  for ideas/ places/ experiences we may not have thought of.

Yes 6 weeks there and back. We are both still working and fit and active, so quite happy to be on the move.

You can see a lot in 6 weeks. Lots of fellow travelers on the road at that time. We went up through the centre in June this year (from Port Augusta to the Three Ways) after spending some time looking around the Eyre Peninsula in May. Camped at the free camp at Lake Hart. The actual camp area not that big and full up the night we were there. Lots camped outside the area.
Take a stroll down to the lake (salt). Spent 3 nights at Coober Pedy at the Oasis CP. $37.50pn I think it was for a powered site. CP was very full. There are other CPs there and a big free camp area also. We stayed at this CP because they did a tour of the town(morning) and the Breakaways at sunset. Our motorhome is not good on rough roads and I particularly wanted to see the Breakaways. We also did the tour with Arid Area Tours to the Painted Desert again because I wanted to go there and not having a suitable vehicle to do so. Further north we camped at Agnes River Rest Area. Can't remember this one completely but the note I made said - large area, shade trees or open area and no water in the river. Also camped at the Rest Area 32klms from Uluru. As we got into here after dark stayed at area close to the road. Other campers were over the sand dune amongst the trees. No facilities here. Uluru (Ayres Rock) $50 for 3 day pass. $50pn for a powered site in the caravan park also. Went out to have a look at the Fields of Light. Interesting but supposed to finish in March 2018 but it was supposed to finish this year and they extended it. Was no climbing on the rock when we were there. Have a look at the rock from the sunrise viewing area. Good view at any time of the day. Salt Creek Rest area on bitumised road to Kings Canyon was good too. Again some went over the dune but the area closer to the road is quite big. You can hear dingos howling here at night. One also visits the camp and sits outside your doorway waiting for handouts. Do the rim walk at Kings Canyon. The end of the walk up the valley was closed when we were there. Non powered site at CP there was $40. No powered sites left when we reached it. From there you can go via dirt road towards Alice Springs but if that isn't viable for you backtrack along the bitumen. Alice Springs has many CPs and if they're full thy open up the Showgrounds. If at the showgrounds the amenities block around the other side of the ring is good. The one closest to the office has small cubicles and only 1 hook behind the door. If staying at showgrounds and arrive after 4pm when the office shuts, just go find yourself a spot (powered  or not) and go pay the next morning.  Can do this on Sundays too. Stayed at Heritage CP and the showgrounds. Showgrounds $30 for powered site. Desert Oakes rest area on way to Alice Springs good with shade trees, toilet, covered picnic table. Alice Springs - Truck Museum (historical), Kenworth museum (at the same place) all new vehicles. The Old Ghan museum also at the same place but separate entry. They do a good devonshire tea. Visit Anzac Hill, Ardlean Centre, Pioneer cemetery to see the graves of a few famous people. Then there are the gorges. Simpson's Gap, Stanley Chasm. We took the road to Hermannsburg and stayed at the unofficial camp area at the heritage precinct. $10pn to stay. Toilet and shower at the tea rooms but shower early afternoon if you want it hot. From here if having 4WD 24klms to Palm Valley. Continue along from Hermannsburg to Albert Namatjura's home and continue on to Tyler's Pass lookout. This road is now all bitumen. Go and take a look at this lookout. Very good view. If coming across from Kings Canyon on the dirt road it joins onto this loop road out of Alice Springs. Camp areas at Redbank Gorge (toilet) and Ormiston Gorge (toilet and hot shower). Also other places along this road - free and to pay. Howard's lookout has good view down the valley and we camped here overnight too. No amenities. Some of the gorges we couldn't get into as our vehicle was unsuitable. Emily Gorge and Jesse Gorge out the other way have aboriginal rock paintings. CP's at Ti Tree and Tennant Creek were good with clean amenities. Take some time out to see the Devil's Marbles. We never booked ahead as we never knew just when we would be in a place but we never failed to find a place to stay be it a free camp or a Caravan Park. Sometimes we had to have a non-powered site at CP as powered ones were full. We turned off at the Three Ways so from there up someone else will have to give you ideas. Cheers.

-- Edited by Gaylehere on Friday 14th of July 2017 10:58:15 PM

Gaylehere wrote:

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You can see a lot in 6 weeks. Lots of fellow travelers on the road at that time. We went up through the centre in June this year (from Port Augusta to the Three Ways) after spending some time looking around the Eyre Peninsula in May. Camped at the free camp at Lake Hart. The actual camp area not that big and full up the night we were there. Lots camped outside the area.
Take a stroll down to the lake (salt). Spent 3 nights at Coober Pedy at the Oasis CP. $37.50pn I think it was for a powered site. CP was very full. There are other CPs there and a big free camp area also. We stayed at this CP because they did a tour of the town(morning) and the Breakaways at sunset. Our motorhome is not good on rough roads and I particularly wanted to see the Breakaways. We also did the tour with Arid Area Tours to the Painted Desert again because I wanted to go there and not having a suitable vehicle to do so. Further north we camped at Agnes River Rest Area. Can't remember this one completely but the note I made said - large area, shade trees or open area and no water in the river. Also camped at the Rest Area 32klms from Uluru. As we got into here after dark stayed at area close to the road. Other campers were over the sand dune amongst the trees. No facilities here. Uluru (Ayres Rock) $50 for 3 day pass. $50pn for a powered site in the caravan park also. Went out to have a look at the Fields of Light. Interesting but supposed to finish in March 2018 but it was supposed to finish this year and they extended it. Was no climbing on the rock when we were there. Have a look at the rock from the sunrise viewing area. Good view at any time of the day. Salt Creek Rest area on bitumised road to Kings Canyon was good too. Again some went over the dune but the area closer to the road is quite big. You can hear dingos howling here at night. One also visits the camp and sits outside your doorway waiting for handouts. Do the rim walk at Kings Canyon. The end of the walk up the valley was closed when we were there. Non powered site at CP there was $40. No powered sites left when we reached it. From there you can go via dirt road towards Alice Springs but if that isn't viable for you backtrack along the bitumen. Alice Springs has many CPs and if they're full thy open up the Showgrounds. If at the showgrounds the amenities block around the other side of the ring is good. The one closest to the office has small cubicles and only 1 hook behind the door. If staying at showgrounds and arrive after 4pm when the office shuts, just go find yourself a spot (powered  or not) and go pay the next morning.  Can do this on Sundays too. Stayed at Heritage CP and the showgrounds. Showgrounds $30 for powered site. Desert Oakes rest area on way to Alice Springs good with shade trees, toilet, covered picnic table. Alice Springs - Truck Museum (historical), Kenworth museum (at the same place) all new vehicles. The Old Ghan museum also at the same place but separate entry. They do a good devonshire tea. Visit Anzac Hill, Ardlean Centre, Pioneer cemetery to see the graves of a few famous people. Then there are the gorges. Simpson's Gap, Stanley Chasm. We took the road to Hermannsburg and stayed at the unofficial camp area at the heritage precinct. $10pn to stay. Toilet and shower at the tea rooms but shower early afternoon if you want it hot. From here if having 4WD 24klms to Palm Valley. Continue along from Hermannsburg to Albert Namatjura's home and continue on to Tyler's Pass lookout. This road is now all bitumen. Go and take a look at this lookout. Very good view. If coming across from Kings Canyon on the dirt road it joins onto this loop road out of Alice Springs. Camp areas at Redbank Gorge (toilet) and Ormiston Gorge (toilet and hot shower). Also other places along this road - free and to pay. Howard's lookout has good view down the valley and we camped here overnight too. No amenities. Some of the gorges we couldn't get into as our vehicle was unsuitable. Emily Gorge and Jesse Gorge out the other way have aboriginal rock paintings. CP's at Ti Tree and Tennant Creek were good with clean amenities. Take some time out to see the Devil's Marbles. We never booked ahead as we never knew just when we would be in a place but we never failed to find a place to stay be it a free camp or a Caravan Park. Sometimes we had to have a non-powered site at CP as powered ones were full. We turned off at the Three Ways so from there up someone else will have to give you ideas. Cheers.

-- Edited by Gaylehere on Friday 14th of July 2017 10:58:15 PM

-- Edited by Gaylehere on Friday 14th of July 2017 11:04:37 PM

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 Well done Gayle, very informative and detailed travel advice.

Helen

brickies wrote:

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Gayle you have crack it what a great service you have given , You are a true Grey Nomad best advice I have seen on this forum you have set the bar high .

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 Agreed! Gayle's contribution to my question on SA touring advice this week has been sensational. 

blaze wrote:

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week 1- drive to Darwin
week 2 to 4- check out Darwin and surrounds
week5 - start the trip home
week 6 rush the rest of the way home and wishing you had more time and plan the next trip

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 Best reply of the lot. If you really wish to have a good look at the top end you need to rush up and back. I would be inclined to do a little more relaxed trip up and back taking 6 days to the Alice or Tennant creek, two nights there (washing clothes and a bit of sight seeing) and then proceed to Kakadu. Spend 4 nights or up to a week there and then to Darwin.

On the way home stop in at Litchfield NP and Katherine for two or three nights each. From there it is over 500 km longer home via Cloncurry than via the Alice, you will not be able to stop and see much either way so you may as well return the short way. You can then stop for a couple of nights somewhere for two nights for a rest period in a place you missed on the way up, say Coober Pedy.