Are there maps on the net that show the type of road?

rosco · Senior Member

Are there maps on the net that show the type of road?

gordon_adl · Senior Member

'Tarred' ...haven't heard that in yonks. I believe your basic 4x4 map should tell you that. I've got on but not sure what it is called. I'll look later and let you know.

delapan · Senior Member

hi Ross, your standard road maps denotes the type of road, is in the legend for the map, regards, gary

ie red is bitumen

browny/orange is gravel/dirt

milo · Guru

id like to know too, as im getting conficting stories from cooper pedy to maree via williams creek..
some ive heard its ok, others say its only 4x4 accesable..

PeterD · Guru

I don't think you will find an Oz wide series of maps on any site that gives you that detail. Looks likke you will have to bight the bullet and purchase a Hema Road Atlas.

You can have a look at the surface of a lot of the roads in Google by using the street view. If the camera car has travelled your intended route, you can use street view to look up and down the road. Sometimes you will be looking into the sun and other times it is a little hard to see through the following dust.

gordon_adl · Senior Member

It is definitely gravel. Few weeks ago it was fine. Can't say as of today but seems good looking at the road report.
http://www.transport.sa.gov.au/quicklinks/northern_roads/northern.asp
I believe there was a recent posting advising where to look for road reports in each state.

milo wrote:
id like to know too, as im getting conficting stories from cooper pedy to maree via williams creek..
some ive heard its ok, others say its only 4x4 accesable..

PeterD · Guru

milo wrote:
id like to know too, as im getting conficting stories from cooper pedy to maree via williams creek..

When you try street view on those roads you just get some spots along th road where travellers have posted pictures. You have to remember that roads in that area vary considerably. Mostly they are reasonable but not after heavy rain until the traffic has nocked the tops off the ruts or the grader has passed through. The conflicting reports come from the nature of the road when the reporter travelled it (you also fet varying reports depending whether the reporter is a city slicker or seasoned out back traveller.)

Here is one shot taken by a traveller. The road looks good after the rain that they had.

rosco · Senior Member

Thanks guys, I've got the Camps 5 which has road maps in it.

Was more interested in what was on the net.

Peter, the Google camera car is okay for some roads, but where they haven't been we need to rely on the satellite image, which can be rather blurry at times and unable to distinguish between tar and gravel.

Ross

milo · Guru

PeterD wrote:
milo wrote:
id like to know too, as im getting conficting stories from cooper pedy to maree via williams creek..
When you try street view on those roads you just get some spots along th road where travellers have posted pictures. You have to remember that roads in that area vary considerably. Mostly they are reasonable but not after heavy rain until the traffic has nocked the tops off the ruts or the grader has passed through. The conflicting reports come from the nature of the road when the reporter travelled it (you also fet varying reports depending whether the reporter is a city slicker or seasoned out back traveller.)
Here is one shot taken by a traveller. The road looks good after the rain that they had.

dont know if id take the tardis over all that.. hmm

pricey43 · Guru

I don't think the Tardis has high enough clearance Milo. We travelled the track from Maree to Oodnadatta last year in July. We were in a Territory and we did alot of shaving of mud between the wheel ruts.

milo · Guru

pricey43 wrote:
I don't think the Tardis has high enough clearance Milo. We travelled the track from Maree to Oodnadatta last year in July. We were in a Territory and we did alot of shaving of mud between the wheel ruts.

thanks, thats what im thinking too, my dad keeps say we did it 40 years ago in some old car etc,, ive told him about people saying its a 4x4 track, but you cant tell him some times

-- Edited by milo on Thursday 30th of June 2011 10:20:53 PM

Cruising Granny · Guru

Google isn't up to speed with the latest developments.
Even my new Tom Tom is missing some of the new expressways in SA.
Most maps show sealed, open surface roads and tracks which are less such as the Strezlecki or Oodnadatta Tracks.
Part of the experience is learning about the roads and how you handle them.
Even the Gibb River Road has a sealed section no one mentions.
Good vehicles, good tyres and good driving skills used carefully will get you there.
Safe and happy travels.

Sheba · Guru

Milo you'll have to take clearance into account on some country roads. The Tardis looks lower to the ground than some other motorhomes I've seen.

It will be a lot lower than the type of car your Dad is talking about too, regardless of whether or not they were 4x4's. Personally, I wouldn't like to take it on anything but Sealed, or very flat dirt roads. You'd have to be careful of Pot-holes etc.

Cheers,

Sheba.

milo · Guru

thanks sheba,
thats whats worrying me about this , if it were just up to alice , then back down to peterbrough
and then up to broken hill, id have no problems... just out to this road , maree, theres bugger all out there
he says theres a caravan park in williams creek and maree, ie reading in camps 5 book etc
hmm dunno what to say now, a friend of mine has been up that way and they wont take there car up on that track...

hmm

how good are the 4x4 gp's ? compared to tom toms?

Sheba · Guru

Milo, on my screen I have an IMAGE Button. [I use XP]. If you have the same, or something similar, you might try getting Pics of the areas you will be going to.

I just click on Image, then when the box changes, type in what I want to see.

You might be able to get an idea of what the roads are like that way.

This Link is from last year, but other sites like this might help give you an idea too.

http://www2.pajeroclub.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=10398

There are some good pics on it too.

Cheers,

Sheba.

-- Edited by Sheba on Friday 1st of July 2011 12:53:39 AM

milo · Guru

thanks again sheba, will check that link out

Zoomtopz · Guru

I was fortunate to have been taught Map Reading as a kid .

Maps ARE better than reading books , they tell you SO much .

As previously mentioned , on a map , they will have a window ,

that is called - Legend - commercial maps also have them .

Please read them before you travel in Remote areas .

Richo

ozjohn · Guru

I've found Google Earth will usually (Not always) show the type of road surface, but definitely won't show corrugations, holes etc.

OJ

NeilandRaine · Guru

Back in another life I used to teach map reading and what we taught was:
A map is never up to date and seldom accurate. Nothing beats local knowledge
so ring the council responsible for the roads before you start out.
Google earth gives you a pretty good visual of roads.

Mack · Member

If you are concerned about the road, then drive to Coober Pedy and do the mail run in an Occa it covers all the area. You need to book though.

Cruising Granny · Guru

The council's interpretation of its roads may not be a realistic as those of other travellers you meet coming off the dirt tracks. The councils tend to emphasise the road condition from memory when it was a lot better than it might be now.
Roadhouses and local shops and pubs in those outback villages will know more.
If there are trucks coming in off the dirt talk to the truck driver. There's a lot of traffic out there servicing the mines and oil/gas fields etc.
These guys are on the roads every day and have some interesting stories to tell.

wendyv · Guru

Milo,
the road from Coober Pedy to Wiiliam Creek is dirt/gravel. Unless it is very wet, it does not require 4WD, as in low range gearing. But it does need a vehicle that can stand up to corrugations and which has a reasonably high clearance. I do not think your motorhome is suited to these roads. It is the same from William Creek to a bit south of Marree.

Yes, there is a caravan park at William Creek, and a couple at Marree (although I am not sure if one of them - the Drovers Rest - is open this season.

I really think Dad is going to have to give up the idea of going to places on the Oodnadatta Track, unless you hire a Troopy style camper, just for that, or go on a tour in their vehicles.

-- Edited by wendyv on Monday 4th of July 2011 11:03:14 PM

blaze · Guru

The roads in that arean are certainly subject to weather and the last time maintance was carried out BUT just because it was bad and rough last week or a month ago dosnt mean its bad now. When I travelled the road in 2009 it was a little coragated, bit of loose gravel but there was no need for a 4x4 or high clearance vehicle,
The best advice I could give is before travelling down the road on the DAY (not a week before) ask at your starting point and then ring the road houses on your choosen route tp confirm your info, now make your decision. If you decide it is not possible be flexable enough in your travel arrangements to travel elsewhere.
cheers
blaze