What is the best time to cross the Nullarbor

Big Gorilla · Guru

What is the best time to cross the Nullarbor

Olley46 · Guru

revemike wrote:

Hi. I am planning a trip to WA (Esperance and Albany) in 2014. I will be towing a Retreat Keppel with a Toyota Prado. My question is what is the best time during the year to make this trip East to West.

Looking forward to hearing from fellow travellers.

Mike and Sue Wharton
Mordialloc, Victoria

We crossed the nullabor the first week in June this year,no wind at all,someone crossed it two weeks before us same thing no wind, guess we may have been lucky agree with a previous post don't travel at night.

Lance C

-- Edited by Olley46 on Monday 4th of November 2013 09:41:45 PM

Golddetectornomad · Senior Member

...the edges of the W.A. side on the Nullabor are maintained/mowed better than most median strips....and certainly better than the S.A. side in our experience...compared to when I first made my crossings in the early 1970's with unmade roads and cattle grids..its now a cakewalk by comparison,and really the only folk who worry about it are the ones who havn't done it in recent times IMO....just make sure your vehicle is in first class nick...no place to get stuck, for sure....
On our last trip we were heading to Geraldton and thought we would travel the central roads less used??..rather than the coast up....wrong!...single width roads and we hit grain carting season December/ January, with farmers trucks all in races to get to their local silos first.....it was an absolute nightmare travelling with the Caravan and continually giving these heavy missiles which did not move an inch off these single highways, their claimed 100% right of way.....we had our UHF ears on the whole time, and not one had the courtesy to reply or converse although they were chatting to each other like budgies.........we were aliens on their road at the wrong time....just a tip from our experience always consider farmer movements/seasonal deliveries in farming areas.....I say this not as some city slicker I have spent most of my years in farming areas in various States...Hoo Roo

-- Edited by Golddetectornomad on Tuesday 5th of November 2013 12:33:20 AM

-- Edited by Golddetectornomad on Tuesday 5th of November 2013 09:08:07 AM

Dunmowin · Guru

yes, we travel with a 21ft Kedron ATV, towed by a 2003 Nissan Patrol.

After Ceduna, stayed at Scotts Beach (near Fowlers Bay), Nullarbor Roadhouse, Koonalda Homestead, Fraser Range before arriving in Norseman. Scotts Beach was several days,, as was Koonalda. Two at Fraser Range. Think there was a rest area called Dumble -something - would have to check the camps book, but it is currently buried under the bed....

Best freedom camp was Koonalda Homestead. Despite no facilities, would highly recommend. it is in national park.

Have attached a copy of our diary blog for the month that included the crossing. Just realised our crossing was in March, not April.....

-- Edited by Dunmowin on Tuesday 5th of November 2013 12:50:48 AM

revemike · Senior Member

Hi. I am planning a trip to WA (Esperance and Albany) in 2014. I will be towing a Retreat Keppel with a Toyota Prado. My question is what is the best time during the year to make this trip East to West.

Looking forward to hearing from fellow travellers.

Mike and Sue Wharton

Mordialloc, Victoria

Big Gorilla · Guru

I have a son and his family in Esperance and drove across 2 years ago. Maybe others might suggest a season to travel. To me, anytime is as good as any. My only advice would be don't drive after dark. There are numerous kangaroos, emus and camels on the road at night, which can make night driving quite dangerous. I note this is your first post. Welcome to the Board. I hope the information you glean here will be as helpful to you as it has been to me...Cheers.

revemike · Senior Member

Thanks for the welcome Big Gorilla. I have been reading posts here for some time and have found it be very useful.

Thanks for the advice too.

I have been told that the winds can be a problem during July - August. Do you any thoughts on this?

Zoomtopz · Guru

Welcome Mike & Sue , welcome to "our playground"

Not while it is windy . I suppose it's a bit hard to predict . As you get head-winds e>west .

Hang in for awhile , regular Nullabor runners will give you th drum .

Richo

kandagal · Guru

Welcome - We have 'done' the Nullarbor at many different times of the year. My advise is if you get a 'head wind' day just park up & have a R&R day. Then go on once the wind has abated.

Duh · Guru

Welcome to the forum Mike and Sue, some good info on subjects can also be found by clicking on search on the dark blue line above, here is one link on the Nullabor;

http://thegreynomads.activeboard.com/t53291086/nullabor/

ParamountCruiser · Senior Member

revemike wrote:
Hi. I am planning a trip to WA (Esperance and Albany) in 2014. I will be towing a Retreat Keppel with a Toyota Prado. My question is what is the best time during the year to make this trip East to West.

Looking forward to hearing from fellow travellers.

Mike and Sue Wharton
Mordialloc, Victoria

Anytime that you have a tail wind.

We came across 2 weeks ago. Had a tail wind until Eucla, then it became a cross headwind. Luckily it wasn't as strong as the head wind we had this morning between Peterborough and Broken Hill.

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

I would have thought about now ?? Oct / Nov ?.. After winds and before it gets too hot ?? Although animals are active in spring..

revemike · Senior Member

Thanks for all replies and welcome. I case certainly see myself coming back to this forum often.

let the fun begin and the planning continue...

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

Aus-Kiwi wrote:
I would have thought about now ?? Oct / Nov ?.. After winds and before it gets too hot ?? Although animals are active in spring..

I have driven across in November in 50C, so Oct / Nov may also be hot. I have also been there in January when it was quite pleasant.

Don't plan your holiday around a Nullarbor crossing it is just another road with lots to see and do.. Plan it around the weather for the area where you will spend most time.

Cheers,

Peter

Dunmowin · Guru

Welcome Revemike, we made our crossing in early April 2013. We waiting around the Eyre Peninsula (not a bad place to wait) until we knew we had a few days of slightly cooler weather, then after our last 40degreer in Ceduna, made our crossing. The wind pushed us across, and we did not have any issues with either wind, or heat. We spent 11 days on the Nullarbor.

blaze · Guru

Maybe try and be in Albany for Anzac day 2014, I believe a big re-enactment of the orginal fleet to carry off our troops to war, on my list if indeed it does happen. Done a few trips across the nulla, day and night, best and most relaxing driving has been at night. Now I hear all you people saying , mad ,crazy for want of some nicer terms of endearment but it is cooler, less wind generally and surprisingly, very few animals. They can be seen mostly early morning and just on evening. Just take care whenever you do it. mostly enjoy.
cheers
blaze

revemike · Senior Member

Thanks for the welcome and comments Dunmowin. 11 days hey? Any recommendations of places to stay? Did you travel with a van?

Hylda&Jon · Guru

My best advise is to cross the Nullarbor to coincide with whatever time you wish to arrive at the other side or at your main destination. For example, we crossed east to west to time our arrival in WA for the wildflower season in spring.

Apart from that, just take the advice of others and try to avoid driving into a headwind by pulling over for a day or 2, which can occur at any time in either direction.

Happy Traveling

Jon

-- Edited by Hylda&Jon on Tuesday 5th of November 2013 03:09:13 PM

_wombat_ · Master (of Mischief)

daytime.

welcome to the site, one more thing you may like to get is a copy of WikiCamps

http://www.wikicamps.com.au/forum.php?id=1

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=au.com.angryrobot.wikicamps&hl=en

https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/wikicamps-australia/id505365608

miann · Newbie

Hi Big Gorilla.
May I Ask What Airline You Were With??
Regards
Miann

_wombat_ · Master (of Mischief)

miann

revemike · Senior Member

Thanks for the PDF Dunmowin. It is very helpful.

Big Gorilla · Guru

miann wrote:
Hi Big Gorilla.
May I Ask What Airline You Were With??
Regards
Miann

Welcome to the Forum. I started with TAA and ended my career at Korean Air.....Cheers.

Rip and Rosie · Guru

we found this helpful
http://www.goseeaustralia.com.au/article/84/Sail_your_caravan_through_the_Nullarbor_winds/

For myself I reckon the best time to go is while you can !

Hylda&Jon · Guru

We were at the Head of the Bight on the 27th August 2010 and counted 17 whales so I think we got lucky. Got pretty close too.

-- Edited by Hylda&Jon on Tuesday 5th of November 2013 11:52:09 PM

Gerty Dancer · Guru

Winds aside, if you want to see the whales with their calves from the Head of Bight you need to be there in August-September.

snapper49 · Senior Member

We also crossed the first week in june this year
Left Whyalla on June 4th and yes we had a head wind all the way across probably around 10 knots which was enough for us to see the fuel disappearing rather quickly
Probably took about 8- to 100 k off a tank of fuel (90 litrs lpg)

Equalizer We had a good tail wind on the way back

Re Whales at the head of the bight
They were there 7 in fact on the 5th of june so no need to wait until august
August september would be better (more whales)

Gerty Dancer · Guru

Thanks Snapper, wasn't sure when the season started. We were there in early Sept and people said there had been more whales earlier.

ken thomas · Guru

Hello Revmike
I am looking to go that way in Feb with a few weeks in SA along the coast so I will be keeping an eye on the weather forecasts
Previous trip back from Norseman I had a tail wind so hopefully this time there will be none
Ken

_wombat_ · Master (of Mischief)

ken thomas wrote:
Hello Revmike
I am looking to go that way in Feb with a few weeks in SA along the coast so I will be keeping an eye on the weather forecasts
Previous trip back from Norseman I had a tail wind so hopefully this time there will be none
Ken

tail wind is much better than a head wind