perth to broome via gt northern hway

oakforddavo · Veteran Member

perth to broome via gt northern hway

woolman · Guru

You will need to deal with all the oversize trucks on the Great northern Hwy, along with some narrow, damaged sealed road.

It is doable but don't expect to be travelling at 100kph and be very careful. Expect a wide load around every corner.

Neil

blaze · Guru

not a lot further on the coast and less heavy haulage at least until port hedland
cheers
blaze

kiwijims · Guru

oakforddavo wrote:
I would like advice on the great northern hway which I am looking at as a shorter and less costly route from Perth to Broome than following the coast. I need to find out the lpg availability and caravan park conditions or free camping so if any of you hardened nomads wish to offer advice it would be greatly appreciated. Looking forward to response,
Thanks, Davo

Howdy Davo,

FUELWATCH web site, If you haven't used that site, just change the fuel type you want to LPG then change the location to COUNTRY , it will bring up all fuel locations, just page down until you see the area you are in, for example.....

http://www.fuelwatch.wa.gov.au/fuelwatch/pages/home.jspx

As Neil has said, watch out for the wide loads, there will be heaps of them. especially watch out for the escort vehicles, the ones with the red and blue flashers, they will drive right at you and force you off the road, this happened to us near Newman, how he missed scrapping the side of the van, I'll never know.

Have a great trip.

kiwijims

Red Dog · Senior Member

Lot quicker to go via the coast to many big rigs on the inland road and just not a good place to be if you are towing a van as for accomadation it is not real good and LPG is very scarce and very expensive when you can get it, no good for anyone who wants a relaxing drive

Delta18 · Guru

kiwijims wrote:

As Neil has said, watch out for the wide loads, there will be heaps of them. especially watch out for the escort vehicles, the ones with the red and blue flashers, they will drive right at you and force you off the road, this happened to us near Newman, how he missed scrapping the side of the van, I'll never know.
Have a great trip.
kiwijims

If he had Red & Blue lights it was a police escort vehicle and by driving "right at you" he was telling you that you need to "get off the road now" to make room for the Over-width load.

It is always wise to have a UHF radio on channel 40 as you will hear warnings of the approaching wide load in plenty of time to move over safely.

woolman · Guru

Gas will always be risky once you get further from Perth. Lots of place that have gas outlets but that does not mean they have had a delivery. Have seen people waiting 3 weeks for a gas delivery so they can move on. This was 5 years ago so don't know if still as bad. The problem is mines mainly use diesel so any other fuel needs a special delivery, having a full 90 tonne delivery.

neil

kiwijims · Guru

Howdy Delta18,

"Yep" You are dead right, That was a Police Vehicle that tried to run us off the road.

When that happened, I grabbed the U.H.F. Radio which I had sitting on Ch 40 and asked the driver what width he had, got the reply 4.5m and 3m at the kerb.

I made a remark something like ... "Thanks Mate" pity your escort "can't speak", !! which this Copper never did, not even a signal like a hand out the window waving us over, just drove down the road on our side of the white line, talk about the hair on the back of my neck standing up !!!

I think they take it too much for granted, that everyone will hear an escort talking to other truckers and be prepared to take evasive action.

This Copper would have been in great trouble if I had panicked and swerved in the wrong direction and he had side swiped our caravan, or we had rolled our van.

All part of the Caravaner's life I suppose.

K.J.

villatranquilla · Guru

have travelled the Grt Nth Hwy on numerous occasions as far as Pardoo and would not hesitate to go that way. We sometimes detour through some of the small country towns for a change. Much prefer it to the coast road.
Cue is a nice town with a reasonably priced caravan park with new facilities - its often our first night out of Perth. Would not contemplate any northern travel without a CB (ch 40).

oakforddavo · Veteran Member

OK , comments lead me to think maybe this is not the best plan especially us being new at the game so many thanks for advice - now how about when is the best time to head to Broome
when it is not too crowded - any comments

Davo

Gerty Dancer · Guru

Just try to avoid the heat of summer, and school hols!!