Planning our first lap and I am not impressed with what I read about Yulara. Want to go there of course and see the rock, but not at all convinced about staying there, even overnight. We're looking at mid-June which by all accounts is peak time. We're only pulling a camper trailer so have some flexibility, but hate being jammed in. Any suggestions?
This will be at the end of our 3 month lap so then we head south to Pt Augusta and north-east back to Brisbane via Broken Hill. My thinking after Yulara is Kings Canyon, Fink River Gorge, Kulgera and Coober Pedy but I'm wondering if there are better options. Not really ready to do the Plenty Highway until/unless it's upgraded. I need my 4x4 to last a while yet...
Planning our first lap and I am not impressed with what I read about Yulara. Want to go there of course and see the rock, but not at all convinced about staying there, even overnight. We're looking at mid-June which by all accounts is peak time. We're only pulling a camper trailer so have some flexibility, but hate being jammed in. Any suggestions?
This will be at the end of our 3 month lap so then we head south to Pt Augusta and north-east back to Brisbane via Broken Hill. My thinking after Yulara is Kings Canyon, Fink River Gorge, Kulgera and Coober Pedy but I'm wondering if there are better options. Not really ready to do the Plenty Highway until/unless it's upgraded. I need my 4x4 to last a while yet...
Gday...
There will others well informed of current camping ideas around/near Yulara/Uluru.
I too would prefer to not be there in June - unless it is raining and I got to see the rain on the rock - October would be my preference when the crowds have gone. My last visit, far too many years ago, was in October and it was nicely quiet - in comparison to June anyway.
However, I am a little confused on your "itinerary" ..... you say Uluru will be "the end of the 3 month lap" and then head south to Port Augusta. So do you really mean the journey will be in this direction .... Uluru - Kings Canyon - Fink River Gorge - Kulgera - Coober Pedy - Port Augusta - Broken Hill?
If Fink River Gorge is Palm Valley then I would do that out from Alice, then down to Kings Canyon, Uluru, Kulgera, Coober Pedy, Port Augusta, Broken Hill.
Just a thought and of course I could have the bull by the proverbials
Cheers - John
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2006 Discovery 3 TDV6 SE Auto - 2008 23ft Golden Eagle Hunter Some people feel the rain - the others just get wet - Bob Dylan
Hi
I am yet to travel that part of Australia.
We have, however, travelled the Plenty "Highway" and the road was better than some of the real highways. We had planned to take three days to travel it but only needed 2.
We stayed at Tobermory- which was great - green grass etc.
And then had a few days at Gem Tree finding our fortune.
I know road conditions change all the time but we went in late June and all was great
Good luck with your itinerary
There are a couple of free camps on the Lassiter Highway on the way out to the Rock - we stayed there, no facilities, but quite ok. You can also stay at Curtin Springs Roadhouse - it is free I think with no power, or cheap with power, also has shower and small shop. Also you can do a tour of Mount Connor from there - Mt Connor, and 42k round, it is before Ayers which is 11.2k round. You can walk round, or ride a bike, which we did, make sure you have fly veils, lots of flies on the way north, not nice eating! You can climb if the weather gods are good, takes about two hours or so, take lots of water - not a hard climb, if you are relatively fit. I found a walking stick was a great help and saves your back, the chain is only about two foot off the ground.
June is not long after the start of the "annual nomad migration" and lots of places will be very busy, but not too bad. Be prepared to pay $$$$ for fuel - $2.31 at Curtin Springs when we were there. Make time in Coober Pedy to have a look at The Breakaways - spectacular, specially at sunset!
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jules "Love is good for the human being!!" (Ben, aged 10)
However, I am a little confused on your "itinerary" ..... you say Uluru will be "the end of the 3 month lap" and then head south to Port Augusta. So do you really mean the journey will be in this direction .... Uluru - Kings Canyon - Fink River Gorge - Kulgera - Coober Pedy - Port Augusta - Broken Hill?
If Fink River Gorge is Palm Valley then I would do that out from Alice, then down to Kings Canyon, Uluru, Kulgera, Coober Pedy, Port Augusta, Broken Hill.
Not sure which way around we'll do it yet. Coming down from Katherine to Alice, then to Yulara. We could do the circuit in either direction. I've not looked at the map that closely yet.
I suspect our 4x4 (Colorado) won't be high enough to get us into Finke Gorge? Seems that way anyway so we might go to Glen Helen and Ormiston Gorge instead.
Finke River Gorge can have quite deep sand - it is tougher going than the Plenty as far as roughness is concerned.
You should get into Palm Valley though.
I suspect our 4x4 (Colorado) won't be high enough to get us into Finke Gorge? Seems that way anyway so we might go to Glen Helen and Ormiston Gorge instead.
Glen Helen & Ormiston are via good bitumen.
The Finke River 'road' to Palm Valley was rather easy going when I was last there with some rocky bits & some sand. Nothing serious. My old Patrol did it on highway tyres at highway pressure. Had to remove the HR hitch at one spot because of its overhang. Barely qualified as 4WD 'ing'. A colorado should do it easily.
Don't miss Hermannsburg to see Albert Namatjira's paintings while you are in the area.
It is a few years since we have stayed at the caravan park but we loved it. We too had a campertrailer and we weren't too crowded in. We just thought it was easier access for sunset/sunrise and for visiting during the day to walk around it. Don't forget to do the Olgas as well....for us even more mystical and a beautiful walk so easy access to them too. Although we rarely stay in parks sometimes we find them easier depending what we want to do
On the way to Yulara there is free camping at Curtin Springs, 100ks from the rock and a roadside free stop 50ks closer. The camp ground at Yulara is good with excellent facilities, but you will be there in the busy season, plenty of space for camper trailers. You probably need to book in advance. An IGA in the shopping centre with reasonable prices and a good selection of fresh fruit and veg. I have been working there as a tour guide for the last 18 months so any more questions I could possibly help. Enjoy your trip Bru
We stayed at the caravan park at Yulara for 3 nights and its quite good, though its certainly not a low cost park. I wouldn't hesitate to stay there again, the sites are a reasonable size, the amenities ok, the location good. I agree with Bru about the IGA having a good selection at a reasonable price for a remote area.
In my opinion you need more than 1 day to see around Uluru, allowing time to also see The Olgas and do a bit of walking. You are paying for a 3 day pass into the National Park even if you only stay 1 day. I feel the cost of fuel, time and effort of coming in from one of the free camps would negate any cost saving from not staying in the park.
Thanks for all the advice. We've decided not to go to the centre this trip so we can devote more time to the north of WA. But I've filed all your tips away for the next trip which almost certainly will include the centre.
