Sorry jebs, your wrong like many others on this site, each roadhouse makes its own water with reverse osmosis units, the only reason that people don't know this is because very few want to support these places and most others avoid them because of their very firm anal sphincter, it all comes back to give and take.
-- Edited by Paul on Thursday 26th of July 2018 08:37:30 AM
Praps ya rite Paul ... however, my experience tells me that whether they produce their own water through 'reverse osmosis units', it's not available at each roadhouse via a tap/hose/big container/jerry can for filling the water tank of a caravan.
All will sell their water bottled for a "fair" price.
One is always able to express one's opinion. However, I think that "...very few want to support these places and most others avoid them because of their very firm anal sphincter..." is perhaps being a little too pointed and not necessarily representative of folk here.
Cheers - safe and happy travelling - 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
Sorry jebs, your wrong like many others on this site, each roadhouse makes its own water with reverse osmosis units, the only reason that people don't know this is because very few want to support these places and most others avoid them because of their very firm anal sphincter, it all comes back to give and take.
-- Edited by Paul on Thursday 26th of July 2018 08:37:30 AM
Yes to provide drinking water, not for travellers to refill their Rv water tanks
I worked in some of these places on and off for about ten years and if somebody was prepared to stay they were welcome to as much water as they needed, the cost of producing this product prohibited giving it away willy-nilly to anyone who thought they deserved something for nothing. My time out there certainly changed my view about people, the only ones who complained were the ones who wanted to pay as little as possible but expected the most attention from each place, I can only talk from experience and I think after ten years I think I gained enough to be able to make the comments that I make,
P,S. The comments about people being wrong was referring to the posts from the past stating that there is no water available across the bight, my apologies for not being more specific.
-- Edited by Paul on Thursday 26th of July 2018 12:49:15 PM
I concede your hands-on, first hand experience Paul, and I do hesitate to seem contrary.
However, when I did my first crossing from Penong to Norseman back in 2013 I spent three weeks on the journey.
I stayed for a minimum of three nights at EACH roadhouse across on that run. I bought tucker at each one, fuel and some supplies.
NONE would sell water in anything but white/clear plastic bottles - the largest being 5 litres.
Their attitude to the asking was 'cold shoulder' and they almost seemed affronted that one would ask. At the Border Village there were a number of large prominent signs, at the fuel bowsers, entry doors and at and above the counter, stating VERY clearly that were was no water available - except litre bottles for drinking.
Maybe I just had bad luck ... but at least ALL the roadhouses were consistent ... NO WATER for the van at any of them.
I have now made the crossing three times and each time it is quite clear not to ask for water for the van ... OK for a bottle or two for drinking (and quite expensive) - but not to put in a caravan tank.
cheers - John
-- Edited by rockylizard on Thursday 26th of July 2018 12:59:59 PM
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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
Sorry to hear about your experiences John, sounds like you were dealing with front counter people who would come and go like flies on a carcass, when people were staying at whichever place I was working at the time I made it a priority to assist where ever possible, a lot of people were prepared to use the 10 or 20 Lt containers I loaned them with the trolley to fill their tanks, the complainers usually were the ones who expected to drive up to a tap and hose and immediately fill their tanks, after a while I realised that these were the people who brought their suburban mentality with them, these places don't fit into that, the four years I spent at one place saw a total of 15 managers go through, the worst lasted a couple of hours, the best over 20 months, there might not be anything normal out there but there is water, cheers Paul.
Hey Paul,
I think it is clear from Jebs and Rocky's post that you are incorrect, obviously there is NO water available to fill a caravan tank.
As a member of this great forum I have gained some very handy information from others' experiences, by and large good useable knowledge from those who have been there - done that.
I also think regardless of the intention of your comments the wording was pretty harsh.
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"life is too short to spend it with people who suck the happiness out of you"
My memories of about half a dozen Nullarbor crossings is that all the servos have bore water. Only enough is taken to provide for their own needs.
However, the bore water was/is exceptionally hard - just ask anyone who ever stayed in one of the motel units and washed their hair! That said I wouldn't want to put any in my van tanks anyway.
So, fill up at either Port Augusta or Norseman and ration it.
Just crossed the Nullarbor twice and basically the roadhouses do NOT provide fresh water for filling tanks. As stated above Penong and Ceduna are your best bets to fill your tanks. Paul, you may have helped out travellers in the past but you should be careful about stating that water is available when it most likely will not be.
Hi..... Last time I crossed (last year)....I took 4.5 weeks to go from Fraser Range to Ceduna (water to water). I heard Fraser no longer allowing tank fills though. It's available....and to fill tanks....but you pay (not a lot in my mind). It's not fresh....but RO. ****lebiddy had it - $2 for 10 litres I've got here in my spreadsheet. And Nullarbor $1 for 2.5 minutes (approx 50 litres). That span is approx 1100klm - I spun my water out (oh I collected about 20lt rainwater into tanks too from memory) I averaged 2.6l of water per day....that didn't include drinking as I drink different water. So hope that helps.
Rob
should of spun out the C O C K in C O C Klebiddy
-- Edited by Grubbygypsy on Thursday 26th of July 2018 10:02:49 PM
-- Edited by Grubbygypsy on Thursday 26th of July 2018 10:03:29 PM
I have been across the Nullarbor eight times in the last five years
Seven times in the summer, and once in the winter
I have sometimes seen bottled/container drinking water, advertised for sale at the servos
I have also seen signs saying that they have no water for sale
I would personally, never rely on obtaining drinking water on the Nullarbor, and obtain it from either Norseman, or Ceduna
I have never stayed at a caravan park on the Nullarbor, but we do stop at every servo to buy something
My personal belief, is that if I do not spend money in remote places, then I can not complain, when they are no longer there
In my days of the Eyre Highway (late 1972 to 1987), the highway changed from dirt(?) at the outskirts of Penong to a well built almost super highway as it is now. The dirt section had many hazards - kangaroos, wombats, rock (around Ivy Tanks), bull dust, washouts, huge pot holes (the best I saw was six tyres high (one on top of the other, lying down) + a Hazard sign. Tanks were installed at various locations to aid weary & thirsty travellers. Often they were empty - either due to no rain, tanks rusted out or some travellers abusing them & taking too much.
The road houses provided basic accommodation in the early days & fuel - you were expected to carry your own supplies. There was a motel (of such) at Ivy Tanks - built from asbestos sheeting, galvanised iron roof, no airconditioning unless you opened the window & debated as to whether it was hotter outside or in. George Schick was the owner. When the new highway opened & bypassed his place, he put sticks of gelignite in it & blew it to small pieces! There are many tales that could be written about on the SA side of the road.
Breakdowns were common, vehicles & drivers not being fit to drive on those conditions. We (PMG/Telecom/Telstra staff) often assisted in accidents, minor break downs. We felt sorry for some people - the ratbags got what they deserved! Murray Thomas (owner of Nullarbor Station, later roadhouse) often took things from travellers if they couldn't pay him in cash for services rendered (ca radios were a common trade). Some he would employ for a period to pay the debt.
Head Office in Adelaide, could not understand why we could not get more than 4,000 miles from a set of Michelin tyres (in Adelaide, they got eight times that amount).
I recall seeing one chap drive into Fred Kelly's garage at Penong & the A frame of his Viscount caravan broke off just there - a few more kms back down the road could have been disaster!
It would have been an interesting exercise to have kept personal logbooks as to how many miles/kms we did on that route. Some were done fast, some were VERY slow!
Water & its abuse - a couple of years ago on our way home from the Kimberlys, we came down the Tablelands Highway from Cape Crawford to Barkly Homestead. We stopped off at one of the tanks (basically as we'd seen birds) & someone else came in. They needed water - not to drink, but to fill up their caravan's tanks & several 20L containers on the rear bumper of the van so they could do their washing!! I guess they'd wonder why some poor station hand died from of thirst as they'd got plenty!
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Warren
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If you don't get it done today, there's always tomorrow!
