Sydney to Perth advice

Tamsun · Senior Member

Sydney to Perth advice

dogbox · Guru

you might want to consider a diesel /gas heater if you haven't already got one, can be chilly that time of year.

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

With respect, your question is far too broad. Sydney to Perth is 4,000km via the shortest route and there are multiple ways to get there.
If you travel 4 hours per day and see a few things as you go, there will be ZERO time for work along the way. A typical touring itinerary will only take you 100km per day on average, so that uses your 1.5 months up already.
You need to decide what you are going to do with that cat when you get there too, and National Parks will all be out of bounds.
Cheers,
Peter

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

Yes its a hell big country !! I guess you do a couple of 8 to 10 hour drives to get well on your way . But MAKE SURE you rest 2 or 3 days to fully recover ! Slow down look around when you stop . Btw Perth is a very small part of WA . Its a BIG state too ! Lol

Greg 1 · Guru

I have done Perth to Canberra in 6 days with the van on putting in 600 to 700 kms per day and not stopping to look around. There is lots to see in WA even if you are restricted to the southwest corner of the state. Coming to Perth via Esperance and following the coast is one of the best road trips for a limited time frame.

Long Weekend · Guru

It is easy to do the 600-700kms a day as mentioned by Greg 1. The road is mostly flat and straight and there are only a couple of small towns to go through. No holdups.

I did the same coming back from the National Caravan Rally at Albany. Not because I wanted to but had a medical specialist appointment back in Canberra. Had we missed it would have had a long wait for another appointment.

Anyway, there is nothing wrong with taking it slower. Stop at places like Coocklebiddy (that spelling beats the censor!) and enjoy a beer or two while sitting on the front porch watching the passing traffic. At the Eucla caravan park you can walk to the the cliff top at night and watch the headlights of approaching vehicles. You can see them coming from a long, long way off. And of course a stop at the Head of the Bite for whale watching.

Incidentally, I returned via the Goyder Highway after passing Pt Pirie. Very little traffic and mostly flat - except for a short distance of undulating and winding road near the small town of Spalding - made the road sort of scenic after all the flat country travelled. The Goyder joins the Sturt Highway near Renmark. Or take the ferry across the Murray at Morgan.

Murray

-- Edited by Long Weekend on Tuesday 16th of March 2021 02:50:07 PM

Tony Bev · Guru

Be aware that no fresh fruit or plants, are allowed to cross into South Australia, and into Western Australia

We use to travel with a cat, but it never left the Motorhome, unless it was in someone arms
It had a harness and two leads connected together, so it had the run of the motorhome
We never mentioned to any rangers, that we had a cat

One place I always try to stop at, is Kimba in South Australia
It is a donation camp, and hot showers for a gold coin in the slot

There is no readily available potable water, from Ceduna in South Australia, to Norseman in West Australia
Make sure you top up with water in Ceduna, the tap is at the far side of the last servo, near the dump point, just before the border quarantine control station

The fuel is expensive on the Nullarbor, but it is what it is, so just budget a bit more for that section, about 1,200 kilometres of the trip

Not sure if the whales will be there (usually June to October), but the turn-off to see them, is just before the Nullarbor roadhouse, and is signposted

Some say that the Nullarbor section can be boring, so you may have to watch that you do not start speeding

Hope that you have an enjoyable road trip

Whenarewethere · Guru

In 2019 I drove from Sydney to pick other half up from Perth airport from her European holiday, I'd been to Tassie earlier in the year so fair's fair, so we could continue from the previous year due to rain.

I spent 2 weeks traveling west, really enjoying the time, a few days stopped for 2 nights in the one location.

I wouldn't want to do it quicker, but at this rate there was no real time for side trips.

We just start looking early in the afternoon for an old gravel pit or whatever to stay in. You get pretty good finding these places after awhile.

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

Are you camping or traveling ?? Theres plenty out there to see . Just ask the locals . We came across so many swimming / from shiny places etc this way you would never find normally !!

peter67 · Guru

Hi Tamsun, if you only do four hours a day you can do it at the safest time, when heading west wait till the suns well up so it's not blinding people driving east towards you and same in the late arvo when YOU will find it hard on your eyes. Lots of roos as you get near Norseman early morning and late afternoon/evening. Take a top quality pair of polaroid sunnies and hope you enjoy it cheers

Long Weekend · Guru

Tony (of the Bev duo) mentions Kimba. Two things about that town: first is the BIG GALAH in front of a roadhouse. Next is the sign in front of the same roadhouse stating that Kimba is at the mid-point across Australia.

You just have to stop and take photos of both.

Murray

Gaylehere · Guru

Also stop and have a look at the painted silos at Kimba and go up to Whites Hill Lookout, to look out, and to see the big sculptures up there. Take more photos. We haven't been to Kimba for awhile and there was 3 places to camp when we were there. One near the highway for self contained, one near the park where there was toilets and the other at the rec grounds where to coin operated shower was. Can get cold at Kimba, Last time we were there was early June (2017) and got a heavy frost. Enjoy your travels. Cheers.

JeffRae · Guru

We have travelled from Perth to Melbourne and back many times, I dont have enough fingers and toes to count them.

Nice time of the year to travel, not hot and if it rains you are in your vehicle. Sydney to Perth is 4000kms, if travelling around 400kms per day, 10 days over and 10 days back, 5 days for your training, leaves you 20 days up your sleeve.

If you are travelling through Mildura then crossing the border on the way to Renmark, ensure you are not carrying any fruit or vegetables. You must dump your fruit/vegetables at the border in the bin provided, if not you will be fined $1000 when you get to the Yamba Quarantine Station.

https://fruitfly.sa.gov.au/travelling-restrictions/bringing-food-into-sa

Make sure your water tanks are full before you leave Ceduna as potable water is not available until you get to Norseman. You can stop in the caravan parks at the roadhouses for power and showers etc

Free/Donation camps at Iron Knob, Kimba, Tcharkulda Rock, Wirrulla.

Nundroo is a good place to fill up fuel. You should get to Eucla if you fill up here (340kms). We always like to miss Nullabor as fuel seems expensive compared to others.

Once past here most, but not all, Rest Areas will allow overnight camping. You will find numerous tracks off into the bush if you wish to hide away. Some have drop toilets, these are usually busy.

When you hit WA time zone you may like to drive a bit longer

WA quarantine requirements:

https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/exporting-animals/quarantine-frequently-asked-questions

Caravan park at Norseman is a nice place to stop

Wikicamps lists all places in WA

You could drive along the Golden Pipeline Trail, keeps you off the main road, allows you to slow down and enjoy

https://www.goldenpipeline.com.au/explore/

Tamsun · Senior Member

Great thanks! I have a diesel heater however needs looking at! :D

Tamsun · Senior Member

Thanks for your advice I was fearing that regarding travel time, was also thinking about options for my cat. I would probably look at booking a caravan park for the 5 days when in training at Perth.

Tamsun · Senior Member

Thanks so much everyone for the feedback and advice. I have lots to prepare and organize but this info will be invaluable to me! Much appreciation!!

Whenarewethere · Guru

Fuel is expensive at Norseman, so if going to Esperance or Kalgoorlie, just buy enough plus safety margin & fill up there.

Long Weekend · Guru

One strange thing about the Eyre Highway (aka Nullabor) that nobody has mentioned so far is that apart from wildlife on occasion there are people on the road riding bicycles or simply walking. As well as cyclists I personally saw a man pushing a trolley/wheelbarrow contraption in the vicinity of the Nullarbor roadhouse. One time there was even what appeared to be a family of four on bikes. There have been newspaper reports of people doing the crossing in wheelchairs.

About month after our return from Albany a truck struck a cyclist to the west of the Nullarbor roadhouse with fatal results.

What this means that instead of a wide open road in front you still have to keep alert.

But don't let that put you off doing the trip - it is just something else to be aware of.

About 15 years ago we drove Canberra to Perth with our daughter's then fiance. About a week after our return we all drove down to Melbourne from Canberra. Fiance said the Melbourne trip was just like a Sunday afternoon drive after the Perth journey.

Murray