Adelaide to Darwin

Rabbit Hauler · Member

Adelaide to Darwin

Possum3 · Guru

Diect route Adelaide to Darwin plenty of fueling opportunities (every town/village) - if wandering around desert areas sightseeing ensure you start off with plenty of fuel for intended return to civilisation, it is more important to carry water, although a small container (Jerry Can) of fuel can always be a slight back up.

Ozzie_Traveller · Senior Member

G'day RH

As possum says - there are heaps of places with fuel along the way ... and hundreds of fellow travellers (covid might make a bit of a dent to the numbers) along with truckies and other caravanners

Plenty of fone coverage - both telstra and optus - and your UHF 2-way radio will be very useful to chat to fellow travellers along the way to relieve some of the quiet-times along those long stretches of highway

Hope this helps
Phil

Whenarewethere · Guru

There is fuel at Leigh Creek, 111km Marree, 202km William Creek, 198km Oodnadatta, 206km Marla. So fuel is not a issue, but make sure your tyres are in good condition, you have TPMS (tyre pressure monitoring system), tyre repair kit & a compressor that actually works. Reduce tyre pressure & drive slower.

The road is sealed between Lyndhurst & Marree even though my HEMA map showed it as unsealed. So it's only north of Marree you need to let tyres down.

Brodie Allen · Guru

Whenarewethere wrote:
There is fuel at Leigh Creek, 111km Marree, 202km William Creek, 198km Oodnadatta, 206km Marla. So fuel is not a issue, but make sure your tyres are in good condition, you have TPMS (tyre pressure monitoring system), tyre repair kit & a compressor that actually works. Reduce tyre pressure & drive slower.
The road is sealed between Lyndhurst & Marree even though my HEMA map showed it as unsealed. So it's only north of Marree you need to let tyres down.

Go via alice and its sealed all the way and very good at that. And shorter.

Fuel a-plenty.

Get your fuel map working because some fuel is a bit over the top cost-wise

and a spare jerry full is no impediment.

-- Edited by Brodie Allen on Sunday 8th of August 2021 09:20:34 AM

Whenarewethere · Guru

I thought since asking about fuel it was the Oodnadatta Track. We came down it in 2019.

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

From about half way you can stop anywhere you like !! Its like a large park ! Take your time with many stops . We did some bush walking . Surprised how much time we spent doing that !!!

Bicyclecamper · Guru

Also, get your dog onto a a tick pill every month and have a tick/flea collar on it as well, including checking it everyday, due to the E.Canis tick virus up there that is killing dogs. It is a a painful death for your dog, if it gets it. You only have 7 days to get it to a vet, if it gets the virus, before it becomes a no chance survival.

Whenarewethere · Guru

& a can of electronic freezer spray from Jaycar to freeze the tick.

Cut a tiny hole in a piece of paper to just fit over the tick, then onto the skin. When you give the tick a quick spray you won't burn the skin.

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

Whenarewethere wrote:
& a can of electronic freezer spray from Jaycar to freeze the tick.
Cut a tiny hole in a piece of paper to just fit over the tick, then onto the skin. When you give the tick a quick spray you won't burn the skin.

And by then it is too late.

If you have any consideration for your pet dog, do not take it up north.

Ehrlichiosis ~ what is it and how does it affect you? | Direct Vet Services

Cheers,

Peter

-- Edited by Peter_n_Margaret on Sunday 8th of August 2021 01:10:22 PM

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

The OP should buy a HEMA Touring Altas. All the info is there.
It seems that the longest distance between fuel on the Stuart Highway between Adelaide and Darwin is 253km between Glendambo and Coober Pedy.
Cheers,
Peter

Meredith · Senior Member

The biggest distance between fuel on that route is 252km between Glendambo and Coober Pedy, so well within your limits.

TheHeaths · Guru

I would carry a couple of plastic jerry cans, and fill for the longer (250km) sections, as wind can and will cause issues sometimes. No need to fill all the time, but nice to have on those longer sections on head wind days. As an example, our v8 Discovery used to use about 23-25 litres per 100 kilometres. Gave us a similar range to you with a Jayco Freedom pop top same as your van, with its 80 litre tank. Driving back from Coober Pedy to Glendambo on our first trip north, into a roaring head wind, that went to 33 litres per 100km. It worked it out we would have come up about 25kms short without out jerry can!

I would revisit the need for 260 litres of water unless you plan to free camp all the time. If in parks, I would use park water for washing etc. and get spring water for drinking. That is what we do. Fill tanks only when you are planning a free camp, and then only enough to get you through. Otherwise it is often unnecessary dead weight you are carting.

Aside from that, road is good, trip is enjoyable, and make sure you have fun.

Whenarewethere · Guru

Peter_n_Margaret wrote:
Whenarewethere wrote:
& a can of electronic freezer spray from Jaycar to freeze the tick.
Cut a tiny hole in a piece of paper to just fit over the tick, then onto the skin. When you give the tick a quick spray you won't burn the skin.
And by then it is too late.
If you have any consideration for your pet dog, do not take it up north.
Ehrlichiosis ~ what is it and how does it affect you? | Direct Vet Services
Cheers,
Peter

It's still good practice whether dog or person. Sydney North Beach has a problem with Lyme disease for humans. In SA on the Yorke Peninsula we got dozens of ticks in 2019.

Rabbit Hauler · Member

Hi all ,

Thanks for all comments particularly those regarding canine wealthfare.