We are looking at a July/August trip north on the Stuart Hwy and just wondering if any of you have some favorite spots along the track to Darwin to overnight (or recommendations to not overnight)?
Cheers Vince
-- Edited by vince56 on Sunday 19th of March 2023 03:07:25 PM
-- Edited by vince56 on Sunday 19th of March 2023 05:14:20 PM
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"life is too short to spend it with people who suck the happiness out of you"
The distance between Mildura and Darwin via Lake Hart SA route is approximately 3,000 km and it takes around 5 days to drive from Mildura to Darwin with minimal stops along the way and no sightseeing but not driving at night to make up time.
Lake Hart is a salt lake in South Australia and is arguably the most accessible of the South Australian salt lakes. A short walk from the Lake Hart rest area on the Stuart Highway near Woomera brings visitors to the edge of the lake.
Allow say 6 days in Alice Springs - Uluru area, other places on the way up, like Adelaide, Coober Pedy, Tennant Creek, Katherine.
You can do it but you will not see everything. Sit down and work out what you want to see and where you want to stay then make your programme up from that
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A bit north of Katherine is Edith Falls, a lovely campground with all facilities , including a kiosk in a stunning location. We would never pas it without giving it a night or two. Be sure to take your swimming gear & visit both the low level & top pools.
Another swimming spot with a CP near by is Bitter springs, out of Mataranka. Take a pool noodle or similar & just float with the current in the body temperature crystal clear water. Much nicer than Mataranka homestead pool which in our view was spoiled when they concreted it.
We are looking at a July/August trip north on the Stuart Hwy and just wondering if any of you have some favorite spots along the track to Darwin to overnight (or recommendations to not overnight)?
Cheers Vince
-- Edited by vince56 on Sunday 19th of March 2023 03:07:25 PM
I totally agree with Cuppa
Myself and the better half worked at bitter springs for 6 months and it is the heart of NT.
There is so much to see up in that area and Edith falls is one of my favourite spots do not go past it .
It is only a short walk to the top waterfall
also Litchfield Nat park Tomato island if you have a tinny king ash bay roper river wish I was back there some say kaka dont but I must be deaf its a great place but there is limited time to see all due to the rainfall.
Cahills crossing is a must see make sure you go there at the top of the tide it will blow your mind also not far away is the lookout where they filmed crocodile Dundee looking over the swampland.
enjoy you will -- Edited by vince56 on Sunday 19th of March 2023 05:14:20 PM
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John
2017 dmax lovells upgrade full CSM trade aluminium canopy,3.5 m quintrex tinny and rear boat loader mangrove jack aluminium trailer
Vince, do you have Wikicamps? Do you want facilities or prefer freedom camping? Memorable sites for us ......
At Coober Pedy we freecamped for a few days at a rest area 13km south. Nothing there but red dirt and lots of room. From there we went to the Painted Desert, east of Coober Pedy, staying at Arckaringa Station. Warning. Be prepared for a rough road. I think it was recommended for 4WD only but that was not needed. Otherwise do as a day trip. There is a also a tour from Coober Pedy if you book.
In peak season many sites fill up early, and only some take bookings, so don't arrive late if you don't have a booking.
Barrow Creek WW2 site. Just an open area with only the slabs remaining from the huts. Devils Marbles a "must". As mentioned earlier, Edith Falls and Mataranka ... but we stayed at Mataranka Homestead. Good free entertainment at night. Edith Falls also has basic entertainment, as does Banka Banka.
-- Edited by Are We Lost on Monday 20th of March 2023 12:20:02 PM
Thanks all, some good tips that are now on the itinerary.
Looking at taking our time so should be able to see a lot of sights.
Yes I have Wikicamps, very useful!
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"life is too short to spend it with people who suck the happiness out of you"
Just had a read of part of this thread again and it bought back memories as we stayed at a lot of the places mentioned, but that was back in 2017 and we only went as far north as the Three Ways then back into Qld. If going to Coober Pedy we would also recommend going out to the Painted Desert. We did the tour, booked at the Information Centre, as our motorhome was not suitable for the road. You could also book onto the mail run but we did not do that as it was already booked. Also look at the Breakaways at sunset. We stayed at the Oasis CP and they ran a tour to the Breakaways and also did a tour of the town with them. Out of Alice Springs we did the loop first to Hermannsburg then around to Ormiston Gorge and back to Alice. Was all bitumen road. At Hermannsburg we stayed a couple nights at the Historic Mission Precinct and my husband spent a day working in their workshop on some restoration project. We also stayed at Ormiston Gorge and at Howard's Lookout not far out from Alice Springs. In Alice Springs we mainly stayed at the showgrounds as the CPs were full but when vacancies became available in the CPs, showground camping was closed. As I said earlier, that was in 2017 so somethings might have changed since then. Enjoy your trip. Cheers.
-- Edited by Gaylehere on Monday 27th of March 2023 09:12:17 AM
Just had a read of part of this thread again and it bought back memories as we stayed at a lot of the places mentioned, but that was back in 2017 and we only went as far north as the Three Ways then back into Qld. If going to Coober Pedy we would also recommend going out to the Painted Desert. We did the tour, booked at the Information Centre, as our motorhome was not suitable for the road. You could also book onto the mail run but we did not do that as it was already booked. Also look at the Breakaways at sunset. We stayed at the Oasis CP and they ran a tour to the Breakaways and also did a tour of the town with them. Out of Alice Springs we did the loop first to Hermannsburg then around to Ormiston Gorge and back to Alice. Was all bitumen road. At Hermannsburg we stayed a couple nights at the Historic Mission Precinct and my husband spent a day working in their workshop on some restoration project. We also stayed at Ormiston Gorge and at Howard's Lookout not far out from Alice Springs. In Alice Springs we mainly stayed at the showgrounds as the CPs were full but when vacancies became available in the CPs, showground camping was closed. As I said earlier, that was in 2017 so somethings might have changed since then. Enjoy your trip. Cheers.
Yes the east & West Macs, Uluru, the Valley of the Winds & Kings Canyon are all accessible via sealed roads & are well worth allocating a couple of weeks or more to. Ormiston Gorge is a great place for a base from which to explore the rest of the West Macs. We were lucky enough to have been flooded in there for a week & to see the Finke running for the first time in several years (2008). Howards Lookout has the most incredible view to watch whilst eating dinner as the sun went down.
I agree about Coober Pedy too. We have visited there a couple of times. Once by motorcycle when we stayed at Radekas undeground accommodation & did a half day tour with them out to the breakaways & around the town. That was very enjoyable. Second time we were lucky enough to have need to stay a a while longer (water pump on our motorhome failed). This gave us the opportunity to go out on the Mail run as far as William Creek (Lunch) & to a number of Stations. Moreso it gave us an opportunity to get to know a few a folk & to see aspects of life in Coober Pedy which many spending a night passing through would miss. Once a week locals would cook dinner for anyone who wanted it at the Serbian Orthodox underground Church, in the kitchen, dining room & bar (!) adjoining the church itself. A very modest nominal fee & a great way to meet locals. A day or two later we were wandering in the local cemetery (interesting) when a passing car pulled up in a cloud of dust & locals who saw & recognised us just stopped to say g'day & to pass a half hour wandering the cemetery with us adding local knowledge about folk who's resting place it was.
