Brisbane-Broome or Perth-Darwin?

Hello,

Next year (April/May 2007!) we intend to go to Australia for the second
time. We are doubting whether we should make the trip from Brisbane to
Broome, mainly via bitumen roads (and perhaps a part of Buchanan Hiway) to
Bungle Bungle NP and on to Broome or from Perth to Darwin via the northern
Nat. Parks to Bungle Bungle NP. We don't intend to drive 2000 km on Plenty
Hiway and Tanami Hiway. We will have about 5 weeks.

I started to read Lonely Planet Australia but everywhere are so many
interesting places that it is difficult to make a good choice.

Can you help us and give us some ideas what we really would need to see on
both itineraries? And do we really need a 4WD campervan or can we better see
Bungles Bungles from the air and skip the 4WD parts?
If I am correct we need a 4WD if we would like to see the Nat. Parks in the
northwest? Is that so?

Any ideas would be welcome. Thanks in advance for your ideas and help.

Best regards,
Marion & Jaap Fahrenfort
Netherlands

--�

http://www.fahrenfort.nl
Genealogical data: Blokland, Fahrenfort, Van Maaren, Nietfeld and
Stroosnijder families.
Photo's and information on New Zealand, Eastern Europe, Australia, West
China, Tibet and Nepal.
http://www.avcwerelddans.nl
Informatie over en programma van AVC Centrum voor Werelddans in Amsterdam

I haven't been on the Buchanan, but the Tanami Road isn't bad at all in late
fall/early winter if it's been dry; the road is kept in good nick for all
the heavy mining vehicles/equipment. Just make sure someone knows when you
are expected, and carry the normal precautions/supplies for remote areas
(and lots of fuel so you don't have to pay up at that legalized usurer at
Rabbit Flat!!)

Personally, I wasn't crazy about Broome (relatively expensive and I'm not
into pearls) but others' mileage has varied.

Perth is very pretty and has a rather unique culture borne of being a
cosmopolitan metropolis that is one of the most remote cities on earth (do I
remembe correctly that it is closer to Johannesburg than to Sydney? That
might explain all the Sith Effrikens there ;-)). Darwin is smallish and
quite new (thanks to Japanese zeros and Cyclone Tracey) but also culturally
unique by virtue of the Tyrtany of Distance. That's the trek I would take.
"Marion" wrote in message
. nl...
Hello,

Next year (April/May 2007!) we intend to go to Australia for the second
time. We are doubting whether we should make the trip from Brisbane to
Broome, mainly via bitumen roads (and perhaps a part of Buchanan Hiway) to
Bungle Bungle NP and on to Broome or from Perth to Darwin via the northern
Nat. Parks to Bungle Bungle NP. We don't intend to drive 2000 km on Plenty
Hiway and Tanami Hiway. We will have about 5 weeks.

I started to read Lonely Planet Australia but everywhere are so many
interesting places that it is difficult to make a good choice.

Can you help us and give us some ideas what we really would need to see on
both itineraries? And do we really need a 4WD campervan or can we better
see Bungles Bungles from the air and skip the 4WD parts?
If I am correct we need a 4WD if we would like to see the Nat. Parks in
the northwest? Is that so?

Any ideas would be welcome. Thanks in advance for your ideas and help.

Best regards,
Marion & Jaap Fahrenfort
Netherlands

--�

http://www.fahrenfort.nl
Genealogical data: Blokland, Fahrenfort, Van Maaren, Nietfeld and
Stroosnijder families.
Photo's and information on New Zealand, Eastern Europe, Australia, West
China, Tibet and Nepal.
http://www.avcwerelddans.nl
Informatie over en programma van AVC Centrum voor Werelddans in Amsterdam

Marion wrote:
Hello,

Next year (April/May 2007!) we intend to go to Australia for the second
time. We are doubting whether we should make the trip from Brisbane to
Broome, mainly via bitumen roads (and perhaps a part of Buchanan Hiway) to
Bungle Bungle NP and on to Broome or from Perth to Darwin via the northern
Nat. Parks to Bungle Bungle NP.

We have done both and I would recommend the Perth to Darwin choice.
See also my response in the "alice - darwin - perth".

We don't intend to drive 2000 km on Plenty Hiway and Tanami Hiway.

Well, if you have some experience in 4WD and you like those kind of
unsealed roads, then I can highly recommend both of them. But I'm an
unsealed-nut, so take my advice with a grain of salt! :-)

We will have about 5 weeks.

I started to read Lonely Planet Australia but everywhere are so many
interesting places that it is difficult to make a good choice.

Can you help us and give us some ideas what we really would need to see on
both itineraries? And do we really need a 4WD campervan or can we better see
Bungles Bungles from the air and skip the 4WD parts?
If I am correct we need a 4WD if we would like to see the Nat. Parks in the
northwest? Is that so?

You need 4WD for the Bungle Bungles, the Gibb River Road (if you take
that route) and indeed for the Karijini NP and Millstream-Chichester NP
in the northwest.

As I mentioned in the other thread, on our 2000 trip, we did not have
a 4WD from Broome to Perth and we heavily regretted it. OTOH, if you're
in to guided tours and *know* that a tour is available on the day(s) you
are in a certain place, then that might be an option. For example this
year we had a great one-day tour out of Exmouth. But when we were in the
Karijini NP in 2000 there was no tour when we 'needed' it and we 'could'
not wait (some 10,000 km still to go! :-)).

Any ideas would be welcome. Thanks in advance for your ideas and help.

I hope this helps.

Frank (also from The Netherlands)

Hi Frank and others,

Thanks for the reactions. If you have to choose between Perth-Darwin or
Melbourne-Cairns what would then be your choice?

After some reactions in this group and from other people and from the info
in the Lonely Planet we more or less already decided not to travel from
Brisbane to Broome. We liked some 4WD parts in the Flinders, the Oodnadatta
Route and the Mereeni Loop, but are not that strong and experienced that we
can repair our car when necessary in sand, mud or rivers.

We prefer to go on our own and not in a tour, unless really necessary. And
we love those strong 4WD campervans We don't need them here in the
Netherlands, too flat and too much bitumen.

Regards,
Marion

Frank Slootweg wrote:
Marion wrote:
Hello,

Next year (April/May 2007!) we intend to go to Australia for the
second time. We are doubting whether we should make the trip from
Brisbane to Broome, mainly via bitumen roads (and perhaps a part of
Buchanan Hiway) to Bungle Bungle NP and on to Broome or from Perth
to Darwin via the northern Nat. Parks to Bungle Bungle NP.

We have done both and I would recommend the Perth to Darwin choice.
See also my response in the "alice - darwin - perth".

We don't intend to drive 2000 km on Plenty Hiway and Tanami Hiway.

Well, if you have some experience in 4WD and you like those kind of
unsealed roads, then I can highly recommend both of them. But I'm an
unsealed-nut, so take my advice with a grain of salt!

We will have about 5 weeks.

I started to read Lonely Planet Australia but everywhere are so many
interesting places that it is difficult to make a good choice.

Can you help us and give us some ideas what we really would need to
see on both itineraries? And do we really need a 4WD campervan or
can we better see Bungles Bungles from the air and skip the 4WD
parts?
If I am correct we need a 4WD if we would like to see the Nat. Parks
in the northwest? Is that so?

You need 4WD for the Bungle Bungles, the Gibb River Road (if you take
that route) and indeed for the Karijini NP and Millstream-Chichester
NP in the northwest.

As I mentioned in the other thread, on our 2000 trip, we did not have
a 4WD from Broome to Perth and we heavily regretted it. OTOH, if
you're in to guided tours and know that a tour is available on the
day(s) you are in a certain place, then that might be an option. For
example this year we had a great one-day tour out of Exmouth. But
when we were in the Karijini NP in 2000 there was no tour when we
'needed' it and we 'could' not wait (some 10,000 km still to go! ).

Any ideas would be welcome. Thanks in advance for your ideas and
help.

I hope this helps.

Frank (also from The Netherlands)

http://www.fahrenfort.nl
Genealogical data: Blokland, Fahrenfort, Van Maaren, Nietfeld and
Stroosnijder families. Photo's and information on New Zealand, Eastern
Europe, Australia, West China, Tibet and Nepal.
http://www.avcwerelddans.nl Informatie over en programma van AVC
Centrum voor Werelddans in Amsterdam.

Frank Slootweg wrote:
Marion wrote:
Hello,

Next year (April/May 2007!) we intend to go to Australia for the
second time. We are doubting whether we should make the trip from
Brisbane to Broome, mainly via bitumen roads (and perhaps a part of
Buchanan Hiway) to Bungle Bungle NP and on to Broome or from Perth
to Darwin via the northern Nat. Parks to Bungle Bungle NP.

We have done both and I would recommend the Perth to Darwin choice.
See also my response in the "alice - darwin - perth".

We don't intend to drive 2000 km on Plenty Hiway and Tanami Hiway.

Well, if you have some experience in 4WD and you like those kind of
unsealed roads, then I can highly recommend both of them. But I'm an
unsealed-nut, so take my advice with a grain of salt! :-)

We will have about 5 weeks.

I started to read Lonely Planet Australia but everywhere are so many
interesting places that it is difficult to make a good choice.

Can you help us and give us some ideas what we really would need to
see on both itineraries? And do we really need a 4WD campervan or
can we better see Bungles Bungles from the air and skip the 4WD
parts?
If I am correct we need a 4WD if we would like to see the Nat. Parks
in the northwest? Is that so?

You need 4WD for the Bungle Bungles, the Gibb River Road (if you take
that route) and indeed for the Karijini NP and Millstream-Chichester
NP in the northwest.

As I mentioned in the other thread, on our 2000 trip, we did not have
a 4WD from Broome to Perth and we heavily regretted it. OTOH, if
you're in to guided tours and *know* that a tour is available on the
day(s) you are in a certain place, then that might be an option. For
example this year we had a great one-day tour out of Exmouth. But
when we were in the Karijini NP in 2000 there was no tour when we
'needed' it and we 'could' not wait (some 10,000 km still to go! :-)).

Any ideas would be welcome. Thanks in advance for your ideas and
help.

I hope this helps.

Frank (also from The Netherlands)

--�

http://www.fahrenfort.nl
Genealogical data: Blokland, Fahrenfort, Van Maaren, Nietfeld and
Stroosnijder families. Photo's and information on New Zealand, Eastern
Europe, Australia, West China, Tibet and Nepal.
http://www.avcwerelddans.nl Informatie over en programma van AVC
Centrum voor Werelddans in Amsterdam.

Marion wrote:
Hi Frank and others,

Thanks for the reactions. If you have to choose between Perth-Darwin or
Melbourne-Cairns what would then be your choice?

I think these are incomparable. If you liked the Flinders Ranges,
Oodnadatta Track, Mereenie Loop, etc. and would like more of the 'same',
then I suggest Perth-Darwin. If you want somewhat less rugged, then
probably Melbourne-Cairns is better (we haven't been to Cairns, just up
to Townsville and then west).

After some reactions in this group and from other people and from the info
in the Lonely Planet we more or less already decided not to travel from
Brisbane to Broome. We liked some 4WD parts in the Flinders, the Oodnadatta
Route and the Mereeni Loop, but are not that strong and experienced that we
can repair our car when necessary in sand, mud or rivers.

I think this is reasonable experience for the Perth-Darwin route. Our
first unsealed experience was Darwin to Litchfield NP, then the access
road to the Bungle Bungles (slow and tiring, but a lot of fun) and then
the Gibb River Road.

BUT, *always* have sufficient water, food, heating, etc., and some way
of communication (we make sure the vehicle has a satelite (sp?) safety
beacon ('EPIRB')).

We prefer to go on our own and not in a tour, unless really necessary. And
we love those strong 4WD campervans We don't need them here in the
Netherlands, too flat and too much bitumen.

Yeah, but they would be nice to ride on top of the traffic jams
("files"), wouldn't they? :-)

The southern portion of the Oona track is incredible - largely follows the
old Ghan (now "old Gone" ;o)) Line with its astounding history and scenery.
The northern half (which I just did in December) is less interesting, so you
might want to turn off to Dalhousie &c if you have 4WD. Like the Tanami,
the Oona track is pretty traversible in good weather (even a saloon car with
care) with proper preparation - but a 4WD is infinitely better. I had a few
anxious moments halfway down the track this summer when the storm clouds
were gathering - if Huey sent 'er down I could well have been stuck for a
while.

And if you do do this track, be sure to say g'day to Adam & Lynnie for me!

Thanks for all reactions.

If you have to choose between Perth-Darwin
or Melbourne-Cairns what would then be your choice?

I think these are incomparable. If you liked the Flinders Ranges,
Oodnadatta Track, Mereenie Loop, etc. and would like more of the
'same', then I suggest Perth-Darwin. If you want somewhat less
rugged, then probably Melbourne-Cairns is better (we haven't been to
Cairns, just up to Townsville and then west).

Yes, we liked the Oodnadatta Track very much. The Mereenie Loop was
sometimes hard to drive, but we had a lot of fun. So, based on that and on
the info I got in this ng, I think that we will do what many friends and
relatives of us have done before, Perth to Darwin.

I think this is reasonable experience for the Perth-Darwin route. Our
first unsealed experience was Darwin to Litchfield NP, then the access
road to the Bungle Bungles (slow and tiring, but a lot of fun) and
then the Gibb River Road.

If we come from Broome, how do you combine the Gibb RIver Road with Bungle
Bungle NP? Or did you fly over the beehives from Kununurra? Do you need a
permit for the Gibb River Road as is written in the Lonely Planet?

BUT, *always* have sufficient water, food, heating, etc., and some
way of communication (we make sure the vehicle has a satelite (sp?)
safety beacon ('EPIRB')).

Did you buy one here or did you hire it at the renting company?


Yeah, but they would be nice to ride on top of the traffic jams
("files"), wouldn't they? :-)

For instance on the 80 km hiway A10 around Amsterdam :-))

Marion

--�

http://www.fahrenfort.nl
Genealogical data: Blokland, Fahrenfort, Van Maaren, Nietfeld and
Stroosnijder families. Photo's and information on New Zealand, Eastern
Europe, Australia, West China, Tibet and Nepal.
http://www.avcwerelddans.nl Informatie over en programma van AVC
Centrum voor Werelddans in Amsterdam.

Marion wrote:
[deleted]

I think this is reasonable experience for the Perth-Darwin route. Our
first unsealed experience was Darwin to Litchfield NP, then the access
road to the Bungle Bungles (slow and tiring, but a lot of fun) and
then the Gibb River Road.

If we come from Broome, how do you combine the Gibb RIver Road with Bungle
Bungle NP? Or did you fly over the beehives from Kununurra? Do you need a
permit for the Gibb River Road as is written in the Lonely Planet?

We first went to Kununurra, drove to the Bungle Bungles (and
stayed there two nights), drove back to Kununurra and then took the Gibb
River Road. Just a (over) 600km detour, peanuts! :-)

To be honest, I don't know about a permit for the GRR. I don't think
so, but check in Kununurra, just to be on the safe side.

BUT, *always* have sufficient water, food, heating, etc., and some
way of communication (we make sure the vehicle has a satelite (sp?)
safety beacon ('EPIRB')).

Did you buy one here or did you hire it at the renting company?

The good rental companies supply one, at least with their 4WD
vehicles. Some enable you to rent one from them. So you should check
with your rental company. Also check what other 'emergency' stuff they
provide. Some don't even supply a tyre-pump/pressure-gauge, shovel,
decent jack, etc..

[deleted]