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The Nullarbor
Where does the Nullarbor begin and where does it end?
What precautions shoud be taken when driving through it. Dick |
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The Nullarbor
Dick I just posted a reply to you re your aussie holiday, hope that helps a
bit. "Dick Adams" wrote in message ... Where does the Nullarbor begin and where does it end? What precautions shoud be taken when driving through it. Dick |
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The Nullarbor
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The Nullarbor
kangaroo16
Dick Adams wrote: Where does the Nullarbor begin and where does it end? No definite points, opinion differs. IMHO, when driving from east to west, would say that Ceduna was the last eastern outpost. Wasn't paved when I last drove it. Reasonably flat and level. Can see car and truck headlights from miles away. Little traffic, especially at dusk, night, and dawn. At least in those days.... When you see the first signs of civilization, after several hours, you will probably stop, at least to refuel, and get a meal. National Highway 1 now paved all the way around Australia, the last stretch in 1988. What precautions shoud be taken when driving through it. These days, as is fairly well traveled, possibly none. ...But if I was doing it again, would at least have water and food for a couple of days at least. Then again, I am a cautious type. Me too. Yjis advice I will take. On less traveled inland roads or even "highways" , would personally carry two weeks worth of food and water. Actually, would even do this between Sydney and Rockhampton, or Cairns, both in Qld. Basically, I'm "realistic" or "pessimistic", take your choice! I'm thinking realistic. Because we'll be driving west to east, I'll get some clip on sun glasses. Dick |
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The Nullarbor
"Dick Adams" wrote in message ... Where does the Nullarbor begin and where does it end? What precautions shoud be taken when driving through it. Dick In my mind the Nullarbor starts at Ceduna and the other end is Norseman. A precaution is to set off with the wind from behind. It will make your trip much more enjoyable. Kerry I recently crossed it in my Morris Minor http://www.morrisminor.com/AroundAus...e-nullabor.htm |
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The Nullarbor
On 27 Sep 2007 02:38:22 -0400, Dick Adams
wrote in : kangaroo16 Dick Adams wrote: Where does the Nullarbor begin and where does it end? No definite points, opinion differs. IMHO, when driving from east to west, would say that Ceduna was the last eastern outpost. Wasn't paved when I last drove it. Reasonably flat and level. Can see car and truck headlights from miles away. Little traffic, especially at dusk, night, and dawn. Actually, should have gone into a bit more detail here. On many highways and roads, even comparatively near the major cities. most people prefer to travel during the day. At dusk, night, and dawn there is simply more chance of hitting a large animal. Many, if not most, Australian animals are nocturnal, and "brush up" in the heat of the day. This tends to make city people think that Australia is running short of Kangaroos. Even if they see a lot of "road kill" they still think that kangaroo numbers must be down. They aren't really. At night can drive slowly around farming or ranching properties, even those on main country highways, and will usually see more than can be counted. They are about as common as jackrabbits in the US west, perhaps even more common. "Most kangaroos have no set breeding cycle and are able to breed all year round. Because they are such prolific breeders, a kangaroo population can increase fourfold in five years if it has continuous access to plentiful supplies of food and water." " The four species of kangaroo that are commercially harvested have very large populations. None is threatened or endangered. The Red kangaroo, Eastern grey kangaroo and Western grey kangaroo are the most abundant species and make up over 90 per cent of the commercial harvest. Their combined population size has fluctuated between 15 and 50 million animals over the past 20 years in the harvested areas, depending on seasonal conditions." "Kangaroos continue to be used as a resource but only under strict government controls. All Australian States and Territories have legislation to protect kangaroos. Only the four most abundant species of kangaroo and small numbers of two common wallaby species can be commercially harvested, and then only by licensed hunters." "There is no farming of kangaroos in Australia. Kangaroos are harvested in the wild by licensed hunters." Above, and more, at: http://www.dfat.gov.au/facts/kangaroos.html Most people don't travel bush highways at night. If stop or camp next to a major bush highway at night you will mainly see large trucks. There are _very_ few cars. Not only is it more hazardous to drive at night, but towns in the bush are few and far between. Petrol ["gas"] stations are generally closed at night, not worth keeping them open. Most other businesses are closed at night as well. Run out of fuel at night in small country towns, and you may as well plan to spend the night there. ------ Nullarbor Plain "This is a vast, treeless, flat, limestone plain covering 270 000 square kilometres. It is 50 m - 200 m above sea level, extending for 2000 km across the southern parts..." "... world's largest single piece of limestone, covering the plain with a 15 m - 60 m limestone layer..." "The Transcontinental Railway stretches across the Nullarbor from Port Augusta in South Australia to Perth in Western Australia, and includes the longest section of straight railway track in the world (478 km). The Eyre Highway passes through the its southern-most area, and includes the longest straight section of tarred highway in the world (146.6 km)." Now I'm sure that most drivers have suffered "highway hypnosis" on long straight stretches of desert highway. The Nullabor plain is even worse, even in the daytime. The plain is practically featureless, on the surface, at least, with one mile much like the miles to come. 146.6 km ~= 91 miles. It seems longer... Driving at night is even worse. You can see the driving lights of approaching trucks many miles away, and the effect is a bit "spooky" actually. Now that it has been paved, at least you usually don't have to worry as much about washouts. :-) Carry lots of water especially in summer. It is a very dry place. "The Nullabor Plain has an arid to semi-arid climate, with 150 mm - 250 mm annual rainfall and 1200 mm - 2500 mm annual evaporation." 150mm ~= 6 inches 1200 mm ?~= 47 inches At least in those days.... When you see the first signs of civilization, after several hours, you will probably stop, at least to refuel, and get a meal. National Highway 1 now paved all the way around Australia, the last stretch in 1988. What precautions shoud be taken when driving through it. These days, as is fairly well traveled, possibly none. ...But if I was doing it again, would at least have water and food for a couple of days at least. To clarify a bit here, someone will probably come along before you die of thirst! Then again, I am a cautious type. Me too. Yjis advice I will take. On less traveled inland roads or even "highways" , would personally carry two weeks worth of food and water. Actually, would even do this between Sydney and Rockhampton, or Cairns, both in Qld. Basically, I'm "realistic" or "pessimistic", take your choice! Um, I wasn't all that clear here either. :-) I consider "pessimism" and "realism" as being synonyms. The ones who usually get into trouble are the "optimists":-) I'm thinking realistic. Because we'll be driving west to east, I'll get some clip on sun glasses. Be sure they are of adequate density. The sun is bright here, with more UV than you may be used to. Most quoted facts from Australian Museum site, which is well worth a read and has other interesting links. http://www.amonline.net.au/geoscienc...h/nullabor.htm Online conversions at: http://www.convertit.com/Go/ConvertI.../Converter.ASP or http://www.convertit.com/Go/ConvertIt/Measurement/ or http://www.onlineconversion.com/ ......Whichever you find easier to use. Americans who are unfamiliar with the metric system may want to carry a cheap pocket electronic calculator. All road distances are in kilometers, not miles. Incidentally, distances aren't from "city limits" to "city limits" as they tend to be in the USA, but from General Post Office to General Post Office, so basiclly the centre of one town to the center of the next. "east/west orientation and long straight, level stretches of highway necessitate vehicles alternately being driven into blinding sunshine or glaring vehicle headlights. Heavy commercial vehicle use often leads to a breakdown of the road surface, and conflict with feral and native fauna is an ever-present hazard. These factors represent challenges to already fatigued drivers. It is unarguable that the Eyre Highway between Ceduna in South Australia and Norseman in Western Australia, a distance of 1200 kilometres, is the most sparsely populated but heavily travelled section of road in Australia. The highway traverses some of the country’s most inhospitable terrain with temperatures ranging from well below freezing in winter to intensely hot in summer. east/west orientation and long straight, level stretches of highway necessitate vehicles alternately being driven into blinding sunshine or glaring vehicle headlights. Heavy commercial vehicle use often leads to a breakdown of the road surface, and conflict with feral and native fauna is an ever-present hazard. These factors represent challenges to already fatigued drivers. It is unarguable that the Eyre Highway between Ceduna in South Australia and Norseman in Western Australia, a distance of 1200 kilometres, is the most sparsely populated but heavily travelled section of road in Australia. The highway traverses some of the country’s most inhospitable terrain with temperatures ranging from well below freezing in winter to intensely hot in summer." http://72.14.205.104/search?q=cache:...ient=firefox-a or http://tinyurl.com/38bn4g In more isolated areas, even locals can run into unexpected trouble. See: How a desert claimed two ill-prepared travellers By Lindsay Murdoch April 13, 2005 ""If they had walked nine kilometres west from their vehicle to the Georgia Bore they would have found fresh water and survived," a WA police spokesman said. "Instead they walked east, in the wrong direction, then walked back to the vehicle where they perished." Police said the men broke basic rules for travelling the 2000-kilometre Canning Stock Route, which traverses the Great Sandy Desert, the Little Sandy Desert and large portions of the Gibson Desert. Their vehicle, a 31-year-old Land Rover, was run down and unsuitable for such a rugged track. They carried little water and did not have enough petrol to get to the next refuelling stop. They set off without a map showing the location of more than 50 wells along the route. They did not tell anybody what route they planned to take or when they expected to arrive at their destination. Their vehicle was not fitted with a two-way radio, and they took a mobile phone into an area with no mobile coverage, leaving them no way to call for help." http://www.theage.com.au/news/Nation...251629492.html Nine kilometers ~5.6 miles. For map, click on link "Death In The Outback". Or go to: http://www.theage.com.au/media/2005/...251630263.html Cheers, Kangaroo16 |
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The Nullarbor
On Fri, 28 Sep 2007 02:35:24 GMT, kangaroo16
wrote: On 27 Sep 2007 02:38:22 -0400, Dick Adams wrote in : kangaroo16 Dick Adams wrote: Where does the Nullarbor begin and where does it end? No definite points, opinion differs. IMHO, when driving from east to west, would say that Ceduna was the last eastern outpost. Wasn't paved when I last drove it. Reasonably flat and level. Can see car and truck headlights from miles away. Little traffic, especially at dusk, night, and dawn. Actually, should have gone into a bit more detail here. On many highways and roads, even comparatively near the major cities. most people prefer to travel during the day. At dusk, night, and dawn there is simply more chance of hitting a large animal. Many, if not most, Australian animals are nocturnal, and "brush up" in the heat of the day. This tends to make city people think that Australia is running short of Kangaroos. Even if they see a lot of "road kill" they still think that kangaroo numbers must be down. They aren't really. At night can drive slowly around farming or ranching properties, even those on main country highways, and will usually see more than can be counted. They are about as common as jackrabbits in the US west, perhaps even more common. "Most kangaroos have no set breeding cycle and are able to breed all year round. Because they are such prolific breeders, a kangaroo population can increase fourfold in five years if it has continuous access to plentiful supplies of food and water." " The four species of kangaroo that are commercially harvested have very large populations. None is threatened or endangered. The Red kangaroo, Eastern grey kangaroo and Western grey kangaroo are the most abundant species and make up over 90 per cent of the commercial harvest. Their combined population size has fluctuated between 15 and 50 million animals over the past 20 years in the harvested areas, depending on seasonal conditions." "Kangaroos continue to be used as a resource but only under strict government controls. All Australian States and Territories have legislation to protect kangaroos. Only the four most abundant species of kangaroo and small numbers of two common wallaby species can be commercially harvested, and then only by licensed hunters." "There is no farming of kangaroos in Australia. Kangaroos are harvested in the wild by licensed hunters." Above, and more, at: http://www.dfat.gov.au/facts/kangaroos.html Most people don't travel bush highways at night. If stop or camp next to a major bush highway at night you will mainly see large trucks. There are _very_ few cars. Not only is it more hazardous to drive at night, but towns in the bush are few and far between. Petrol ["gas"] stations are generally closed at night, not worth keeping them open. Most other businesses are closed at night as well. Run out of fuel at night in small country towns, and you may as well plan to spend the night there. ------ Nullarbor Plain "This is a vast, treeless, flat, limestone plain covering 270 000 square kilometres. It is 50 m - 200 m above sea level, extending for 2000 km across the southern parts..." Nullarbor plain...... 2000km across..... I don't think so...... "... world's largest single piece of limestone, covering the plain with a 15 m - 60 m limestone layer..." "The Transcontinental Railway stretches across the Nullarbor from Port Augusta in South Australia to Perth in Western Australia, and includes the longest section of straight railway track in the world (478 km). The Eyre Highway passes through the its southern-most area, and includes the longest straight section of tarred highway in the world (146.6 km)." Now I'm sure that most drivers have suffered "highway hypnosis" on long straight stretches of desert highway. The Nullabor plain is even worse, even in the daytime. The plain is practically featureless, on the surface, at least, with one mile much like the miles to come. 146.6 km ~= 91 miles. It seems longer... Driving at night is even worse. You can see the driving lights of approaching trucks many miles away, and the effect is a bit "spooky" actually. Now that it has been paved, at least you usually don't have to worry as much about washouts. :-) Carry lots of water especially in summer. It is a very dry place. "The Nullabor Plain has an arid to semi-arid climate, with 150 mm - 250 mm annual rainfall and 1200 mm - 2500 mm annual evaporation." 150mm ~= 6 inches 1200 mm ?~= 47 inches At least in those days.... When you see the first signs of civilization, after several hours, you will probably stop, at least to refuel, and get a meal. National Highway 1 now paved all the way around Australia, the last stretch in 1988. What precautions shoud be taken when driving through it. These days, as is fairly well traveled, possibly none. ...But if I was doing it again, would at least have water and food for a couple of days at least. To clarify a bit here, someone will probably come along before you die of thirst! Then again, I am a cautious type. Me too. Yjis advice I will take. On less traveled inland roads or even "highways" , would personally carry two weeks worth of food and water. Actually, would even do this between Sydney and Rockhampton, or Cairns, both in Qld. Basically, I'm "realistic" or "pessimistic", take your choice! Um, I wasn't all that clear here either. :-) I consider "pessimism" and "realism" as being synonyms. The ones who usually get into trouble are the "optimists":-) I'm thinking realistic. Because we'll be driving west to east, I'll get some clip on sun glasses. Be sure they are of adequate density. The sun is bright here, with more UV than you may be used to. Most quoted facts from Australian Museum site, which is well worth a read and has other interesting links. http://www.amonline.net.au/geoscienc...h/nullabor.htm Online conversions at: http://www.convertit.com/Go/ConvertI.../Converter.ASP or http://www.convertit.com/Go/ConvertIt/Measurement/ or http://www.onlineconversion.com/ .....Whichever you find easier to use. Americans who are unfamiliar with the metric system may want to carry a cheap pocket electronic calculator. All road distances are in kilometers, not miles. Incidentally, distances aren't from "city limits" to "city limits" as they tend to be in the USA, but from General Post Office to General Post Office, so basiclly the centre of one town to the center of the next. "east/west orientation and long straight, level stretches of highway necessitate vehicles alternately being driven into blinding sunshine or glaring vehicle headlights. Heavy commercial vehicle use often leads to a breakdown of the road surface, and conflict with feral and native fauna is an ever-present hazard. These factors represent challenges to already fatigued drivers. It is unarguable that the Eyre Highway between Ceduna in South Australia and Norseman in Western Australia, a distance of 1200 kilometres, is the most sparsely populated but heavily travelled section of road in Australia. The highway traverses some of the country’s most inhospitable terrain with temperatures ranging from well below freezing in winter to intensely hot in summer. east/west orientation and long straight, level stretches of highway necessitate vehicles alternately being driven into blinding sunshine or glaring vehicle headlights. Heavy commercial vehicle use often leads to a breakdown of the road surface, and conflict with feral and native fauna is an ever-present hazard. These factors represent challenges to already fatigued drivers. It is unarguable that the Eyre Highway between Ceduna in South Australia and Norseman in Western Australia, a distance of 1200 kilometres, is the most sparsely populated but heavily travelled section of road in Australia. The highway traverses some of the country’s most inhospitable terrain with temperatures ranging from well below freezing in winter to intensely hot in summer." http://72.14.205.104/search?q=cache:...ient=firefox-a or http://tinyurl.com/38bn4g In more isolated areas, even locals can run into unexpected trouble. See: How a desert claimed two ill-prepared travellers By Lindsay Murdoch April 13, 2005 ""If they had walked nine kilometres west from their vehicle to the Georgia Bore they would have found fresh water and survived," a WA police spokesman said. "Instead they walked east, in the wrong direction, then walked back to the vehicle where they perished." Police said the men broke basic rules for travelling the 2000-kilometre Canning Stock Route, which traverses the Great Sandy Desert, the Little Sandy Desert and large portions of the Gibson Desert. Their vehicle, a 31-year-old Land Rover, was run down and unsuitable for such a rugged track. They carried little water and did not have enough petrol to get to the next refuelling stop. They set off without a map showing the location of more than 50 wells along the route. They did not tell anybody what route they planned to take or when they expected to arrive at their destination. Their vehicle was not fitted with a two-way radio, and they took a mobile phone into an area with no mobile coverage, leaving them no way to call for help." http://www.theage.com.au/news/Nation...251629492.html Nine kilometers ~5.6 miles. For map, click on link "Death In The Outback". Or go to: http://www.theage.com.au/media/2005/...251630263.html Cheers, Kangaroo16 |
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The Nullarbor
On Fri, 28 Sep 2007 12:15:39 +0800, wrote in
: On Fri, 28 Sep 2007 02:35:24 GMT, kangaroo16 wrote: On 27 Sep 2007 02:38:22 -0400, Dick Adams wrote in : kangaroo16 Dick Adams wrote: Where does the Nullarbor begin and where does it end? No definite points, opinion differs. IMHO, when driving from east to west, would say that Ceduna was the last eastern outpost. {{{{{{{snip, see original posts}}}}} Nullarbor Plain "This is a vast, treeless, flat, limestone plain covering 270 000 square kilometres. It is 50 m - 200 m above sea level, extending for 2000 km across the southern parts..." Nullarbor plain...... 2000km across..... I don't think so...... Yeah, I know, it seems longer! :-) Of course, I crossed it, and drove a goodly portion of it, decades ago, at night. Have you crossed it? Was it paved when you did? In that case, it might seem shorter.:-) In any case, I must admit that I didn't personally measure the distance. I'm quoting data from The Australian Museum http://www.amonline.net.au/geoscienc...h/nullabor.htm If they are in error, I'm sure that they would be grateful if you pointed out why you think them to be in error. It might be useful if you quote your full header, as follows: ---------------- Path: news-server.bigpond.net.au!lon-transit.news.telstra.net!lon-in.news.telstra.net!news.telstra.net!newsfeed.iine t.net.au!newsfeed.iinet.net.au!per-qv1-newsstorage1.iinet.net.au!per-qv1-newsstorage1.iinet.net.au!per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au!not-for-mail From: Newsgroups: rec.travel.australia+nz Subject: The Nullarbor Date: Fri, 28 Sep 2007 12:15:39 +0800 Message-ID: References: X-Newsreader: Forte Free Agent 2.0/32.652 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Lines: 246 NNTP-Posting-Host: 203.173.34.9 X-Trace: 1190952939 per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au 4577 203.173.34.9 Xref: news-server.bigpond.net.au rec.travel.australia+nz:19286 ------------------------ ......Or at least your unique Internet trace :-) Message-ID: Doubt this? Click on it to show full header of your message. In Agent Forte, you could toggle full headers on and off by pressing key "h". I don't know if this works for the free version, as haven't used it for ten years or so, but it certainly works in Agent Forte. Try it and see! Incidentally, have been working on something else, and checking groups every few minutes. According to your full header, your message was posted at: Date: Fri, 28 Sep 2007 12:15:39 +0800 To me, this indicates you might be a "Kiwi" posting from "Kiwiland" :-) This doesn't negate your question, but am a bit interested in why you don't think that 2,000 kM is a reasonable length for the Nullabour Plain. After all, 2,000 km = 1,242.80 miles, and N.Z. does use the metric system, doesn't it? I don't claim to be free of errors, as I even managed to get the Tropic of Capricorn confused with Tropic of Cancer. [As don't usually proofread posts, just spellcheck.] Now I could seek other sources, written or on the net, for the 2,000 km figure, and will do this if you think it necessary. However, I do think you should be able to find a better point to challenge me on. :-) Perhaps something along the lines of how one differentiates between a "kangaroo" and a "wallaby"? Well, on usenet, I generally offer the very rough definition that most Aussies use. If it is below waist height, and looks like a 'roo, then it is likely to be a "wallaby". If higher, a 'roo. :-) Then again, not many macropods in N.Z. from memory. The other marsupials such as the opossums seem to be doing rather well over there, though!:-) Personally, am amazed at how many "yanks", of which I am one, consider Australia and N.Z. to be "close together". They aren't, of course, and must try to get there someday and have a look. I actually am interested in volcanoes and earthquakes. Fortunately or unfortunately, Australia is outside the "Pacific Ring of Fire". Those who don't know what this means should "Google it" or check on "Plate Tectonics" as well. Still, I don't mean to denigrate N.Z. It is at least somewhat close to Australia, thus in one of the better parts of the world! :-) After all, you wouldn't want to live in the U.K. or the U.S., would you? :-) Are you in N.Z. at all, or just using a server there? If there, are you an immigrant, or born there? Slow day on " rec.travel.australia+nz" but then again, seems to be a very slow group, compared to most. Still, we have some tourist attractions on at the moment. You, and others might like to check out: -------------------------------------- Outback race to flush out fastest dunny Posted 6 hours 5 minutes ago * Map: Winton 4735 The world's eyes, and noses, are on the outback central western Queensland town of Winton today for the Australian Dunny Derby.... http://www.abc.com.au/news/stories/2...28/2045954.htm ASX has closed up around 31 points. http://www.asx.com.au/ At time of posting, 4:45 PM, Friday,28 Sept., Euro up, US$ down, Live rates at 2007.09.28 06:45:21 UTC 1.00 USD = 0.705671 EUR United States Dollars Euro 1 USD = 0.705671 EUR 1 EUR = 1.41709 USD 1.00 USD = 1.13300 AUD United States Dollars Australia Dollars 1 USD = 1.13300 AUD 1 AUD = 0.882614 USD 1.00 USD = 0.00135705 XAU United States Dollars Gold Ounces 1 USD = 0.00135705 XAU 1 XAU = 736.892 USD Won't bother with others, as market pretty volatile at the moment, and those interested should check current rates at http://www.xe.com/ucc/convert.cgi Posting at 4:55 PM [1655 hrs] Friday, 28 September. Cheers, Kangaroo16 "... world's largest single piece of limestone, covering the plain with a 15 m - 60 m limestone layer..." "The Transcontinental Railway stretches across the Nullarbor from Port Augusta in South Australia to Perth in Western Australia, and includes the longest section of straight railway track in the world (478 km). The Eyre Highway passes through the its southern-most area, and includes the longest straight section of tarred highway in the world (146.6 km)." Now I'm sure that most drivers have suffered "highway hypnosis" on long straight stretches of desert highway. The Nullabor plain is even worse, even in the daytime. The plain is practically featureless, on the surface, at least, with one mile much like the miles to come. 146.6 km ~= 91 miles. It seems longer... Driving at night is even worse. You can see the driving lights of approaching trucks many miles away, and the effect is a bit "spooky" actually. Now that it has been paved, at least you usually don't have to worry as much about washouts. :-) Carry lots of water especially in summer. It is a very dry place. "The Nullabor Plain has an arid to semi-arid climate, with 150 mm - 250 mm annual rainfall and 1200 mm - 2500 mm annual evaporation." 150mm ~= 6 inches 1200 mm ?~= 47 inches At least in those days.... When you see the first signs of civilization, after several hours, you will probably stop, at least to refuel, and get a meal. National Highway 1 now paved all the way around Australia, the last stretch in 1988. What precautions shoud be taken when driving through it. These days, as is fairly well traveled, possibly none. ...But if I was doing it again, would at least have water and food for a couple of days at least. To clarify a bit here, someone will probably come along before you die of thirst! Then again, I am a cautious type. Me too. Yjis advice I will take. On less traveled inland roads or even "highways" , would personally carry two weeks worth of food and water. Actually, would even do this between Sydney and Rockhampton, or Cairns, both in Qld. Basically, I'm "realistic" or "pessimistic", take your choice! Um, I wasn't all that clear here either. :-) I consider "pessimism" and "realism" as being synonyms. The ones who usually get into trouble are the "optimists":-) I'm thinking realistic. Because we'll be driving west to east, I'll get some clip on sun glasses. Be sure they are of adequate density. The sun is bright here, with more UV than you may be used to. Most quoted facts from Australian Museum site, which is well worth a read and has other interesting links. http://www.amonline.net.au/geoscienc...h/nullabor.htm Online conversions at: http://www.convertit.com/Go/ConvertI.../Converter.ASP or http://www.convertit.com/Go/ConvertIt/Measurement/ or http://www.onlineconversion.com/ .....Whichever you find easier to use. Americans who are unfamiliar with the metric system may want to carry a cheap pocket electronic calculator. All road distances are in kilometers, not miles. Incidentally, distances aren't from "city limits" to "city limits" as they tend to be in the USA, but from General Post Office to General Post Office, so basiclly the centre of one town to the center of the next. "east/west orientation and long straight, level stretches of highway necessitate vehicles alternately being driven into blinding sunshine or glaring vehicle headlights. Heavy commercial vehicle use often leads to a breakdown of the road surface, and conflict with feral and native fauna is an ever-present hazard. These factors represent challenges to already fatigued drivers. It is unarguable that the Eyre Highway between Ceduna in South Australia and Norseman in Western Australia, a distance of 1200 kilometres, is the most sparsely populated but heavily travelled section of road in Australia. The highway traverses some of the country’s most inhospitable terrain with temperatures ranging from well below freezing in winter to intensely hot in summer. east/west orientation and long straight, level stretches of highway necessitate vehicles alternately being driven into blinding sunshine or glaring vehicle headlights. Heavy commercial vehicle use often leads to a breakdown of the road surface, and conflict with feral and native fauna is an ever-present hazard. These factors represent challenges to already fatigued drivers. It is unarguable that the Eyre Highway between Ceduna in South Australia and Norseman in Western Australia, a distance of 1200 kilometres, is the most sparsely populated but heavily travelled section of road in Australia. The highway traverses some of the country’s most inhospitable terrain with temperatures ranging from well below freezing in winter to intensely hot in summer." http://72.14.205.104/search?q=cache:...ient=firefox-a or http://tinyurl.com/38bn4g In more isolated areas, even locals can run into unexpected trouble. See: How a desert claimed two ill-prepared travellers By Lindsay Murdoch April 13, 2005 ""If they had walked nine kilometres west from their vehicle to the Georgia Bore they would have found fresh water and survived," a WA police spokesman said. "Instead they walked east, in the wrong direction, then walked back to the vehicle where they perished." Police said the men broke basic rules for travelling the 2000-kilometre Canning Stock Route, which traverses the Great Sandy Desert, the Little Sandy Desert and large portions of the Gibson Desert. Their vehicle, a 31-year-old Land Rover, was run down and unsuitable for such a rugged track. They carried little water and did not have enough petrol to get to the next refuelling stop. They set off without a map showing the location of more than 50 wells along the route. They did not tell anybody what route they planned to take or when they expected to arrive at their destination. Their vehicle was not fitted with a two-way radio, and they took a mobile phone into an area with no mobile coverage, leaving them no way to call for help." http://www.theage.com.au/news/Nation...251629492.html Nine kilometers ~5.6 miles. For map, click on link "Death In The Outback". Or go to: http://www.theage.com.au/media/2005/...251630263.html Cheers, Kangaroo16 |
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The Nullarbor
On Fri, 28 Sep 2007 12:15:39 +0800, wrote in
: On Fri, 28 Sep 2007 02:35:24 GMT, kangaroo16 wrote: On 27 Sep 2007 02:38:22 -0400, Dick Adams wrote in : kangaroo16 Dick Adams wrote: Where does the Nullarbor begin and where does it end? No definite points, opinion differs. IMHO, when driving from east to west, would say that Ceduna was the last eastern outpost. {{{{{{{snip, see original posts}}}}} Nullarbor Plain "This is a vast, treeless, flat, limestone plain covering 270 000 square kilometres. It is 50 m - 200 m above sea level, extending for 2000 km across the southern parts..." Nullarbor plain...... 2000km across..... I don't think so...... Yeah, I know, it seems longer! :-) Of course, I crossed it, and drove a goodly portion of it, decades ago, at night. Have you crossed it? Was it paved when you did? In that case, it might seem shorter.:-) In any case, I must admit that I didn't personally measure the distance. I'm quoting data from The Australian Museum http://www.amonline.net.au/geoscienc...h/nullabor.htm If they are in error, I'm sure that they would be grateful if you pointed out why you think them to be in error. They would find it a bit easier if you provided your unique message number, or better yet, your full header. "... world's largest single piece of limestone, covering the plain with a 15 m - 60 m limestone layer..." "The Transcontinental Railway stretches across the Nullarbor from Port Augusta in South Australia to Perth in Western Australia, and includes the longest section of straight railway track in the world (478 km). The Eyre Highway passes through the its southern-most area, and includes the longest straight section of tarred highway in the world (146.6 km)." Now I'm sure that most drivers have suffered "highway hypnosis" on long straight stretches of desert highway. The Nullabor plain is even worse, even in the daytime. The plain is practically featureless, on the surface, at least, with one mile much like the miles to come. 146.6 km ~= 91 miles. It seems longer... Driving at night is even worse. You can see the driving lights of approaching trucks many miles away, and the effect is a bit "spooky" actually. Now that it has been paved, at least you usually don't have to worry as much about washouts. :-) Carry lots of water especially in summer. It is a very dry place. "The Nullabor Plain has an arid to semi-arid climate, with 150 mm - 250 mm annual rainfall and 1200 mm - 2500 mm annual evaporation." 150mm ~= 6 inches 1200 mm ?~= 47 inches At least in those days.... When you see the first signs of civilization, after several hours, you will probably stop, at least to refuel, and get a meal. National Highway 1 now paved all the way around Australia, the last stretch in 1988. What precautions shoud be taken when driving through it. These days, as is fairly well traveled, possibly none. ...But if I was doing it again, would at least have water and food for a couple of days at least. To clarify a bit here, someone will probably come along before you die of thirst! Then again, I am a cautious type. Me too. Yjis advice I will take. On less traveled inland roads or even "highways" , would personally carry two weeks worth of food and water. Actually, would even do this between Sydney and Rockhampton, or Cairns, both in Qld. Basically, I'm "realistic" or "pessimistic", take your choice! Um, I wasn't all that clear here either. :-) I consider "pessimism" and "realism" as being synonyms. The ones who usually get into trouble are the "optimists":-) I'm thinking realistic. Because we'll be driving west to east, I'll get some clip on sun glasses. Be sure they are of adequate density. The sun is bright here, with more UV than you may be used to. Most quoted facts from Australian Museum site, which is well worth a read and has other interesting links. http://www.amonline.net.au/geoscienc...h/nullabor.htm Online conversions at: http://www.convertit.com/Go/ConvertI.../Converter.ASP or http://www.convertit.com/Go/ConvertIt/Measurement/ or http://www.onlineconversion.com/ .....Whichever you find easier to use. Americans who are unfamiliar with the metric system may want to carry a cheap pocket electronic calculator. All road distances are in kilometers, not miles. Incidentally, distances aren't from "city limits" to "city limits" as they tend to be in the USA, but from General Post Office to General Post Office, so basiclly the centre of one town to the center of the next. "east/west orientation and long straight, level stretches of highway necessitate vehicles alternately being driven into blinding sunshine or glaring vehicle headlights. Heavy commercial vehicle use often leads to a breakdown of the road surface, and conflict with feral and native fauna is an ever-present hazard. These factors represent challenges to already fatigued drivers. It is unarguable that the Eyre Highway between Ceduna in South Australia and Norseman in Western Australia, a distance of 1200 kilometres, is the most sparsely populated but heavily travelled section of road in Australia. The highway traverses some of the country’s most inhospitable terrain with temperatures ranging from well below freezing in winter to intensely hot in summer. east/west orientation and long straight, level stretches of highway necessitate vehicles alternately being driven into blinding sunshine or glaring vehicle headlights. Heavy commercial vehicle use often leads to a breakdown of the road surface, and conflict with feral and native fauna is an ever-present hazard. These factors represent challenges to already fatigued drivers. It is unarguable that the Eyre Highway between Ceduna in South Australia and Norseman in Western Australia, a distance of 1200 kilometres, is the most sparsely populated but heavily travelled section of road in Australia. The highway traverses some of the country’s most inhospitable terrain with temperatures ranging from well below freezing in winter to intensely hot in summer." http://72.14.205.104/search?q=cache:...ient=firefox-a or http://tinyurl.com/38bn4g In more isolated areas, even locals can run into unexpected trouble. See: How a desert claimed two ill-prepared travellers By Lindsay Murdoch April 13, 2005 ""If they had walked nine kilometres west from their vehicle to the Georgia Bore they would have found fresh water and survived," a WA police spokesman said. "Instead they walked east, in the wrong direction, then walked back to the vehicle where they perished." Police said the men broke basic rules for travelling the 2000-kilometre Canning Stock Route, which traverses the Great Sandy Desert, the Little Sandy Desert and large portions of the Gibson Desert. Their vehicle, a 31-year-old Land Rover, was run down and unsuitable for such a rugged track. They carried little water and did not have enough petrol to get to the next refuelling stop. They set off without a map showing the location of more than 50 wells along the route. They did not tell anybody what route they planned to take or when they expected to arrive at their destination. Their vehicle was not fitted with a two-way radio, and they took a mobile phone into an area with no mobile coverage, leaving them no way to call for help." http://www.theage.com.au/news/Nation...251629492.html Nine kilometers ~5.6 miles. For map, click on link "Death In The Outback". Or go to: http://www.theage.com.au/media/2005/...251630263.html Cheers, Kangaroo16 |
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The Nullarbor
On Fri, 28 Sep 2007 06:56:32 GMT, kangaroo16
wrote: On Fri, 28 Sep 2007 12:15:39 +0800, wrote in : On Fri, 28 Sep 2007 02:35:24 GMT, kangaroo16 wrote: On 27 Sep 2007 02:38:22 -0400, Dick Adams wrote in : kangaroo16 Dick Adams wrote: Where does the Nullarbor begin and where does it end? No definite points, opinion differs. IMHO, when driving from east to west, would say that Ceduna was the last eastern outpost. {{{{{{{snip, see original posts}}}}} Nullarbor Plain "This is a vast, treeless, flat, limestone plain covering 270 000 square kilometres. It is 50 m - 200 m above sea level, extending for 2000 km across the southern parts..." Nullarbor plain...... 2000km across..... I don't think so...... NO way....... Yeah, I know, it seems longer! :-) Of course, I crossed it, and drove a goodly portion of it, decades ago, at night. Have you crossed it? Was it paved when you did? In that case, it might seem shorter.:-) Only the odd few times..... First time was around 1965, when it was still dirt from Norseman in WA to Port Augusta in SA. That time it took a mate and myself three days just to do the Norseman to Ceduna stretch, camping out each night along the way. In any case, I must admit that I didn't personally measure the distance. I'm quoting data from The Australian Museum http://www.amonline.net.au/geoscienc...h/nullabor.htm Someone there seriously needs to get their bottom smacked over that, as any map will show that is totally incorrect. If you do a Whereis.com.au map directions enquiry, you'll find that the distance from Norseman to Ceduna is shown as 1206.21 km. You even make mention of a distance around this figure further down in your original post, between these 2 places. If they are in error, I'm sure that they would be grateful if you pointed out why you think them to be in error. See above, perhaps you could point this out to them. It might be useful if you quote your full header, as follows: ---------------- Path: news-server.bigpond.net.au!lon-transit.news.telstra.net!lon-in.news.telstra.net!news.telstra.net!newsfeed.iine t.net.au!newsfeed.iinet.net.au!per-qv1-newsstorage1.iinet.net.au!per-qv1-newsstorage1.iinet.net.au!per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au!not-for-mail From: Newsgroups: rec.travel.australia+nz Subject: The Nullarbor Date: Fri, 28 Sep 2007 12:15:39 +0800 Message-ID: References: X-Newsreader: Forte Free Agent 2.0/32.652 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Lines: 246 NNTP-Posting-Host: 203.173.34.9 X-Trace: 1190952939 per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au 4577 203.173.34.9 Xref: news-server.bigpond.net.au rec.travel.australia+nz:19286 ------------------------ .....Or at least your unique Internet trace :-) Message-ID: Doubt this? Click on it to show full header of your message. In Agent Forte, you could toggle full headers on and off by pressing key "h". I don't know if this works for the free version, as haven't used it for ten years or so, but it certainly works in Agent Forte. Try it and see! Incidentally, have been working on something else, and checking groups every few minutes. According to your full header, your message was posted at: Date: Fri, 28 Sep 2007 12:15:39 +0800 GMT +0800 is WA time ....not Kiwi time To me, this indicates you might be a "Kiwi" posting from "Kiwiland" :-) This doesn't negate your question, but am a bit interested in why you don't think that 2,000 kM is a reasonable length for the Nullabour Plain. See above After all, 2,000 km = 1,242.80 miles, and N.Z. does use the metric system, doesn't it? I don't claim to be free of errors, as I even managed to get the Tropic of Capricorn confused with Tropic of Cancer. [As don't usually proofread posts, just spellcheck.] Now I could seek other sources, written or on the net, for the 2,000 km figure, and will do this if you think it necessary. It may be interesting..... go for it. with all the stuff you put in your posts, you obviously have the time to look around for information. You really now need to make sure you get the correct information. Too much other stuff down below to go any further.... Bye and have a nice day. However, I do think you should be able to find a better point to challenge me on. :-) Perhaps something along the lines of how one differentiates between a "kangaroo" and a "wallaby"? Well, on usenet, I generally offer the very rough definition that most Aussies use. If it is below waist height, and looks like a 'roo, then it is likely to be a "wallaby". If higher, a 'roo. :-) Then again, not many macropods in N.Z. from memory. The other marsupials such as the opossums seem to be doing rather well over there, though!:-) Personally, am amazed at how many "yanks", of which I am one, consider Australia and N.Z. to be "close together". They aren't, of course, and must try to get there someday and have a look. I actually am interested in volcanoes and earthquakes. Fortunately or unfortunately, Australia is outside the "Pacific Ring of Fire". Those who don't know what this means should "Google it" or check on "Plate Tectonics" as well. Still, I don't mean to denigrate N.Z. It is at least somewhat close to Australia, thus in one of the better parts of the world! :-) After all, you wouldn't want to live in the U.K. or the U.S., would you? :-) Are you in N.Z. at all, or just using a server there? If there, are you an immigrant, or born there? Slow day on " rec.travel.australia+nz" but then again, seems to be a very slow group, compared to most. Still, we have some tourist attractions on at the moment. You, and others might like to check out: -------------------------------------- Outback race to flush out fastest dunny Posted 6 hours 5 minutes ago * Map: Winton 4735 The world's eyes, and noses, are on the outback central western Queensland town of Winton today for the Australian Dunny Derby.... http://www.abc.com.au/news/stories/2...28/2045954.htm ASX has closed up around 31 points. http://www.asx.com.au/ At time of posting, 4:45 PM, Friday,28 Sept., Euro up, US$ down, Live rates at 2007.09.28 06:45:21 UTC 1.00 USD = 0.705671 EUR United States Dollars Euro 1 USD = 0.705671 EUR 1 EUR = 1.41709 USD 1.00 USD = 1.13300 AUD United States Dollars Australia Dollars 1 USD = 1.13300 AUD 1 AUD = 0.882614 USD 1.00 USD = 0.00135705 XAU United States Dollars Gold Ounces 1 USD = 0.00135705 XAU 1 XAU = 736.892 USD Won't bother with others, as market pretty volatile at the moment, and those interested should check current rates at http://www.xe.com/ucc/convert.cgi Posting at 4:55 PM [1655 hrs] Friday, 28 September. Cheers, Kangaroo16 "... world's largest single piece of limestone, covering the plain with a 15 m - 60 m limestone layer..." "The Transcontinental Railway stretches across the Nullarbor from Port Augusta in South Australia to Perth in Western Australia, and includes the longest section of straight railway track in the world (478 km). The Eyre Highway passes through the its southern-most area, and includes the longest straight section of tarred highway in the world (146.6 km)." Now I'm sure that most drivers have suffered "highway hypnosis" on long straight stretches of desert highway. The Nullabor plain is even worse, even in the daytime. The plain is practically featureless, on the surface, at least, with one mile much like the miles to come. 146.6 km ~= 91 miles. It seems longer... Driving at night is even worse. You can see the driving lights of approaching trucks many miles away, and the effect is a bit "spooky" actually. Now that it has been paved, at least you usually don't have to worry as much about washouts. :-) Carry lots of water especially in summer. It is a very dry place. "The Nullabor Plain has an arid to semi-arid climate, with 150 mm - 250 mm annual rainfall and 1200 mm - 2500 mm annual evaporation." 150mm ~= 6 inches 1200 mm ?~= 47 inches At least in those days.... When you see the first signs of civilization, after several hours, you will probably stop, at least to refuel, and get a meal. National Highway 1 now paved all the way around Australia, the last stretch in 1988. What precautions shoud be taken when driving through it. These days, as is fairly well traveled, possibly none. ...But if I was doing it again, would at least have water and food for a couple of days at least. To clarify a bit here, someone will probably come along before you die of thirst! Then again, I am a cautious type. Me too. Yjis advice I will take. On less traveled inland roads or even "highways" , would personally carry two weeks worth of food and water. Actually, would even do this between Sydney and Rockhampton, or Cairns, both in Qld. Basically, I'm "realistic" or "pessimistic", take your choice! Um, I wasn't all that clear here either. :-) I consider "pessimism" and "realism" as being synonyms. The ones who usually get into trouble are the "optimists":-) I'm thinking realistic. Because we'll be driving west to east, I'll get some clip on sun glasses. Be sure they are of adequate density. The sun is bright here, with more UV than you may be used to. Most quoted facts from Australian Museum site, which is well worth a read and has other interesting links. http://www.amonline.net.au/geoscienc...h/nullabor.htm Online conversions at: http://www.convertit.com/Go/ConvertI.../Converter.ASP or http://www.convertit.com/Go/ConvertIt/Measurement/ or http://www.onlineconversion.com/ .....Whichever you find easier to use. Americans who are unfamiliar with the metric system may want to carry a cheap pocket electronic calculator. All road distances are in kilometers, not miles. Incidentally, distances aren't from "city limits" to "city limits" as they tend to be in the USA, but from General Post Office to General Post Office, so basiclly the centre of one town to the center of the next. "east/west orientation and long straight, level stretches of highway necessitate vehicles alternately being driven into blinding sunshine or glaring vehicle headlights. Heavy commercial vehicle use often leads to a breakdown of the road surface, and conflict with feral and native fauna is an ever-present hazard. These factors represent challenges to already fatigued drivers. It is unarguable that the Eyre Highway between Ceduna in South Australia and Norseman in Western Australia, a distance of 1200 kilometres, is the most sparsely populated but heavily travelled section of road in Australia. The highway traverses some of the country’s most inhospitable terrain with temperatures ranging from well below freezing in winter to intensely hot in summer. east/west orientation and long straight, level stretches of highway necessitate vehicles alternately being driven into blinding sunshine or glaring vehicle headlights. Heavy commercial vehicle use often leads to a breakdown of the road surface, and conflict with feral and native fauna is an ever-present hazard. These factors represent challenges to already fatigued drivers. It is unarguable that the Eyre Highway between Ceduna in South Australia and Norseman in Western Australia, a distance of 1200 kilometres, is the most sparsely populated but heavily travelled section of road in Australia. The highway traverses some of the country’s most inhospitable terrain with temperatures ranging from well below freezing in winter to intensely hot in summer." http://72.14.205.104/search?q=cache:...ient=firefox-a or http://tinyurl.com/38bn4g In more isolated areas, even locals can run into unexpected trouble. See: How a desert claimed two ill-prepared travellers By Lindsay Murdoch April 13, 2005 ""If they had walked nine kilometres west from their vehicle to the Georgia Bore they would have found fresh water and survived," a WA police spokesman said. "Instead they walked east, in the wrong direction, then walked back to the vehicle where they perished." Police said the men broke basic rules for travelling the 2000-kilometre Canning Stock Route, which traverses the Great Sandy Desert, the Little Sandy Desert and large portions of the Gibson Desert. Their vehicle, a 31-year-old Land Rover, was run down and unsuitable for such a rugged track. They carried little water and did not have enough petrol to get to the next refuelling stop. They set off without a map showing the location of more than 50 wells along the route. They did not tell anybody what route they planned to take or when they expected to arrive at their destination. Their vehicle was not fitted with a two-way radio, and they took a mobile phone into an area with no mobile coverage, leaving them no way to call for help." http://www.theage.com.au/news/Nation...251629492.html Nine kilometers ~5.6 miles. For map, click on link "Death In The Outback". Or go to: http://www.theage.com.au/media/2005/...251630263.html Cheers, Kangaroo16 |
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