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planning a month is Oz



 
 
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  #11  
Old June 29th, 2009, 05:18 AM posted to rec.travel.australia+nz
Atom Egoyan
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Posts: 2
Default planning a month is Oz

Hiram writes:

Rudy,


Thanks for the tips. I will enquire about car insurance this end, never
really thought about doing that. I will check with my VISA card
supplied and see what deals they have.


Not sure they sell fly swatters here either to be honest, this is a cold
country.


As far as driving goes, Perth-Brisbane is almost as long a trip as you could do in Australia, short of
going all the way round. You can go across the Nullarbor, via Adelaide, and then either via Melbourne
or Broken Hill. The other way is up the Western Australian coastline and then through the Pilbara and
Kimberley. You could only really go that way in the dry season [March-October], because most of the
roads up north are impassable due to rains caused by cyclones, and it also starts to get insanely hot.
It's the kind of thing you might do as a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Either way you are talking about extreme remoteness. Driving across the Nullarbor on the Princes Highway
is OK, but go off-road to, say, Forrest or Giles weather stations and you are talking total self-sufficiency.
At certain times of the year, the Gibb River Road [northern WA] probably only sees one car a week.

The other issue is cost. It's 7-8000 km. Even at daily rates, you will be paying a great deal more
for the experience of driving than you would just to fly. If you are driving a rental vehicle, they
often have prohibitions on going 'off-road', by which they mean gravel. You might be best to restrict your
driving to the east coast, where the distance between attractions is not so extreme. That's not to say
the Super Pit at Kalgoorlie isn't worth your attention, but it's the best part of a day's drive from
Perth. Some guys might drive that long for the brothels, but flying is cheaper and safer.

Atom Egoyan
Melbourne, Australia
  #12  
Old June 29th, 2009, 11:26 AM posted to rec.travel.australia+nz
Hiram
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Posts: 15
Default planning a month is Oz

Atom Egoyan wrote:

Either way you are talking about extreme remoteness.


Yeah some of that does worry me a bit. I'm fairly practicable, but I
think I could easily get out of my depth.

I'm gradually easing towards taking the train, I still fancy the road
trip, but like you say, its going to cost more.

It is helpful to get your advice - it gives me food for thought.
  #13  
Old June 29th, 2009, 02:32 PM posted to rec.travel.australia+nz
Atom Egoyan
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Posts: 2
Default planning a month is Oz

Hiram writes:

Atom Egoyan wrote:

Either way you are talking about extreme remoteness.


Yeah some of that does worry me a bit. I'm fairly practicable, but I
think I could easily get out of my depth.


I'm gradually easing towards taking the train, I still fancy the road
trip, but like you say, its going to cost more.


It is helpful to get your advice - it gives me food for thought.


I've done the Nullarbor in a car, visiting various caves and doing
botanical surveys. Camping out in the open for the 'big sky' experience
is still something that resonates with me thirty years after the event.
Travelling across by train will at least give you that '**** it's a big
country' feeling, providing you want to spend three days of your holiday
doing that. Another way would be to spend those three days flying
out of Perth using a regional airline to get to the Kimberley or
Pilbara, then continuing on to Darwin. From Darwin, it's easy to get
to Alice Springs, then hop a flight to Uluru/Ayers Rock, another place
that will leave a lasting impression.

The big six things most people want to see in Australia:

Ayers Rock/Uluru [and the Olgas]
Great Barrier Reef
Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge
Great Ocean Road [Victoria]
Kakadu
Bungle Bungles [Kimberley, Western Australia]

Other things that leave a strong impression for those that visit
them:

Blue Mountains
Flinders Ranges
Kalgoorlie Super Pit
Giles Weather Station [and the exerience of getting there]
Grampians [Victoria]
Mount Kosciuszko
Sovereign Hill and Ballarat Gold Museum [Victoria]
Cape Tribulation and World Heritage Queensland rainforests
Cape York Peninsula
Warumbungles [inland NSW]
Broken Hill [mullock heaps, underground mine tours and the Mundi Mundi Plain]
Wild Dog Ranges [NSW]

My interests tnd towards the natural and unspoiled, but the cities also have
plenty to offer.

Atom Egoyan

  #14  
Old June 29th, 2009, 09:51 PM posted to rec.travel.australia+nz
Hiram
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Posts: 15
Default planning a month is Oz

I'm definitely into the camping out under a big sky thing. I've been to
the high desert of Nevada and I just loved it. Camping was one of my
early thoughts once I'd decided to go to Oz for a holiday.

Coming from a small over crowded island, space is something I really
look forward too. And, I've just spend the best part of four hours in
traffic.

I don't mind 3 days on a train. I have all the time I need, apart from
the restrictions of my travel visa - I may be slightly short of funds
for a really long stay. I have A$10000 to spend for the whole trip,
that will be the limiting factor on how long I stay.

I do like the idea of using internal flights. I can't make my mind up
yet which way to do it. But it is nice to have some choices.

Probably the only place I need to visit is Coffs Harbours as I have a
mate there.

I quite fancy going to Coober Pedy. And, yep, got to go to Alice Springs.

I'm with you 100% on the great countryside, I'm not really that into
cities - once you've seen one you've seem them all imho.

One thing I'm not sure about is what flight arrangements I will use to
get to Oz. I want something open ended, I want my budget to be the
limiting factor not when I said I'd return. I was looking at round the
world tickets earlier, but from what you've said, I may not do it that
way, and just get a flight into Perth and one out of Brisbane and sort
the rest out as I need.
  #15  
Old June 30th, 2009, 03:57 AM posted to rec.travel.australia+nz
Rudy[_1_]
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Posts: 204
Default planning a month is Oz


I'm definitely into the camping out under a big sky thing. Camping was
one of my
early thoughts once I'd decided to go to Oz for a holiday.


Don't lie on the ground in Snake season. Is it ever NOT Snake season in the
outback ?

I do like the idea of using internal flights. I can't make my mind up yet
which way to do it. But it is nice to have some choices.


These guys had the best fares when we were there
http://www.jetstar.com/au/en/index.aspx
Book ahead for best rates and avoid weekends if you can.

Coffs Harbour.. as I have a mate there.


BEWARE the MacDonalds parking lot ! We parked our rental car there and the
wife of a bloke that works in the smash repair shop next door backed into
our parked car while driving her brood to school...(They were LATE) Thats
how I know about VISA SIGNATURE CARD rental car insurance







  #16  
Old June 30th, 2009, 05:24 AM posted to rec.travel.australia+nz
David Bennetts
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Posts: 267
Default planning a month is Oz


"Rudy" wrote in message
...

I'm definitely into the camping out under a big sky thing. Camping was
one of my
early thoughts once I'd decided to go to Oz for a holiday.


Don't lie on the ground in Snake season. Is it ever NOT Snake season in
the outback ?


Wouldn't be too worried about snakes - they almost invariably are timid and
get out of the way. I'd be more concerned about redback spiders in the
outdoor dunnies (toilets).

I do like the idea of using internal flights. I can't make my mind up
yet which way to do it. But it is nice to have some choices.


These guys had the best fares when we were there
http://www.jetstar.com/au/en/index.aspx
Book ahead for best rates and avoid weekends if you can.


Except they are renowned for crap service - they won't do anything for you
if you're one minute late for your flight, or look after you when they stuff
up. (along with Tiger who are possibly worse). Virgin Blue have a better
reputation.

Coffs Harbour.. as I have a mate there.


BEWARE the MacDonalds parking lot ! We parked our rental car there and
the wife of a bloke that works in the smash repair shop next door backed
into our parked car while driving her brood to school...(They were LATE)
Thats how I know about VISA SIGNATURE CARD rental car insurance

You got off lightly - would have been worse on 17 June at nearby Port
Macquarie
See news.ninemsn.com.au/.../shots-fired-in-nsw-restaurant-siege

Regards

David Bennetts
Australia


 




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