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#1 | ||
Regular Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 362
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In 1984 we emigrated to the west, No relatives here, consequently we have completed numerous circumnavigations of the continent by road. Often going one way over the top/ across the Great Australian Bight and returning by the other. I have done some research of random data and found evidence of approximately 150 over night motel stays and 30 + trips via the Bight. In the early days an overnight motel stay for up to 5 people was as low as $45.00 and fuel (petrol)price was considered high at 65 cents/l.
Had many interesting experiences; black soil near McKinley, Victoria River in flood and in about 1987 buying petrol at Top Springs at $1.00/l. It was pumped out of a 44 using a Macnaught quart stroke pump and measured in a 20 l jerry can. In the early days there were virtually no caravans on the road, unlike over the recent three years when the roads are polluted at least till 3.00pm. |
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#2 | ||
Experienced Member
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Australasia
Posts: 7,505
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In the old days caravans most likely would not handle the roads quite well, tents and camping gear was much easier & cheaper.
From my experience I look at caravans not being a big problem, trucks are bigger problem for travelers, just saying. |
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#3 | ||
Rob
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Woodcroft S.A.
Posts: 21,418
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Have been a passenger or driver of a road trip at least once a year for pretty much all of my 47years on the planet so far. The joys of having dads family in qld and mums in SA.
Due to this I'm a big fan of road trips and I've passed the love on to at least one of my daughters. For me, while the destination is often what we looked forward to, the journey itself was part of the holiday. Never really understood those who get upset at other road users. If you travel enough you come across a wide range and in the big scheme of things they don't really cost you too much. Exploring this great country was already on the rise prior to covid but the whole international border closures thing simply forced people travel locally more instead. It never really eased once borders reopened. I think it's a good way to be brought up and a great way to raise your own family. So many memories get created.
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UA2 TREND 4WD BI TURBO |
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#4 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 7,662
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The number of caravans on the road is just a testament to a prosperous country, I travel a lot and it is not just boomers in the flash caravans being towed by a Next Gen Ford Ranger or a 200/300 Series Land Cruisers.
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I reserve the right to arm bears
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#5 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Canberra Region
Posts: 8,895
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I remember as a kid going on trips and forever being stuck behind a caravan doing well under the limit on a single lane highway. Actually what I mostly remember is my dad screaming out "bloody caravans, shouldn't be allowed on the road!" as he tried to find somewhere to overtake.
Oh and I also remember every diesel blowing dirty plumes of smoke.
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2016 FGX XR8 Sprint, 6speed manual, Kinetic Blue #170 2004 BA wagon RTV project. 1998 EL XR8, Auto, Hot Chilli Red 1993 ED XR6, 5speed, Polynesian Green. 1 of 329. Retired 1968 XT Falcon 500 wagon, 3 on the tree, 3.6L. Patina project. |
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#6 | ||
T3/Sprint8
![]() Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Australia
Posts: 16,238
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very true XRMartin re the vans and single lane Hwy back in the day.
'70's was my young era driving up or down the Pac Hwy north or south. Always vans holding up countless cars, you'd wait for that unbroken white line and whoooossshka try and over take 3/4 cars and then the van lol, great driving days got to say. My fam never was a vannie traveller, we always booked beach house's, I get the van/camping hang around and the road travelling. I think great good on them, glad we have dual carriage ways now so you can get beck with ease. John 13, as much as the ol days we're brilliant, less crowded, cheaper life moves on. Its still great doing road trips pity the open road has become a revenue raising excercise mind you And might I add whereever you park etcetc where once beach parkign etc was FREE.
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Tickfords T3/TS50 '02 Sprint8 manual Sept 24 '16 Daily Macan GTS "Don't believe everything you read on the internet. Abraham Lincoln" |
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#7 | |||
Regular Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 362
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Quote:
How about the profile of the latest c vans, riding high (high centre of gravity) and a flat square rear, absolutely no consideration of aerodynamics. |
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#8 | ||
Very regular
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Lost in the space time contiuum.
Posts: 390
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Launching out of Vic for Perth next Sunday. Havn’t drive across for over 20 years, so looking forward to it. We’ve always flown across in either the 210 or on the burner out’ve Adelaide, so figured we were well overdue for a road trip over and back.
The only problem is, we gotta drive back. Reckon we’ll be well and truly all roadtripped out be then. Taking the Y62 and it’s only done 10,000k’s since I’ve had it, so it’s due for good run and if you have to spend a lot of time on the road the Patrol is a good machine to do it in.
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G6E Turbo Ego Cashmere .....The velvet sledgehammer ![]() |
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#9 | ||
Rob
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Woodcroft S.A.
Posts: 21,418
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I have family in Perth (well, Bunbury). Doing the drive is on the bucket list. Driven to Tas, Vic, Syd, QLD and NT so need to do it. Not interested in ACT.
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UA2 TREND 4WD BI TURBO |
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#10 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 3,077
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Have done Syd - Perth and Mel - Perth in the last 12 months.
Looking to buy a car over east intentionally next month so I can do it again. I can recommend Balladonia and Eucla road houses for accomodation and meals. I stayed at Highway Inn in Ceduna as they allow dogs, but if I stay there next time I’d probably try the Foreshore Hotel as it has a pub and lock up car park, a few nefarious locals roaming the streets there. Don’t fill up at Border Village as fuel 10k down the road in Eucla is cheaper. WA is riddled with 1080 so if you have a dog keep it on leash. First trip BMW X5 diesel with 1000km fuel range. No dramas. Second VF2 SS with 650km range so stopping every 400km or so to play it safe. That got old pretty quick. Had to laugh at the grey nomads, one would appear around a corner and hard up their **** would be a truck wanting to get past. I don’t envy the truck drivers. ![]() |
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#11 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 7,662
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We've done it 3 times, all I will say is, it is a bloody long way and you can't wait to get to the other end
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I reserve the right to arm bears
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#12 | |||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 7,662
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Quote:
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I reserve the right to arm bears
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#13 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 7,662
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try $250K - $300K. we just bought a new van and NOT one of the top end models, they had vans in the yard that were $160k, just the van, add a 300 Series Land Cruiser Sahara in (around the $150k mark)
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I reserve the right to arm bears
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#14 | ||
Experienced Member
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Australasia
Posts: 7,505
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I don't mind driving the Nullabor, done it plenty of times, surprisingly what you see going across that stretch
Next year central gold fields in WA will be my next trip over there. |
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#15 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 4,888
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Me and the wife just ticked the Nullabor roadtrip off our list.
Spent last May enjoying the lower end of WA. From Adelaide across to Norseman, up to Kal and then looped around through Perth, Freo, Mandurah, all across the bottom coast line (Esperance was very nice) and back to Norseman. Visited a few SA spots we hadn't been before as well (Streaky Bay visit both ways, such a nice place).Was our first time traveling that side of Australia, only the top half of WA left to explore, which we will do when we can go AWOL for months instead of weeks. |
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