Darwin to Brisbane drive

[Mik01]

Hi there, I'm flying into Darwin soon to pick up my next 4wd. Long story, but that's where I found it. I figure I want to enjoy the thrill of driving my new fourby and have decided to drive it back to Brisbane.

What recommendations would you have either places to stop/stay the night, or routes to take. Unfortunately I don't have time to stop and enjoy the scenery at out of the way places. Not sure if it too dangerous to drive at night so do I need to factor in certain towns to get to by dusk?

Also any tips on what gear I should take. Remember I'm flying in. The vehicle is well set up for long touring driving. I figure at a minimum I will buy a couple of jerry cans with fuel, bulk water etc. but is the drive that remote to worry about needing any special gear? I only wish to stick to the highways.
Thanks, Mike

[edz]

We did most of the trip your planning years back, from the Gold Coast to Katherine X to Halls Creek towing a heavy trailer, there was three of us and did share driving .. .these are all from memory and aproximate and in reverse to our trip ...
Darwin to Katherine  about 4 hrs or so [ You would start early start from Darwin stop early ] overnight
Early start Katherine to the Three ways [ used to have vans for hire ] about 8 hrs short stops Mataranka, Daly waters etc .overnight  .
Big day Three Ways to Longreach about 15 hrs, 4am start, short stops Barckley Homestead and Mount Isa, Camoweal Border, Mckinly [ walk about creek pub ]  Longreach ..1 day stop over ...
Big day Longreach  to Tweed heads about 15 hrs, 3am start, Augathella, Morven, Mitchell, Roma, Dalby to Tweed Heads ..

[MrCruza]

It's roughly 3,500ks, which equates to 3.5 days driving. (1000k/day, 10hours at 100kph) You won't need extra fuel as there are plenty of towns on the main roads.
Look on the map and break it up into 1000k chunks, then find the nearest town.
I wouldn't drive at night if you can avoid it, too much wildlife around, and be off the road before the sun starts to set.

[Rumpig]

How many days do you have to get home?
If your in a hurry it's an easy bitumin drive the whole way back to Brisbane, can get quite boring out around Barkly IMHO. There's alternate routes you can take, just depends on how many days you have up hour sleeve.

[Mik01]

Thanks guys. I really only have 4.5 days so it will be the most direct route with safety stops along the way to rest. So no need for the spare fuel - that's good.
So it's a pretty straightforward run with plenty of towns and servos around especially from Darwin to mt isa?

[ATC]

Is it new or 2nd hand?

Either way worth getting a mechanic you trust to look over it, particularly if 2nd hand.
(Not to take anything away from the wonderful people that dealers employ)

+ Pack a few extra days of food & water, particularly if you take the scenic route.

What vehicle you get, put the "Why Darwin" story up latter.

[Rumpig]

Thanks guys. I really only have 4.5 days so it will be the most direct route with safety stops along the way to rest. So no need for the spare fuel - that's good.
So it's a pretty straightforward run with plenty of towns and servos around especially from Darwin to mt isa?

plenty of places to get fuel between those areas mate, it's all major highway driving. Darwin to Isa is about 1600klms, I can think of several major fuel places straight away without looking for minor towns. Katherine is a decent sized town, 3 ways roadhouse and Barkly Roadhouses are after that, then there's the town of Camooweal once you cross into Qld.

[Mik01]

Is it new or 2nd hand?

Either way worth getting a mechanic you trust to look over it, particularly if 2nd hand.
(Not to take anything away from the wonderful people that dealers employ)

+ Pack a few extra days of food & water, particularly if you take the scenic route.

What vehicle you get, put the "Why Darwin" story up latter.

2nd hand mate. Will be thoroughly checked. And yes there's a story to tell!

[Terry W4]

Do don't say what vehicle you have bought, diesel or petrol and what size tanks you have - and expected consumption.

Have done that sort of trip recently. Katherine diesel fuel is good price (about $140), Barkly Homestead was most expensive ($1.88), topped up just enough to get me through to Mount Isa which was also good (about $1.39). Had a 20 litre jerry with me.  After Mt Isa only needed to refuel at Morven, Chincilla and Maryborough.

[Redcherokee]

There are plenty of places to stop along your route, and at this time of year they are starting to slow down so you won't have much trouble getting a room and a feed.  Drive till 2pm or so, look at the map and decide if you will make the next camp/town or not.  Fuel at places like Barkly, 3ways, Renner Springs etc is $1.8x, while if you can afford the time to go into Tennant Creek it is $1.54 ish.

Renner Springs looks a bit down at heel these days, but most other places are fine. It is already quite hot out here, so make sure you are carrying lots of water. You will need at least 3l a day just for drinking. Maybe grab an esky or insulated carry bag in Darwin? Maybe carry a paper map as reception isn't always available.

There is a lot of roadkill, especially once you get into qld, so your family will appreciate it if you skip the heroics and avoid driving at night.

[plusnq]

[quote author=Redcherokee link=topic=44664.msg750802#msg750802 date=1440248870

There is a lot of roadkill, especially once you get into qld, so your family will appreciate it if you skip the heroics and avoid driving at night.
[/quote]

X2. I spent twenty years providing medical services to Mount Isa and the Gulf. Most vehicle deaths were a result of fatigue or impact with the larger wildlife. Please take the extra time to get home safely.

[4runnernomore]

Did this drive at Easter taking my son's car down to him in Brisbane from Darwin. Can be done in 3 very long days.

No problems with fuel stops, plenty along the way. Just watch your distance you can travel between stops. A couple are just over 450 km before fuel.

Winton's servo is just out of town and closes at 1800. It has a swipe card so you can still get fuel. The swipe machine is around the back of the servo. (Thought I s stuck their for the night).

Winton to Longreach is a long stretch and will most likely end up been done in darkness for some of the distance if not all. WATCH THE ROOS they were extremely thick making for very tiring driving cosntantly scanning both sides of the road. Ended up slowing right down to 70 and driving in the middle of the road with both my son and I calling out the Roos as we seen them.

Worthwhile stop Mataranka for a dip and early lunch.

Suggested Break down, Darwin to Barkley homestead, barkely homestead to Longreach, Longreach to Brisbane. These will be 15 hour days.

Buy a 10 litre spring water just in case of breakdown. If you want to keep it reasonably cheap food wise take an esky and buy from the supermarket and make your own lunches and drinks. I found it is worthwhile to go to a pub each night for dinner for a good hearty meal and a relaxing beverage.

Barkely will be expensive.

TYRES. ensure your tyres are in good nick, bring your tyre pressures up. The heat of the Territory roads will kill tyres quickly that are at all suspect.  If they are over 5 years old replace them including the spare. Big cost I know but working up the damage a blow out can cause it is worthwhile preventative insurance. Last thing you want is tyres de laminating or blowing out. don't ask me how I know. 

blew a tyre about 80 km short of three ways, car was still drivable with an insurance claim later to have repaired. by the time I got to Tenant  Creek  all tyres were delaminating. This was after all tyres were check ed and given the all clear. They were 5-6 years old with good tread. All 5 tyre replaced in Tennant creek on Easter Thursday at 1720 I was lucky I didn't get stranded for the Easter Break.

Cheers, Chris

[callmejoe]

Join the RAC (i think its called that in QLD). Take the top cover.
Can take 1mth to activate all of the benefits thou. Will be yr best insurance. Regardless on how good someone is at maintaining a car doesn't mean you'll have the tools or let alone the part when broken down.

[Rumpig]

Fuel at places like Barkly, 3ways, Renner Springs etc is $1.8x, while if you can afford the time to go into Tennant Creek it is $1.54 ish.

Tennant Creek is certainly heaps cheaper on the price of fuel then 3 Ways is, and also has a nice enough lake (might have been a dam for the towns water supply actually) on the Northern outskirts of town to have lunch at.... but it's 25 klms out of your way and you'd need to come back that 25 klms again to the Barkly Hwy turn off at 3 Ways also (50klms extra all up)...so if you don't have the spare time, i'd just pay the bit extra at 3 Ways and keep pushing on. Barkly Homestead / roadhouse has cabins and powered and unpowered camping options there, be aware if you stay there and go the powered site option (which i doubt you will going on sound of the way you are travelling) it puts you near the big generator that powers the entire place and quite nosiey there. 3 Ways also has cabins and a campground there to stay at also, but nearish to the camp spot is where roadtrains pull up at to refuel, and when they pull in there around 6.00 a.m and leave the engine running whilst refueling, you don't get to sleep in at all (that's what happened when i stayed there last atleast). The cabins there would be a better option noise wise then powered camp sites, same goes at Barkly (unpowered camping is well away from the noise at Barkly)

[Mik01]

Awesome. I'm very appreciative of the info. I plan to arrive home safely, so I will take it slow and steady.
i just did a run over the weekend down to Sundown national park, at the southern campsite.
The amount of dead Roos between Stanthorpe and Texas was a real eye opener. I counted 12 in about 1km.

[Terry W4]

Awesome. I'm very appreciative of the info. I plan to arrive home safely, so I will take it slow and steady.
i just did a run over the weekend down to Sundown national park, at the southern campsite.
The amount of dead Roos between Stanthorpe and Texas was a real eye opener. I counted 12 in about 1km.

On the road from Winton to Longreach saw 100s dead every couple of kms. We figured that there were 5000 dead roos (mostly wiped out by road trains). The killing fields. 

[Mik01]

On the road from Winton to Longreach saw 100s dead every couple of kms. We figured that there were 5000 dead roos (mostly wiped out by road trains). The killing fields.

Wow. I'm definitely avoiding that stretch at or near night time!

[4runnernomore]

Unfortunately unless you plan your trip accordingly and pull up  short on one of your days you will hit this stretch late afternoon /evening.