Transporting 4WD and CT Melbourne to Darwin

[DannyG]

Has anyone had experience transporting their 4wd and Camper across the country?

Here is a scenario we are suddenly seriously contemplating........

Transporting our set up from Tassie to Darwin to maximise holiday time and save a potential 4000k boring drive.

If we drive all the way up and all the way back, one way would be the long slow touristy route, the other way would be the faster boring highway route. We are thinking wouldn't it be good to avoid that long boring highway route.

It would save us up to $900 in fuel.
One way on the boat. Approx. $600
A 4000k boring highway drive that would take up to 6 days with out annoying the kids too much.

So that gives us around $1500 to break even. But id be happy to pay extra to get that extra weeks holiday.

So take out around $5-600 in flights. If I could get the Patrol and Camper transported up there for around $1000-$1500 id seriously consider it.

Anyone done a similar thing?

I am sure there is at least one other thread about this but I couldnt find it?

Any truckies on here want some cash?

Any suggestions as to who to get a price from?

Ill ring all the usual big transport companies tomorrow to get a price, but I thought id put it out there.

[evolution]

Hey mate, I have transported  a heap of boats and cars across from Melbourne to brissy and Melbourne to Perth. I doubt for that coin you would get both the car and camper transported. From Melbourne to Perth, for one car its around $1000, for one 20ft boat from Melbourne to brissy its around $1200. The cheapest I could get the Patrol down here for was $950 from Brisbane.

If you can find someone in the "know" you can get a great deal and if you can find someone with a spare space it may be cheaper. best bet is to have a look on here for a truckie and see if they would do a fellow swagger a favour.

Cheers
Evo

[ozbogwam]

It amazes me how difficult it is to do this.

Was trying to get my Patrol from Melbourne to Cairns via truck or train. Then fly up do the Cape and then the same back. This way don't waste all the time driving up and back.

Just could not find a way to do it. Of those who could do it reasonably they wouldn't  take it fully loaded.

Good way maybe for a Swagger with a truck to make some coin

[evolution]

I think BLKWDW might be able to point you in the right direction? There is a nice big CEVA transport truck in a few of his photos, so he may be able to give you an insiders opinion?

Cheers
Evo

[PB]

John Perry brought my CT from Melbourne to Darwin for $1K.

[fuji]

What about BLKWDW, he has some sort of truck business on myswag.  he was doing a CT build and his truck is in the background?

[fuji]

I think BLKWDW might be able to point you in the right direction? There is a nice big CEVA transport truck in a few of his photos, so he may be able to give you an insiders opinion?

Cheers
Evo

Hey EVO
Quit reading my mind lol

Evo

[evolution]

Hey EVO
Quit reading my mind lol

Evo

Sorry buddy, but I have to look smart at least once this year. 

Cheers
Evo
 

[DannyG]

Hold everything kids, I have friends in low places and after some investigating we are changing our plans.....wait for this bit of brilliance by my clever wife......

Instead of having our set up transported up there we are going to drive up doing the touristy thing, flinders, uluru, alice, darwin, kakadu, GRR, broome etc etc etc and fly home when we are finished.....leaving the 4wd and camper up north somewhere to jump on a back load when someone is coming down with some space on his truck and with a bit of luck we have friends of friends uncles brother in laws dad who knows another bloke who should be able to help us out as long as we are in no hurry.....which we wont be because we will be home in a matter of hours

Brilliant or what??

[Bird]

Brilliant or what??

that depends on how many weeks/months your willing to wait for ya car to come back

[DannyG]

that depends on how many weeks/months your willing to wait for ya car to come back

Wont matter a great deal to us mate, within a couple of months will be fine. It will be too cold in Tassie by the time we get back to use the camper so as long as they arrive back before the weather warms up she will be apples

[fuji]

Hey Danny
When are you doing the trip?
Wayne

[DannyG]

Hey Danny
When are you doing the trip?
Wayne

We haven't booked the boat as yet but initially we thought of going near the end of June or July. But we are getting a bit excited and would prefer to experience some warmer weather so we are considering bringing it forward to April or May....2013 of course.  However a trip like this requires quite a bit of preparation given our vehicles age and our campers lack of age so I don't want to get too inpatient and leave before I am satisfied everything is ready for the trip.
Are you thinking of a similar trip?

[Estelle]

Have you thought of putting them on the Ghan from Adelaide to Darwin (or the other way)?

Thought about it from Sydney to Perth. We couldn't get the Paj on from Syd to Adelaide as it was too high. OK, drive to Adelaide, it isn't that far. Found out the trailer wouldn't fit from Adelaide to Perth. Ended up driving all the way.

I believe the Ghan has a higher limit than the Indian Pacific.

It should be a nice trip.

[Bongo]

We have done the drive between Adelaide and Darwin every year for the last ten years. Did an extra trip this year to pick up the Kimberley. Freight companies wanted $3200 for just the camper and claimed no responsibilty for potential panel damage on the train. It may be different if connected to a tug.

Boring no way! After all this time there is always something new to see and visit. Every trip the country looks different.

Daly Waters has always been a must stop at place.

[cyberess]

<snip>
Instead of having our set up transported up there we are going to drive up doing the touristy thing, flinders, uluru, alice, darwin, kakadu, GRR, broome etc etc etc and fly home when we are finished.....leaving the 4wd and camper up north somewhere to jump on a back load when someone is coming down with some space on his truck and with a bit of luck we have friends of friends uncles brother in laws dad who knows another bloke who should be able to help us out as long as we are in no hurry.....which we wont be because we will be home in a matter of hours

Brilliant or what??

It's certainly far cheaper to send your vehicle out of Darwin than ship it into Darwin -- it's always about 1/2 price to send stuff out of Darwin for some reason -- A good consideration is "Unaccompanied Motorail" http://www.greatsouthernrail.com.au/site/travelinfo/motorail/unaccompanied_motorail.jsp  -- that one I had a few friends use, leave the gear in the vehicle etc. leave the camper trailer attached.  -- Another trick is to use "Accompanied Motorail" (You only need one person to travel on the Ghan)  fly the rest of the family back ..  "Accompanied Motorail" can be extremely cheap  http://www.greatsouthernrail.com.au/site/specials/motorail_special_offer.jsp

Just food for thought.

 

[fuji]

We haven't booked the boat as yet but initially we thought of going near the end of June or July. But we are getting a bit excited and would prefer to experience some warmer weather so we are considering bringing it forward to April or May....2013 of course.  However a trip like this requires quite a bit of preparation given our vehicles age and our campers lack of age so I don't want to get too inpatient and leave before I am satisfied everything is ready for the trip.
Are you thinking of a similar trip?

Yes we are and definitely going but no plans made up yet. Refer my original CSR post but now the Kimberley's
http://www.myswag.org/index.php?topic=22765.msg372226#msg372226
We may be able to catch up somewhere. IMO anything earlier than June and its still wet. Depends on their season too. We plan to leave towards the end of May

Cheers
Wayne

[TOPNDR]

$6k quoted to get my Cruiser & Camper from Hobart to Cairns.  I'd expect Darwin to be similar.  Drive & enjoy!

[DannyG]

Thanks everyone for the replies.

I have been ringing all leads on here and a few others myself and so far yes I have been quoted everything from $7500 to $2500.

I am still double checking a few things but when I finish Ill post up my findings on here.

Dealing with brokers is almost amusing as to how stupid they can be. Ill explain that one later. But its best to deal with the transport companys direct.

[Bird]

$6k quoted to get my Cruiser & Camper from Hobart to Cairns.  I'd expect Darwin to be similar.  Drive & enjoy!

did you try by sea? I have heard of one Melbourne club taking this route.



Danny....
I still say your better to drive it instead. No hassles with car damage or stuff going missing either.

[DannyG]

Lost your probably right but doing it this way gives us more time on holidays and saves the long drive back.

Ok here are my findings.

Darwin to Melbourne can be done around $1500 but the only issue with this is that it may take up to 6 weeks to get it there on a back load. And this doesn't suit us because we would need to collect it in Melbourne and accompany it on the Spirit of Tas. Sending it unaccompanied is too expensive.

Darwin to Tassie can be done for around $3900, this would also take up to 6-8 weeks which is fine because we would fly home and just collect the car and camper when ever it arrives. However at that price, once you factor in airfares to get home it is an expensive way to get an extra weeks holiday and save the long drive back. So we are not going to go with that option.

The other option is the rail that cyberess posted. They are only $1100 from Darwin to Adelaide. A little dearer than road transport but they leave on the Wednesday and arrive on the Friday, so no worries about waiting for things to arrive.  They can not take the 4wd from Adelaide to Melbourne due to height restrictions.

So the big question is, do we spend the extra (approx $500 is the net spend) to fly to Adelaide from Darwin to save a few days driving and gain that extra in holidays?

oh and before I forget, Autologistics are laughable with getting a quote. They are a broker and only allow you to get quotes on their online system. It took 9 different quotes and 5 phone calls to them to get 12 different prices!!
On the other hand, the rail people and openica logistics where very switched on and knew exactly what was what.

[Bird]

So the big question is, do we spend the extra (approx $500 is the net spend) to fly to Adelaide from Darwin to save a few days driving and gain that extra in holidays?

only you can answer that... or enjoy the drive down and see some Shit on the way back home.

I know your pain, I'd love to go back to Qld for more time, but you lose so much of your holiday gettin there and home even if you do an express north

[cyberess]

Nearly forgot -- There is also "Ceva" http://cevacarcarrying.com.au/  -- They are very quick with their transport  -- might be worth while to get a quote from them as well.

 

[fishfinder]

have you thought about doing the family tourist thing and driving up as your wife suggested, fly the family back, you stay and instead of transporting on truck or train and boat just find a back packer that is desperate to get from darwin to melbourne and are willing to pay some of  the cost in fuel - just go shotgun 14hrs + per day driving. I suppose it is also getting the extra 4 days time off work, and not cutting in to your family holiday time that may also restrict this suggestion, but the trip both ways is far from boring. When I was driving from Darwin to Perth back packers were always after a lift offering to pay.

[BLKWDW]

Hey just seen this thread and my name mentioned on it. I dont work for the company(CEVA) anymore as wife couldnt handle the interstate stuff being away from home so gave it up. Anyways i'd still ring them. They have a truck and trailer for any kind of transportation need aus wide. They do have express b double and road train runs too darwin on a weekly basis. car would have to be put on the flatbed be double from melb to adl then on another truck to run straight north. They were moving 4wds and there camper trailers on a regular basis so i know they do do it.