Alice Springs to Brisbane - advice on route / itinerary

[Jaycee]

Hi all,

 My partner and I are currently in Alice Springs on the first leg of our 12 to 18 month working holiday.  We leave Alice in the first week of December, and have two or three weeks to make our way to Brisbane.

We had originally hoped to go via the Simpson and Birdsville, but the SA parks website suggests the Simpson is closed on Dec 1 (is this right?).

We'd really appreciate any advice for routes to take or avoid. Nice camp sites, etc.

We're in Brisbane for a week and then heading down the coast to Bermagui for a while before we try to find work again for another three months or so.

We're travelling in a Nissan Patrol and are self sufficient when travelling.

All advice is welcome. Thanks!

John

[TOPNDR]

G'day John.

Having lived in the tropics for 20 years (Darwin, Katherine, FNQ) and travelled a fair bit through The Centre, December is not the time I'd choose to travel for pleasure, as such. Whether the Simpson is open or not, I wouldn't consider it at that time of year.  Of not for my sake, for the sake of the poor soul/s who have to come an rescue me in the event of a breakdown.

Options I'd consider, in the knowledge it'll probably be as hot as hades are:

Plenty Hwy to Boulia, continue to Winton (very picturesque), Longreach (Hall of Fame & Qantas Museum), Landsborough Hwy to Brisvegas.

South to Coober Pedy, check out The Breakaways just to north, across the Moon plain through Anna Ck Station to William Ck, down the Oodnadatta Track to Maree, thence Lyndhurst, up the Strzelecki Track, 120 km north of Montecollina Bore, turn right to Merty Merty station, then through to Cameron Corner, then NE to Noccundra or ESE through Sturt Nat Pk to Tibooburra then N to Nocundra, then Adventure Way through Thargomindah and Cunamualla to Brisvegas.

South to Port A Gutta, up through the hills to Quorn, Peterborough, Broken Hill, Wilcannia, up the Darling (either side), and so on.

At the risk of telling you how to suck eggs, take plenty of water and food, and beware of wet season/summer rains possibly making some roads impassable.

[HEM19X]

Hi John,
1st of all Welcome to The Show!!!

I certainly agree with TOPNDR, December is not the time to be doing the desert - Opt. 1 sounds good but you might want to keep heading east from Longreach, Lake Maraboon, Cania Gorge to Brissy OR turn right when you hit the coast, lots of great spots to check out.

If you intend stopping around the Clarence, let us know, we have lots to see & do here!

Regards

Hem

[Jaycee]

Thanks very much guys. That info is very helpful.

We will have 140L of water on board, thanks for the concern. The heat sure will be an eye opener!

Cheers,
John

[rosgeog]

Hi Jaycee,
We live in Alice and agree with previous posts. Apart from the fact the Simpson will be closed it would not be a fun trip that time of year. The Plenty Hwy route is a good one and we have travelled it many times. If you are interested we could get together and we can give you some first hand knowledge of places to see along the way. Send me a PM if you like.
Ross

[rodw]

If you go the Plenty can either drop down to Birdsville and either come in the direct route via Windorah or drop down to Innamincka and come in from there. Or you could head towards Winton, refuel at Middleton and double back 40km or so and go across to Lark Quarry dinosaurs via Old Cork.

From Lark, head south to Jundah for fuel and on to Windorah, out to Birdsville and on to Innamincka.

There are heaps of free camps from Innamincka in. We did not pay for a camp site once we left Birdsville on the way home to Brisbane but it will be hot! I probably would not even bother with setting up a tent, just sleep under the stars. There will be no dew!

You last stop should be free camp at Nidigully east of St George or if you come through Charleville, you must overnight at Drovers Rest campsite near Mitchell. Both are rated among the top free camps In Aus.

[Bennlexx]

The Plenty is probably the best option at that time of year.  If however you wanted to go a little further north into Queensland to visit Lawn Hill or the great 'Marine' Dinosaur museum at Richmond the Sandover Highway is a pretty good route too.  We travelled it early August.  Probably not the best time of year to be up there though.