Outback Trip
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This trip shows to me that the more solar panels and higher ah battery/batteries you have the better. I am in sunlight a lot of the day but heat also causes higher consumption of battery, ie the fridge. It's a juggling act to keep enough reserve power when traveling off the grid for a long time.
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Been out at Uluru (formally Ayers Rock, names are changing back to Aboriginal ones) for 3 days. The rock is enormous, 11 km around the base. It's made of sandstone as this was an inland sea millions of years ago and sediment piled up year after year. The rock is actually on its side like an iceberg most of it is underground, the strata layers are at 90degrees to the land so earth's upheaval has pushed it upright. Its full of caves and cracks which only appear when up close. It is an iconic image in Australia and you could climb it until 2017 but is prohibited now. 45kms away are the Olga's a series of dome shaped rocks, also huge. Walked around there yesterday and around Uluru today. Rock is 340 metres high and sticks straight out of the desert. Have you heard of Ayers Rock in the UK.
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I think that and the Harbour Bridge + Opera House is about the only thing that everyone in the UK knows!
We had the last days of access on the TV news - seeing queues of people waiting to walk up on the last days it was allowed. You can understand why people still wanted to go up, but if it is regarded as desecration by those whose land it is, then not much to argue really.
Fascinating to see all this stuff Mick, keep posting please! Hoping to do the big cross-country train routes in 5-10 years time.
We cannot do any long range travel either as we cant leave Australia. Good for local tourism but even most states off limit due to covid19.
We have 7 states in Oz and depending on where you live restricts what is allowed. Our capital city Canberra is in the ACT which is not a state but a Territory.
Most mountains around central Australia are so old that even though they are sedimentary rock layers of silt from an ancient inland sea there are no fossils as it was before living things on earth evolved. The are worn down by time unlike the Himalayas which are quite young in comparison.
Human habitation around Uluru goes back 30,000 years. People and animals and plants adapted to the harsh conditions over eons.
We have 7 states in Oz and depending on where you live restricts what is allowed. Our capital city Canberra is in the ACT which is not a state but a Territory.
Most mountains around central Australia are so old that even though they are sedimentary rock layers of silt from an ancient inland sea there are no fossils as it was before living things on earth evolved. The are worn down by time unlike the Himalayas which are quite young in comparison.
Human habitation around Uluru goes back 30,000 years. People and animals and plants adapted to the harsh conditions over eons.
Leaving Uluru towards Kings Canyon so no phone coverage again for several days. Today is 38 degrees so bloody hot again.
Damn these crowds
Normally you would be battling for a car park here.
Tourism down everywhere.
The white line on the sloping face to right top
of van is the old climbing route (wear by many feet over the years )
Damn these crowds
Normally you would be battling for a car park here.
Tourism down everywhere.
The white line on the sloping face to right top
of van is the old climbing route (wear by many feet over the years )
Spent 2 days at Kings Canyon. Stayed at caravan park there as weather really hot and they had a pool so after doing the Canyon Rim walk we could have a swim. Once we left there heading south towards home but taking a detour to Yorke Peninsula which is a nice coastal area famous for fishing, surfing etc but water will still be cool as summer is a few months away. After the hot weather it will be nice to get colder nights. Came across a few wild camels, these are descendants of the animals used by the explorers in the 1800s. This road train with only 2 trailers makes my rig look tiny. More pictures to follow when phone reception better. 
More pictures of Kings Canyon, carved by nature 400 million years ( if I read notice properly). And pic of tonight's free camp, plenty of room for all and stars will be fantastic as no lights out here. 
The roads are mainly tarmac to get to most major attractions but there is plenty of gravel, dirt and sandy roads. I dont mind a bit of gravel or dirt but most outback roads are very corrugated which is tiring and dusty and slow in a vw van as it shakes the sh#t out of everything better suited to a 4wd with decent offroad suspension . I have heavy duty springs and shocks which gives me good ground clearance and the higher the better out here.
I also carry an air compressor so I can let my tyres down if I get caught in sandy areas but I don't go looking for sand as its easy to get bogged.
So you can get to places but it may be longer by bitumen road but much more comfortable.
Rain in the outback is rare but when it rains roads can be impassable due to mud etc and the police will close them to stop damage and people getting stranded and lost/dying out there.
So keeping an eye on the weather is a good idea.
The creek crossings that are dry and sandy can turn into full blown rivers that are unable to be crossed until water levels drop after heavy rain which could be miles away upstream somewhere.
My trailer is 6x4 but has a longish draw bar which is common in Australia as when I see pics of trailers overseas they look shorter.
I also carry an air compressor so I can let my tyres down if I get caught in sandy areas but I don't go looking for sand as its easy to get bogged.
So you can get to places but it may be longer by bitumen road but much more comfortable.
Rain in the outback is rare but when it rains roads can be impassable due to mud etc and the police will close them to stop damage and people getting stranded and lost/dying out there.
So keeping an eye on the weather is a good idea.
The creek crossings that are dry and sandy can turn into full blown rivers that are unable to be crossed until water levels drop after heavy rain which could be miles away upstream somewhere.
My trailer is 6x4 but has a longish draw bar which is common in Australia as when I see pics of trailers overseas they look shorter.
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BlindMelon
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Great write up and pics Mick!
great thread...thanks for the pics...enjoying watching this..
I guess there is a good reason for the longish draw bar. On gravel roads you'd get a lot of stone chips on rear doors + high risk of breaking rear window by stones from rear wheels hitting the trailer and bouncing off again from the trailer.
Anyways, thanks for the pictures and write ups!
I love this thread @AussieMick , it's possibly my favourite thread on this forum. I was lucky enough to spend almost a year travelling around and right through the middle of Australia with my wife back in 2007. It is an incredible country and some of the unspoiled natural beauty is really breathtaking. The history of the place is fascinating too, some of the indigenous Aboriginal history is remarkable and travelling through and spending time in the heart of the country was a real adventure.
The lack of other cars, or even people in general, is odd for a while and takes some getting used to for someone used to the busy roads of the UK. It can be hours of travelling without seeing another person and it wasn't until after our trip that we realised how potentially dangerous it could be. We could go for hours of driving without any mobile signal and if we'd had a serious accident things would've gotten serious pretty quickly when there are so few people travelling through an area to find you and then it's a long time before help might arrive. Has mobile signal improved in the more remote parts of the country Mick, or is that still a danger?
Some of my favourite memories of that year were from travelling through the heart of the country, but there's one thing that sticks out and you mentioned it above in one of your posts. Staying overnight in a rest stop on a clear night (of which there are many) with no light pollution for 100s of kilometres means you can see stars like you've never seen before. The night sky is just absolutely spectacular. I'm pretty lucky to live where I live and lead the life I lead, but there will always be a part of me that wishes I hadn't come back.
The lack of other cars, or even people in general, is odd for a while and takes some getting used to for someone used to the busy roads of the UK. It can be hours of travelling without seeing another person and it wasn't until after our trip that we realised how potentially dangerous it could be. We could go for hours of driving without any mobile signal and if we'd had a serious accident things would've gotten serious pretty quickly when there are so few people travelling through an area to find you and then it's a long time before help might arrive. Has mobile signal improved in the more remote parts of the country Mick, or is that still a danger?
Some of my favourite memories of that year were from travelling through the heart of the country, but there's one thing that sticks out and you mentioned it above in one of your posts. Staying overnight in a rest stop on a clear night (of which there are many) with no light pollution for 100s of kilometres means you can see stars like you've never seen before. The night sky is just absolutely spectacular. I'm pretty lucky to live where I live and lead the life I lead, but there will always be a part of me that wishes I hadn't come back.
In remote areas Mobile phone signal is only good about 20kms from a town but towns are 100s of kms apart.
It can be dangerous venturing up dirt roads without telling someone that you are going and not having plenty of water and radio communications etc.
People die every year getting stranded in remote areas and not being prepared.
Hot weather can be unforgiving and shade is often hard to find so advice is to stay with your vehicle until help arrives and if you have adequate water hopefully you will be missed and a search started.
It can be dangerous venturing up dirt roads without telling someone that you are going and not having plenty of water and radio communications etc.
People die every year getting stranded in remote areas and not being prepared.
Hot weather can be unforgiving and shade is often hard to find so advice is to stay with your vehicle until help arrives and if you have adequate water hopefully you will be missed and a search started.
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Spent the last night camped 100kms north west of Port Augusta. Free camp with room for many . Near the train line of the Ghan which is a passenger train that runs from Adelaide to Darwin, quite an iconic trip.
Saw the Ghan pass at 7:20 am. This was the last camp in arid country.
Once past Port Augusta the country turns into farming and we were struck how green everything looked after looking at red soil for the last 4 weeks. Traveled to the Western side of upper Yorke Peninsula. Spent 2 nights at a caravan park in Wallaroo. These towns are fishing, holiday areas and some are working ports with grain silos and long loading jetties.
Cleanup of van and ourselves, nice feed of fish and chips in the pub.
Heading down the Peninsula to meet up with friends then back home, holiday will be over.
Saw the Ghan pass at 7:20 am. This was the last camp in arid country.
Once past Port Augusta the country turns into farming and we were struck how green everything looked after looking at red soil for the last 4 weeks. Traveled to the Western side of upper Yorke Peninsula. Spent 2 nights at a caravan park in Wallaroo. These towns are fishing, holiday areas and some are working ports with grain silos and long loading jetties.
Cleanup of van and ourselves, nice feed of fish and chips in the pub.
Heading down the Peninsula to meet up with friends then back home, holiday will be over.
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