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I've got a bit of time coming up at work and I'm wanting to take myself on a bit of a road trip.. I want to do Melbourne to Coober Pedy and back..
This will be my first long distance trip in my patrol..
Anyone done it and can you offer me some tips please? I'll be driving by myself and thought 5-7 days would be enough with overnight stops only..
Advice to make this trip a fun and adventurous one would be grand!
Hi Billy A good trip, My wifes' crazy girlfriend years ago Got a pile of girls jumped in the car
and drove to Ayers Rock touched the base and drove straight back home ready for work monday morning.
Open speed limits back then.
All I could add is take your time, have a break every 2 hrs to stretch your legs. grab as many roadhouse stickers as you can as proof of where you have been.
keep a log book of fuel,speed, conditions etc, this will come in handy when working out bigger trips, fuel could be anything up to $2.20 a litre. There will be no drinkable water except road houses.
Just enjoy.
You may want to load it up to simulate your trip, don't forget to take spares etc, If you need anything pop over Chances are Ive got it here.
I've done it a couple of times on the blacktop via Port Augusta, two days each way. I'm sure there are more interesting routes to take.
We'll be coming back down the centre and considering taking William Creek Rd, then Oodnadatta Track to Maree. Then down to Flinders Ranges and home either via Broken Hill or Burra to Mildura.
This will be more than a couple of days but you could do a loop depending on the time available.
I'm sure there will be others on here with more info soon.
I would find your 5 -7 day schedule rushed, & might instead consider a trip up to Broken Hill/Silverton, Lake Mungo & Mutawintji National park instead.
However if your heart is set on it:
Lots of good campsites on the Murray.
A good place to camp a bit before Port Augusta is Hancocks Lookout, accessed from the road from Wilmington. up high with great views, no facilities. Alternatively the showgrounds at Melrose are a pleasant spot to overnight, with hot showers, dunnies etc.
Between Port Augusta & Coober Pedy there are a few rest areas where you can pull up for the night, none particularly attractive & all fairly exposed. You can stay in the truck yard at Spuds at Pimba, (turn off to Woomera) & the metal fence gives a bit of shelter if it's windy. You can get a feed & a beer there.
In Coober Pedy there's plenty to see. If you are able I'd plan to have at least 3 days there.
Camping either in the caravan park or stay in Radeka's underground backpacker's hostel.
Spend a night camped out at the 'Breakaways' & witness the most amazing sunrise.
Visit Croc Harry's home, an old mine, in which a scene from Beyond the Thunderdome was filmed & in which Tina Turner left a pair of her knickers for Harry.
Visit the cemetery.
Check out the golf course.
Do a mine tour.
Highlight for us was a Saturday evening visit to the Serbian Orthodox underground church. The church is on most tourists list of places to visit, but Saturday evenings are different. Ask around when you get there.
What follows is an extract from my blog:
" we were invited by others to a meal at the Serbian Othodox underground Church that evening. Apparently a regular Saturday night event, good tucker for a nominal cost. Although not quite sure what to expect of the evening, we accepted the invite. The food was simple, excellently cooked by Zoran, very tasty, & in plentiful supply. It was pork this Saturday night. We were asked how hungry we were & how many pieces of meat we wanted. Our choice of two pieces each (half a plateful) was met with jovial disbelief & derision. It was certainly as much as I could eat, but most others had more, some much more! We were given a personal guided tour of the unique underground church before dinner. If the meal was good, then the company was excellent. The old guys, small in number, who still look after the church, are all who are left of a once large & thriving Serb community in Coober Pedy. Children have left town, not digging opals as their parents have done. Once maybe 200 would eat on a Saturday night. Now only 20 or so.
This church is the only one I have ever known to have a bar in their adjoining rooms. So.... a good meal & a few beers at the church , in the midst of good people, who were genuinely happy to have us there, & not a hint of religion all night. A bit of Serb patriotism, plenty of mining stories & lots of laughter. A good night."
Hav a great trip & if you can try to take a bit more time so you can avoid white line fever & enjoy what you are going to see. Many folk describe driving through 'nothing' between Port Augusta & Coober Pedy, but I reckon they are more focused on 'getting there' than appreciating the country. One tiny strip of bitumen in a giant landscape.
Cuppa
I'm going to Mungo!!!!!!
I am made up of the following parts.. Black Irish / Gypsy / Tattoo's and Grumpiness.. and this was sent from my phone using Tapatalk!
I love the translation of Coober Pedy - Man in hole:)