Go Back   Horizons Unlimited - The HUBB > Regional Forums > Australia / New Zealand
Australia / New Zealand Topics specific to Australia and New Zealand only.
Photo by Daniel Rintz, Himba children, Namibia

The only impossible journey
is the one
you never begin

Photo by Daniel Rintz,
Himba children, Namibia



Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 24 Feb 2008
Registered Users
HUBB regular
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Maidenhead
Posts: 22
Is 6 weeks enough to tour Oz?

Hi All,

Planning to tour Australia as part of a bigger trip from NZ to UK. If I fly the bike from Auckland to Melbourne, then spend approx. 6 weeks touring heading first to Adelaide then cross back over to the east coast and zig zag north (to take time away from the usual tourist hot spots) to take in Sydney, Brisbane, Cairns and then over to visit Alice Springs before ending up in Darwin to ship the bike to SE Asia...

Is this realistic?
Can anyone suggest some places I shouldn't miss whilst on this trip? (Going to be traveling 2-up up so will mostly be on tarmac) Have read the Lonely Planet but would love some personal opinions!
And is starting the trip in Feb a good time - or too early - so would March be better?

Thanks,
Joey
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 24 Feb 2008
PocketHead's Avatar
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Sucre, Bolivia
Posts: 535
Hi, I think you are lucky, February is probably the best time to do it.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 24 Feb 2008
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Bribie Island Australia
Posts: 678
I think its a bit optimistic, time of year and distance in six weeks. Its possible but will require a few days of long hard rides if you want to stop off and see a few things.

February is one of the hotter months in the Southern States (SA, Vic, NSW), they've all had days in excess of 40C in the last few weeks - it is really very unpleasant to ride in those temps and potentially quite dangerous as you dehydrate much quicker. Its physically very draining. March is only a few degrees cooler.

The coastal areas will be cooler, but only just. As you go North along the East coast it will cool down a bit - tail end of the monsoon once you get up around Brisbane - but expect to get some wet weather and humidity. The further North you go the wetter and more humid it will get and there is a small and declining risk of cyclones until the end of March.

If you turn inland from Brisbane and start heading North West it will again start to get very hot - I'd advise against travel in that part of the country until late April - best time is from late June - daytime temps mid 20Cs nightimes can be cold even frosty at times. But a lot safer for bikers. Summer travel in central Australia is usually remembered as a dash between petrol stations with cold drinks and shade and filling up your camel backs with luke warm water.

Why not fly your bike to Brisbane, have a dash upto Fraser Island, then go South and East and end up in Adelaide and then upto Alice (Uluru) and Darwin?
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 24 Feb 2008
DarrenM's Avatar
Gold Member
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Coventry
Posts: 126
If you can allow more time, I allowed 5 weeks doing the east coast and central outback by bus. There was so much to do, I found myself cramming in activities and hopping back onto the bus, all too rushed.

When I go back I will allow 3 months.

...Uluru is amazing, locate the campsite used by coach tours and find the view point. Spent the whole night up there watching the moon rise drinking wine with a beautiful girl, best valentines ever.
...Kings Canyon is nice, explore it and find secret pools to swim.
...Scuba diving on the Barrier Reef, awesome.
...Whitsundays, great for sailing, I had no time.
...Katherine Gorge, take the powerboat ride.
...Mission Beach, not much there. Only place you will see a wild Cassawary, very remote chance, I saw Mother and Baby. Great place to skydive.
...Dont miss Fraser Island, leave the bike behind and hire a 4x4, take 3 days and go up to the most Northeast corner, a surreal place and no tourists.

Last edited by DarrenM; 24 Feb 2008 at 20:58.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 8 Mar 2008
Registered Users
HUBB regular
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: UK
Posts: 89
Quote:
Originally Posted by Joey1007 View Post
Hi All,

Planning to tour Australia as part of a bigger trip from NZ to UK. If I fly the bike from Auckland to Melbourne, then spend approx. 6 weeks touring heading first to Adelaide then cross back over to the east coast and zig zag north (to take time away from the usual tourist hot spots) to take in Sydney, Brisbane, Cairns and then over to visit Alice Springs before ending up in Darwin to ship the bike to SE Asia...

Is this realistic?
Can anyone suggest some places I shouldn't miss whilst on this trip? (Going to be traveling 2-up up so will mostly be on tarmac) Have read the Lonely Planet but would love some personal opinions!
And is starting the trip in Feb a good time - or too early - so would March be better?

Thanks,
Joey
I drove from Perth to Cairns taking the Central Highway to Alice Springs, then the Plenty Highway to cairns. From here I drove along the coast to Sydney, a distance of 5000 miles in 3 weeks. As for places to see I fell in love with the 'Outback'. make sure you have a few cold s in some of those remote outback pubs, they're crazy. I visited one place on the Plenty Highway en-route to Mt Isa called Urandangi. The little pub there is bloody great, full of character.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 9 Mar 2008
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: England
Posts: 338
Thumbs up

Hi
I spent 7 months going around Oz and did not see every thing, on my way back at the end of the month to see some more before moving into Asia. Skip
__________________
Do the best you can with what you have,
A stranger in a strange land now heading North South East West to.....
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 10 Mar 2008
Chris D (Newcastle NSW)'s Avatar
Contributing Member
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Newcastle NSW AU
Posts: 153
Six weeks is just the beginning....

Joey,

Six weeks is too tight for your itinerary in my opinion.

If you need to go to Melbourne and Adelaide, spend time between the two, along the Great Ocean Road, Kangaroo Island off South Australia, through the Flinders and then up through the centre to Darwin. This will take six week easy. The east coast from Melbourne to Cairns would take six weeks alone.

Find a map of Aust with distances and add them up. The days on the road should be balanced with days stopped at the hundreds of destinations along the track.

Any other questions drop me a line.

Happy travels.
__________________
Chris
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 10 Mar 2008
Registered Users
HUBB regular
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Maidenhead
Posts: 22
Plans change and we've got longer in Oz...

Thanks for all the replies. Our plans have changed and now we're extending the time in Australia to at least 3 months, then if things pan out, ship the bike to USA/Canada to cross west to east. So the good news is we're planning to start the trip March 09 to somewhere in Oz, but don't have anywhere specific we need to be.

Any other recommendations for where we should ship the bike from Auckland to ?, and start out trip would be helpful.

Cheers,
Joey
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 11 Mar 2008
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: kuala lumpur
Posts: 212
Now youre talking, mate!

Thats better, 3 months sounds more relaxing. Spent 2 months in OZ in 96 & another 2 weeks in 97, still missed out Perth & Darwin & Cairns!

As where to land I suggest you go Melbourne then head south west to Adelaide & all the way around! Should enjoy it! Stops at places like our Fellow Hubbers recommend...


Ride Safe/Save/Sober
__________________
Ride
Safe,
Sober,
& Save!
"man without beard is like porridge without salt": Ned Kelly
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 11 Mar 2008
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Cornwall, in the far southwest of England, UK
Posts: 597
Joey - Brilliant compromise! some might say that this should be the #1 choice itinerary in any case. E.g. Get the last of the fine southern hemisphere weather in Australia; and then afterwards arrive in the northern hemisphere at the very start of another summer. As I say .. brilliant stuff!

Contact me if you need any help regarding North America. Just lately I'm spending a lot of riding time over there. Indeed, I leave again for San Francisco CA this coming Sunday, March-16.

Shipping from Auckland ~~> Australia? I'm sure there's quite a few options to consider. I'll be looking at this myself for the end of next February /beginning March '09. My preliminarily research suggests that this firm, Get Routed, seems like a good one to approach. They appear to arrange shipping from Auckland to Brisbane, (see Booking Forms page) which is my particular preferred ozzy destination port. It will all depend on their outbound leaving date(s) for me though.

Good luck with whatever you eventually do. Who knows, maybe we might bump into each other - not literally, of course! - one day after all.

Regards

KEITH
__________________
Right Way Round ...


Last edited by Keith1954; 11 Mar 2008 at 09:43.
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 11 Mar 2008
Vaufi's Avatar
Contributing Member
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Munich, the beer capital
Posts: 1,046
Quote:
Originally Posted by Joey1007 View Post
Thanks for all the replies. Our plans have changed and now we're extending the time in Australia to at least 3 months, then if things pan out, ship the bike to USA/Canada to cross west to east. So the good news is we're planning to start the trip March 09 to somewhere in Oz, but don't have anywhere specific we need to be.

Joey

That sounds more like it! I'd suggest you stick to your plans going to Adelaide, and zig-zag up north , cut across to Alice etc. The long way round is a bit of a bore in some areas nad loooooots of kms through empty space. So rather pick out important & scenic places and connect them up into your route.

Some of the spots have been named already...

Adelaide and Flinders Ranges
Great Ocean Road
Melbourne
Alpine Region, Snowy Mts
Sydney, Blue Mts
Coober Pedy
Uluru, Kings Canyon, Kata Tjuta
Katherine Gorge
Kakadu & Litchfield NPs

And if time allows (not too far from Katherine):
Kimberley
Bungle-Bungles


Hans
__________________
Only when we pause to wonder
do we go beyond the limits of our little lives.
(Rod McKuen)
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 11 Mar 2008
KennyE's Avatar
Gold Member
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Gold Coast Australia
Posts: 194
I think shipping from Auckland to either Sydney or Melbourne would be the cheapest, as they are the most heavily used. My experience is that Get Routed only ships at certain times and the destination varies depending on where the majority of bikes are going. Dave at Get Routed will fill you in on how it's done.

Whatever way you ship, make sure that your bike and gear are spotlessly clean or else you could end up with a whole lot of added costs and downtime waiting for clearance!! Customs and Quarantine in Australia are rabidly concientious on that.
__________________
Just Ride!
www.rocktravels.blogspot.com
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 12 Mar 2008
Chris D (Newcastle NSW)'s Avatar
Contributing Member
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Newcastle NSW AU
Posts: 153
Arrow Don't miss HU Tintaldra 2009

Joey,

If you can make it to Tintaldra 2009 Horizons Unlimited meeting that would be a great way to meet some of the local riff-raff HUers. Tintaldra is near Albury on the NSW - Vic border. Date for next year is likely to be late February and there will be 140-150 like minded peolpe.

Let me know how your plans are going later in the year.
__________________
Chris
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 14 Mar 2008
Contributing Member
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia
Posts: 1,362
Quote:
Originally Posted by Vaufi View Post
Adelaide and Flinders Ranges
Great Ocean Road
Melbourne
Alpine Region, Snowy Mts
Sydney, Blue Mts
Coober Pedy
Uluru, Kings Canyon, Kata Tjuta
Katherine Gorge
Kakadu & Litchfield NPs

And if time allows (not too far from Katherine):
Kimberley
Bungle-Bungles
Hans that might be better from Sydney?

Sydney, Blue Mts
Alpine Region, Snowy Mts
(add Victorian Alps)
Melbourne
Great Ocean Road (add Grampians)
Adelaide and Flinders Ranges
Coober Pedy
Uluru, Kings Canyon, Kata Tjuta
Katherine Gorge
Kakadu & Litchfield NPs

And if time allows (not too far from Katherine):
Kimberley
Bungle-Bungles

(add Broome if you have the distance ?)

Humm shipping to USA .. best done back on the east coast ..

Probably via Mt Isa back to Brisbane ... long stretches of little but horizon .. what teh outback is about.
Lawn Hill NP is up to the north .. but dirt... there are a few nice dirt tracks up there ... but being dirt are not that friendly to pillions.
__________________
---
Regards Frank Warner
motorcycles BMW R80 G/S 1981, BMW K11LT 1993, BMW K75 G/S
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 24 Mar 2008
Gold Member
New on the HUBB
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Plymouth, UK
Posts: 1
Reply

Hi - I flew to Perth, bought an old BMW K75 and rode it to Brisbane - visiting all the major cities along the way, back in 2002. I took 3 and half months to do the trip but a month of that was lounging around doing what I do best - nothing!! However I had approx 6 weeks riding the length of Oz. I think 6 weeks is possible at a nice (not rushed) pace but you do have to keep moving. I spent a couple of days in each city, (a week in Sydney) but could have spent so much longer to absorb the places and really get to know what they have to offer. I feel I've only skimmed the surface really. I would advise to do less in more depth and plan to go back if at all possible. Doing too much means you get fatigued and ironically see less.

To beet the heat try heading up to Bright area North of Melbourne. The mountains would be cooler and offers another side of Oz from the beaches and desert outback (which are beautiful as well I hasten to add). All of the nature of Oz is fantatsic and diverse so it depends on what takes your fancy really

Hope this helps a little and you have a great trip.

Cheers
Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 Registered Users and/or Members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Join Motorcycle Thailand Tour 1st Aug 06 s4essene Travellers Seeking Travellers 0 26 Jul 2006 03:07
tour in the sahara with ZIGZAG OLIVE07 North Africa 1 29 May 2004 14:56
NZ Tour - Jan 2003. Looking for a riding buddy Cruiser99 Travellers Seeking Travellers 0 27 Nov 2002 07:34
NZ tour - looking for a riding buddy - Jan 2003 Cruiser99 Australia / New Zealand 0 27 Nov 2002 05:22
ALPS TOUR - JUNE 2002 Global Rider Travellers Seeking Travellers 0 8 Jul 2001 23:42

 
 

Announcements

Thinking about traveling? Not sure about the whole thing? Watch the HU Achievable Dream Video Trailers and then get ALL the information you need to get inspired and learn how to travel anywhere in the world!

Have YOU ever wondered who has ridden around the world? We did too - and now here's the list of Circumnavigators!
Check it out now
, and add your information if we didn't find you.

Next HU Eventscalendar

HU Event and other updates on the HUBB Forum "Traveller's Advisories" thread.
ALL Dates subject to change.

2024:

Add yourself to the Updates List for each event!

Questions about an event? Ask here

HUBBUK: info

See all event details

 
World's most listened to Adventure Motorbike Show!
Check the RAW segments; Grant, your HU host is on every month!
Episodes below to listen to while you, err, pretend to do something or other...

2020 Edition of Chris Scott's Adventure Motorcycling Handbook.

2020 Edition of Chris Scott's Adventure Motorcycling Handbook.

"Ultimate global guide for red-blooded bikers planning overseas exploration. Covers choice & preparation of best bike, shipping overseas, baggage design, riding techniques, travel health, visas, documentation, safety and useful addresses." Recommended. (Grant)



Ripcord Rescue Travel Insurance.

Ripcord Rescue Travel Insurance™ combines into a single integrated program the best evacuation and rescue with the premier travel insurance coverages designed for adventurers.

Led by special operations veterans, Stanford Medicine affiliated physicians, paramedics and other travel experts, Ripcord is perfect for adventure seekers, climbers, skiers, sports enthusiasts, hunters, international travelers, humanitarian efforts, expeditions and more.

Ripcord travel protection is now available for ALL nationalities, and travel is covered on motorcycles of all sizes!


 

What others say about HU...

"This site is the BIBLE for international bike travelers." Greg, Australia

"Thank you! The web site, The travels, The insight, The inspiration, Everything, just thanks." Colin, UK

"My friend and I are planning a trip from Singapore to England... We found (the HU) site invaluable as an aid to planning and have based a lot of our purchases (bikes, riding gear, etc.) on what we have learned from this site." Phil, Australia

"I for one always had an adventurous spirit, but you and Susan lit the fire for my trip and I'll be forever grateful for what you two do to inspire others to just do it." Brent, USA

"Your website is a mecca of valuable information and the (video) series is informative, entertaining, and inspiring!" Jennifer, Canada

"Your worldwide organisation and events are the Go To places to for all serious touring and aspiring touring bikers." Trevor, South Africa

"This is the answer to all my questions." Haydn, Australia

"Keep going the excellent work you are doing for Horizons Unlimited - I love it!" Thomas, Germany

Lots more comments here!



Five books by Graham Field!

Diaries of a compulsive traveller
by Graham Field
Book, eBook, Audiobook

"A compelling, honest, inspiring and entertaining writing style with a built-in feel-good factor" Get them NOW from the authors' website and Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.co.uk.



Back Road Map Books and Backroad GPS Maps for all of Canada - a must have!

New to Horizons Unlimited?

New to motorcycle travelling? New to the HU site? Confused? Too many options? It's really very simple - just 4 easy steps!

Horizons Unlimited was founded in 1997 by Grant and Susan Johnson following their journey around the world on a BMW R80G/S.

Susan and Grant Johnson Read more about Grant & Susan's story

Membership - help keep us going!

Horizons Unlimited is not a big multi-national company, just two people who love motorcycle travel and have grown what started as a hobby in 1997 into a full time job (usually 8-10 hours per day and 7 days a week) and a labour of love. To keep it going and a roof over our heads, we run events all over the world with the help of volunteers; we sell inspirational and informative DVDs; we have a few selected advertisers; and we make a small amount from memberships.

You don't have to be a Member to come to an HU meeting, access the website, or ask questions on the HUBB. What you get for your membership contribution is our sincere gratitude, good karma and knowing that you're helping to keep the motorcycle travel dream alive. Contributing Members and Gold Members do get additional features on the HUBB. Here's a list of all the Member benefits on the HUBB.




All times are GMT +1. The time now is 02:13.