How long would this take?
 

We're planning a tour around australia from Cairns to Perth. We've never been before so have no idea what the road conditions and time scales will be so any information would be much appriciated. The potential route is

Cairns QLD to Perth WA - Google Maps

any tips/advice?

Thanks

how long is a piece of string?
 

how many notes on a saxophone?
how many tears in a bottle of gin?

you could knock it over in 20 days if you went bananas, or take as long as you've got... just don't be in the desert in the summer.

cheers,
andy.

As desert dweller said, as long as it takes.

I did the full circumnavigation last year, it took 4 months and I was travelling fast and slow, weather is an issue up north, but you are not doing the top end. It will be cold and wet down south during winter, hot and wet up north in summer :)

Plan on travel durning th emorning, sight see in the afternoon and evening.

Cheers
TS

As others have said, it depends how hard you want to ride and how much sightseeing you want to do.

I've ridden from Sydney to Darwin in 6 days and from Perth to Sydney in 7, but I had deadlines to meet.

Your route looks pretty good but if you have more time, I'd suggest that instead of following the main highways from Canberra to Adelaide, take a ride through the Snowy Mountains between Canberra and Melbourne, and take the Great Ocean Road between Melbourne and Adelaide. Tasmania is also worth a look but of course that involves extra time and expense with the ferry.

Thanks for the info. We've got about 3 - 4 weeks to do this so just wanted to get some information about it. one part of the route which is worrying me is the route from Ayres rock (Uluru) down to Perth. What would be the best way? Through the middle or to head back down to the coast and ride along there? Also are there any hotels/camp sites around there or would it be camping in a tent?

Thanks again for the help

The sector from Uluru to Kalgoorlie is the part that would worry me too, as it's easily the most remote part of your itinerary.

I don't even know what kind of road exists there but I'm sure it wouldn't carry much traffic.

I suggest you research it thoroughly because the outback can be unforgiving if things go pear-shaped.

If it still looks feasible after you've done your homework, just be sure to take all necessary provisions and let the authorities know what you're doing.

The answers to your questions may already be on this website somewhere. If not, maybe Lonely Planet's Outback Australia book would be useful.

I guess it's possible to do the trip in four weeks but I'm not sure that I'd want to if it was my first trip to Australia.

Also be warned that travelling down the east coast can be slow because it's relatively densely populated and there are not many sections of motorway there.

Enjoy the adventure!!

great central road is not to be taken lightly, not for the un(der)prepared. does that seem like your category? not being rude, just putting it straight.

if you want to do that lot in 3 or 4/52, you'd be plenty good on the bike, have a good fuel range, and be undaunted by the many millions of sandy corrugations you'll encounter. oh and you'd have to be happy to miss loads of fun and adventure on the backroads all around the place, esp. east coast.

it's true, there are entries on here about the great central road.

if you've only got that long, i reckon you're well advised to spend it in about a quarter of this continent, max. for example, it's 2500km from melbourne to uluru / ayers rock. i used to do it in two days very regularly, but maybe it's not what you want on holiday.

cheers,
andy.

If you only have 4 weeks, cut you destination in half.

I mean, forget the west at this time and finsih in Uluru or Kings canyon. You can spend a week getting to Perth for what?

The Nullabor is a ride to do, but not if you are limited in time, and that central road is not th ebest bit of road around either.

If you travel down south, consider instead going inland, the traffic is lighter, more trucks of course, but the outback towns are quite freindly.

I think you will be spending too much time on th ebike to enjoy the country if you plan to do the full route you selected. You also do not specify what time of year you are going, that is an essential part of the planning, so we could not help more unless this is specified.

Cheers
TS

Hi,

No offence taken desert dweller, it's the first time in australia so not that familiar with the roads. All this information is a great help to us and is much appriciated.

We plan on going next year at the end of March so we can take advantage of the easter bank holidays and the bank holiday at the beginning of May.

In March/April it wil be the beginning of the end of the wet up north, but it is still the active Cyclone season until late April. Down south it will still be warm but starting to cool down a bit, you may have picked a great window here, just keep an eye on the weather at all times, change of season is when the storms hit bad.

Cheers
TS

I took the road from Adelaide north then headed for flinders ranges / blinman /marree over to william creek , an then back on the stuart highway,
i must admit i was glad to see tarmac again after 3 or 4 days but it was great ,

may be an option for you .

Hi Andy, we are currently in the R&D stage of the same sort of trip next year (March -to- June /July 2010). We have deliberately chosen to avoid the Great Central Road for all the reasons given above - I just don't fancy it, especially with a pillion on board.

There are some decent ride reports you can research here, on this site, within the archives. Also over on the ADVrider board - the RR and aussie sections in particular.

For instance, Rick McDermond (a yank) from this site, did a real good job Around Oz last year, which took him three months to complete. BTW, he rode up (northeast) the Great Central Rd. Here's Rick's account, which includes some terrific pictures.

Good luck with your planning.

KEITH


.

X2!

We spent 4 weeks + earlier this year doing C - F on your map, but on the more interesting backroads, then up to Innamincka in Outback SA, then back across to Sydney. It was a great trip.

Personally I don't usually plan to do more than an average of about 300km/day when going away for a week +. More than that either means a) boring roads or b) long hard days without time for anything but riding.

Cheers
Clint

I suppose it depends on what you want from the trip the miles are big for 3-4 weeks if you want to experience Oz but you would get a glimpse as you wizz passed

maybe knock Perth off the list (and I'm from Perth?!) and concentrate on the main east coast with the run to Uluru on the Hwy, just remember Hwys can be long straight and boring over here and have you getting excited about a tree on the horizon that said there is a beauty in the large concentrated amounts of nothingness that captivates and awes
just remember water and fuel and you will have a blast