Hi, new to this page and hoping the experts can help me. We're from NZ and planning a 3.5 month trip around Australia, borrowing my mum's 2002 Toyota Prado and 2006 odyssey off road camper trailer. Husband, and 2 kids (8 and 10) plus me. Heading off from
Brisbane in July 2018.
I have worked out a few routes but hoping for some
feedback if you think I am crazy for trying to pack too much in. The ultimate goal is not in a rush, quality family time and a flexible schedule.
I have outlined the possibilities and haven't included every stop, just the major ones so you get an idea of route.
# 1 Brisbane/ Longreach/ Mt Isa/ Tennant Creek/ Katherine/ Kakadu/ Darwin/ Litchfield/ Kununurra/
Gibb River Road/ Broome/
Ningaloo / Karijini /
Gary Junction Road/ Alice Springs/ Uluru then blast to
Adelaide where mum will collect car and trailer and go on her own adventure or we can skip
Adelaide and drive back to
Brisbane from Uluru.
# 2 Brisbane/ Longreach/ Boulia/ Alice Springs/ Tennant Creek/ Katherine/ Kakadu/ Darwin/ Litchfield/ Kununurra/
Gibb River Road/ Broome/
Ningaloo / Karijini/
Great Central Road / Uluru and then same as above (either Adelaide/
Brisbane)
# 3 Brisbane/ Longreach/ Boulia/
Alice Springs & Uluru / Tennant Creek/ Katherine/ Kakadu/ Darwin/ Litchfield/ Kununurra/
Gibb River Road/ Broome/
Ningaloo / Karijini/
Perth. From
Perth we are investigating shipping car and trailer back to
Brisbane or
Adelaide (depends on costs and if my mum wants to do a road trip!)
Basically they're sort of similar versions. The questions really are :
Are we trying to pack too much in ?
Is it outrageously expensive to ship back from
Perth and/ or worth it to travel less (am in the midst of getting quotes) ?
Is the
Gary Junction or
Gibb River Road safe enough? We're seasoned campers and reasonably practical but still have a few nerves ?
Any thoughts/ top tips/ please feel free to tell me. Totally open to alternative route suggestions as
well and happy to go in a reverse direction (ie Alice Springs/Ningaloo/Broome/
Darwin etc etc) if that makes more sense with weather and temps.
Cold temps no bother as we're from South Island, NZ so used to that.
Thanks so much.
Cheers
Jane