Hyden to Norseman

Hi Lionel

It has always been a good road when we've been through - but those Lion Ore trucks are the danger - they know they own the road. I suspect the mines contribute to or do the maintenance.

I noticed on a different forum, a report from January that someone found it in terrible condition, and it took them 11 hours to do 264 kms. I can't imagine that, unless rain had been through and the trucks had cut it up badly.

Motherhen

Hi Alan - you beat me too it.

As Alan says, Breakaways is a big and nice camp site. I recommend anyone call in for a look (just off the road but secluded) even if not ready to camp.

Motherhen

Hi,

We are heading off across the Nullabore (again) around the beginning of April and thinking of going via Hyden - Norseman.

Do you have an off road caravan - we'll be towing a 21' Compass with Simplicity suspension - how was the road and how long did it take you?

Appreciate any advise as we've always wanted to take this route but never sure whether it's okay for us. We don't want to take too much more time over the alternative route via Northam/Sth Cross/Coolgardie.

You can see out van on the Home page (different car)http://www.customboatloaders.com.au/

Cheers

Dian

Hi Greg

The Lake King - Norseman road is our quickest too - although have been on the Hyden-Norseman for a change, and when we chickened out on taking the F250 through the Holland Track.

Brinic, The former runs through the Frank Hann NP, and a side trip can be made to Peak Charles, where you can climb and can camp - although we haven't done that yet. It can be a bit pot holed, but easy if you watch where you are going. Because of less traffic, it doesn't get as corrugated as more frequently used roads. We came back home that way from our Tasmanian trip three years ago in an absolute cloudburst. Very slushy and slippery, but still not problem and we made good time.

Motherhen

Hi Dion

We went into the Shire office to enquire about the road through to Lake King, as it was raining heavily, and we had been in rain since east of Balladonia. They told us they could not tell us road conditions - we would have to ring Main Roads, and gave me a card with 1800 number on it.

The previous year (2004), i phoned the Lake Grace Shire for condition of Lake King - Norseman Road, and they advised it was open and passable.

Motherhen

Hi All
Travelled Lake King to Norseman 10 days ago lots of place under water like 1/2 km at 500mm deep and lots of deep wash always has been like this since Jan. Two blokes from Northam hade to be resued by Ses 2 days aftre we went throught
Lake King to Peak Charles 160kms travel time was 4hr in 4x4
Got lots of good photos. Norseman shire phone #0890391205
Hope this helps

Hi Paintar

Do you have your photos on the web?

I don't think the middle section is maintained - or if it is, not very often.

When we went to Tasmania in 2006, they'd had a huge amount of unseasonal rain around Lake Grace in January, and all the for the Spirit of Tasmania, two days before we left I phoned Main Roads to find out if there was any way through without going via Esperance. They said the Fitzgerald River Bridge (on highway to Esperance) is due to be opened 'day after tomorrow'. I didn't even know that had been washed out, but as luck had it, it was opened the afternoon before we got to it.

On the way home in April, we met heavy rain before Balladonia, which kept up past Norseman (it always seems to rain at Norseman). We decided we'd turn off around Grass Patch and find a short cut through the rural roads. However when we got to the Lake King road turn off - still bucketing down with rain - my husband turned towards home.

A little way along it we met two travellers with a motor home and a camper van. They said they'd camped at the 90 mile tank overnight and it had poured all night. They had taken all this time to get this far - it was now well after lunch time. Our nicely washed rig was soon coated in mud, and the rain stopped suddenly when we passed the tank. The rest of the road was relatively dry and we made good time, camping a bit past Newdegate with our very brown Patrol and caravan.

Mh