Member Since: 01 Oct 2006
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 46
Trip to Alice Springs
Hi everyone!
Please give some advice on what to do/visit and what must be avoid in Alice Spring (AS) and Uluru, I'm planning a trip in mid/late June.
We are driving from Melbourne and planning to make 2 nights stays in 1 or 2 cities along the way.
Here is a quick list of questions, but please feel free to add more information~
1. Accommodation - we prefer self contained with a small kitchen enable us to cook simple meals. Hygiene is the top priority and hopefully not too expensive too!
2. Attractions - need to know how far apart are the attractions to adjust the length of stay
3. Petrol Stations - places where the major stations are (don't want to get ripped by some private station that charge $2+ per liter...).
4. General costs - buying food and dining in restaurants...
thank you!
Andy
13th Apr 2008 2:16 am
norto
Member Since: 10 Apr 2006
Location: batemans bay
Posts: 1605
Fuel is no problem , there a servo every 2 to 300ks
There wasnt much in the way of self contained accomodation
between Pt Augusta and Alice when i was there 10 years ago.
Ask around in Alice, there is a big servo that sells diesel quite a bit cheaper
to the truckies and you can fill up there (at least i did)Pete
13th Apr 2008 3:14 am
Andy V6SE
Member Since: 01 Oct 2006
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 46
Hi Norto,
Thanks for the reply! We prefer self contained in AS and Uluru, not too worried about from Port Augasta to AS.
My D3 is a V6 petrol... any regular petrol or E10 would be nice~
Does anyone know if Coober Pedy is worth a stop?
Last edited by Andy V6SE on 13th Apr 2008 8:00 am. Edited 1 time in total
13th Apr 2008 3:41 am
norto
Member Since: 10 Apr 2006
Location: batemans bay
Posts: 1605
Worth a look......
Do the opal tour, its quite intersetingPete
In Coober pedy try the "experience motel", not as expensive as some others, not cheap but good undeground rooms and next door to one of the old mines with good tours and musem content. , Greek restaurant at the top of the hill in town has generous meals at good prices, and a good variety of beers.
Stuart caravan park is a good spot in Alice, they have ok cabins a few of our friends have been ok there. Travel to Uluru via the Mereenie loop road, visit Glen Helen station, many gorges and sight on this road so plan all day to travel to kings creek sation and perhaps overnight canvas cabins are ok , visit kings canyon early the next morning as there is a climb to the top best done early, Travel on to Uluru visit cultural centre at the rock, do a lap, watch sunset, up early next morning for sunrise, cabin at the caravan park are faded glory but ok, else they have good lawns for camping. BBQ at pub everynigh with cook your own bistro
Travel back to erldunda then go north back to Alice or south as requred. Around Alice Springs itself you could spend at least 2 days just in town, visit the reptile centre for a show, 11am and 3pm, very intersting and you get to handle a few of the lizards etc. Lots of other sights.
For an adventure you could travel some dirt down to finke, and back across to Kulgera, on the Kulgera road there is a turn off to visit the geographical centre of Australia, Make sure you have plenty of fuel and water plus a UHF radio. there are uhf repeaters operational in most of this area, use scan to hear station chat, bit of blue language to be expected. Remember the duplex button when using repeaters.
2 spares is important or a repair kit and a compressor.
You need long range fuel tanks to get best value, better off to just keep it pretty full and take a Jerry can. Coober Pedy to Alice is 700km so you can economy run it with the petrol. Erldunda is about 500km and price no worse than elsewhere, Uluru is straight out expensive but you can get a return from erldunda, check the price at knigs creek station and at mount ebenezer road house as you pass. It's not going to be cheap anywhere in the region. I'd expect 10-20c per lite more than metro prices in Alice. For fuel you will only get OPAL unleaded in Alice Springs.
Sample of Hema Map of the area, these maps available in Melbourne or Alice
TDV6
13th Apr 2008 4:20 am
norto
Member Since: 10 Apr 2006
Location: batemans bay
Posts: 1605
The problem is I can write a small book after being there for 3 years, There is just too much to see and do.
My avatar is at a small campsite called 2 Mile creek just past Glen Helen. Another great spot.
IanvTDV6
13th Apr 2008 5:10 am
Andy V6SE
Member Since: 01 Oct 2006
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 46
Hi ianv,
thank you so much for the advice! The adventurous routes sound very attractive.
13th Apr 2008 8:17 am
norto
Member Since: 10 Apr 2006
Location: batemans bay
Posts: 1605
Spent a night camping on the northern
side of the West Mcdonnell Ranges,
but cant remember exactly where it was,
not too far from your avatar Pete
13th Apr 2008 8:55 am
catweasel
Member Since: 05 May 2006
Location: Bundaleer
Posts: 4805
visit the painted desert (breakaways) when at Coober Peedy and Ayers Rock is poorly managed and very expensive IMO which ruins it a bit. go for a swim in Ellery creek Big Hole, excellent on a scorcher.
13th Apr 2008 1:24 pm
mobyone
Member Since: 23 Dec 2005
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 394
Am hopefull to do something similar myself over the school holidays this year June 27th onwards (with SWMBO & kids).. The information provided by Ian is
Andy, you travelling solo or taking the family ?What's the point.... it all comes out in the wash anyway!
85 Range Rover
01 Disco Series II
05 D3 V6SE, Bonatti Grey, 19"alloys
13th Apr 2008 10:12 pm
Getafix
Member Since: 13 Sep 2007
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 229
I am hoping to do this trip this year. Any comment on the risk associated with this trip from unsavoury people. I have a very young family, and do not wish to be hassled on a holiday.
I am hoping to do Adelaide to Alice to Darwin, and then maybe across to Queensland and back down the coast.
My concern is in the Adelaide to Darwin stretch.
Thoughts?<*(((<<
13th Apr 2008 10:41 pm
norto
Member Since: 10 Apr 2006
Location: batemans bay
Posts: 1605
Coober Pedy is a bit daunting at first as are some parts of
Alice, but i think its all safe enough, especially during daylight
IanV will be able to tell you the "no go" areasPete
As CW said painted desert side trip and breakaways at Coober Pedy are good.
In terms of risk level I have heard of rock throwing at vehicles at nigtht in coober pedy, local police are pretty good and I noticed they seemed to react to uhf comms to go and have a look so I guess they monitor uhf locally as well as watch out for phone calls.
Main streets after dark in CP are safe near the restauants but would not go walking around the back streets. Same in Alice, Thursday nights are not good in the Mall area but the CBD is fairly good if you are going to restaurants. Park right in town cntre area or street park near restaurants. Safe but do not leave anything visible on seats/consoles/dash or unsecured on roof racks that could indicate petrol/alcohol/cash. I use roof rack fittings for gas cylinders, jerry cans, spare wheels and radio aerials that have padlock eyes. I have a matched set of 5 padlocks to make life easy. Again mostly you may only get hassle for coins.
My sister has the funniest solution for this, She often goes out with a vegemite sandwich in her hand bag. Someone hassles her, "money for food lady" she gives em the sandwich!
Tennant creek is a place to be vary careful at night, again you don't get to easily meet the good side of the indigenous community easily as quite frankly I got the impression of how embarrased they are of the bad.
Mataranka Springs and Katherine are both good places to visit, you could have a good lunch break at the Mataranka station and look around, even stay there then go early the 110km to Katherine and visit the gorge area.
As CW Said Painted Desert is worth the trip. Here is a Sample.
TDV6
14th Apr 2008 7:32 am
Getafix
Member Since: 13 Sep 2007
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 229
ianv - awsome information
Great summary, can deal with that, look out central Aus, here we come. <*(((<<
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