Driving through the Northern Territory

Guess_Who

Hi,

I'd a tour booked from Darwin to Alice Springs for 11 days but it's been cancelled. We are now thinking of renting a car and driving it instead, main things we've thought of visiting are Kakadu National Park, Devils Marbles and Ayers Rock.

Can anyone suggest anything else? Also if anyone can suggest things to see and do in Darwin and Alice Springs as we will be spending a couple of days in each, before and after the drive. We've already booked the flights so going to be spending 12 days in total in NT.

And if there's anything I should know before driving through the desert apart from the obvious bring lots of water and make sure you're not gonna run out of petrol before the next station I'd appreciate it.

Thanks a mill

Dave!

1. Don't do it unless you're taking someone with you who is considered an expert. It's extremely dangerous.

2. Watch a load of Ray Mears DVD's. I think this one has an episode about the Outback.

3. Bring lots and lots and lots and lots of water.

4. If something happens, never leave your car. You won't make it back to safety if you start walking.

Guess_Who

DaveMcG wrote:

1. Don't do it unless you're taking someone with you who is considered an expert. It's extremely dangerous.QUOTE]

Would you mind telling me what this is based on?
Have you been? Or do you know someone who has been?

While I am sure it is not a walk in the park and there are many safety issues I will need to know about, the fact that the australian tourist boards website features it as a route that can be done without need for an accompanying expert would suggest to me that it isn't exactly akin to bungee jumping without a rope.

Thanks

Edited to add that I do not plan to go miles off the beaten track which according to the NT travel site means I can expect to be able to travel safely in an ordinary family car with standard provisions.

Dave!

Guess_Who wrote:

DaveMcG wrote:

1. Don't do it unless you're taking someone with you who is considered an expert. It's extremely dangerous.

Would you mind telling me what this is based on?
Have you been? Or do you know someone who has been?

While I am sure it is not a walk in the park and there are many safety issues I will need to know about, the fact that the australian tourist boards website features it as a route that can be done without need for an accompanying expert would suggest to me that it isn't exactly akin to bungee jumping without a rope.

Thanks

Edited to add that I do not plan to go miles off the beaten track which according to the NT travel site means I can expect to be able to travel safely in an ordinary family car with standard provisions.

No I haven't been, so I'm just basing this on what I've read and been told.

Perhaps I've misunderstood you -- if you're going to be taking a motorway through Arnhemland, then I'm sure you'd be fine whatever happens. But if you're going off the beaten track then it gets dodgey.

empirix

DaveMcG wrote:

1. Don't do it unless you're taking someone with you who is considered an expert. It's extremely dangerous.

2. Watch a load of Ray Mears DVD's. I think this one has an episode about the Outback.

3. Bring lots and lots and lots and lots of water.

4. If something happens, never leave your car. You won't make it back to safety if you start walking.

What kind of scare mongering cock are ou doing here, hundereds if not thousands of bpackers do this particular journey every month, including myself

What to do,
Inform the local cop shop of your intended journey and how long its going to take - make sure you do it within the timeframe
Get a decent motor ***important***
Bring lots of supplies, food,water(lots),basic medical ****, mozzie repellent, Petrol
Top up the tanks(water/petrol) at any given opportunity
Talk to locals in the towns you stop in/petrol stations -its all about the knowledge!
DONT GO OFF THE BEATEN TRACK "FOR A BIT OF ADVENTURE LOIKE" - what i believe the op was on about - extremely dangerous thing to do, unbelievably easy to get lost

Look after the motor and if unfortunate enough to break down -DO NOT LEAVE the car, you will be "roiht mate" if you stick to the main roads as its a popular route(hence the plenty of supplies and water)
Buy a big tent, also see if you can get your hands on some big tent like material so you can tie it to the car and make a bit of a bibby - temperatures are extreme, especially this time of year.
At any water holes(and i mean any) -watch out for crocs, a lot of em have no signs up (showers and sinks are ok bar the ones in some hostels, keep your eyes peeled for serial killers in these establishments)
Shake your boots in the morning(spiders), don't leave you sleeping bag/swag open if sleeping under the stars, fine warm place for snakes, avoid the centipedes too

A two way radio would be nice if you could afford it

Not trying to scare you either - but just handy to know the above

One last thing - Have a ball:D

Saintly

I am living and working in the Northern Territory right now and never knew it was such a dangerous place!!!!! Pay no heed to dire warnings, you will survive and you will absolutely love it. So many people come over here and miss out on the NT (with the exception of Ayers Rock/Uluru) and it is such a shame. It's my favourite part of Australia by far. I drove from Darwin to Melbourne and flew back up here. You are much better off renting a car (I can dig out our rental company details for you, we got a good deal) and doing it yourself. The NT is completely accessible so here are a few tips!

Basically if you want to see Kakadu, Devils Marbles and on down to Uluru, you will need the 12 days. This takes you straight down the Stuart Highway so you won't even need a 4 wheel drive! You will pass plenty of cars, you'll hit a roadhouse or town every few hours (biggest stretch of driving between towns is about 6 to 8 hrs), just keep your petrol topped up at every station. You don't need a two way radio on the Stuart Highway! It really is only if you go bush that you need to start worrying about radio equipment and only then, if you are heading into deep bush without telling anyone - which would be a strange move for a local, let alone a tourist to make! Have an eski in the back of the car to keep the water cool and drink regularly, you do dehydrate quickly out here, which makes you feel tired so just sip even if you're not thirsty. Driving can be tough - there were three of us and we changed every two hours, it is just tough staring at a straight road. Highway is in great condition and they are bringing in a 130km speed limit from January so you will still make good time. Get decent hats. Have comfortable footwear. Don't drive once dusk hits, you WILL hit a kangaroo or dingo or camel. No joke, day one in the car and we knocked a dingo. No more dusk driving for us. Everyone out here will warn you about it, a friend wrote off her car in Tennant Creek last month, thanks to a roo. Bring a quiz book, crossword puzzle, anything to occupy you in the car.

Darwin is lovely - watch the sunset, explore the town (feels more like a town than a city), go to Mindil markets and Jumping Croc Tour. Kakadu is absolutely spectacular - I recommend Kakadu Dreams for a tour- they go right into the park during wet season and they really give you your money's worth. Drag you out of the tents early mind you, but it means you get to spend time in the best spots before the other backpacker buses arrive. We saw things for ourselves pretty much everywhere else but I highly recommend doing a tour in Kakadu, you just get so much more out of it. So so glad we didn't drive (as originally planned) ourselves in Kakadu. Give yourself 2, preferably 3 nights in Kakadu.

Okay, so Katherine is a small town with some nice watering holes you can swim in - with regard to croc signs, everywhere is signed over here. You can check with a local, but if there is a sign, don't swim. The lonely planet or any guide book will highlight the safe ones. If you are into fishing, Katherine is popular.

Devil's marbles are pretty, go there at sunset - Alice Springs, where I am based is great fun - it is the first big town after Darwin. You can go see the Flying Doctors, take a drive to some watering holes, the West McDonnell ranges,School of the Air, Reptile Centre and just get the feel for an outback town. Nice places to stay, nice restaurants, nice people. Uluru is great, if you go that far, you'll have to see Kings Canyon which is spectacular. If you are here over summer and want to walk the canyon, get up early - we had a long run of 42 degrees here earlier in the month and realistically you can't do much once it hits 36 degrees.

Minor safety points - don't stop for anyone on the road - pull in at next service station, if you think someone is stuck back there. You don't need to tell the cops where you are if you stay on the highway. Re snakes and spiders - they tend to keep to themselves. Wear closed shoes, have a basic knowledge of first aid and don't going tromping through bush or scrub. Mobile phones won't work outside the main towns. Just throw your eye over the path when you walk, especially at night, if you going swimming, throw an eye in the pool first.

PM with any further questions - you are guaranteed to love the trip, the people in the NT are terrific, the landscape is harsh and beautiful and the weather is great! By the way, don't buy Aboriginal art from any of the galleries which tend to be overpriced. In Alice and Darwin, you can buy directly from the artists - either at Mindil markets or on the Todd Mall in Alice.
Happy travels!
Saintly

dSTAR

Saintly pretty much gave you a primer for traveling in the NT but one last point - if your car breaks down make sure you stay at your car don't go wandering around looking for help.

empirix

yeah all good advice, although i'd be a bit weary of watering holes advice, i was at a few smallish ones in remote regions and they weren't marked, the crocs were present, but check the lonely planet
And ifyou do see a snake, don't do a running jump over it a couple of times, i was unfortunate enough to meet an english couple who thought it would be great fun to film each other jumping over a snake they encountered, they actually showed the footage to a guide at a reptile park and they said his eyes bulged and said "mate thats a brown snake" - fast and deadly snake, i wonder about the english sometimes

Not as bad as the american dude i came across hanging over a boat banging the water with his hand to attract the crocs and laughing his head off - some people shouldn't drink!!

daiixi

Saintly seems to have a good grasp of safe travelling in the NT. Use common sense and you'll be fine - just make sure you do have enough petrol and water and don't wander off into the desert!

The drive is excellent. We drove from Port Augusta in SA up to Darwin. Kings Canyon is gorgeous and so is Litchfield Park and Katherine Gorge. Also if you want to stop at some hotsprings, check out Mataranka. Also Coober Peady is interesting if you want to see how they live underground and hunt for some opals.

jmayo

Saintly,
I am planning to be in Alice mid February with the idea of doing the Mereenie loop road, 4x4 of course, down to Kings Canyon and onto Uluru.
Do you have any advice on this road and what to see in West MacDonnel range ?
Thanks.
J