[grispie]

ok,
if you would have to choose between a road travel from darwin to perth (thus westcoast) or from darwin to melbourne, which one would you choose?
probably a hard choice or maybe not. I don't know. they both attract me, but this is all webbased knowledge...

[tim60]

Three choices.


Darwin-Perth along the coast (largely). Most will be arid. Lots of people love it. Some interesting towns along the way.


Darwin-Melbourne via Alice Springs. Can stop off at several major attractions: Kakadu, Uluru, and other places near Alice Springs, Coober Pedy, Woomera, and my home town. Mostly desert.


Darwin-Melbourne via Queensland. See only 747 in a museum at Longreach, a short body one that had to be gutted to land on the short airstrip, and then was refitted with the stuff taken out. Much more farming land on the way. Can see the Blue Mountains and Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra etc on the way.


Each way you will discover Australia is big.

[gmans]

Darwin to Perth, the kimberley region is well worth a few weeks or longer, very beautiful and many places to see especially if you have a boat. Just watch out for the snapping handbags.

Then there is heaps more further down Broom, Dampier, Exmouth, Kalbari, Carnarvon and Geraldton. There is many natural places in between the towns gorges, mountains, deserts and hundreds of isolated beaches. You could spend a few months touring the place in winter/dry season.

See if you can get a hold of a touring Atlas or a Lonely Planet Guide (Pacific & Australia Travel guides - Lonely Planet Shop) might make the decision easier.

[rawr]

Darwin to Perth, Darwin to Melbourne are going to be long, challenging drives.
Heat, distance, bad roads, changeable weather conditions will put a strain on you, and your car. Plan very carefully.

[Tas]

There's no bad trip when you get to see so much, though it being the wet season the Kimberley route could give you significant problems due to flooding. Indeed, you could get flooding on the other routes mentioned by Tim as well but planning and online resources can help you sort out a plan. Particularly time of year. Wet season could be road closures/cyclones, dry season means the grey nomads/tourists will be everywhere.

Having travelled the Stuart Hwy to Adelaide & Melbourne a couple of times, and the Darwin via QLD trip lots of times, my preference would be Perth via the Kimberley's. A special part of the country with some unique scenery to capture. I would aim for the autumn months to try a miss any wet season issues, still get some greenery in the landscape whilst avoiding the crowded dry season months.

Oh, and if you'r really adventurous and a good planner there's a number of desert roads to explore that are popular with geo caching groups and those interested in history. Now that would be a trip.

Anyhoo, that's my 2c worth.

Tas

[grispie]

Darwin to Perth, Darwin to Melbourne are going to be long, challenging drives.
Heat, distance, bad roads, changeable weather conditions will put a strain on you, and your car. Plan very carefully.

i was expecting some overnight answers :-)

i'd be travelling in july/aug (offical holidays at work...) and i'd go with one of those international groups. So the drives would be taken care of...
the darwin perth westcoast travel takes three weeks with a 4wd minivan & camping out.
the darwin Melbourne travel is done in just two weeks & i'm afraid that might be too fast paced from attraction to attraction?
Westcoast is far more expensive though :-)
and then there are the flights... oh well..

I have the impression that the westcoast gets your favor.
kimberly park is indeed included. just checked some photos on the net. it reminds me a bit of west USA.

I could also opt for a combi of e.g. 10days trip around kimberly park and another 10 days starting from alice springs.
But that could prove too expensive. it's not because a package is ten days vs 21 on the westcoast, that it is half the price. and i'd have to add inland flights..

Anyhow. I'll do some more math tonight :-)
If anyone has postive experiences with some kind of organisation alternative to mine. don't hesitate..
thks sofar

[p38arover]

See only 747 in a museum at Longreach, a short body one that had to be gutted to land on the short airstrip, and then was refitted with the stuff taken out. .

Qantas are currently simulator training to land a 747 at Albion Park Rail next month (15th March). They have donated the aircraft that holds the record for the longest non-stop flight, 18,000km from London to Sydney, to HARS (where the Super Constellation flies from). The regional airport there is only 1800 metres long.

VH-OJA finds a retirement home | Australian Aviation

[Just1MoreDave]

Qantas are currently simulator training to land a 747 at Albion Park Rail next month (15th March). They have donated the aircraft that holds the record for the longest non-stop flight, 18,000km from London to Sydney, to HARS (where the Super Constellation flies from). The regional airport there is only 1800 metres long.

VH-OJA finds a retirement home | Australian Aviation

That should be fun. People in Connecticut still talk about Pratt & Whitney's 50th anniversary celebration in 1975. They wanted to display aircraft powered by Pratt & Whitney engines, and got a 747 in and out of the company airfield. It was just a few meters shorter, but a smaller plane too.

[tim60]

Qantas are currently simulator training to land a 747 at Albion Park Rail next month (15th March). They have donated the aircraft that holds the record for the longest non-stop flight, 18,000km from London to Sydney, to HARS (where the Super Constellation flies from). The regional airport there is only 1800 metres long.

VH-OJA finds a retirement home | Australian Aviation

I remember that. They had to have 24 passengers for the record to count. They shipped the baggage separately to increase range - which was allowed. It was one of the first flights for that machine. Surprised it has used up its flights rating so fast given they only schedule them for long hops. The one at Longreach was used for the Bali 2002 evacuation.