Sydney (or Melbourne) -> Alice via Queensland

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kujo4pm

New Member
Hello everyone - Newbie here.

I am planning a 5 week trip in July and can leave from either Sydney or Melbourne drive to Alice and end up back in Melbourne. I've got my Prado 90 and will be driving solo. Really need some expert advice from an expert.

The trip back from Alice to Melbourne is pretty clearly - great roads - tonnes of stuff to see - and there are loads of posts here about routes available. BUT I always love the idea of a big near loop. Sydney -> Rockhampton or Townsville -> Alice then home Alice -> Flinders -> Melbourne.

What I'm wondering about is if anyone has done Sydney -> Alice via Queensland - is it worth heading up north to Rockhampton or Townsville then try heading due West and ending up in Alice? Is there much to see? Where are some good stops? How does it compare to Melbourne -> Flinders -> Alice?

BONUS question: Is the route from Alice to Melbourne via Flinders simply so good it's worth forgetting about Sydney and North Queensland and just doing that in each direction?

BONUS BONUS Question: Anyone that has done either of these some MUST SEEs would be appreciated!

Cheers!
 
Albynsw

Albynsw

Well-Known Member
No expert but.... I don’t know where you have been before or how often you can get 5 weeks off but if it were me I would be heading north either coast or outback depending on what you want to see and then over through Isa and on to Alice and work your way back from there.
Spent the majority of your time the furthest from home because you can get to the closer places like Flinders Ranges another time when you have less time off
 
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Lost1?

Well-Known Member
If your Prado is in good shape from Melbourne I would follow Burke and Wills trail to the dig tree 7-10 days. Then go to Birdsville and cross the Simpson. Another 7-8 days I would say. Go up through MtDare and head to West McDonnell ranges. Another 7 days around there. Replenish at Alice springs before going into the MacDonnell ranges. You can do the Oodnadatta track on the way home if you like. Plan about 6 days for the Oodnadatta track. Then a quick dash home to Melbourne is 2 more days. So you have 3 days spare to play with if you decide to pull up a bit earlier for a break along the way. I have done a similar trip before solo. In about the same time.
 
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Colly18

Well-Known Member
Let us know what your interests are! So apart from enjoying driving (?) what do you want to do - bush-walking? photography? bush camping? meet other people? be isolated and get away from people? visit pioneering and heritage sites? enjoy pub meals and atmosphere? discover food and wine?
What is the key goal? I assume reach and explore the best of the Red Centre (Alice region)? If so, then I'd forget 'big loop' options, as you have only 5 weeks to play with. And TBH you will need at least 2 weeks in the Alice region.
I've travelled and seen most of the regions you are likely to cross, so may be able to offer some opinions of value.
 
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kujo4pm

New Member
Colly18 said:
Let us know what your interests are! So apart from enjoying driving (?) what do you want to do - bush-walking? photography? bush camping? meet other people? be isolated and get away from people? visit pioneering and heritage sites? enjoy pub meals and atmosphere? discover food and wine?
What is the key goal? I assume reach and explore the best of the Red Centre (Alice region)? If so, then I'd forget 'big loop' options, as you have only 5 weeks to play with. And TBH you will need at least 2 weeks in the Alice region.
I've travelled and seen most of the regions you are likely to cross, so may be able to offer some opinions of value.
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Thanks Colly18 for the great questions and not ones I've thought about myself much till now.

The real goal is exploring TBH rolling out my swag and getting away from it all. Pretty keen for a few nights in some country pubs and I don't mind good food and the odd drop of wine. Like a bushwalk and photographing great scenery. Am a beginner with minimal recovery skills (and no winch) so am keen to play it relatively safe.

Forgetting about a big loop is a really solid start. 2 weeks in the Alice region is also a strong recommendation - so thanks for that.

How does Western QLD and NSW figure in the scheme of things - is there much there worth seeing or do most people just jet through it and go to SA which seems to be the jewell in the crown?
 
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Colly18

Well-Known Member
The obvious attractions around Alice are Uluru and the Olgas (a couple days probably), Kings Canyon (1/2 to 1 day walk if doing plenty of photography along the way), and the West MacDonnell Ranges ( you can spend several days there if you wish). A couple must do's there for me are the Pound Walk at Ormiston Pound (allow a full day) and duck into Serpentine Gorge and take the short walk up to the lookout. Trephina Gorge in the East MacDonnell Ranges is one of my favourite places in the region, particularly the Ridgetop Walk (which ends up being near enough to an all day hike by the time you walk back along the John Hayes Rockhole access track + its a good place to camp. I could go on, but search national parks in the region and you'll find plenty of great places to visit/explore.
TBH with only 5 weeks to play with I'd be thinking get to S.A. by a quick direct route and then spend a day or two taking in the Barossa or Clare Valley (visit a winery or two and a pub or two + treat yourself to some paid accommodation for a night or two as it isn't really swag territory) and on to a few days in the Central Flinders Ranges (Moralana Scenic Drive, Wilpenna Pound N.P., Blinman-Glass Gorge-Parachilna Gorge out to the main road north to Leigh Creek and Marree) Then a couple more days to travel up the Oodnadatta Track to the Stuart Hwy and on to Alice. Maybe stop off at Rainbow Gorge south of Alice if the timing is right? Travelling solo you should be OK on the Oodnadatta Track as there should be regular traffic on it.
Come back from central Australia via the Stuart Highway and visit Coober Pedy and Woomera along the way (there's some fascinating A-Bomb and defence history at Woomera - visit the VIC and heritage centre and rocket park at Woomera).
So there's a few ideas to investigate!
If you think you have time, then fitting in the Darling River run in outback NSW would be something to do (Bourke, Louth and Tilpa pubs, Wilcannia, Kinchega N.P. at Menindee), but somehow I think you'll be pushed for time.
P.S. be safe if travelling and hiking solo - let others you trust know where you are in case you have a mishap along the way. You'll be out of phone range at times.
 
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Colly18

Well-Known Member
You may live to regret that offer of a beer as we do visit Melbourne occasionally :)
We had the need to visit S.A. a few weeks ago and found some time to do some sightseeing en route. If you are passing through Peterborough don't just pass through. We usually have, but this time took time to stop and explore (well we had to as we had to sit out an extra week in S.A. due to Covid border restrictions). The town is doing a good job catering to tourists with a fair bit to see and do, centered around a very interesting pioneering and rail heritage. The Town Carriage Museum (may sound boring, I know) is well worth a half hour visit + there is plenty more to see if you have the time and interest.
Tip - visit Visitor Information Centres along the way to find out what attractions (and good places to roll out the swag) are on offer. The internet/Google just doesn't do the same job!
 
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Lost1?

Well-Known Member
kujo4pm said:
I'm in Melbourne so will hopefully be fine. Plenty to work with there Colly. Really appreciate the guidance. Will shout you a beer next time you're here!
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Get yourself jabbed for COVID if you qualify. If NSW really kicks off I can see interstate travel being allowed for those who are vaccinated. They need to keep tourism going somehow. To many jobs to lose and that will hurt the economy on the way out of COVID.

Especially if Wollongong to Central Coast are in extended lockdown. Hope you get away. I planned to be on the cape during Melbourne lock down last year. It was really crap being locked up when a big trip was in the offing.
 
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kujo4pm

New Member
Colly18 said:
Looks like the trip is off for now thanks to Covid?
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Good question. I think I'll make a break for it to South Australia - which seems to be keeping a lid on things and there'll be enough to see for a few weeks. I think I need to get out of the city. This has happened a few times - whenever I've got a holiday booked. I sometimes feel like I'm in the Truman show where if I go more than 25 km from my house I'll end up at a big wall and Ed Harris will make it start pissing down hahah
 
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Colly18

Well-Known Member
kujo4pm said:
Good question. I think I'll make a break for it to South Australia - which seems to be keeping a lid on things and there'll be enough to see for a few weeks. I think I need to get out of the city. This has happened a few times - whenever I've got a holiday booked. I sometimes feel like I'm in the Truman show where if I go more than 25 km from my house I'll end up at a big wall and Ed Harris will make it start pissing down hahah
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There's plenty to see and do in S.A. - coastal scenery bottom of Yorke Peninsula and Eyre Peninsula is great for bushwalking and photography (Innes N.P., Coffin Bay N.P., west coast of Eyre Peninsula). Take a rod if you are into or want to try fishing. It is Head of Bight whale watching season on the Nullarbor, if that interests you and if you get that far over?
 
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