Driving from Sydney-Cairns-Alice Springs and back to Sydney. Please Help.?

Question

I am planning to take around a months vacation in Australia and wish to drive from Sydney to Cairns, enter NT, drive down to Alice Springs, touch Coober Pedy and back to Sydney. Can someone please help me with the following questions.

1) Is it possible to do this drive in 20 days ? There will be two drivers and we are open to drive in sifts for long hours.

2) Can someone suggest a good route for this drive considering the time limits i mentioned above. We want to see the great outback, meet the people from small old towns, drink beer and yes, want to do fishing along the way. There...please tell us a good route. Please not that we just dont want to stick to the main highways or roads. We really want to see the dusty roads of outback. I understand we need to hire a four wheel drive for this.

3) Finally, how much do you think we ll have to spend on the fuel. Considering we hire a manual four wheel drive.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hi.  Well I'm driving from Brisbane to Cairns and it takes 5 days - leisurely of course with some stops.  I have to fly everywhere to make sure I have enough time.  I would think 20 days would not be enough to really get the feel of the country.  It is a HUGE country with each place being so far from the next.  Also, you have to factor in the time of year.  I believe the wet season up north tends to flood roads and make them impassible - which will cut drastically into your 20 days.  Maybe rethink how long you are going.  My brother bought a car down there and drove around for 6 months and still didn't see everything!!

Answer 2

Sydney to Brisbane is 1000km. Brisbane to Cairns is 1750km. Cairns to Alice is another 2500km. Alice to Adelaide is 2000km and Adelaide to Sydney is 1450km. That's a trip of  8700km, say 9000km with detours. Petrol will cost you about $1.50 a litre, sometimes more. In a car using 10 litres per 100km that's 900 litres of petrol or $1350 for fuel alone. With prices as they are, I would allow $1500 for petrol. If you get a 4WD you will use more than 10litres per 100km and it will cost you more.

You could drive 9000km in nine days but you wouldn't see anything on the way. At 500km a day you will be driving for 5 hours a day for 18 days which should allow you to see a fair bit. Unless you have experience driving on Australia's outback dirt roads, don't. Stick to the highways.

Answer 3

Stick to highways where you can . You will come to plenty of out back towns and pubs of interest. 20 days is enough if you don't spend much time fishing or boozing. It's not wise to go on Alternative dirt track routes unless you are in convoy with others. Always carry plenty of water and fuel checking at each fuel stop to the distance of the next. Once you are in Cairns you can take the road to Normanton and Karumba downs. plenty of fishing there but be extremely careful and take advice there are some very big hungry crocs that lurk in the water . you can call at The Burke and Wills Roadhouse. then you go over to Three ways and turn down to Alice.call into Devils Marbles worth a wander for a couple of hours. Once you leave Cairns you will have any amount of outBack towns . Your fuel will cost plenty . you can add 20 or 30 cents per litre extra to what we pay in the cities. And to travel in a 4 wd will be a lot more costly than a small car. If you travel on dirt roads the dust gets into everything and water is scarce out there so you will be feeling very gritty. and hot. The weather should be improving a lot now as the wet season is almost over. Carry a torch and pillow each and a small medical kit . Make sure the car is in good condition Take Care. and ask along the way .