Driving from Perth to Sydney

[king_panther]

Curious to hear from anyone on here who's driven across SA? Am looking at driving from Perth to Sydney but I've only been as far west as Mildura. I've never driven in South Australia or across the Great Australian Bight.

Things to look out for, places to stay or refuel. Warnings about wildlife etc...

I've never done it before but am entertaining the prospect but yea it's a long trip.

Keen to hear from anyone!

 

[bogan bob]

Ive done a fair bit of driving across country SA, Vic, NSW and WA but never the same trip . Whats the purpose of your trip - a holiday, bring a car back from Perth or work....?

When the guys came over from Perth to buy my V35, they were able to run it on BP ultimate the whole way home, thats how frequent BP servos are. Theres plenty to do and see along the way, the giant Galah at Kimba, take a couple of hrs detour up to the southern flinders ranges and lake torrens (was up there a few weeks ago and its pretty spectacular at the moment), the giant farmer at Wudinna, the limestone cliffs and blowholes at Streaky bay. It would depend on what you're interested in, i can offer recommendations on accommodation for most of the areas above, where the best pub meals etc are

Only really the roos that you have to look out for wildlife wise, the route you take back to sydney from SA will decide how much danger they present. West of Dubbo is supposed to be pretty bad as the populations have just exploded with all the food around for them at the moment but just drive with your eyes open whereever you go and you should be right

would be an epic trip and you would see heaps if you could take a few weeks to do it

 

[king_panther]

Yea it would be to bring a car back. It works out cheaper to bring it back myself & make a trip of it rather than rely on a transport company to shift it for me.

There's not really a lot of spare time for sightseeing. It's basically get it back home as soon as possible. My route through SA would take me through Port Augusta & Renmark & head back to Sydney via Mildura & through Hay (I've done this part before so know what to expect there).

Just seeing people's opinions as from Kalgoorlie to Port Augusta it looks like a whole lot of nothing. I remember someone on here drove a car back to WA but it was a while ago now.

 

[bogan bob]

I would say Kalgoorlie to Ceduna would be a whole lot of nothing, although could be some nice views at the top of the bight (I havent been there though)

The 'gutta through to renmark would be pretty standard, slower going though as it gets a bit hilly through there. To be honest 4000kms essentially flat out would be pretty dam boring unless you stop to smell the flowers!

If you get a more solid itinerary together and are looking at which towns to stay and where to stay in them, let me know

 

[Lasiorhinus]

Its actually a LOT cheaper to put a car on the Indian Pacific going from Perth than it is the other way. I was quoted $250 to ship from Perth to Adelaide.

 

[king_panther]

Its actually a LOT cheaper to put a car on the Indian Pacific going from Perth than it is the other way. I was quoted $250 to ship from Perth to Adelaide.

Whoa didn't know of this possibility? Can you elaborate more please?

 

[Lasiorhinus]

Call Great Southern Rail, 13 21 47, 8:30 to 5:30 monday to fridays, Adelaide time, and ask them about unaccompanied Motorail. You need someone to drop the car at the East Perth terminal between specified times, and someone nominated by name on the paperwork to pick it up from the other end.

 

[bogan bob]

Yea i would've thought freight could be a real option when you add up flight, accommodation, petrol, taxi/transport at Perth end = minimum $1600 by my calcs, not to mention the value of your time. However, to say you have driven from Perth to Sydney could be a big feather in your cap!

The most expensive direction is going to WA, as Stephen said, its much cheaper going out. I did some investigationing last year when i was looking at buying a large shelter to use at work, for some reason the freight company quoted for transport both directions (basically 1 semi trailer full), it was 4k going from SA to WA, 10k going the other way!

 

[king_panther]

Cheers dude will definitely give them a shot if the car looks promising. The seller however is proving to be a dick....

 

[king_panther]

However, to say you have driven from Perth to Sydney could be a big feather in your cap!

Definitely this ^ To be able to tell people I've driven from one side of Oz to the opposite would be a nice little achievement.

 

[Lasiorhinus]

Ive driven the Big Lap - but not all in one hit. First from Melbourne to Broome via Alice Springs, then Broome to Cairns, to Melbourne, to Perth via the Nullarbor, then up the west coast to Darwin. There are some photos on this forum somewhere of my Perth to Darwin leg, as that was in the Legnum.