Driving across the Nulabour

[IH8HSV]

Hi all...

The family and i has decided to plan our first driving trip from Perth to Melbourne in the XR6T.

Just curious in hearing from people who have done it and things they did to there cars to prepare for the trip ( it will be in january so i presume it will be quite hot ). Also Ive worked out for it to be around 7000km round trip so if anyone can work out a fuel calculation that would be good too. Car averages 10.8 lt per 100km on the highway.

If you have any other tips or things that are good to see whilst travelling on the nalabour it would be appreciative.

[Fez WQ]

Well mate I have done it about 30+ times ...that is drive to SA and then sometimes to VIC

Going from perth you will want to fill up at Norsman and then eucla _cheapest fuel about 770 kms from memory I have done it in a Falson XE Falcon EL and AU and a mondeo and last year in Honda Oddyessy
I have never broken down alway stay at Eucla or ceduna or baladonia or cocalbiddy
Email me if ya want any more info

Get ya car serived before and pump ya tyres up to about 37 psi and ya wont have a problem
LAst summer it was 49 degress out there rather hot but ya car copes

have fun

[aussiblue]

Fitting an insect screen in front of the radiator is a good idea there are occasional locust plagues on the Nullarbor and between Kalgoolie and Perth . At least carry one you can fit if the need arises. Take a spare belts and hoses and a puncture repair (plug) kit.

[pitpal]

carbra would be good too

[mcnews]

Done it a few times on bikes, never in a car. My advice, dodge the roos and emus :-)

[ILLaViTaR]

Originally Posted by mcnews

Done it a few times on bikes, never in a car. My advice, dodge the roos and emus :-)

XR6T with a Bull bar ftw.

[mr smith]

Originally Posted by pitpal

carbra would be good too

NO, wear the stone chips as a badge of honour. Maybe I'm in the minority but I love well used cars. I remember a car show a few years ago, plenty of the usual well dressed cars around, this XW HO rolls in absolutely covered in stone chips, worn paint, busted spotty and the crowd just stopped, cooler than an esky.

[xr8-200]

I drove from Perth to Adelaide to see clipsal less than a week after I got my licence.

Its a good idea to carry a jerry can. Also take plenty of water just in case because a lot of places don't have any.

[mik]

as far as long trips and holidays on the road go, one bit of advice that you can take or leave is....... 1. try not to take unnecessary stuff, continually unloading and loading the car to find stuff is a drag (learn`t that one the hard way).
2. try and fill up during day time, when i went across i found myself out of fuel at a shut servo .....had to sleep in the 4wd till it opened the next day :(.
There are some wonderfull viewing area`s along the nullabor looking out to sea, around Eucla area from memory, i think some of the rest area`s along the highway have rain water tanks (but i would take my own just in case), ... i reckon the 10 litre water containers from the supermarkets are the go if your camping they have inbuilt taps and store easily ,or even just for emergency water, one other thing a trip like that i wont go without is a bottle of wynns radiator stop leak(just in case),
3. travel during the day its safer imo, take your time and enjoy.

[Hunter]

Originally Posted by mik

as far as long trips and holidays on the road go, one bit of advice that you can take or leave is....... 1. try not to take unnecessary stuff, continually unloading and loading the car to find stuff is a drag (learn`t that one the hard way).

Its also bad for fuel economy - less weight = greater mileage.

Take heaps of water and spares. Insect screen is a good idea - my cousin's family used to drive around north western qld a lot and they quite frequently had to stop and pull bugs out of the radiator grille. The battery in their EB also cooked when airflow stopped due to all the bugs.

[mcnews]

When I did it I always just took myself and a backpack on the bike. No need for getting all over the top about reading survival crap. For god sake there is plenty of traffic, does not have man eating animals should you break down, is not really that hot and in many ways less dangerous than going to work. Good tar all the way. Maximum of 185km without fuel. I mean like take spares if you are driving an Austin A40 but any modern car will do it no fuss.

[Hunter]

Originally Posted by mcnews

For god sake there is plenty of traffic, does not have man eating animals should you break down

No just psychopaths wanting to kill you

I mean like take spares if you are driving an Austin A40 but any modern car will do it no fuss.

Dude its a falcon... not taking spares? : : Always take spare belts - especially if yours is old and its condition unknown.

[rodderz]

Watch the wedge tails feasting on the dead roo's too, they don't bother moving for anyone

[stewyg]

basically i'll just repeat what everyone else has told you but only cause it's important! Take spare fluids for both cars and humans, various radiator & tyre repair kits, first aid kit. oh and a windscreen squegy to these get bugs off way better then your favorite t-shirt...

[fordOwner]

Find this guys DVD and watch it! Jack absalom's Road To Survival Unfortunatly this is all I could find of Jack's guide but..
I'll always remember he recommends taking more than one jerry can - you bust one and your out of fuel. Same with water. (I now take 2 big Neverfail type water containers)
Always take a spare Coil. most things can be bodged together by fencing wire etc but if your coil is gone its gone. (should not happen in a newish Falcon tho)

[fordOwner]

^ OK, dont read any ROAD survival tips and dont take any spares if your in a new car.
pfft, leave the first aid kit and fire extinguisher at home too!

[superpursuit83]

Just go and do it mate. A jerry of good fuel is worth it if your running 98.
And don't fall asleep. Also if you have a radar detector, put it away before you cross the border.

[mcnews]

See if you can beat my 22 minutes from Nullarbor Roadhouse to Yalata :-)

[GreenMachine]

Watch out for this bloke...

[TZENU]

Originally Posted by GreenMachine

Watch out for this bloke...

If you have something like roadside assist with the RACV or NRMA for example, and you break down cant you give em a bell? (granted it may take considerable time to get them out there)

Disadvantage is if your useless with a spanner you have no other alternative but to sit tight for how ever long it takes for them to get too you....

"Yes sir, no problem we are dispatching a van now and it should arrive in approximately 48 hours time"

[TheSneakiness]

^^^^

:

[fordOwner]

^ If you watch Jack Absaloms Road To Survival you wont need the RAC.

[perthxr6t]

As John said take at least 2 jerry cans for 98 fuel if you have the edit as you'll need it. Take time out to have a look at the cliffs along the way as they are beautiful.

Take your time as your not after the land speed record and you'll be right and just double check your car and enjoy the trip mate.

[bd737]

I want to do this Nullarbor trip myself very shortly, although the shorter sunlight hours in Winter now make it a bit scary with all the walking kangaroo steaks coming out to feed @ dawn/dusk.

Out of interest, do you spot many coppers on the road? I've also read they perform airborne speed checks from a light aircraft!

[envyyvne]

ok so my ef should have broken done a thousand times then? please as long as you get it serviced first and take some fuilds you should be right.
She did at least 1000km a day from wagga to perth, average speed was about 120 and with the car full of stuff (noone else wouldve fitted in the car..) she still got 600km to a tank.
The biggest problem you will have is boredom but at least you got the family to keep you sane ;)
spares are a good idea but if you worried about a hose breaking or a belt snapping why havnt you replaced it already?

[HOEBAG]

one of those army knives are great. tooth pick has saved me a million times.
few paper clips
string
elastic band
womens stockings
usual travelling kit haha

on a side note did anyone see that show on SBS called bush mechanics?
bloody brilliant!

[MoreHPformyXR6]

Originally Posted by jim_reaper

womens stockings
!

That's for the party trick when your camped around a bondfire drinking billy tea or Jack Daniels what ever floats your boat.
:

Originally Posted by deesun

A mate and I did the trip waaaaaaaaaaaaay back in 1978/9. Never took any of that cr@p didnt need it. Newish car. Sealed road all the way. Not THAT far between roadstops and I would assume lots more traffic nowadays. Easy peasy. But boring, but we didnt stop at any sightseeing places. Have fun.

What make and model car was it mate?

[deesun]

[QUOTE=What make and model car was it mate? [/QUOTE]

1977 Escort 1.6. Pretty much bog std. Fuel was 28.9cpl on the Nulla and 17.9 in Sydney. Those were the days.lol. Dep Sydney 10pm Friday night arrived Perth 9am Monday morning . Had 2 6hr breaks because there were no 24hr petrol stations where we were.

[Hunter]

[QUOTE=deesun][QUOTE=What make and model car was it mate?

1977 Escort 1.6. Pretty much bog std. Fuel was 28.9cpl on the Nulla and 17.9 in Sydney. Those were the days.lol. Dep Sydney 10pm Friday night arrived Perth 9am Monday morning . Had 2 6hr breaks because there were no 24hr petrol stations where we were.[/QUOTE] Jesus, you sound like the guy out of Vanishing Point (the original one)

[mcnews]

My quickest trip across was on a Fireblade. Did nearly 100 laps of Phillip Island all day, through the tunnel under the straight at 4:30pm on the Thursday afternoon shagged out from all the laps and was in Perth lunchtime Saturday.