We are heading off in June this year to Darwin ( we live in Melbourne) from there to Cairns and back down the east coast to home, our time frame is 9 weeks all up. We are after some advice on if we need to book any places or should we be able to find sites , any tips or comments would be appreciated
After some advice
- Thread starter Trevor H
- Start date
Hi Trevor, welcome mate. I'm sure you'll get plenty of advice on here. That's a similar trip to what I'd like to do but Alice Springs first before Darwin. Can't say from experience but I recon you'd be fine without pre booking, just take a copy of Camps Australia Wide and internet connection. I guess it depends a bit on whether you can free camp or not also. I'll look forward to your pics anyway!
Cheers.
Cheers.
One bad thing about booking ahead (particularly thinking of having prepaid deposits, here) is that you might find somewhere you want to stay an extra day or two if it's really good - if you've got everything booked in, you really need to stick with your timeframe to keep up with your bookings. Conversely, you might get to a place that you thought would be great and have booked a couple of nights for, and you get there and the place is boring and there's nothing to see but you're stuck there.
Generally I'd prefer to book, but I would also hate to miss out on something because we had to rush on to the next place. For me, I'd consider making bookings in places I knew would be busy or would be a time/distance marker (e.g. we need to do XXkm / reach XYZtown in the first two weeks), I might book at the target distance/destination and then I know I've got two weeks to get there, and there's a bit more flexibility for the in-between bits.
Generally I'd prefer to book, but I would also hate to miss out on something because we had to rush on to the next place. For me, I'd consider making bookings in places I knew would be busy or would be a time/distance marker (e.g. we need to do XXkm / reach XYZtown in the first two weeks), I might book at the target distance/destination and then I know I've got two weeks to get there, and there's a bit more flexibility for the in-between bits.
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So are we but heading of at the end of June, Darwin then Cairns and down to Pt Macquarie before heading back home.
one important thing when you get to cooper pedy, is that the local parks there do not supply water, so you must carry it in. there are a few water sites and a higher price and they are hard to get. so if your going to book, book a water site.
Hi Trevor,
We did the trip last Aug through to Oct, definitely book Yulara (Uluru), Watarrka NP (Kings Canyon), Alice Springs (stay at G'day Mate Tourist Park it's the best in town), stop a night at the Devil's Marbles, just after Tennant Creek stay at Banka Banka Station, nice and cheap, you have to try the Beef & Barra at Daly Waters pub, Edith Falls (rather than the crowds at Katherine Gorge) is beautiful, Mataranka is a must do as is Litchfield and Kakadu N.P's. While in Darwin don't forget to do the Adelaide River croc cruise.
Dave
We did the trip last Aug through to Oct, definitely book Yulara (Uluru), Watarrka NP (Kings Canyon), Alice Springs (stay at G'day Mate Tourist Park it's the best in town), stop a night at the Devil's Marbles, just after Tennant Creek stay at Banka Banka Station, nice and cheap, you have to try the Beef & Barra at Daly Waters pub, Edith Falls (rather than the crowds at Katherine Gorge) is beautiful, Mataranka is a must do as is Litchfield and Kakadu N.P's. While in Darwin don't forget to do the Adelaide River croc cruise.
Dave