Hey All - Advice needed on BIG lap.

[Evans16]

Hi Everyone.....

Longtime reader, first post, live the forum and have picked up a heap of great information.

We recently purchased and new 17.56-2.
We are looking at doing a 7-8 month trip taking off from Victoria at the end of June and are looking for some advice on where to head first at this time of year. We have previously done a fair bit of the west coast so was thinking of heading up the center then down the east coast... I am a little concerned about the night temperatures during this time of year as we have 3 children aged 12 months, 4 & 6. Would love some feedback from anyone who has done a similar trip.

 

[mfexpanda]

Hello and welcome
I'd look into a diesel heater .

 

[Dobbie]

Direction should be ok for that time of year, particularly if you've been to the west recently.

It will be cold at night!

But :welcome: and enjoy the planning process...that's almost half of the fun...but not quite.

I'd suggest you have a rough idea ....very rough...of where you plan to go and keep as much time as possible for wandering and staying longer at places you really enjoy.

If you nail it down too much you spend lots of time driving to get to a 'must see' place but the ones you'll remember are often the ones you never thought of...but discovered because you had time.

At least, that has been our experience.

Have fun.

 

[bigcol]

welcome @Evans16
I would probably head north to QLD then come down and through NT & SA for the home trip

especially at that time of the year

 

[G Daddy]

If you are doing "the cap" mite be better to head in that direction first and then back through NT and SA.
I spoke to a young couple from Mackay QLD, when I was at Lake Keepit a couple of weeks ago, they have been on the road for 2 years and have just got out of QLD 2 months ago.

 

[megcam]

Central Australia is great in winter. Cold nights and usually sunny 22-25c days. Cold nights are easily overcome with a diesel or gas heater. You'd want to be heading south by some time in November to avoid the wet season. I usually like to list all the sights/places I want to visit and then play dot to dot on a map. Do you have a list of must sees?

 

[Dobbie]

Yep. ....... and Wikicamps now has a planner with lots of useful applications for that sort of travel.

I've been playing around with it ...just look at areas, places you might want to see, hit favourites, and the definites put into a route planner, set some possible over nighters or longer stays and you then have a rough idea of distances .....all marked on the map.

I love it! This is the closest we will ever get to planning and often change our minds as we meander, so the flexibility suits us perfectly.

Then, when you get home, you've got a lovely map, with route taken, overnights recorded ....and there's the option to add notes, comments.

 

[mikerezny]

Central Australia is great in winter. Cold nights and usually sunny 22-25c days. Cold nights are easily overcome with a diesel or gas heater. You'd want to be heading south by some time in November to avoid the wet season. I usually like to list all the sights/places I want to visit and then play dot to dot on a map. Do you have a list of must sees?

Hi @megcam,

In your experience, what sort of temperatures does it get down to overnight in Central Australia over Winter?

cheers
Mike

 

[Dobbie]

Minus 10....I was far colder there at night than I've ever been, anywhere in the world!

BUT...that's only at night. It warms up to comfortable shorts wearing weather during the day.

It's a good excuse for a fire.

We experienced the real cold years ago, before anyone had heard of diesel or gas heaters and survived quite well. The warm days certainly helped.

We've rejected the idea of a diesel heater only because the places we visit in the cold are warm during the day, usually. In the snow and the high country, I'd probably opt for the heater.

 

[megcam]

We lucked out with a warm spell when we went through in 2013 in our soft floor camper with most nights around 4 or 5c. A guy I work with went through the year after and had -6 so luck of the draw. Last July in far western Qld we had consistent -2 to 0c mins. For me, as a soft Qlder, less than 10c is cold so being able run the heater early in the morning when the 4 of us wake up before the sun is priceless. As soon as the sun is up put your shorts on and head outside .

 

[mikerezny]

Minus 10....I was far colder there at night than I've ever been, anywhere in the world!

BUT...that's only at night. It warms up to comfortable shorts wearing weather during the day.

It's a good excuse for a fire.

We experienced the real cold years ago, before anyone had heard of diesel or gas heaters and survived quite well. The warm days certainly helped.

We've rejected the idea of a diesel heater only because the places we visit in the cold are warm during the day, usually. In the snow and the high country, I'd probably opt for the heater.

Hi,
at down to possibly -10C overnight, does one still have to worry about anti-freeze in the tug or other measures like leaving the radiatoir cap off?

Also, in the van, have there been any issues with water freezing in the pipes or tanks?

cheers
Mike

 

[Dobbie]

I presume so...but we were too busy trying to find extra clothes to worry about the car etc. besides, I was younger and lived more for the moment...very little planning ... We did dash outside with the thermometer....often...as we couldn't believe how cold it was. The dashing outside kept us warmer...good exercise.

Nothing fell off vehicles or camper after that.....but I know others have had some pipe freezing in the high country. It might have more to do with the length of time the temp is consistently low.

In central Aust it was cold for about twelve hours at night, and very cold for only about eight.

 

[Evans16]

Hi guys, thanks for all the great advice.

mmmm, minus 10, the cook won't like the sound of that, anyway that's half the experience. As we have three young kids (all unde 6) they will obviously feel it a bit more then us. Look like i need to invest in a diesel or gas heater? Any recommendations or suggestions on products available and price would be appreciated.

In relation to the route, does anyone have any other suggestions taking into consideration Mother Nature between July and February

 

[Dobbie]

I'm pretty sure the temps we experienced were extreme and rare...a bit like today but on the other end!

You'll be fine....suggest you do a search for diesel heaters here ...there's been lots of discussion.

Or look up @Crusty181 s posts where he prepared his van for the cold.

 

[Smergen]

Lived in the Centre for 6yrs. -10 is rare but not unheard of. A few minuses every year, but most of the time down to the very low singles. I recall wearing shorts and 3 jumpers to school, only to be in polo and shorts by recess. There's a theory the West Macs are just the annual lost property from all the schools covered in red dust.