Round the Oz trip - Jan - Mar 2011
 

Hi All,

new to the Hubb. Just fnished my round the Europe trip and am preparing for a Round-the-Oz trip to start in Jan from Sydney. Got to be back home (Poland) by the end of March, so enough time I think (?).

Anyone gonna be there at this time - would be happy to travel in company. Also, should you have any definite "dos and don'ts" about this particular route, would be happy to get to know them.

Cheers,
Kuba

Yakub, as mentioned many times here in the past. You are going about 3 months too soon. It's too damn hot up north and your've got the wet (monsoon) season to deal with. Some roads, somewhere WILL be impassable, due to flooding. It's simply a lottery. South is fine though, although still hot at times. Starting about April in Perth and running anti clockwise is the best bet, but like you said. perhaps you only have a certain window.

Cheers

Graeme

I agree, although I have done the north and centre over the January - March period it is hot and wet up north and damn hot in the centre. I experienced temperatures through the centre from 40-46 degree C. Take lot of care in the remote areas and carry lots of water. I tend to head north and centre in early winter these days (June, July)

Down south, especially Tasmania and Victoria it is warm (occasionally hot) and pleasant over summer (December - March).

Enjoy the trip.
Ro

I can confirm (as an Aussie) that if travelling in Jan-March you should stick to the coast and avoid the centre and north. With the exception of a lot of desert and Uluru there isn't much to see inland. Most of the tourist sights are by the coast or within 100kms of the coast anyway and you cann't go swimming in the Ocean if you visit the centre.:thumbdown:

Take lots of sunscreen and water.:thumbup1:

What you should see:
Sydney Area - Bondi, Manly, Blue Mountains (Katomba, Three Sisters)
Melbourne Area - St Kilda, Philip Island, Mornington Peninsula, Great Ocean road, The 12 apostles (now only 8 left)
Tasmania - all of it. Only takes 1-2 weeks
SW WA, Albany and the Valley of the Giants to Pemberton, Margaret River, Perth.
SA, Nullabor plains, Barossa and Claire valley if you like wine. Skip Adelaide.
Don't bother about Canberra.
Snowy mountains in Summer is great.

Tip when leaving Sydney going North:
I would avoid the coast roads from Wollongong to Brisbane. There are too many radars and too much traffic. Instead from Sydney if you go north take the Putty road to Hunter Valley then join the Old England Highway. You'll see reall country towns and not just coast roads. But that's just me... There are also great campsites on the coast and swimming.

When Going South you can also take inland roads through Kangaroo Valley.

You can't do everything but 3months is not a bad start.

Enjoy! :D

I see you left out Queensland eh ;)

bunch of red-necks if you ask me and it's a bit difficult to get out to the barrier reef with a motorbike beer

(I'm from NSW) yes I know it explains a lot.

Actually to be fair there are a lot of good roads in the NSW-Qld border regions and in the Sunshine coast hinterland. Further north it is getting into cyclone teritory and monsoon season so probably best avoided in Jan-March time frame.

If you weren't travelling just in Jan-March I would suggest you do only the far north. It's another country/continent, simply magnificant. From the Dantree to the Kimberly's... so much to see. Just dig out the old Layland brother world or Harry Butler for some real Aussie adventurers.

Sorry to hijack for a sec but Turbocharger, and any of you other local guys, if you had 6 not 3 months how would that change your start point and/or route? Thanks.

A lot will depend on your bike and your riding gear as to where you go, as you can travel mostly via dirt roads and fire trails if thats your cup of tea, but apart from that:
Brisbane would be the place to start from and work your way down and across to Adelaide via Broken Hill, back along the coast to Melbourne and then to Sydney. This route would include a fair amount of "outback" travel with coastal as well. Remember Australia is the driest continent on Earth, so everyone lives around the coastline.
In addition, the country is too big and vast to be able to appreciate it in 3 years, let alone 3 months, not withstanding the seasons.
The Top End is a trip all on it's own.

In 6months you could easily do all of Australia. I would do it by weather/climate. Ride the hot dry center and north in cooler months and do the rest in the hotter months of the 6month period.

Note that Kakadu and the north are best in Winter (June - Sept). Tasmania is best from Dec - March, work out what you want to see as a function of the weather.

That said furhter south, you rarely need to worry about very heavy rain lasting more that 1 week. When it rains, it generally pours. Up north the wet season makes roads impassable and isolates entire communities.

Hi Kuba
There are great things to see in Queensland :D

If you are heading up this way, you can show you around some things in South East Queensland and you are welcome to pop in and stay.

Adastra

Well, hmm, unless you live in NSW at the moment eh :)

But, I agree, head south at this time of year, move north during April and May

Cheers
TS

There is always the exception that proves the rule, especially in our land of extremes, if is isn't in drought it's in flood. One way or another the ones who work the land suffer the most.

Thanks a lot for the info - I actually am starting to get second thoughts on the time factor of this trip... will have to see into it and maybe postpone it by two / three months as suggested.

Cheers,
Kuba