Australia, New Zealand & the South Pacific - Broome - Perth overland - stupid or what ??

Will be visiting Oz for 6-8 weeks in Dec-Feb 03/04, and trying to decide on the above journey.

We'd be on a OW rtw, so our choice is either flying direct from ASP-PER and then doing some trips out of PER, or flying ASP-Broome (sorry, don't know the airport code... shuffles feet and heads towards door http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/biggrin.gif ) and then making our way down the coast to Perth.

I realise that it's a f****** fairly long way, but is it worth it ???

any thoughts/advice/abuse welcome.

Stewie

At that time of year I would say...forget it. http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/smile.gif

Cannot comment on weather
6-8 weeks is a long time so it is doable. Everything in WA is a long ways, so it is necessary to put on some miles to see things. We have twice visited WA, and have jsut under 3 weeks. We are almost satisfied with what we did. I would actually consider flying into Darwin and driving donw, a really long drive in the heat of summer (don't know what rain issues there are).

This would be a one in a life time trip down the West Coast without retracking (my pet peeve). We have not been that far North, but here is what I would do.

Tour Darwin. Visit the Darwin Museum. Enjoy a hamper out at Fannie Bay. Depart Darwin. Visit the Aboriginal rock art at the Arnhem Land Escarpment and Nourlangie Rock. Take a wildlife reuise on the Yellow Waters Billabong. Then it is off to Kakadu National Park, a World heritage listed park. Cruise Nitmiluk Gorge, see Aboriginal art. Head off to Katherine. View lake Argyle (huge). Then it is off to Wyndham to view the Timor sea. Then it is off to see the Ord Rive agricultural farms. Visit Mirima National Park. This should be 4-7 days.

Now it is off to gold country. Vitit the China Wall, Halls Creek, Fitzroy River and Geikie Gorge. Next it is on to Tunnel Creek National Park and on to Broome. Broome was a pearling town. Has a major Chinatown. Sit on the white sands of Cable Beach.

Leaving Broome to enter 80 mile beach. Not much to offer beyond the senic beauty. This trek ends in Port Hedland. Next stop is Tom Price, with its iron ore mining operations. The next stop is Exmouth. Head on to Ningaloo Reef Marine Park for the beautful coral reefs. Cross the Tropic of Capricorn and donw tCarnarvon for the tropical fruit orchards. Then on to Monkey Mia. We did not make it even this far north but wanted to. The special dolphins often visit, on there own, to join the swimmers here. This is a nice place to spend a couple days to rest and relax after the last 2 weeks or so.

Sharks Bay World Heritage Marine Park is close by. Then it is down to Kalbarri National Park and the Hawk's Head Lookout. This brings you to the extent we traveled North, and that is Cervantes and the Pinnales. From the Geraldton area you now apprach Perth. I woul suggest 7 days in Perth. Our two trips to Perth were witten up in the Trip Reports.

Now you need to do the Southern loop.
Driving down to Bunbury, you get another chance to wade in the water with the dolphins. They did not show the morning we were there (am is best). They have a small museum worth a visit. Head on down to Margaret River. The city is small and quaint. The area is wine country Busselton is a nice place to spend the night. Next is Pemberton. A must stay for the history of the famous Gloucester Tree and karri and jarrah forests. Nice museum. Albany is the next stop. Need a couple days here. We then returned over the mountains and back to Perth, but with the time you have the loop needs to be bigger (we plotted bu did not have the time).

Nest onto the Stirling Range and Esperance. See the Bay of Isles.. Now head up to Kalgoorlie to visit the Gold Museum and see the history of gold mining in the area. Coming back West and some south, is Southern Cross and then on to Hyden. Wave Rock is a one of a kind formation to see. They also have hippo yawn (yawn is the word). The area has tours. a mini zoo and a eatery. Ask the young lady how her joey did, likely now part of the zoo. We held it, my wife bottle feed it. The young girl ahd saved it when the mother Kangaroo died. Just hanging in a back pack outside hidden from most tourists. Lost of flies. If you have a little netting bring it. They were building a "resort" here, as the area is really nowhere. Make an effort to get directions to the dog cemetery. Nice stop (more in my writeup). We visited the Mulka Caqve, but the quarters are too tight for me. York awaits. This near backrupt city of great history is well worth a visit, and a stay if you can to help out. Plus there is enought to see for a couple days. Now it is back to Perth and some more sight seeing.

Another trip East would take you to a rock, that is bigger, and I am told more spectacular that Ayers Rock. You decide.

Have fun in WA. Very few people make it there and almost none get to visit as long as you.

Be prepared. Dead kangaroos litter the roadways, somewhat line deer in some of the US in the Wester states. This land is very sparsely populated. Over half of the population of Wa is in the Perth area. You can drive miles without seeing anything. Take water with you and make sure you follow all of the suggestions of the rental car company. Take your time. Don't rush anything. Somewhere out of Albany is a 25 foot Ram, concrete, but not a bad stop!!! Be prepared to follow some detours to persue a highway sign for about anything. Often worth the time.
Have fun. Hope this helps. You can get some broshures on tours, they will help fill in the blanks. Lots of web sites on Perth will let you chose what you like to do there.

Pardon my typos, I do not have my contacts in yet!!

Thanks for the opinions.

I wasn't clear in the original post, we only have 6-8 weeks for the *whole* of Oz, likely only 2-3 weeks for WA, so I think that we're going to scrap the drive down the West coast - we'll save that for next time http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/smile.gif

ta again
Stewie

Stewie Mac if you would like to view amazing pictures of Perth and surrounds, check out this web site:

www.christianfletcher.com.au (http://www.christianfletcher.com.au)

Would recommend a trip to Rottnest Island, but during the Australian summer holidays (Dec/Jan) it will be busy and you will have to book ahead for accommodation.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by susieQ:
Would recommend a trip to Rottnest Island, but during the Australian summer holidays (Dec/Jan) it will be busy and you will have to book ahead for accommodation. </font>

Definately. Rottnest is a Must when in Perth. Also, while you're in Aus, be sure to catch a game of Cricket at the WACA [in WA] or at one of the other major grounds in AUS.

It's going to be very hot (unbearably so?) up north that time of the year. My GF and I will be heading up from PER to the Exmouth area this month. Planning to see Pinnacles, Kalbarri, Sharks Bay/Monkey Mia and Ningaloo.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Stewie Mac:
I realise that it's a f****** fairly long way, but is it worth it ???</font>

Too hot mate - just way too hot. Both BME (airport code for Broome) and ASP will show temperatures in the high 30s/low 40s at that time of year.

Much better off to do ASP-PER, and base yourself in Perth or Fremantle. In summer, I would definitely consider spending a bit of time south of Perth - Margaret River Wine country, Albany, Denmark, Manjimup and so on.

Have a look at The South West Region (http://www.westernaustralia.net/discover/south_west/index.shtml) for some ideas.

Perth in summer can be hot, but almost always gets the "Fremantle Doctor" - a sea breeze that blows in after lunch. A great place to visit.