Hi all, My son has two weeks hols at xmas and wants me to take him to Lake Eyre.
He's computer programmer, aged 26 and never goes outside his job on the Central Coast of NSW.
This was my reply - Am I close? Can ny confirm that I'm right? or not?

"I would love to do it myself. But this 4-tonne motorhome would not be capable. Unless you know what you are doing in a 4-wheel drive and then NEVER in the wet season. ONLY during May-Oct. It would wreck the motorhome and we'd be bogged. It requires a level of outback skill I just don't have. Read the website.

I went as far as Leigh Creek before heading to deep into the Finders Ranges.

It's the sort of trip that requires extensive planning, lots of drinking water and plenty of knowledge and perhaps experience. I will post the question on a couple of forums and let you know what they reply. I would be the most excited person in the world if I could do that trip with you. It would be the ultimate as far as I'm concerned." Thanks folks...Sue

lake eyre can be easily accesed from many points including road when it is reasonable condition, I have done it many times, my last by road in two wheel drive was when she filled up roughly ten years ago?? it can also be accesed by air from many points including wilpena pound, a great spot to settle and relax, mayu I suggest you take him there and see the "outback" and do lake eyre from there it is indeed a site to behold but when all said and done merely a "lake" by any other name but a mighty sight to behold when entering from nothing more than desert and then to come across one of the worlds natural wonders, an inland sea no less

Thanks Dave, Sorry I put this in the wrong section....and yes it is just a lake..but I would do it for him...one way or another...ta...Sue

yes you are certainly a naughty girl and one day we really should talk about the apropriate punishment when I say "it's just a lake" I mean that in the widest possible variance, it is a magical site after travelling miles over rough dusty roads and all of a sudden a huge expanse of water appears filled with all types of water fowl in the middle of the desert, it's simply undescribable, a bit like uluru, just appears out of nowhere I love the desert and have ventured out there many times and will continue to do so but I would not be in a hurry to do it in an overweight underpowered top heavy motorhome, I think shoot up to wilpena, that will give him a taste of the outback and from there fly over

I knew what you meant Dave. On the road to Arkaroola I saw a turn off to Wilpena and really wanted to take it. But I was too "green" and too chicken at the time. But I resemble the "underpowered" bit. The latest Fiat Ducato three litre turbo diesel has "horses" I'll probably never use. I'm so impressed with its performance. Besides, it's only top heavy when I'm in it 
p.s. just when I thought I'd had enough wind, here I am at Port Lincoln right on the ocean front...ah well such is life......

yeah! trouble is that the desert will put all your gear to the extreme test it will find ANY weakness, the sand will pull every available horse into action and the slippery dunes will try to pull your vehicle over and down even the little ones, I cant recall the ammount of times I have been bogged up to the skidplates, dont underestimate it rear wheel or all wheel drive, low slung and great torque is the way to travel through the desert, I had a couple of freinds just came back from a couple of tracks up by the W.A. border, the tracks have become invisible and it was gps navigation only, these winds have blown roughly 4" of fine sand over the surface give the desert half a chance and it will get you, no place for an ill prepared front wheel drive motorhome the road from arkaroola has a little bit of rough surface but with care you would have done it, from arkaroola to blinman is fine and then blinman to wilpena is now all bituman so you wouldnt have a problem doing that we did it last year but came the other way to blinman and arkaroola (broken hill road) boy did we suffer, blinman on was good, arkaroola to copley and leigh creek is a good road and easily traveled by any vehicle, just watch the corners no signage and they are right angled

Point taken Dave. If it happens at all 'twill be next year...thanks

yep, the thing is the road to lake eyre is quite good and POSSIBLY navigable by your vehicle under certain circumstances but it's when we get a bit "****y" and head just a little over that way or "that camp looks nice" that we get into trouble, trouble out there usually ends up in death I have been stuck many times and some of them I wasnt sure if I could get out, and I am very well prepared and highly experienced in desert travel, with all sorts of reclamation and recovery gear, in the desert you dont get second chances, bog down or breakdown with knowledge, experience and equipment and you will escape with a story, bog down or breakdown with no knowledge, experience and no equipment and you are quite possibly dead and will end up a story the desert or outback travel is still not a "walk in the park" preparation and skills must be obtained and the knowledge in the use of this knowledge and gear must be primary and second nature as more and more inexperienced puddle jumpers get "out of town" we are seeing more and more misadventures, one day society will recognise the need for a special license and skills training before anyone is allowed behind the wheel of a four wheel drive and also a license to enable the towing of a van I have read with horror some of the advice given out on this forum about who can travel where, it is simply deadly to head out to some areas with no knowledge or skills or preparation, someone will die from some of the advice given out I only give advice on areas that I have travelled, I will always overplay the dangers simply to stop some misinformed "wanderer" from dying if your vehicle is primarily designed for tarmac use then leave it there, dont go into an area that is "out of it's design peramiters" simply because of a romantic notion, nothing romantic about dying from exposure, always take the soft option

dave06 wrote:

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as more and more inexperienced puddle jumpers get "out of town" we are seeing more and more misadventures, one day society will recognise the need for a special license and skills training before anyone is allowed behind the wheel of a four wheel drive and also a license to enable the towing of a van

I have read with horror some of the advice given out on this forum about who can travel where, it is simply deadly to head out to some areas with no knowledge or skills or preparation, someone will die from some of the advice given out

I only give advice on areas that I have travelled, I will always overplay the dangers simply to stop some misinformed "wanderer" from dying

if your vehicle is primarily designed for tarmac use then leave it there, dont go into an area that is "out of it's design peramiters" simply because of a romantic notion, nothing romantic about dying from exposure, always take the soft option

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I've seen a quite a few inexperienced puddle jumpers since I started out in March. And it makes me wonder. Romantic notions I have none. Well, not without an experienced partner...maybe one day.....I was born with an enquiring mind but I know my physical limitations...cheers...

 

oh we all have romantic notions sue, I often sit here at my desk halfway through a pile of inventories to just simply "stare" out my window and wonder what it would be like to be sitting under a kimberely waterfall nakey, sipping a beer with willie nelson singing "on the road again" in the backgound, maybe up north dodging crocs and chasing a big Barra I cant wait for my little "grandaughter" to get a little bit bigger so I can show her the world, we are all dreamers, without dreams we are dead I envy you sue, to know your physical limitations must be a great thing, my mind says I can still mix concrete all day and chase the kids around at night, then get up the next morning to lift camper trailers to get others on their way, alas it is not the case anymore, a few barrows of concrete and a little chasing and I'm beat for a week