planning a trip back to cooktown, cairns and the daintree area of FNQ for about 6 weeks duration, last year we went but flew up and hired a 4wd in cairns for 3 weeks then flew home this time i want to drive up in my 4wd hilux towing a camper trailer, i was thinking a rather direct route adelaide to brisbane then up the coast via some on the fishing impoundments and onto cooktown, allowing about 2 weeks to get there 2 weeks up there and 2 weeks to get home. I was thinking we'd free camp most of the time if possible(have free camps 6 book) as for traveling expenses fuel etc (i can carry about 120 lts of petrol) hilux is a 2.4lt petrol,,i was thinking of about $200.00 perday traveling expenses, (fuel, the odd van park fees etc) not really into doing all the regular touristy stuff when we get up there as we did a lot of that last year, just want to have more of a look around as last time we were rather limited in time, hence the longer period this time around,, still planning to head to tassie in september so this new trip won't be until we save the required amount,,, the question is would $200.00 a day travel expenses for 6 weeks travel be a good ball park figure or should i work on alowing more...
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SOMETIMES YA JUST GOTTA TAKE YOUR COLTHES OFF AND ROLL IN THE MUD
I travel on $100 a day, and as long as you don,t do huge klms, it seems to work. As my sister says"you,ve got to stop and smell the flowers".Buy fuel and food in major towns, and spend a few days in free or cheap camps. I have an old 3ltr diesel hilux, and it seems to work reasonably good for me.
Mate, I just look at the basics to your trip. Its roughtly 4100km's from Adelaide to Brissy, to Cooktown. So bare minimum is 8200km's return. My guess is you would need to add 2500km's to that for the real Kilometres to be travelled during that time = 10,700, lets call it 11,000km's.
Fuel for 11,000km in your loaded up rig is (my guess total fuel bill will be around $2500) Is a service going to be involved: ? ($500) Food costs nearly the same as if you stay at home: $ 2400 ($400 per week) Fishing spots, if they are national park camping, theres fees of roughly $10.30 per night (2people). Caravan parks, need to work on $40 per nite. If you did 5 nights per week in National parks, 2 nights per week in caravan parks (as an average) you would have roughly $130 per week = $780 for 6 weeks, lets call it $1000.
To give yourself a good chance, do you own cooking in camp as much as possible. Buying shop and roadhouse tucker is a budget breaker. A treat eating out once in a while is nice, but buying meals all the time really eats into the expenses. (sorry about the pun).
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20ft Roma caravan - Mercedes Benz Sprinter - SA-based at the moment. Transport has no borders.
Management makes the decisions, but is not affected by the decisions it makes.
g/day mate, watever route you take be sure you go into archer point 30k out from cppktown camping isfree there is a limit on how long tho pleany of freesh water around, tho there are nofacilities at all just the same its well worth a look and afew overnites irecon. paul.
Its not only buying meals that add up to a busted budget, its all those coffees/cakes etc. Carry a thermos and make your cuppa at rest stops, or any convenient spot. We have enjoyed many morning teas in small towns near their park . One of the side benefits is that you can pack healthy food and by not going into cafes you arent tempted.
yeh thnanks thats what i thought,, it won't be until next year or the one after anyway as we have a tassie trip planned for this year for a few weeks in september but i like to have the next trip on the drawing board so it's something to lok forward to.
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SOMETIMES YA JUST GOTTA TAKE YOUR COLTHES OFF AND ROLL IN THE MUD
Jack, If I had to work to your budget I wouldn't be going anywhere. My budget is $200 a week, Not $200 a day. Sitting here in Kumbia is costing me little. 2.00 for the shower and a donation for the power when I leave. Oh and I bought some homemade jams and natural honey from a family here which cost me under 20.00, 5 jams and a large pot of honey. The thermos is a great idea Gerty. I bought one for 2.00 in an op shop in Biggenden. Will make it up before leaving here and save on the cafes.
planning a trip back to cooktown, cairns and the daintree area of FNQ for about 6 weeks duration, last year we went but flew up and hired a 4wd in cairns for 3 weeks then flew home this time i want to drive up in my 4wd hilux towing a camper trailer, i was thinking a rather direct route adelaide to brisbane then up the coast via some on the fishing impoundments and onto cooktown, allowing about 2 weeks to get there 2 weeks up there and 2 weeks to get home. I was thinking we'd free camp most of the time if possible(have free camps 6 book) as for traveling expenses fuel etc (i can carry about 120 lts of petrol) hilux is a 2.4lt petrol,,i was thinking of about $200.00 perday traveling expenses, (fuel, the odd van park fees etc) not really into doing all the regular touristy stuff when we get up there as we did a lot of that last year, just want to have more of a look around as last time we were rather limited in time, hence the longer period this time around,, still planning to head to tassie in september so this new trip won't be until we save the required amount,,, 
(my guess total fuel bill will be around $2500) 
