"The problem with doing nothing is not knowing when you're finished" - Benjamin Franklin

valnrob · Guru

Which way around?

Olley46 · Guru

I have been across the nullabore from Perth to Geelong,someone said if you go the other way and you strike it windy it could cost an extra $100.00 in fuel.

Lance C

-- Edited by Olley46 on Saturday 23rd of March 2013 08:35:42 PM

justcruisin01 · Guru

For many years Iv'e heard that its better to go anticlock wise due to the winds accross the nullabour.

JC.

pauline · Guru

We went anti clockwise, started in Darwin 10th of August.............was great had the best weather and as a bonus saw staircase to the moon, wildflower festival in Perth and only 2 days rain in Esperence and everything in between, was fantastic and can't wait to do it again, fingers and toes crossed.

leevin · Senior Member

We crossed the Nullabor, east to west, in December last year.
Got a bit of a headwind, but that is actually a good thing.
The tow vehicle and caravan have been designed, and streamlined, to travel forward, so why would a headwind hamper you tow vehicles performance?
Of course a tail wind is the best.
The worst winds are cross or broadside as it has to create flow around the flat sides of your combination, including over, under, and the big one....between the tow vehicle and the caravan.
We hit a good thunderstorm at ****lebiddy, now that uses fuel because of the water on the road.
The only reason that it cost more in fuel heading west, is that it gets dearer.
Left Brisbane end of June 2012 went south (clockwise), and have only booked 2 cparks over Christmas/new Year.
The D-max (2012 run-out model), is averaging 14.2 L/100kms (22 foot 'van weighs 2.6T).

-- Edited by leevin on Sunday 24th of March 2013 03:36:03 AM

-- Edited by leevin on Sunday 24th of March 2013 03:37:03 AM

barrie · Guru

Go the way it don't make yer dizzy

biggles · Senior Member

.. some years ago a few of us GN's travelled to Perth from Sydney (clockwise) .. and then back again (anti-clockwise) in about 10 weeks as our time was limited.

We crossed the Nullabor with a tailwind .. luck (and not better judgement) then played its part and we travelled back again with a tail wind too .. very convenient ..

However, about 18 months later I headed off again to do the big lap (again clockwise) from Naracoorte (SA) on my "pat malone" and left on the 1st of Jan ..

I spent nearly a month enjoying the "Nulla" and again had a tailwind all the way .. so I guess there's a certain amount of luck in ones decision of which way to go ..

Travelling up the west coast but not wishing to enter the tropical zone til after the wet was over is another consideration. One important indicator which I used and had learnt from aboriginals, was to wait for the birth of the next generation of Dragonflies. You will observe all the normal activities of adult Dragonflies about you, then overnight you will notice a sudden replacement by baby dragonflies and only a smattering of adults about .. they wait for the big wet to be over before the young will hatch .. interesting eh !

Jon

-- Edited by biggles on Sunday 24th of March 2013 09:41:01 AM

herbie · Guru

Dosn't matter what way you go,the distance is the same, it is just the wind factor.But if that is going to be your concern,best you stay home as you will encounter a lot different weather conditions from one area/ state.Just keep a look out for the weather conditions and pace your trip and drive to conditions.

(The distance from point A to point B adds up the same no matter )

-- Edited by herbie on Sunday 24th of March 2013 09:29:15 AM

-- Edited by herbie on Sunday 24th of March 2013 05:14:42 PM

Cupie · Guru

pauline wrote:
We went anti clockwise, started in Darwin 10th of August.............was great had the best weather and as a bonus saw staircase to the moon, wildflower festival in Perth and only 2 days rain in Esperence and everything in between, was fantastic and can't wait to do it again, fingers and toes crossed.

This was exactly our experince as we went anticlock in June to Nov in 2000. Saw the wild flowers all the way down & caught the flowering trees/shrubs in the south west corner too. Got out of there before it got too hot.

We seem to strike head winds wherever we go. The only marked exception was one trip down from Lightning Ridge to Dubbo in 2005 .. wind pushed me along beautifully. Consumption in the old 4.2 Petrol Patrol was just like what lots of you modern common rail diesel drivers skite about.

-- Edited by Cupie on Sunday 24th of March 2013 01:04:51 PM

ROWDYRABBIT1 · Senior Member

Iff you go clockwise the trip will be longer ,more kms but dont let that bother you

ROD (with humour)

Hylda&Jon · Guru

Try typing the phrase " which way " into the search box up above. It will come up with a few past threads on the subjects.

Cheers

Jon

blaze · Guru

I think if a bit extra wind across the nulla is going to be a concern for travel, you best stay at home. Go around, backtrack, side step, smell the roses but above all just go with an open mind and a sese of adventure.
I think too many people cant get out of the work mode with trip planning, strick budgeting, time management etc. Just follow your dreams and they alone should be the driving force of how and what direction you travel. Be prepared to alter plans.
cheers
blaze

spida · Guru

I seemed to have a lot of headwind across the top going west - east last May/june

GaryKelly · Guru

I tend to agree with Blaze. If you're gonna do a feasibility study before leaving, forget leaving hehe.

Mike C · Senior Member

Pi is 3.1416 so 3.15 is pretty close :)
I am told it has been worked out to many hundreds of decimal places.. more people creating more usless facts for us all to try and forget.

cheers

-- Edited by Mike C on Sunday 24th of March 2013 04:38:08 PM

Cupie · Guru

herbie wrote:
Dosn't matter what way you go,the distance is the same, it is just the wind factor.But if that is going to be your concern,best you stay home as you will encounter a lot different weather conditions from one area/ state.Just keep a look out for the weather conditions and pace your trip and drive to conditions.
(The distance from pont A to point B adds up the same no matter )

-- Edited by herbie on Sunday 24th of March 2013 09:29:15 AM

I've enjoyed people arguing (in jest I hope) about it being shorter going clockwise.

We drive on the LHS of the road in Aussie so if going anticlock then that is just like being on the inside lane on a circular running track. Just think on how much the starting blocks are staggered across the track to ensure that all competitors run the same distance in the race.

Stands to reason that it must be shorter going anticlock! and don't forget to drive as close as you can to the edge of the road (on your side of the road that is).

Before you get stuck into me ... please be kind & re read my opening sentence.

Mike C · Senior Member

Just worked it out..

if you assume 20000k for the lap
Convert that to a circle then equate the distance to a circle say 12m diameter smaller (allows for a 6m wide road)
The inside edge will be 37.714 k shorter.. :)

Hmm another usless fact to try and forget..

cheers

Mike

wendyv · Guru

I think it depends on when you are travelling. Basically, you will probably want to avoid the far north in the wet season, and the far south in their winter.

We did one trip where we left home (Melb) in April, crossed the Nullarbor and followed the WA coast, to reach Broome and the Kimberley in May. Travelled across the top until August, then headed south.

Another trip was similar timing, but we went north from home, reaching Mt Isa in May, then across the top and south in WA - into the wildflowers - then home later in the year.

One way of planning, that might help you answer the question, is to get a map of Aust., circle regions you "must" visit and mark on the circle the ideal time of year to be there. See how it is best to "join the circles", to optimize the trip.

Cupie · Guru

Mike C wrote:
Just worked it out..

if you assume 20000k for the lap
Convert that to a circle then equate the distance to a circle say 12m diameter smaller (allows for a 6m wide road)
The inside edge will be 37.714 k shorter.. :)

Hmm another usless fact to try and forget..

cheers

Mike

I just tried out my schoolboy maths & got 38km shorter, but I used phi? as 3.15. so there you go.

valnrob · Guru

Thanks everyone for your input. Seems like out doesn't really matter which way in the scheme of things. I am pretty keen, will see what happens, going to Qld end of April then make up our minds about whether to go on or not. Thanks.

Cheers

allinone · Senior Member

Mike C wrote:
The inside edge will be 37.714 k shorter.. :)

Is this assuming aLl the rest stops are also on the inside? Or is there more rest stops & parking areas etc on the outside?

Duh · Guru

I've put this on here before regards the Nullabor, but will repeat it. See the part that says long periods pulling a load with the wind behind you can cook your motor as well, see;

http://www.goseeaustralia.com.au/article/84/sail_your_caravan_through_the_nullarbor_winds/

.......And for those who have not had the unhappy experience of cooking a perfectly good motor it is worth noting that long spells with the prevailing wind behind a RV, pulling heavy, can fry the works.

Be sure your cooling systems are 150 per cent. If your fans cant suck enough air through the radiator because you are running too long and too hot downwind in what amounts to a vacuum, the motor will suffer.

Please stop and take some time out at regular intervals. After all this is a holiday we are discussing."