What is the best place to stay when off the boat heading to wa. Have caravan and ute. Haven't done caravan before but camper van plenty times up east coast. Not sure of the best route as would love to do wa coast heading north. Thanks
Hi Saltel.
Perhaps you could give us a bit more detail of your intentions. Then I can assure you that you will get heaps of ideas and help off the Forum Members
Like about how far you will be wanting to travel with regard to what time your ferry Docks in Melbourne. Morning or Evening ?
How long have you got for your trip. If it is open ended and no fixed dates to be anywhere you could travel all the WA Coast from Esperance to Derby and up through the Kimberley to Darwin. Getting the timing right to be up that way in the cooler months.
Thank you for a quick reply. Have a 14ft pedigree van. 4 months to travel and get in morning early arrival. Don't want toll roads. Have a Navman. Also don't want too travel more than 4 to 5 hrs a day. No time restrictions! just retired. Also have camp 7 book. Probably need a better map?
Once off the ship, get on the western ring road. Just past the Geelong turnoff, a few km further along, you'll see a big McDonalds sign, one each side of the ring road. Pull in there. It's a truck stop. There are two truck stops opposite each other on the ring road, both have large high McDonalds signs. That is always my first stop. You can stay overnight there if you wish. I do.
__________________
Retired Airline Pilot and Electrician..
I'm not old, I've just been young a long time....Ken
Since light travels faster than sound, some people appear bright until you hear them speak.
Thank you will keep in mind. Was thinking of going great ocean road but was told too hard with van? Need somewhere out of melb city to stop the night or 2. Nice quiet free or good caravan park. Any suggestion?
Great Ocean Road is not hard on any vehicle unless you are going real fast. Fantastic road surface, windy, but what's the hurry. Could also go straight through to Ballarat, great place to vist. Ararat, Horsham, visit Halls Gap, The Grampians. Beautiful Cabernets sold around that area. Lots of FREE camping all across through Nhill, Bordertown, Keith. Tailem Bend and Murray Bridge are real nice places to visit. Suggest in Adelaide, travel through the city on Highway 1 till you get to the Bolivar Caravan Park. Clean, neat, tidy. While in Adelaide visit Port Adelaide, Rail Museum, Maritime Museum, Aero Museum, all close to each other. The go for a run to Birdwood Automobile Museum. Worth the visit. Spend at least 2-3 days there. Then head north to Pt Augutta. Then it is up to you, Straight over or via Port Lincoln.
Just enjoy. I really think 4 months may not be long enough. It will probably take us 4 years to get north of Perth.
Great Ocean rd is very do-able with a van and well worth it if you've not been on it before. Just be very mindful of traffic behind you and use the many 'pull off' lanes to let faster traffic through.
The coastal way is spectacular, you can then visit Mt Gambier, two weeks at least there to soak the atmosphere & see the volcanic sights and coastal areas.
__________________
Neil & Lynne
Pinjarra
Western Australia
MY23.5 Ford Wildtrak V6 Dual Cab / 21' Silverline 21-65.3
Neil & Lynn, absolutely. Warrnambool, Portland, wonderful town. Dartmoor and the wonderful Chainsaw carved trees. Mt Gambier and the Blue Lake. Millicent, Keith, 4 months and still wants to see WA. It could take 4 months to get to Adelaide.
Sell up, become a true Grey Nomad. See what we have to offer in all it's brilliance. I can't see the point in doing the lap that fast that you don't see or remember what you passed.
Thanks everyone. Yes 4 months does seem short but will do what we can. Last time we went we were in our 30s! Along the east coast only. A lot has changed and we are a little apprehensive. Want to leave Tas. Cold winter. Returning September as lovely time in Tas. Really nof sure if wa or east will be better. We are set up for free camping solar etc. Probably expect places like TAS camping, but know we may be disappointed. We're were in the Dunalley bush fires last year and this is a trip to see if we can still do it.
Although not coming from Tas, we are going that way soon, and plan to go along the Great Ocean Road. Its beautiful, and its much cooler than inland!
If you don't have a copy of Camps 7 I suggest you invest in one. Or if you are gonna use C/parks, the same authors have a caravan parks book. The caravan parks near Melbourne aren't cheap, if you can get to Prince Town there's a nice little one, with pub over the road for a good dinner. There's also a free camp in a showground near there.
Thanks gertiedancer. Yes have camp 7 book. Being from Tas we may not be so cold . We hope. Is prince town fair way out of melb? We thought we would go ocean road in one day. Perhaps Lorne. ?
