Tanami Road

[juddles]

Hey there all,

I know this is probably the opposite of a flying thread, but I have learnt that here on AFF we have people who have seen/done everything.

Has anyone travelled the Tanami Road? This is the strecth of "highway 5" that goes between Hall's Creek in Wa, to a point on the Stuart Highway just north of Alice in the Northern Territory.

Am thinking of doing it. Mainly just as an outrageous method to break my Stockholm Syndrome travel thing with Qantas. (Thank you @TonyHancock )

Any experiences or advice out there?

 

[juddles]

Now down to T-14 days.

Am actually a tad nervous - not because of the desert crossings, but because yet again I will have to set foot on an aircraft - has been a long year on the ground

The vehicle is so very close to ready, but am sweating a bit for the last items. It is a big build. In the end we have ditched the grand concept of carrying 250 cans of cold Bundy Extra Smooth - that really was overkill for just two guys heading bush for a few days. So we have assessed our real needs, the refrigeration we can fit in, and the modern day availability of restocking opportunities along the way.

So the final loading will be just 240 cans of cold Bundy Extra Smooth.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

. In the end we have ditched the grand concept of carrying 250 cans of cold Bundy Extra Smooth - that really was overkill for just two guys heading bush for a few days. So we have assessed our real needs, the refrigeration we can fit in, a

Actually my new wifi (to 100m) fridge/freezer thermometers arrived today. Has 3 different remote sensors, and another sensor on the console (with air temp and humidity on each sensor). One for each fridge and the freezer. So I can now more easily monitor that that my beer, steaks and ice cream are all at the right temperatures while I am busy playing on the Murray Bank

I already have bluetooth on the solar controller linking to an app on my mobile so that I can monitor that there is enough power being produced to keep the beer cold to.

One can't run the risk of opening the fridge to discover warm beer!

 

[juddles]

...

I already have bluetooth on the solar controller linking to an app on my mobile so that I can monitor that there is enough power being produced to keep the beer cold to.
.....

I admire equal professionalism!

We are attempting on our rig to enable auto-loading from the rear-seat space to resupply the centre console......

 

[Julesmac]

This all sounds very impressive (from a girl who camped in a tent once in Girl Guides and was forever scarred by the experience) and I am quite admiring of all your planning and preparation. Why does the image of Russell Coight keep appearing in my head....

 

[juddles]

This all sounds very impressive (from a girl who camped in a tent once in Girl Guides and was forever scarred by the experience) and I am quite admiring of all your planning and preparation. Why does the image of Russell Coight keep appearing in my head....

julesmac, I just wanted to let you know, that in these last few days of preparations I continually get images of Russell Coight in my brain You have given me literally dozens of moments of breaking out into insane smiles

 

[tgh]

My most.. er….painful ….brushes with the long fingers of the law have been in the bush.
A sense of isolation (in terms of the blood alcohol level or kmph ) can be shot to pieces a thousand km from anywhere.
Take care Juddles.. sober is as sober does….

 

[juddles]

My most.. er….painful ….brushes with the long fingers of the law have been in the bush.
A sense of isolation (in terms of the blood alcohol level or kmph ) can be shot to pieces a thousand km from anywhere.
Take care Juddles.. sober is as sober does….

tgh, I hear you and thank you for your concern - but I should clarify.

We love drinking rum, and we love driving long distances, BUT, we do not do the two simultaneously The whole idea is to drive out into the desert, away from everyone, and then enjoy the success of having all those cold cans in a place that is in the middle of nowhere

 

[juddles]

Will now revert (???) to a specific TR thread for this

 

[docjames]

Am waiting for the photos of the 240 can (née 250 can) fridge, and the car in general......

 

[Quickstatus]

My current dilemma is selection of vehicle. We will not be travelling in a hurry - am budgeting about 5 days for the Tanami 1000km leg, within an overall Broome - Adelaide adventure. 5 days for us two is about 250 cans of Bundy, which we like to drink ice cold. This impacts greatly on vehicles.

You want a vehicle that is easy to repair with easy access to parts. That means more or less a Toyota + 4WD + diesel. Troopy or a LC70. Troopy better as it has a 180L fuel tank (Most other LC70 like other toyotas are 130L). But there is a downside in putting all your fuel in one or two tanks.
Diff locks
Tyres should not be those low profile ones. 16in rims preferred. Carry min 2 spare tyres. I took 2 spare rims with tyres on them plus a 3rd spare tyre
Need to lower tyre pressures. I did 25 and when corrugations were bad 20.

Other spares/stuff:
Air compressor, tyre pressure gauge, fuel filters, engine air filters, cabin air filters, extra engine oil
I mounted a 3rd battery in my toyota.
The standard jack that comes with the vehicle is likely to be useless.
Snatch straps.
Satphone hire
Spare nuts and bolts for the chassis and suspension

Range Rovers with air suspension should be left in a capital city

While its 1000km i believe its sealed/gravel between Yuendumu and tilmouth
I think the longest stretch between fuel is 600km - (Balgo to Yuendumu). Which means jerry cans.
Note Balgo is about 40km off the Tanami (turn off at the pink car wreck) but fuel is usually cheaper than Billiluna

Fuel at Halls Creek, Balgo, Yuendumu, Tilmouth, ASP
However some try to carry enough fuel to traverse Halls Creek to Tilmouth which is about 800km. I reckon about minimum 2 jerry cans of diesel extra.
Low Speed + permanent 4x4 + extra payload + lower tyre pressures means fuel consumption goes up markedly.

Pretty sure permits are not required to traverse Tanami but might be required for certain spots along the way.

Note Yuendumu and i think Balgo is Alcohol free - as in drinking alcoholic beverages is not allowed.

UHF radio - channel 40 usually.

I reckon the best vegetable other than the underground ones on a 4x4 outback trek is cabbage. They survive being bashed around.


Edit Last time I was there there were no psycho serial killers at Wolfe Creek

Sorry prob info you already know.

 

[Quickstatus]

paging @JessicaTam to the AFF outback adventures phone

A high lift jack is very useful but that depends on what bumper bars you got on vehicle.
And a portable generator??

 

[juddles]

Am waiting for the photos of the 240 can (née 250 can) fridge, and the car in general......

docjames, I am sent regular photos of the progress with the vehicle mods, but I will wait to take my own ones to share.

Am even taking a drone to get aerial, etc snaps and video. As all things, a photo taken in the correct context is the best. So rather than furnish a lame photo of an empty fridge now, I will regale you all with ones when the fridges are full. Quite possibly including my battered face smiling like a child

I suspect in a few short weeks you will be absolutely sick of the photos I will post

 

[drron]

I've got unreal expectations of this trip #juddles.

 

[juddles]

I've got unreal expectations of this trip #juddles.

All I can say is that it is not for the feint-hearted My friend and I get into trouble on just a weekend in Panama - so with two weeks in the aussie bush I dare say that things will happen that may alarm

 

[JessicaTam]

paging @JessicaTam to the AFF outback adventures phone

A high lift jack is very useful but that depends on what bumper bars you got on vehicle.
And a portable generator??

You rang?

@juddles, you do realise that you don't need to fit all 240/250 cans of Bundy in the fridge at once? If you need room for things like, I don't know, food perhaps, you could just cool a day or two's worth of cans and replace each 'morning after'. Just sayin'.

But I am now switched on to this thread and am waiting for the pics.

Oh, I have only read the last page so I have to ask, what vehicle will be the transport du jour?

 

[lovetravellingoz]

A high lift jack is very useful

I once stopped on a Qld beach on what looked liked hard flat sand, such as we had been driving on for several km, but which turned out to be 25mm of sand on top of ooze.

Virtually immediately my troopcarrier just sunk down till the underfloor was resting on said sand/ooze. The tirfor just pulled nearby mangrove trees out of the ground as the suction nad resistance was just too much to budge the vehicle.

Meanwhile we were below the tideline with the tide now on the rise.

So Plan B and out with the hilift jack. Jacked up each corner and then packed mangrove roots and other debris under each of the four tyres.

Troopie now sitting high again, but still in a zone of what was a skin of sand on ooze.

So I just revved the engine up and planted the foot and flew across the top to reach firm sand. Momentum being my friend.

Turned out the ooze was basically formed by a creek which was not that evident when just driving along the beach..

but that depends on what bumper bars you got on vehicle.

Indeed. Virtually all "bumper bars" are useless. It needs to be a decent bar that can actually take the weight of the vehicle with strong enough connections to transfer that weight. ie bullbar, or the equivalent down back. Possibly your tow bar. With modern 4WD's having a decent mounting point for a high lift jack can be problematic unless you have modified the vehicle to have one.

 

[juddles]

You rang?

@juddles, you do realise that you don't need to fit all 240/250 cans of Bundy in the fridge at once? If you need room for things like, I don't know, food perhaps, you could just cool a day or two's worth of cans and replace each 'morning after'. Just sayin'.

.......

I hear you, and agree that is common sense. But as I have alluded to, this is not about simplicity.

Let me put it another way. If a person "X" likes cheesecake, and can happily demolish two of these. Imagine this person is travelling to the end of the earth where cheesecake is unavailable. To be able to get to that place and enjoy a pair of cheesecakes, despite the remote location, is a win over the tyranny of distance. So to get there with two cheesecakes is the starting out goal. But what if, due to the glorious surroundings, that person thinks that maybe they would even go a third cheesecake? Then surely in such a voyage this should be packed and ready.

Having suffered scarcity of pleasures in many places, I also get a sense of satisfaction or security knowing that I have even more up my sleeve. So I want to pack a couple of extra cheesecakes, thinking I may not need them, but they are a buffer that brings a rare moment of security. Just in knowing they are there.

This is essentially the thinking behind this.

And for the record, we have a separate fridge/freezer for such mere indulgences that are food

 

[juddles]

This is NOT the car, but it is the load getting readied:

 

[Matt_01]

Now that is a step too far. Why drink the worst coffee on earth?

International Roast was the coffee of choice in the ADF during the 1990’s. In the Officers’ mess at 10am there was always a line up at the white tin.

 

[Julesmac]

It's been a while since an update, juddles, with or without pics