Would you drive your Dub across the land of Oz, east to west, Byron Bay in NSW to Steep Point in WA and how long would it take?

I've done half that in mine back in 2001, Byron to Adelaide then back the following week, had a blast was a great trip

Was about 22 hours of driving all up
I remember pulling into the servo at Wilcania and the bloke walked out and said Holy shit! we never see cars like this out here
All the kids wanted there pic taken with it

Nah, you got me wrong, draw a straight line (well nearly) between the two points, now answer the question.

Many years ago (late 70s I think), a bloke drove a bug West to East along the Tropic of Capricorn. It was a strut bug, and he had big racks on it to carry extra jerry cans of fuel. There was a write up in one of the VW magazines at the time.

Someone on here is bound to know more.

I would give it ago in mine, (Baja though)

No idea how long it would take, you'd have to factor in breakdown time

I'd probably get halfway across, and then be like, "Cool a dune!!"
Then start jumping the car and break something hahahahahahaha
All part of the fun.


Smiley

A bird recently went overland in a bug (overland to oz - I think that it was called). Seems it didnt need a rebuild until Katmandu (she left from London).

Newt

Jeff you are thinking of Attila Kauraly - the article on his exploit was in Overlander Magazine about 1978 I think. One of these days I'll reprint it in Zeitschrift. His VW was extensively modified (including dual rear wheels!) and a roof rack that held five jerry cans of fuel, with another jerry can rack over the rear window for another five cans (400 litres of fuel !) His rear seat was removed and there were more jerry cans stuffed in there. He came close to losing his life a couple of times.

The 'furthest west to furthest east' is no easy drive, with much of it cross-country on remote desert tracks (or non-tracks) across many hundreds of km of empty desert. Even the Canning Stock Route is a proper track by comparison and better marked - and that's a major adventure and expensive logistical nightmare in itself. There is no way a standard VW would make the drive and you would be foolish in the extreme to try it. Of course a long drive around via the National Highway is a different proposition, and that would be an enjoyable adventure.

I remember the direct 'west to east' drive first being done by the Leyland Brothers in the late 1960s, with a team of Land Rovers, and the film was shown on TV. Much of the route across WA would have first been driven in the early '50s by the Army surveying and monitoring teams for the Monte Bello atomic bomb tests in 1952.

Quote:

Originally posted by donn Nah, you got me wrong, draw a straight line (well nearly) between the two points, now answer the question.

Rock? I've got Lake Eyre on the line I drew
Check this out

http://www.jeffswalk2.com/ 

Newt, you're probably thinking of this.

http://overland2oz.blogspot.com/2009_02_01_archive.html 

She was driving from London to Australia, got to China before the paperwork slowed her down and she flew to Australia without the car for the last part of the trip.

Would have been an interesting drive.

At least driving across Australia you don't have to worry about crossing borders and passports etc.


Smiley

I drove from queensland to Perth in my vz comodore , it took 3 days
I would estimate 4 days would be on the mark
Google maps will tell you how long it will take

wouldn't try ,Thats what planes are for
unless it was like a road trip with a couple of mates in other cars or variety bash of some kind so you had a fun Holiday,
my brother traveled around Oz in his Kombi but he was gone for years.

http://www.jeffswalk2.com/ 

I've done the trip, well from Coffs Harbour to Perth via Boulia (Qld), the Gunbarrel Highway, Alice Springs, then across to Kalgoorlie and into Perth. Did it in 2002 in an EH Holden.

The only mods are a disc brake front end, strengthened diff and some beefed up shocks. Biggest trouble was tyres on the Gunbarrel which is made of crushed quartz (very sharp!).

Oh and bigger fuel tanks. Carry 110litres and never came close to running on empty. It's a helluva drive, and provided I'd put the best tyres and shocks on my Baja, would do it in a heartbeat tomorrow.

Marc.

Last July/August, I drove my unmodified 65 Beetle (1200 6V) from Sydney, Cobar, Broken Hill, Adelaide, Warrnambool via Great Ocean Road to Melbourne, Canberra, Batemans Bay and back to Sydney.

That trip was over 4,000km on sealed roads and took 7 days. Between Kingston and Mt Gambier, I broke a push rod for No.4 inlet valve and had a broken piston ring in No.3, but didn't know that until I got back to Sydney and pulled the engine down.

Although not furthest East to West, the distance is about the same.

The drive was great, the car went well (despite the broken pushrod), but I wouldn't want to take the car on off-road tracks without the heavy modifications and a heap of back-up.

OK, the first question was a bit of a furphy, originaly I was planning a trip in the wench across from Newcastle into SA up the center to Darwin (or maybe across to Kununurra) parking it for about 6 weeks while I wandered around in the Kimberly (comercial backpacking trip) then from there across into QL and back down through NSW to home, I was figuring on about 4-5 weeks on the road not including the Kimberly section. However I found out about this Jeff Johnson fella, having read his book last year I spoke to him at Angus and Robertsons book store in Kotara while he was doing a promotional visit to publicise his new venture from east to west, now to demonstrate to all my mental condition I have decided to do all I can to join him in the walk, (yep walk, no buggy) I will have to join him after he sets off as I'll still be in the Kimberly when he starts but figure I can join him about 7 days latter. It is a fund raiser for NETS, they need funds to get / update their vehicles etc for transporting dangerously ill children and babies, a worthy cause I reckon and I would imagine anyone who has or had children / grand children would agree, check out the link in my earlier posts and if you feekl inclined kick the can with a few $ giving your own name and you will get a receipt for any donatio over $2, (make a note when donating that it was for Don as we have a bet going about who can raise the most with the loser and winner both donating a sum).
Thanks for reading.
Don

Hi Donn,

Interesting thread indeed. I'll be keen to read how you go. As we live not far from each other we should catch up one day and have a chat about it.

I'd be interested in making such a trip but it won't be this year or with my current project. Still in pieces and lots of work to be done for any sort of reliability.

Keep us posted on your exploits for sure.

B.

Man, you lucky bastard. That sounds like a great trip. I will certainly be looking forward to following the updates.

You did read the "walk" bit didn't you, went for a walk today (about 25km but all it did was tell me I've got to get in shape, stuffed legs is not a shape.

Yeah Donn, I did read 'walk'. Still sounds great though. It will make a hole in your year, but what an adventure!