We are renting a campervan in Cairns in Late October, and once we've seen what there is to see in N QLD, we are thinking we can save about $800 in flights - and gain maximum flexibility - by keeping the campervan to drive the Flinders Highway to Alice Springs from Townsville. It's 1780 km and 23 hours 2 minutes according to a distance calculating site. Husband thinks it will take two days. Seems it should take about 285 litres of diesel fuel, and will cost $350 one way rental in addition to the daily rental charges, camping fees, etc.

Has anyone done this? Is it a good idea? Is there anything to see on the route between Townsville and Alice? Things that aren't too far off the highway, as we don't have a lot of time to spend side-tracking.

Is it dangerous driving this route in a campervan? How often does a "road train" come by? Are flat tires and cracked windshields likely or just bad luck?

Any advice - and quick advice - is most humbly appreciated. He wants to book the trip tomorrow

Bumping.

Any specific places to see between Townsville and Alice?

Kimby: haven't done this route but have done a fair amount of Outback driving, and have even been quite far west in Queensland - Winton to be precise. I would tend to believe the calculated driving time of 23+ hours -driving a camper, it's unlikely you'll be able to cut that time by much. So on each of the two days you plan, you will have to spend 11-12 hours solid driving, not taking into account breaks or detours to points of interest. Thus, you will most likely end up driving at night, which is not a good idea in the Outback, and may even be forbidden by the rental company. Free ranging stock, kangaroos, and road trains are the biggest dangers. I would expect to see quite a few road trains night and day. Since this is a major route, I would safely assume the road is built wide enough for road trains and other vehicle to pass in opposite directions. However, on minor roads, road trains are a hazard any time of day. They do not stop easily and they often take their half of the road out of the middle, forcing oncoming traffic right off the road! Bottom line: I would plan on making it a three day drive, not two.

As far as sights to see along the way: precious little. Haven't been to Charters Towers, but understand it to be an interesting town with a number of beautiful old buildings built during gold rush days. Just south (~100 km) of Tenant Creek is the Devils Marbles rock formation. Very little to see - yes. Worth doing? In my opinion, absolutely, just for the sheer adventure and the chance to experience the vast nothingness of the world's driest continent. Naturally, the time you spend driving out there (and back?) could significantly reduce the amount of time you have to see all the great attractions of the Red Center (MacDonnell Ranges, Kings Canyon, Uluru, Olgas, etc). It all depends on how much time you have and how you want to spend it.

Also before you book, I would make sure the rental company will let you take the vehicle out of state, specifically to the Northern Territory.

Thanks Ralph. For your last concern, we'd be booking a one way to Alice from Cairns, so if they make the reservation, they CAN'T tell us not to go to NT, can they?

Appreciate your insights on driving the Outback.

Does anyone else know of other sights/attractions to break up the driving hours a bit?

One reason we are considering the drive is that husband thinks 9 days is too much for Queensland (Cape Trib to Townsville) and doesn't want to be locked into an itinerary that has us returning vehicle in Cairns and flying on a specific date to the red centre.

If we can fill and enjoy 9 or 10 days in QLD, then we wouldn't have the extra time to make the drive. We could pick up another camper in Alice Springs.

This indecision is the part I hate about trip planning. Once we're locked into reservations I do much better plotting out how to spend our days, but I need the framework to function. ;-)

I wrote a trip report about that part of the world, when I rode a bicycle around Australia. Yep, do the drive from Townsville to Alica, and allow three days for the trip, not two.

You might enjoy this:http://www.fodors.com/community/aust...-road-trip.cfm

I can vouch for Charters Towers and Ravenswood (just before Charters Towers) as two great places of interest. Not that there is much left at Ravenswood but it's history is quite interesting.

The Barclay Homestead is a good place to overnight and they have excellent hamburgers and meals.

I think you'll find the road very easy to drive and road trains shouldn't be too much of a bother to you. On the bitumen you should be reasonably fine regarding flat tyres and broken windscreens.

I agree with Peter about making that trip a 3 nighter - I think to do it in 2 is a bit ambitious.

Barclay is good, Tennant Creek is not a very nice place, Mount Isa is worth having a look around, mine tour, tour of the ex-manager's house (which was really good), and overall a good place to spend a night.

I loved Charters Towers - go to the RSL (Returned Serviceman's Club) for a drink and a game of billiards on a full sized table.

Aileron Roadhouse about 150 km north of Alice is friendly, Barrow Creek is not so nice. Devil's Marbles, south of Tennant Creek, is worth a look, as is the telegraph station between Three Ways and Tennant Creek.

There is a lot of driving, and some would say that it is boring. I think that the space and distance make it really special, and you'll have an experience that you can't have in any other country.

That little notch, where the dead straight road crosses the horizon, is the most seductive thing you could imagine.

Isn't Charters Towers a little surprise package Peter? We thoroughly enjoyed our stay there - had a great time. It's history is extremely interesting and I have a feeling that maybe my grandmother may have come from there too. I must follow that up.

Ravenswood is an old gold mining town, with two pubs left. The cemetery is interesting to walk through. We ended up staying an extra day there and the townsfolk were very friendly.

I had an enforced three night stay in Charters Towers - I fell off my bicycle in the main street and wrecked it. Took a couple of days for the bike shop to get a new frame and re-build it.

So I had ample time to walk the streets of Charters Towers, drink beer at the RSL, sit around in the arcade of the Charters Towers Stock Exchange (now sadly not trading). There's an antique, slightly "lace curtains in Grandmother's front parlour" feeling to Charters Towers. I enjoyed it enormously.

We did this drive in a small campervan. My advice would be to not drive at night, as there are too many animals to hit. Our campervan had heavy 'roo bars across the front grille, and they ended up being used for their intended purpose. Also, parts of the Flinders Highway are a bit too narrow, so don't hesitate to drive off onto the shoulder when a big truck or road train comes bearing down on you.

You go onto the Barkly Highway at Mt. Isa, and our experience was that the road quality increased markedly as soon as you cross into the NT.

Once you turn south onto the Stuart Highway (at Three Ways), you will soon come upon the Devil's Marbles Conservation Area, which is quite scenic.

We had a fine time, and it is easily do-able.

"One reason we are considering the drive is that husband thinks 9 days is too much for Queensland (Cape Trib to Townsville) "

Kimby...Having been to north Queensland four times, I wholeheartedly disagree with your husband. Not only is this a huge area, there is a lot to see - not just coast and the Barrier Reef, but also fantastic inland places like Undara , the Atherton Tablelands and Chillagoe. You could easily spend 3-4 nights between Cairns and Cape Trib, 3 nights between Chillagoe, the Atherton Tablelands and Undara, and another 3 between there and Townsville.

So, as I said, the experience of driving to Alice would be wonderful, but there isnt that much to see in between - I believe the other posts support that notion. The three days you spend driving to Alice will be three days in North Qld you will not be exploring waterfalls like Wallaman Falls, seeing wildlife at Undara or enjoying the beach on an island, like Magnetic or Dunk. Again, it's your choice.

Hi, Kimby,
We have had two separate weeks in Cairns, a year apart, and we still didn't visit all the amazing places we wanted to. Be careful who you hire your car from, and check conditions about driving off sealed roads. We organised ours from NZ, and then found we were not able to visit the Mareeba Wetlands, a place I really wanted to go to!
North Queensland is wonderful. I agree with RalphR - Undara is well worth a visit, if possible staying overnight. The Tablelands are quite diverse, and worth driving through. We took a tour, then when we had the rental car we visited places we wanted to see more deeply.
Magnetic Island was an interesting place to visit. Our 29 year old daughter joined us there on her way home from 5 years in London, and just loved the diving. There are plenty of venues for that around Magnetic Island.
Dot

Thank you, everyone, for all the very helpful replies. My husband has been convinced that we should fly rather than drive, so we'll have one campervan for 10 days in North Queensland, picking up and returning in Cairns, and a second campervan in the red center (pickup and return in Alice), finishing up with a flight to Sydney for 3 nights.

The info about Charters Towers and Ravenswood will come in handy if we get that far south, even if we aren't making the long haul. Now that we've finally booked the flights and camper rental, I can start getting excited - instead of stressed-out - about the trip. ;-)

Good move, KimbyMT. As well as overnighting at Undara can I suggest that Granite Gorge, near Mareeba, with its Rock Wallabies would be a good place to visit and camp. Lake Eacham Tourist Park puts you right in the middle of the attractions of the central Tablelands area.

I doubt you'll get that far in the nine days but people have done more silly things than that.

Dotty, the Mareeba wet ands has some very interesting boggy eucalypt habitat and the lakes are fun to canoe on. I however usually drive past as I can find the birds and animals that live there in other places. For a visitor though it makes sense especially with their new early opening arrangements.

for anyone following this thread for useful info on the trip have a look at http://www.savannahway.com.au/site/d....asp?pageId=46