Would it be possible to drive to most places in OZ on Firetrails and dirt roads?

[Tank]

Just looking at Google maps of Australia and was wondering if you wanted to could you drive to almost any destination (outside of Metro areas) in Australia via firetrails and dirt roads alone. Maybe a little tar in cases where you need to link one dirt road/firetrail to another. A group of friends and I drove from the South Coast of NSW to the Cooma 60th, by mostly firetrails and some tar, would be an interesting way to travel and see Australia, any thoughts, Regards Frank.

[Bushie]

Probably possible, but doubt it would be feasible due to closed areas/locked gates etc.

Melbourne to Brisbane along the divide would be a great trip.

(On our trips we aim to do as much as possible on dirt)


Martyn

[tuffrangie]

A friend of mine drive round Australia for a year on a trip and did it on predominantly dirt. Took the coast along the Nullabore.

Rob

[Davo]

I think your main problems would be Aboriginal land permits, (I've never heard of one being refused but there does seem to be a long wait), huge mining areas where you'd never be let in, and cattle stations that may or may not let you through.

However, you never know what you'd find by actually being somewhere and seeing if a local could help you out. Another idea is the ICV programme, which stands for Indigenous Community Volunteers. We've had a few people through here who have volunteered for a bit and seen places you just wouldn't be able to otherwise.

[Xtreme]

Probably possible, but doubt it would be feasible due to closed areas/locked gates etc.

Melbourne to Brisbane along the divide would be a great trip.

(On our trips we aim to do as much as possible on dirt)


Martyn


4WD NSW & ACT Association has been talking about this for a while now. There are already walking and horse trails along the suggested route. It probably just needs a few Association volunteers to push the idea a bit harder.

[Tank]

From here (Moruya, Sth. Coast NSW) I could drive to Canberra, Cooma, the Snowy Mtns. and the Vic. high country with not too many problems and from those areas you could drive to other interesting sites.
Starting from your local areas see how far you can get and maybe link with others doing the same, I can imagine that there would be a lot of country you could visit that you hadn't thought of exploring before. Google maps are good, but check the date the image was taken, I've been caught out trying to find well defined tracks only not being able to find in the field because Google image was 10 + years old and track was overgrown. State Forests have excellent maps showing locked gates and private property. Might lead to organising a run to check the possibilities out, would welcome more ideas, Regards Frank.

[ugu80]

You can get from just behind Nowra to Vic high country with only about 10 kms of bitumen on the Kings Hwy.

Nearly all highways have dirt tracks at the side following the property fences. I've often wanted to use them but thought I would look/feel like too much of a tool.

[Blknight.aus]

yep, I did ipswich-wagga-albury-canberra-albury-wagga-ipswich and only covered about 100K on the black top, most of them were on the cunning hams gap crossing.

[123rover50]

Add Stock Routes to the title.
I believe a lot are still open.

Didiman

[wrinklearthur]

The cost of me doing this has stopped this idea from going ahead.
I would like to cross Australia diagonally in the most direct line, from Cape Howe to Cape Leveque, trying to keep within a say 50 Klm corridor.
A logistics challenge would be a mild way of calling this.

Add on, private property fence line tracks, and in the desert areas there are plenty of seismic lines,
but watch out for the one's that explosives were used on ---- big holes ---- !!!! :oops2:
.

[vnx205]

I would like to cross Australia diagonally in the most direct line, from Cape Howe to Cape Leveque, trying to keep within a say 50 Klm corridor.
A logistics challenge would be a mild way of calling this.

Back in 1989, when I joined two of my brothers in Kununurra for a trip along the Gibb River Road to Broome, I went from Yass down to Point Hicks and regarded that as the starting point of a diagonal crossing from SE to NW.

We went via the Oodnadatta Track, The Tanami Track and the GRR, passing through the Lambert Centre, which marks the exact geographical centre of Australia. That isn't quite as strict a route as you are describing, but I still consider that to be my version of a diagonal crossing through the exact centre, using three famous dirt roads.

[Tank]

I know of a Track, for instance, that goes from the geographical centre of NSW to the top northern coner of SA. This track crosses the Barrier Hwy. between Cobar and Wilcannia, I would imagine that a lot of this track heading south east would have gates and some of them would be locked. But heading north west through the deserts I haven't been able to determine any fence lines or gates and it runs through some of the most remote areas, might be worth checking out when I get organised, Regards Frank.

[V8Ian]

Geez Frank, I can remember wanting the opposite. The Landsborough Highway, pre bitumen days, springs to mind. :D

[Tank]

Geez Frank, I can remember wanting the opposite. The Landsborough Highway, pre bitumen days, springs to mind. :D
Ian, in 1976 I drove my 69 Fairlane along the Landsborough Hwy., took me 9 hours from Winton to Cloncurry. Closest I've been to death, after 4 hours of driving on 2 wheel tracks through the scrub and having to build ramps up to the concrete slabs they call bridges in FNQ, I figured they would find my lost bleached bones, one day. My exhaust torn clean off, 2 flat tyres, I really believed I wasn't going to make it, never seen another soul till I got to Kynuna.
I now know why all the traffic was going down the Boulia beef road to the Isa, worst road I ever drove a 2WD car on, poor old Fairlane was never the same after that trip, Regards Frank.

[dmdigital]

Sorry, can't help self... I've been watching this thread and all I keep thinking is:

"But what if there is only a dirt track to anywhere out of town?"

:Rolling:

[RANDLOVER]

4WD Action magazine Volume No. 181 had an article about seven drives between the capital cities of Australia without using blacktop.

[V8Ian]

Ian, in 1976 I drove my 69 Fairlane along the Landsborough Hwy., took me 9 hours from Winton to Cloncurry. Closest I've been to death, after 4 hours of driving on 2 wheel tracks through the scrub and having to build ramps up to the concrete slabs they call bridges in FNQ, I figured they would find my lost bleached bones, one day. My exhaust torn clean off, 2 flat tyres, I really believed I wasn't going to make it, never seen another soul till I got to Kynuna.
I now know why all the traffic was going down the Boulia beef road to the Isa, worst road I ever drove a 2WD car on, poor old Fairlane was never the same after that trip, Regards Frank.

The Blue Heeler was often a bit of a hold up on that section, Frank. ;)
The Boulia route was popular then as there was no road train access between the Isa and the 'Curry, in those days.