Back from beyond the back of Bourke

[one_iota]

Just spent the week and nearly 3000 km driving from Sydney to Broken Hill and back. Saw a lot of flat country and a lot of Toyotas.

The Defender went very well. :D

Fuel consumption improved as we went along starting with 12.5 l/100 km (against a 90 kmh head wind!) then finally 11.0 l/100.

Water getting in on the passenger's side footwell and some dust around the doors.

The earth connection on my headlight wiring upgrade worked loose and left us in the dark for for a short while.

Here are some shots

Some flat red country:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2008/10/580.jpg

The obligatory photo at the Silverton Pub:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2008/10/581.jpg

By the Darling at Menindee:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2008/10/582.jpg

By the Darling at Tilpa:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2008/10/583.jpg

[dmdigital]

Sounds like a good trip. It sure is flat out there.

Were many of the Toyota's new 200 series or even 70's? I have a feeling people are shifting away from the new Toyota's. Not surprising really given the cost.

Is that ford trying to be the "Interceptor":confused:

[one_iota]

Sounds like a good trip. It sure is flat out there.

Were many of the Toyota's new 200 series or even 70's? I have a feeling people are shifting away from the new Toyota's. Not surprising really given the cost.

Is that ford trying to be the "Interceptor":confused:

The only new 200 Toyos were those driven by Grey Nomads. The only new 70 I saw was driving back into Sydney.

That is the Interceptor as far as I am aware. Much of the original Mad Max was filmed in the area.

[discowhite]

no its not! this is!!:p
11173

11174

dorrigo last weekend.

cheers phil

[dullbird]

hey mahn

we too have just been through bourke......:D went through a couple of days ago......and we also stayed on the darling river:p. infact the spot on your pic looks very much like the spot we were in we went in off the track at marys bend!

we are in a motel tonight as we were in a mother of a storm last night..which flooded our tent...yes it is on the roof:D and soaked everything, that was at balcadine...we are now in longreach.
drying everything out. we actually retreated to the car about 40 mins into the storm as it was hammering us so bad we thought a tree might come down on top of us...needless to say when we opened the tent into the driviong rain, what was a very flat bit of land we were camped on was now engulfed in water and rising i hoped down from the ladder and the water was up over my ankles.....and that was like i said only 40mins into the storm.

you fuel eco sounds good.....ours is shocking 15/16 per 100:o.

we can only assume its the drag of the roof bag and the roof top tent doing 120kph and the weight of the water and fuel tanks and all the rest of the stuff....even so we were shocked as when we went to vic show we got 11/100.

ian is now panicing that we wont be carrying enough fuel for the bullman track...i think we are as we will be doing slower speeds for a start, we shall see:)

[dmdigital]

Lou we did 14.6L/100km on the track towing the trailer. Your economy matches what a friend got in his Puma going to Darwin last week and sitting on 120-130kph. Best advice is slow down to below 100kph. You'll be doing the track at 80-90kph tops so don't get too worried.

Hope everything dries out.

[Scallops]

I achieved 9.8l /100 km on my around Oz trip - that included driving across the Gibson and Simpson deserts in 2nd gear and with the transmission locked.

I also had 750km of gear including a packed roof rack.

How is it done - 90km/h cruising speed and gentle on the throttle. ;)

PS - I had also done about 12,000km before I left.

[abaddonxi]

Mad Max from the SMH -
Mad Max still revving up the fans 30 years on - Film - Entertainment (http://www.smh.com.au/news/entertainment/film/an-australian-cult-classic-turns-30/2008/10/12/1223749842406.html)


https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2008/10/531.jpg



MEL GIBSON did not show up,
and his equally famous black Interceptor Falcon is in a British museum, but celebrations at the weekend marking 30 years since Mad Max exploded onto our screens were still full on.


Original cast and crew members joined 2000 fans for a two-day reunion at Little River, south-west of Melbourne, where the cult classic was filmed.


The late producer Byron Kennedy grew up in nearby Werribee and found the flat, desolate roads to be an ideal setting for the post-apocalyptic film.


Organisers brought in eight replicas of the original Interceptor, otherwise known as an Australian-made 1973 Falcon XB GT coupe, and MFP (Main Force Patrol) cars.

[Bundalene]

Lou, like Derek advises, slow down a bit -...especially with the vast distances & price of fuel in the NT. I know you'll be tempted to go faster, but don't.
You shouldn't do more than that on the road into Gove either. A friend of ours drove out just five days ago and the track is getting a bit more "take your time" style. A few bad washouts and dips.. Real "egg breakers" as we call them!

If you REALLY get stuck for fuel after Bullman, it is available at Gapuwiyak (Lake Evella) ..at a pinch. The turn off to Gapuwiyak is only 190ks. from Gove and about 20 k's in from the main track, so see how you go, you should be OK to do the whole track if you take it easy.

If you do need fuel at Gapas. go to the shop and you can buy a fuel card there. Just ask for instructions to get to the fuel depot. (The shop is open from 9am - 4.30pm.)

Derek has our daughters contact number at Gapuwiyak in case on any emergency, she will be only too happy to advise and direct.
Will PM you Sharon's mobile for your ease of mind.

You'll be fine...

Just enjoy yourselves.

Erich

[rusty1972]

How much were you paying for diesel out there?

Cheers Ben

[Bundalene]

How much were you paying for diesel out there?

Cheers Ben

Hi Ben, not sure whether you want Dullbird to reply or us. We did the trip to Gapuwiyak & Gove in July/August going the same way as DB & MM.

Diesel prices varied - before we left we filled up and paid $1.86.9 cpl in western Sydney. Blackall (western Qld) was $1.91.9cpl. Mt. Isa $1.79.9; Mataranka was $2.00.9 . Gove was $2.10cpl (Three Ways was also $2.10 but we didn't need any there). On the way back in mid-August the price had dropped by 10c per litre at Mataranka and a couple of cents a litre at Mt. Isa.
Cheapest fuel was at Longreach ($1.69.9) and St. George ($1.61.9).
Dearest was at Gapuwiyak where we only put in 60 litres - at $2.40 cpl :eek:

It's getting fairly expensive to go on long trips now, but there were still hundreds of caravans/camper trailers on the road.

Cheers, Erich

[one_iota]

It's all relative.

But in Moree you wouldn't want to be driving anything that wasn't diesel. Check out the posted price for unleaded:

:eek::eek::eek:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2008/10/480.jpg

[dmdigital]

How much were you paying for diesel out there?

Cheers Ben


Hi Ben, not sure whether you want Dullbird to reply or us. We did the trip to Gapuwiyak & Gove in July/August going the same way as DB & MM.

Diesel has just last week dropped from $2.10 to $2.03, haven't had to fill up yet but both Defenders will need a top up this week:(

[Bundalene]

That's nice Derek, glad it's a bit cheaper for you.

Hope Lou & Ian arrive OK on Friday. Just had a look at the BOM website and there's a bit of rain around Katherine. Looks like they're bringing it with them after reading about their drenching at Longreach!!

Cheers