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bevnles Profile
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Date Registered: 02-2005
TOTAL POSTS: 15
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X_Trail - East to West - across the centre


We have just completed a 15,000klm 10 week trip Brisbane, W.A., Brisbane in our 2002 st, towing a Cub camper trailer, and have nothing but praise for the way in which the vehicle handled everything in its path. From Brisbane we travelled north-west to Boulia before crossing the Donohue and Plenty Highways to access the gorges of the East Macdonnell Ranges. This road was corrugated with patches of bulldust with 4wd only needed in the deepest of bulldust holes. Not once did we bottom out. The gorges visited included N'Dahla, Trephina, Ruby Gap and several less known. Ruby was the most difficult and required 4wd for most of the distance from Arltunga due to the very rough terrain. We hit bottom once. We then treated outselves to a week in Alice. The West Macdonnels were a breeze, mostly sealed roads, although the Mereenie Loop was a little challenging. We noticed wild donkeys, dingoes and wonderful eagles in that area. We visited Redbank, Ormiston and Ellery Creek Big Hole as well as Hermannsburg and Palm Valley. The road into the Palm Valley campsite is along the Finke River bed for quite a distance. For those who have travelled into Palm Valley proper, we managed to get within 1k of the palms and may have made the distance but as we were the only visitors at that time and it was getting into quite deep sand territory, we walked the rest. This trip required 4wd for the 3.5k we travelled, as it is on unformed road and over quite large rocks in some parts. A visit to Kings Canyon and another 5 days at Yulara and we headed west across the Great Central Road to Laverton in WA. A distance of some 1050klms of good gravel, stony gravel, corrugated gravel and a little bulldust. This took 3 days (2 o'night roadhouse stops) before reaching Laverton. The speed could vary from 20 to 80 and needed very careful concentration as the road could change very quickly. The feral camels were also likely to be in the middle of the road around the next bend. Fuel on this stretch was Opal Unleaded at 1.70 per litre. Not cheap, but they had it and we needed it. Supply and demand. We did the wild flower thing in the goldfields before heading south-west to Peranjori and across to Julian Bay, our first look at the Indian Ocean. After Cervantes and The Pinnacles we travelled south-east skirting around Perth to the SW corner. Unfortunately, the winter had not yet finished and we spent many days driving and walking in the rain. Eventually made the trip around the coast and near coast, including the Stirling Ranges, to Esperance and Cape Le Grande and Norseman before heading back across the Nullabor to Eucla, Ceduna, Broken Hill and on to Brisbane. In the 15000, we did not have one flat tyre although we carred 2 spare wheels and 1 extra spare tyre. We travelled on near new Cooper tyres and had them re-aligned and the car fully serviced in Albany. Fuel consumption varied but we believe the average was betweeen 9 and 9.5. The price of fuel varied from 1.17 (Qld) to 1.70 (NT). Across the Nullabor was 1.69. No dust entered the inside of the X-trail at all although hardly recognisable with outside dust on some occassions. The vehicle needs a good detail and should be as good as new. Will try to post some photos but may need grandson to visit!!
Bev and Les
22/Oct/2005, 4:02 pm Link to this post Send Email PM   Send Private Message
 
Panfa Profile
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Date Registered: 08-2005
TOTAL POSTS: 122
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Re: X_Trail - East to West - across the centre


Sounds like an awesome trip. I am thinking of travelling to Alice via Boulia in February so it's good to know that an X-Trail could make it.

BTW, did you need any permits to travel through any of those areas in central Australia?

Last edited by Panfa, 23/Oct/2005, 12:52 pm
22/Oct/2005, 4:18 pm Link to this post Send Email PM   Send Private Message
 
bevnles Profile
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Date Registered: 02-2005
TOTAL POSTS: 15
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Re: X_Trail - East to West - across the centre


If you plan to travel any outback roads in February you will need to be sure that roads have re-opened for the dry season. For the Donohue or Plenty contact can be made through the Shire Office or Information Centre at Boulia. Tobermorey Station is a good overnight stop. No permit is required for the Donohue or Plenty but two communities(NT and WA) are needed for the Great Central Road. These are free and details can be found on www.exploroz.com. Go to TRIP PLANNING and then PERMITS.
24/Oct/2005, 1:36 pm Link to this post Send Email PM   Send Private Message
 
Panfa Profile
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Date Registered: 08-2005
TOTAL POSTS: 122
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Re: X_Trail - East to West - across the centre


Thanks for that.
24/Oct/2005, 5:14 pm Link to this post Send Email PM   Send Private Message
 
cuffs4 Profile
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Date Registered: 04-2005
Location: Adelaide
TOTAL POSTS: 33
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Re: X_Trail - East to West - across the centre


Great read, I read it on explor.com and was going to ask if it could be posted on this site, but you are a member
25/Oct/2005, 1:46 pm Link to this post Send Email PM   Send Private Message
 
basshead Profile
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Date Registered: 02-2004
Location: Panania, Sydney
TOTAL POSTS: 2852
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Re: X_Trail - East to West - across the centre


Sounds like you had an excellent trip, and fortunately an uneventful one (in that the X-Trail withstood all you threw at it without complaining, that is!).

I know someone who drove to Tibooburra (spelling?) in their new Ford Territory and the suspension didn't survive the trip due to the terrible corrugations, so it's good to hear the X-Trail survived! After hearing the story about the Territory, I was much more hesitant to do the trip in our X-Trail as we were thinking of going sometime next year.



---
Rich. X-013(c)
'04 S2 ST Auto. Nudge_roofracks_tow_tints_Lightforce_GME_YokoGeoA/T-S_TBS_bashplate_50mm-spacer-lift
Click here to see >300MB of photos and videos All For His Glory.
2/Nov/2005, 10:43 pm Link to this post Send Email PM   Send Private Message MSN Yahoo Blog
 
bevnles Profile
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Date Registered: 02-2005
TOTAL POSTS: 15
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Re: X_Trail - East to West - across the centre


We believe in driving to conditions and being aware of your vehicles capabilities. Some drive corrugations at speed and claim that is the only way to go. It does give you a slightly more comfortable ride but at what cost to your vehicle? You need time to react to anything that looms up in front of you. Standing on brakes on dirt roads is not a healthy option. On the Great Central Road we came across a near new Landcruiser towing a very expensive off-road caravan. The inside passenger door handle has fallen off with the corrugations and the door would not stay closed. The passenger had to hold the door shut for a hundred k,s. Also, the spare wheel mounting on the caravan had sheared off leaving the wheel hanging in the breeze. The missing piece had taken the locking plate and lock as well. It had to be welded up at a roadhouse until something more permanent could be done. The people we came across with tyre problems almost all had tyres with tubes. The fine dust gets between the tyre and tube hence the punctures. Take time and all will be ok.
bevnles
4/Nov/2005, 8:27 am Link to this post Send Email PM   Send Private Message
 


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