bevnles
X-TRAIL NEWBIE
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
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22/Oct/2005, 4:02 pm
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Panfa
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
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22/Oct/2005, 4:18 pm
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Panfa
Date Registered: 08-2005
TOTAL POSTS: 122
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Re: X_Trail - East to West - across the centre
Thanks for that.
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24/Oct/2005, 5:14 pm
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