Hello hello
I am a 28 year Norwegian planning to drive from Sydney to the West coast.
Kitesurfing, diving, fishing, hiking and surfing on the way.
Just bought a Campervan (Ford econovan pop top, long version and its a 4wd!!!)
Time schedule: 2-6 months
The first 2 month my parents are joining me.
And the rest I am on my own.
Starting the trip in January.
Probably lots of people who have done the trip before me.
Need info on:
What to bring?
Where to go?
Where to kite
Potential problems?
Good internet guides?
Cheers Thomas
Firstly, I have done the drive 4 times. (don't ask why, as once really is enough)
One section of your proposed route with three fly in Victorian kiters, only two made it back (one fell in love and fell in love with WA)
I'm biast as I live over here in WA so I'd skip the majority of the EAST coast so I'll leave that bit for the East Coasters to reply. BUT don't dilly daddle around over there on the EAST as you will be kicking yourself once you get WEST and run out of time. I liken the East coast to shopping in a city, you seem to not get a great deal done but time certainly flogs along way too fast. Something to do with all those people and traffic slowing things down, yet speeding up the clock.
I'll pick up the chase in SA by coming across via ROBE, have a kite there, don't stick around too long as there's plenty of great spots. Nice Crays, but better in the West. Focus on Mum and Dad, the reaally good kiting will come later.
Skip Adelaide.....no wait, call in there and get your cooling system checked out well and truly. I'm sure one of the boys can recommend a mechanic for this. Also ensure your camper has good cooling (fridge/freezer) get a good esky otherwise and be prepared to buy lots of ice.
Skip the Barossa....
Go the CLARE VALLEY, grab some decent wines and wander around, that should take you about....1/2 a day. It's North from Adelaide and off the coast. Again, do this for Mum. Lovely Reisling wines.
Then take a look at your map. Head for Wallaroo, good kiting there. King George Whiting is the go there and Scallops.
All of Eyre Peninsula is worth exploring and often missed by many a tourist coming across.
One spot to mention: Stop in COWELL and fill your belly full of cheap, sweet oysters, buy your mum some Jade.
About now you can really slow down, as there's plenty of space and you can make up time when needed. Kite lots in this area.
Explore, camp a bit and enjoy that good wine you picked up in Clare as you watch the sun set almost over the ocean but kinda out of your right eye a bit.
Kite your butt off
Then boogey across the nullabor, don't stuff around, get it done...... one nights camping on the bight will do it, plan your trip so you can do that. Drink the wine and left over seafood is a must on this evening. (now you can see the importance of a good cooling system)
Esperence is truly the start of the magic...spend some time there, a week from the start of the National Park. Too much beauty there to be wasted. There you can check out kangaroos lying around in the early morning sun on a crystal white sand beach where the water goes from clear to black with allthe turqoise and jade colours in between.
Skip the Southwest, your Norwegian, I'm sure you know what trees look like. Albany has some spectacular coast and good kiting if the conditions suit, get some more wine here. Again your a cold water person so it shouldn't bother you kiting there.
There's some average spots for kiting from there up, but nothing that is better than on the Eyre Peninsula of SA of Esperence. So get NORTH.
Perth is hmmm....a city, need I say more?. Your'e in Australia, I'm sure you want to see the outback and the beaches.
Consider th folks by now and maybe leave them lingering in Perth for your kiting mission to come:
Put up some ads in the backpackers of your intended trip if your'e a lonely boy and I'm sure you will find a travel companion
Do the following:
Lancelin
Green Head
Jurien
Cervantes
Dongera
Geraldton
Pt Gregory
Shark Bay
Exmouth.
Sorry, but by my calculations your out of time.
Go home, show your slide show and do your bit for the Aussie tourism industry.
Been a pleasure having you.
PS - Don't watch wolf creek, it sucks.
If you need any specifics on places mentioned, e-mail me.
Hi Molteb,
Make sure your vehicle is in tip top condition. The drive is a very boring 4000 km. I too have done it 4 times. In January, it is probably the hottest time of year to do this drive and you should expect VERY high temperatures across the drive from about Adelaide to Perth.
It's a long and boring drive as Gav said, I did it in 4 days alone and three days with a mate and did it in end of December without Aircon the first time. Nearly went crazy!
Make sure your tyres are in good shape, forget retreads. As Gav said, get your aircon and radiator checked and make sure the car has been serviced before you leave. Replace the fan belts too. You definately don't want to break down anywhere between Ceduna and Perth, it will cost you a fortune to be towed and repaired.
Good luck and have a great trip.
Good winds,
Esperance would be a good stop over that time of year , Jan tends to be best average of our seabreeze...we don't have many flat water spots more for the waves.... your parents will also really enjoy the cool/er climate after the long drive across the dullabor.
Here's some beach info on the place, since you asked for some internet site links.http://www.esperance-kiters.com.au/?L=ogm.index
Also try waksa.org.au for info of beaches around Perth area.
Hey i am now in melbourne and do the same trip but i traveld whith a bus and now i will flight to perth. but give ma a mail when you are on the westcoast.
The Eerie Peninsula is beautiful... go see the 5m stuffed shark at the Shell station in Streaky bay! insane... then don't kite there
Do stop at Cactus point, because after this, there is very little beach access until you hit Eucla... PS Cactus point has nothing in the convenience side of life - just sand dunes, great waves and a little jetty.
Plenty of (expensive) fuel on the way, but the convenience beats the hassle of having to carry extra supplies (about every 250km's)
There is a shortcut from Balladonia to Esperence - Gravel road... don't do it unless you have a 4x4 that can take a bad road... I did it in my RAV ok, but the dust is still coming out of the aircon 1 year later.
Don't fall off the cliffs accross the nullibor.... Beautiful drive though... I suggest you take a few vegetation pictures along the road... amazing when you have finished the 4000km and see the changes in vegetation colours --- but the one thing remaining consistant is the bloody long straight road...
PS: iPod with audio books are quite useful (or learning a new language like Australian)
Don't waste your time over there mate we have beautiful uncrowded, unspoilt beaches here as far a the eye can see.
You can just about kite from Esperance to Exmouth. Waves, flat water, just depend on what you like.
Have a look in my user profile for my site.
As the other guys said just make sure your vehicle is in good nic and take plenty of fuel and water. The distances are deceiving. You can travel hundreds of kilometers in some areas without seeing other people.
Make sure you keep the sun cream flowing as well.
Bertus
This is what the forum should be......what a top thread....well done to all the contributors.....Hirschausen.. your writing skill is top shelf...you should be writing for the tourism board. Keen to read more descriptions of places like Gerro etc.
Harks after watching Wolf Creek ...I bought 2 new kites....with the money I saved by not taking my planned Outback trip..
Can't wait to get to WA in January
col
Yes thanks for all the answers.
Not going to see Wolf Creek, hate horror movies. 
Fixing and fixing the car. Changing the timing belt now. And brakes, alernator belt +++, not planning to break down
Not any wind her in the Sydney area so almost want to drive tomorrow
And for a Norwegian I don´t think that the trip is going to bee boring.
I just get excited to see the different birds and trees
Have been here in Sydney for 3 months now so starting to get used to the birds and the trees hehe.
Good maps and so on?
Hey Molteb,
What some real hang time... try Hanggliding. We are one hour south of Sydney, great area to groove into some bigger adventures. www.hangglideoz.com.au yeah, we all kite too and the next week looks ok here...
My best advice if you have the room is to buy two 20 litre jerry cans of fuel and fill them in adelaide and use them when you get close to the WA / SA border as fuel prices are extreme as there are no servo's for approx two hundred kilometers each side of the boarder
I did the drive from West to East a few weeks ago for the first time in ... well, lets say a long time.
I didn't dally around so I didn't see too many spots (was inland for most of it), however the one that really stood out to me was Eucla - there was MILES of open beach, and LOTS of wind. The water looked very nice. I didn't see any sharks but I know they were out there
I also took some photos which I'll post back here soon (when I unpack some stuff).
Sk
Tanks for all the replies!!!!
My map so fare:
Google Maps
www.google.com:443/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=11181973824374423727,-32.912210,135.199910;13854446183628908126,-32.062595,122.346636;15508722646263825574,-34.170820,115.097110&time&date&ttype&saddr=mittagong,+nsw+australia&daddr=melburne+to:tasmania+to:wallaroo,+sa+to:Wallaroo+SA,+Australia+to:Cowell+SA,+Australia+to:eyre+peninsula+to:Eyre+Hwy+@-32.912210,+135.199910+to:Eyre+Hwy+@-32.062595,+122.346636+to:Esperance+WA,+Australia+to:albany,+wa+to:Bussell+Hwy+@-34.170820,+115.097110+to:perth+to:carnarvon&sll=-31.365805,132.05285&sspn=31.210088,60.380859&dirflg=h&ie=UTF8&om=1&ll=-33.28462,132.011719&spn=30.583376,60.380859&z=4
Am I missing some central things on my first planning map?
Change all oils, timingbelt, all belts, checked the AirCOn +++
60 L of water, 20 l of extra fuel, lots of tools +++ camping gear
The ULITMATE 4WD VAN is ready (Picture is on my profile)
Cheers Thomas
I feel it my duty here to point out to all you east and west coasters (and backpackers) that there is a place in between. Yes you may have heard of it, it's called Adelaide. Now I'm not going to go into what there is to offer here (probably cause there isn't a lot) BUT, what we do have is lots of wind. Now I won't try and take anything away from W.A. cause you can't really. I was in Perth earlier in the year and it's got it all no doubt about that. However what may or may not come as a surprise to some of you is that we are in fact the second windiest City in Australia behind Perth. Seabreezes that come in throughout all of summer like clockwork (most of the time) in the range of 17 - 25 knots daily. Uncrowded beaches, temperate waters (big fish that live in them) and all that wind. If that's not worth mentioning I don't know what is.
Right then, State pride fulfilled, now any travellers thinking of coming, boot off to W.A. and don't crowd up our beaches.
Hey,
Good to hear some people still have a sense of adventure, but there is one little place that has not been mentioned as a kiter's paradise, and is largely unknown. There is a place called Whyalla, about 100kms north of Cowell in South Australia. I fairly large city, with a beautiful beach, i have lived here for the past 22 years. We get awesome sea breezes in summer, right through till bout march/april. I would defiantly recommend you stop here. The local guys are at the beach whenever there is wind and we are all really friendly, no localism here!!!!
Hope to see you around!!!
Blake
Have to agree with Blake. Rather than follow the Highway 1 turn off to Iron Knob/Kimba after Port Auguata keep going another 50km and stop for a kite at Whyalla. It is one of the best locations in Australia during summer. Clear, flat water, tons of room for everybody, great grassed rigging area and heaps of wind most days. Works best on Southerly winds. Locals are super friendly and will look after any new arrivals.
After Whyalla, keep travelling Eyre Penninsula, pick up oysres at Cowell ($6/dozen), stop at Poverty Bay for a surf, Port Lincoln for a kite and a surf, Coffin Bay for fantastic scenery, great 4wd, and more great oysters, Elliston (Walkers Rocks) for a great kite in the right conditions and keep checking out all the great beaches up the West coast until you reach Cactus.
Hope to catch up at Whyalla beach.
Cheers
AB
You Bloody South Australians....shut up!. Stop telling the toursits it's so good!. (laughing)
Excellent to see that there are a few out there prepared to share the good gear. I totally recommend Coffin Bay (oysters are just tops) and Whyalla. Whyalla is like Geraldton, just 80 years behind.
In New Zealand now, have been here for 3 weeks now just 2 days with good wind.
Going back to Melbourne tomorrow and then the big trip begins.
Next looooong stop is Perth.
My girlfriend has gotten a job there and a flat so now it´s just gooooood times.
Cheers THomas
Maybe see you out there on my travell to the west.
Its a great trip, dont believe what some of these tossers are telling you. Obviously havent done it, or couldnt see outside for the mull smoke.
Not the best time of year to do it though.One of the great long distance drives.
TIP- dont buy fuel at Wilcannia!
