I'm contemplating (with family) a return trip from Syd to WA - maybe summer 2012/2013. I'm sure there is some surfer's or windsurfer's travel diary out there if someone has read it or can direct me accordingly? Could anyone offer some advice about their experience either way. Definite surf stops/checks, where to skip, no sense-of-humour Police to avoid etc...
Is the car-train still operating? Has anyone used it?
Might fly the family back from Adelaide or Melbourne to ease the car woes on the return trip.
If we go it won't be hard to beat this summer on the NSW coast. Below average.
Train one way, drive the other is a really good family trip. My kids were 8 & 12.
The car is cheaper on the train going from Perth to Sydney, rather than in the other direction. When we went the car was very little extra if you bought a gold class ticket. 4WD can only travel as far as Adelaide (due to height restrictions), which is what we did. You won't be able to strap gear on the roof of the car while it is on the train, but you can put all the gear inside.
I can't comment on surf spots as we didn't do those, except for Esperance, which is a must.
regarding putting your vehicle on the train..... i did the trip 2 years ago and looked int putting my van on the train for the return trip but they would not allow you to have anything in the van.... so if your planning on having a vehicle full of windsurfing/camping gear its not an option..
Coffin Bay/Port Lincoln
Cactus
Eucla (4WD and a sense of adventure needed)
Esperance (detour)
Marg's (detour)
It would be a good opportunity to update the map as you go round...
thewindmap.com/#-35.89503104015986,133.77937499899417,6
Speed the whole way to maximise sailing time. Stop nowhere. It is all about the windsurfing.
And the family will thank you for not stopping in the desert
Stop in and say g'day to the Adelaide crew, lots of families and good crew, don't stop in snowtown
Did the road trip a few years ago, but drove by myself Melb to Esperance over two days, then had to wait for wind. Family flew to Perth a week later. Great trip. Hope the family can cope with long days in the car. Coming back by train is a good way to go as you''l be sick of driving by then.
Suggest you don't drive after dark unless you're really good at video games where you have to dodge kamikaze animals.
No problem with gear in the car on the train. No gas bottles though.
Need a roo bar if you are to drive at dusk or dark.
Out of curio, what went wrong with NSW coast trip ?
Don't go to streaky bay. Noah's are all in that area. 
But go to the cafe and though the back and there is a mould of one they caught there. It is bloody massive.
Perth > Sydney by road can be done in 48 hours, if you are crazy and just plain stupid. 15 years ago I was well qualified 
yeah did it in some 60 hours with mates many years ago, including changing on the fly, that sort of stuff.
I used to be crazy and stupid, as you say.
Not crazy anymore.
Hey Tom. Glad you asked the question. We are doing the same this coming Dec. Thanks for the links everyone. We did a trip around Oz for 12 months in 2006 (anti-clockwise) and can agree with the sentiment of ripping across the Great Aussie Bight as fast as you can as there is stuff all there! Seeing the whales off the cliffs was cool though
Pack at least 1 golf club if you can fit it in and do a few holes
www.nullarborlinks.com/
THANKS all for the feedback.
Not sure if it will happen as a few things need to fall into place but if I start to organize an itenery then my wife might concede for a WA express trip for me ("just go bloody windsurfing then, don't meet any girls or have any fun..."!!)
AJ, for your OZ trip what type of vehicle did you use (+ trailer?) and over what time frame? How far into QLD did you go and can a regular car make the anti-clockwise trip in summer season across the top end or from Alice Springs to mid coast WA.
If we did any OZ trip then fuel is not an issue as the car is leased so it would prob be car + box type trailer.
For travelling the Nullabor with kids an in car DVD player makes life so much easier, even if just a portable one.
10 hours driving per day was no big deal with an 8 & 12 year old.
Now they think any road trip less than 3 hours is just too short.
They like to get all cosy in the back and watch movies.
Horror Story:
I remember my 1st time travelling across the Nullabor.
VC Commodore Wagon
No air con
Vinyl Seats
40knt northerly x-wind at 52C.
My sister and i were that hot our skin literally stuck to the vinyl seats. Couldn't open the window because of the dust and wind. Could see the ocean from the cliffs but couldn't swim.
No dvds, just my sister "sourcerer's apprentice' story tape for 8 hrs.
and smelly colouring-in textas that made my sister nauseated resulting in her being car sick for 3 hrs.
Awesome. Still manged to do that trip 3 more times with the family.
Now revenge will be mine when i subject my family to the horrors of the 'Family Car trip" mmmwwhhhaaahahahahahaha[}:)]
do It!
highlights/lowlights 4 me
.the best sunsets,sunrises you will ever see
.long straight roads
.road kill massacres
.whales galore, saw moby dick last time
.cactus,beachport,robe,streaky S.A
.watching the fisherman unload their brucey catch at streaky
.eucla,windy,esperance,denmark, W.A, camping at bremer bay
. -7C; trying to sleep in car at norseman
.gourmet food at nulabor roadhouses.....
.
Or go via rabbit flats roadhouse on the tanami track and pay more than $100 for a warm block of VB.
