Plan to cross the Nullarbor

theoyu
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Plan to cross the Nullarbor

Postby theoyu » Tue Aug 17, 2010 2:48 pm

Hi everyone,

Its Theo from Hong Kong~
I m currently staying in Bunbury, but will start my journey this Sunday: to Adelaide (or Port Augusta, crossing the Nullarbor anyway)
Here is my route and plan:

SW Australia:
1. Bunbury->Collie (56 km)
2. Collie->Darkan (63 km)
3. Darkan->Wagin (60 km)
4. Wagin->Dumbleyung / Kukerin (39 km / 80 km)
5. Dumbleyung / Kukerin->Lake Grace (83 km / 42 km)
6. Lake Grace->Newdegate->Lake King (111 km)
7. Lake King->Ravensthorpe (71.7 km)
8. Ravensthorpe->Munglinup (80 km)
9. Munglinup->Esperance (107 km)

Nullarbor:
10. Esperance->Salmon Gums (107 km)
11. Salmon Gums->Norseman (97 km)
12. Norseman->Fraser Range Station (100 km)
13. Fraser Range Station->Balladonia Road House (90 km)
14. Balladonia Road House->Baxter Rest Area (114 km) (bush camping)
15. Baxter Rest Area->Caiguna Road House (64 km)
16. Caiguna Road House->Cocklebiddy Road House (64 km)
17. Cocklebiddy Road House->Madura Road House (92 km)
18. Madura Road House->Mundrabilla Road House (115 km)
19. Mundrabilla Road House->Eucla (65 km)

20. Eucla->WA/SA Border Village (12 km)->water tank (31° 37' 8.40"S, 129° 31' 46.20"E) (69 km from Eucla)-> Rest Area (31° 34' 47.46"S, 129° 52' 28.56" E)(102 km from Eucla) (bush camping)

21. Rest Area->water tank (31° 33' 39.60"S, 130° 28' 15.60"E) (57 km)-> Nullarbor Road House (78 km from rest area)

22. Nullarbor Road House->water tank (31o 24’ 39S, 131o 36’ 54” E)-> Yalata Road House (93 km) (bush camping)
23. Yalata Road House->Nundroo Road House (57km)
24. Nundroo Road House->Penong (86 km)
25. Penong->Ceduna (75.7 km)

Eyre Peninsula:
26. Ceduna->Wirrulla (90 km)
27. Wirrulla->Wudinna (122 km)
28. Wudinna->Kimba (103 km)
29. Kimba->Iron Knob (89 km) (camping)
30. Iron Knob->Port Augusta (69 km)

Towards Adelaide:
31. Port Augusta->Port Germein (77 km)
32. Port Germein->Clare (132 km)
33. Clare->Gawler (102 km)
34. Gawler->Adelaide (46 km)

Do anyone have any suggestions/comment for my route?

And there are some questions:
1) I searched on the internet and could not find any supermarket in the towns of SW Australia on my route, but there should be some store(s) in the town? Can anyone comment?
2) On the Nullarbor, which there are emergency water tanks. Is the water safe to drink? (there is a warning sign, saying that maybe contaminated though)
3) Can anyone give me some information about water supply of the road houses along the Nullarbor? It seems that the water supply depends on the mood of the staff... some may give water to cyclist... and some will only sell water (which is expensive!)
4) I have 2 x 6L water bladders + 1 x 2L water pack + 1 x 1L water bottle, may buy some more bottled water before crossing the Nullarbor. Is that enough (generally)? As I have read some websites, people usually take 10-15 L water (even in summer), where I will cross the plain by September.
5) Can I refill gas can for my camping stove in the road house? Or I have to buy a new one (or spare one anyway)
6) Any comment on the bush camping area? I chose the points after reading the websites: sprung chicken 2009 and the riders of OZ. Other than the stated bush camping point, I will stay in hostel/caravan park (camp site)/backpacker.

This is my first trip which is that long, with that amount of gears...
A little bit nervous about the journey crossing the Nullarbor. Just hope that the weather is good enough for my trip.

Anyway, please give me some suggestions on the plan.
Thanks a lot~

Cheers,
Theo

juddo
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Re: Plan to cross the Nullarbor

Postby juddo » Tue Aug 17, 2010 7:59 pm

That's some thorough research into the route. Do you have a blog or www site?
15L should last atleast 2 days in the winter. The grey nomads will no doubt offer you some supplies.

Best of luck!
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pawnii
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Re: Plan to cross the Nullarbor

Postby pawnii » Wed Aug 18, 2010 3:56 am

Hi, I crossed the Nullarbour in January this year. I went from Adelaide to Perth.


1) I searched on the internet and could not find any supermarket in the towns of SW Australia on my route, but there should be some store(s) in the town? Can anyone comment?
I sent food parcels with Australia post to roadhouses prior to leaving. It's a standard thing to do for cyclists. Just give them a call and let them know. This will save you heaps of money.

2) On the Nullarbor, which there are emergency water tanks. Is the water safe to drink? (there is a warning sign, saying that maybe contaminated though)
All of the emergency water tanks were empty in January. The tanks do not get filled up, they just collect rain water from the roof over them.

3) Can anyone give me some information about water supply of the road houses along the Nullarbor? It seems that the water supply depends on the mood of the staff... some may give water to cyclist... and some will only sell water (which is expensive!)
Almost every roadhouse let me use there rain water tanks to fill up my water bags. Just let them know you are a cyclist because they don't allow cars,vans or motor homes to fill up with the
tanks.
Don't go looking for the tank without permission. They purposely hide the taps off the water tanks to stop people from using it without permission.
Don't get water from the bathrooms or toilets because they use bore water. Bore water on the Nullarbour is salty and not drinkable.
Nundroo roadhouse was the only place i had to buy water.
Yalata roadhouse, which is abandoned and closed down, has a water tank (east side of building, has no tap handle but you can still turn it with your fingers) and if you fill up all your waterbags from there you should make it to Penang.

4) I have 2 x 6L water bladders + 1 x 2L water pack + 1 x 1L water bottle, may buy some more bottled water before crossing the Nullarbor. Is that enough (generally)? As I have read some websites, people usually take 10-15 L water (even in summer), where I will cross the plain by September.
That is plenty. I had 2 x 5L water bladders + 1.5L bottle + 1 x .75L bottle....and it was the peak of summer!
I even had a bush shower most nights

5) Can I refill gas can for my camping stove in the road house? Or I have to buy a new one (or spare one anyway)
Depends what "gas" you are using. I used a trangia and brought 1L of mentholated spirits from the Nullarbour roadhouse.
If you can work out when you will run out of gas, you can send more to a roadhouse for yourself to pick up when you get there or ask them to stock it for you to pick up when you get there.

6) Any comment on the bush camping area? I chose the points after reading the websites: sprung chicken 2009 and the riders of OZ. Other than the stated bush camping point, I will stay in hostel/caravan park (camp site)/backpacker.
On the actual Nullarbour desert the road side stops are perfect for camping. When you are closer to Adelaide you will not find bush camping impossible in the towns.
In Balladonia roadhouse, Caiguna road house, Cocklebiddy roadhouse, Madura roadhouse, Ceduna, Wirrulla, Wudinna, Kimba, Port Augusta there was no free camping areas.
If you're after free camping, you can camp just before or just after these rest stops. Camp sites in caravan parks cost between $12 and $25 dollars. It was worth it just to use the showers and washing machines.



I hope this helps you a bit :)
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theoyu
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Re: Plan to cross the Nullarbor

Postby theoyu » Wed Aug 18, 2010 5:25 pm

Thanks everyone ~
I have a blog (mainly in Chinese...), which you are all welcome to have a visit:
http://hk.myblog.yahoo.com/theoyu

About the route to Adelaide from Port Augusta, I will probably modify after getting Port Augusta.
Thanks for your suggestions~

I tried to camp in the backyard of the house I m staying and found that it would be nasty if it rains...
Even on a dry day, I got my dome wet from the inside... probably from the water vapour from me throughout the night... on the fly (I should say raincoat) of the dome...
So I have to dry it using a piece of cloth before going...

Do you face the same problem when you camp?
Do you place a piece of plastic bag (the black ones for garbage) or camp sheet under the dome/tent?
Thanks

pawnii
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Re: Plan to cross the Nullarbor

Postby pawnii » Wed Aug 18, 2010 10:25 pm

theoyu,

Water condensation inside and outside of a tent is a standard part of camping. I use a towel to dry the tent as best i can before packing it away. Then i place the towel over my panniers for the first few hours of my ride to dry the towel.

I brought a footprint with my tent. It's basically a sheet made of the same material as the tent. It is perfect for keeping the base of the tent dry and clean.

You can get a plastic sheet from any camping shop and it will do the trick fine.
Last edited by pawnii on Thu Aug 19, 2010 4:15 am, edited 1 time in total.
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gdt
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Re: Plan to cross the Nullarbor

Postby gdt » Wed Aug 18, 2010 11:52 pm

pawnii wrote:You can get a plastic sheet from any camping shop and it will do the trick fine.
In SA we tend to go to the hardware store and buy the thick plastic orange plastic sheeting designed to go under concrete and cut it to fit. Cloth or softer plastic won't stop the "three corner jacks" from putting holes in the base of the tent.

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Re: Plan to cross the Nullarbor

Postby pawnii » Thu Aug 19, 2010 4:14 am

thick plastic orange plastic sheeting designed to go under concrete is a fantastic idea.
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il padrone
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Re: Plan to cross the Nullarbor

Postby il padrone » Thu Aug 19, 2010 8:51 am

Yes, theoyu, beware of three-corner jacks (bindiis, cat-heads).

Image

Be careful about where you place your tent. Check the ground visually for any thorny plants or thorns on the ground. Put your hands down on the ground - if there's thorns you'll get spiked by them.

You're mainly riding sealed roads but on any gravel or dirt roads, or wheeling your bike off the road they can spike your tyres. The tips of the thorns break off and work themselves into the tyre, causing many frustrating punctures. I have found these tyres - Vittoria Randonneur Cross - 26 x 1.75 to be the very best for puncture resistance, including three corner jacks. You can get them in 700C as well.

Image
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theoyu
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Re: Plan to cross the Nullarbor

Postby theoyu » Thu Aug 19, 2010 8:04 pm

pawnii wrote:Hi, I crossed the Nullarbour in January this year. I went from Adelaide to Perth.


1) I searched on the internet and could not find any supermarket in the towns of SW Australia on my route, but there should be some store(s) in the town? Can anyone comment?
I sent food parcels with Australia post to roadhouses prior to leaving. It's a standard thing to do for cyclists. Just give them a call and let them know. This will save you heaps of money.
I have just sent a parcel to Eucla motel/hotel and rang them before that~
Hoping to have a rest day there and I have sent a spare gas canister, should be enough for the remining part of the trip.

BTW, just wonder if the caravan parks in the Nullarbor have any shades for camping?
I m a bit worried about the weather, as its still winter and may get rain these days.
Having NO actual camping experience, can you guys give me some advice on camping in a rainly day?
Thanks~~
gdt wrote:
pawnii wrote:You can get a plastic sheet from any camping shop and it will do the trick fine.
In SA we tend to go to the hardware store and buy the thick plastic orange plastic sheeting designed to go under concrete and cut it to fit. Cloth or softer plastic won't stop the "three corner jacks" from putting holes in the base of the tent.
Thanks for your advice, but what is the "Thick plastic orange plastic sheeting"?
Maybe I will check this out tomorrow, do Bunning Warehouse sell this kind of things?
il padrone wrote:Yes, theoyu, beware of three-corner jacks (bindiis, cat-heads).

Be careful about where you place your tent. Check the ground visually for any thorny plants or thorns on the ground. Put your hands down on the ground - if there's thorns you'll get spiked by them.

You're mainly riding sealed roads but on any gravel or dirt roads, or wheeling your bike off the road they can spike your tyres. The tips of the thorns break off and work themselves into the tyre, causing many frustrating punctures. I have found these tyres - Vittoria Randonneur Cross - 26 x 1.75 to be the very best for puncture resistance, including three corner jacks. You can get them in 700C as well.
Thanks for your reminder!
They are really annoying... when I was in Perth, I got punctures by them!
Twice in 3 days!

I have actually read your words about the Vittoria Randonneur Cross in another post~~
And I ordered one pair of Vittoria Randonneur Cross 26' x 1.5', as the bike shop just told me that they cant get the 1.75' one... and I have to order it as they did not stock them
I would have thorn-resistant tubes for the trip, with Vittoria Randonneur Cross. How many tubes do you think I should bring along?
I may buy 2 more thorn-resistant ones as spare. Is it enough?

pawnii
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Re: Plan to cross the Nullarbor

Postby pawnii » Fri Aug 20, 2010 2:36 pm

BTW, just wonder if the caravan parks in the Nullarbor have any shades for camping?
I m a bit worried about the weather, as its still winter and may get rain these days.
Having NO actual camping experience, can you guys give me some advice on camping in a rainly day?
There is very little shade in the some of the caravan parks. Sometimes you can be lucky and find a good spot under a tree but most of the time it's already taken by cars with tents.
If you have a good tent with a vestibule that's waterproof and reliable then camping in the rain should be fine. My panniers are waterproof so i just kept on my bike when camping.
Having a free standing tent helps. A lot of the time the ground is to sandy and soft for pegs.

Thanks for your advice, but what is the "Thick plastic orange plastic sheeting"?
Maybe I will check this out tomorrow, do Bunning Warehouse sell this kind of things?
Any thick plastic sheet will do. I'm sure you will find something at Bunnings. I guess anything that is waterproof is good enough. As long as it's not too thick that it's bulky and not too thin that it will tear.

I find cooking in the rain and/or high winds a challenge sometimes.
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theoyu
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Re: Plan to cross the Nullarbor

Postby theoyu » Mon Aug 23, 2010 2:58 pm

I hv got a blue one from Bunning Warehouse, which the size is a little bit larger than my tent
I tried one night and it rained... the sheet is too large and the rainwater was trapped under the tent...
I will try another night, folding the sheet into a smaller size...

btw, the hook of my pannier was broken...
hv to buy another one before going...

finally i bought a pair from ebay, hopefully will arrive by the end of this week...
and my tyre still not arrived yet...

just wanna get prepared and go now..

pawnii
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Re: Plan to cross the Nullarbor

Postby pawnii » Mon Aug 23, 2010 3:37 pm

theoyu,

that's great that you are testing things before leaving. I'm sure you will work out how to set yourself up perfectly for camping in the wet. Just keep at it.

I remember waiting for bike parts and camping gear to arrive in the mail from ebay. It sucks but i guess it's worth the wait to save money.

Good luck with your journey.
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theoyu
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Re: Plan to cross the Nullarbor

Postby theoyu » Thu Sep 16, 2010 12:24 pm

Hey guys,

I made it to Esperance now, having rest days here.
It was quite hard along the way, really!
Especially for the continuous up and downs along the way...
I find it most difficult to ride through Newdegate from Lake Grace to Lake King!
A loooooooooong straight road, with up and downs... When I came to the top of a hill, there are many more coming...
Its really a challenge for my will... but I made it anyway :)

The cross wind and head wind are also problems... it sucks when I go down a hill with them... and up again...

But I really met great people along the way, some of them even offered me a place to sleep or a hot meal!
I feel really thankful for that!

Anyway, sill a long way to go to Adelaide from here.
I am getting prepared and hope that the wind will help...without rain!

Thanks all

Theo

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Re: Plan to cross the Nullarbor

Postby jet-ski » Fri Sep 17, 2010 12:44 pm

Good luck Theo! When I was riding out there I found myself constantly singing the same song over and over.
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prawza
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Re: Plan to cross the Nullarbor

Postby prawza » Sat Sep 25, 2010 2:54 pm

Ooh, seems like you've planned it quite well.

There are plenty of rest stops along the way so you should never have problems finding a campspot along the Nullarbor. I personally preferred just camping in the bush, most of the road is surrounded by crown land, so you can literally stop wherever you want and walk ~100 metres into the bush and put up your tent.. This will save you a little bit of money along the way. Watch out for the mice once you hit the Eyre peninsula :P

good luck with the rest of your journey!
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Riddley
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Re: Plan to cross the Nullarbor

Postby Riddley » Sun Sep 26, 2010 3:56 pm

theoyu wrote: Even on a dry day, I got my dome wet from the inside... probably from the water vapour from me throughout the night... on the fly (I should say raincoat) of the dome...
Thanks
If possible, set up your tent so that air is able to flow through both the inner (where you are) and between the inner and the fly. This will help to reduce the condensation. In any case there will almost always be some condensation. You should dry your tent as much as possible when packing, and dry it properly whenever you have the chance, so it can't grow any mildew. (kind of mould)

gdt
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Re: Plan to cross the Nullarbor

Postby gdt » Sat Oct 09, 2010 12:24 am

theoyu wrote:I hv got a blue one from Bunning Warehouse, which the size is a little bit larger than my tent
I tried one night and it rained... the sheet is too large and the rainwater was trapped under the tent...
I will try another night, folding the sheet into a smaller size....
I realise this is a bit late, but you cut the plastic sheet to suit the base of the tent, so that it doesn't stick out beyond the fly. Sounds like you are having a great time.

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