trip up through Dubbo

Tonz · 13-04-2012, 10:35 PM

shortly we are heading from Pt Lincoln SA over to Broken Hill then out to Dubbo then up to Maryborough Qld. Plan on 2 overnite stops. Willcannia and somewhere between Moree & Toowoomba
Will have the BF ute and stds trailer. We are used to long distance travelling but havent done this route in many years whats the roads like.

The Yeti · 14-04-2012, 07:45 AM

The roads arround Dubbo are probably the best NSW has to offer and deffinatly better than most of western Sydney

I was out Wellington, dubbo, stuart town Dunnydoo etc over Easter and no road problems at all

**GasoLane** · 14-04-2012, 10:24 AM

You would be better off going to Gilgandra, going through Dubbo is slightly longer.

Once you get passed Narrabri tighten your seatbelts and the load on the trailer, they're STILL trying to get the road out of the paddocks and back where it's supposed to be after all the flooding.

**redxm** · 14-04-2012, 10:44 AM

I used to work in Western NSW & Honestly, dont stop in Wilcannia, take a 50km detour and stay in White Cliffs at the underground motel. & as gasolane has said go through Nyngan to Gilgandra
Unless you want to see the zoo.

**GasoLane** · 14-04-2012, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redxm

I used to work in Western NSW & Honestly, dont stop in Wilcannia, take a 50km detour

You forgot to mention don't drive through there at night

NC1183 · 14-04-2012, 11:21 AM

Stay at either Broken Hill or White Cliffs, don't stay overnight in Wilcannia. The road is open through Brewarrena to Walget which is another option after you leave Construction. Make sure you fill up at Broken Hill, there is no decent fuel in Wilcannia.

Yellow_Festiva · 14-04-2012, 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redxm

I used to work in Western NSW & Honestly, dont stop in Wilcannia, take a 50km detour and stay in White Cliffs at the underground motel. & as gasolane has said go through Nyngan to Gilgandra
Unless you want to see the zoo.

Haaa I remember stopping in Wilcannia on a Uni trip once. We were told to stay in a group and don't venture too far from the bus.

The convienience store checkout person sat inside a cage made of boards and pig wire.....

Have fun

BAXR8_Ute · 14-04-2012, 10:46 PM

I live about half way between Dubbo and nyngan and the roads this way are fine, at least to coonabarrabran, not sure after that. I've stayed in wilcannia for a weekend and had no damas. The local cockies are a friendly and hospitable bunch, the natives not so much, but generally harmless if you keep an eye on your stuff.

Tonz · 15-04-2012, 02:34 PM

Another suggestion........
Broken Hill...stop 1st night......Wilcania....Bourke.... Brewinna....Walget.... Moree...Stop 2nd night approx 970k drive.

Whats your thoughts ?
whats Big Red Roo situation like ?
would I get LPG at Wilcania and or Bourke?

**GasoLane** · 15-04-2012, 02:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tonz

whats Big Red Roo situation like ?

Virtually zero, but there are quite a few Big Grey ones

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tonz

would I get LPG at Wilcania and or Bourke?

Wilcannia, very doubtful there should be one at Cobar though.

Franco Cozzo · 15-04-2012, 05:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redxm

I used to work in Western NSW & Honestly, dont stop in Wilcannia, take a 50km detour and stay in White Cliffs at the underground motel. & as gasolane has said go through Nyngan to Gilgandra
Unless you want to see the zoo.

Whats the go with this Wilcannia place? I did some quick googling but not much has come up.

Hords · 15-04-2012, 05:12 PM

I remember stopping for fuel in the morning in Wilcania back in '98. Glanced over the road at the pub which was closed and there was one 'local' sitting on a carton that he was drinking from. WTF are you looking at was the impression I got.

**GasoLane** · 15-04-2012, 05:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big Damo

Whats the go with this Wilcannia place? I did some quick googling but not much has come up.

You probably wont get much as the Politically Correct Police would crack up at people picking on the indigenous population there!

Trust me, It's not a fun place.

Carrie On · 15-04-2012, 05:43 PM

Nailed the biggest Eastern Grey I've ever seen the other night halfway between Cobar and Griffith. But the roads are phenomenally good, just keep a weather eye out for cattle grids, goats, emus etc.

**Full Noise** · 15-04-2012, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tonz

Plan on 2 overnite stops. Willcannia...

Am I reading this right?

In my John McEnroe voice “ YOU CAN’T BE SERIOUS’.

I’ll let you in on a little secret. Don’t stop there overnight, in fact, don’t stop there at all. Don’t even stop if one of the locals walk out in front of you. Just keep going and don’t even tell anyone that you’ve been there.

BAXR8_Ute · 15-04-2012, 08:08 PM

On a slight tangent... What problems have people had in wilcannia or is it just something you've hard? As I said before, I stayed there for a long weekend and had a great time. Very historic town and good sights to see. I'd be more concerned with staying in Burke or Dubbo.

NC1183 · 15-04-2012, 08:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tonz

Another suggestion........
Broken Hill...stop 1st night......Wilcania....Bourke.... Brewinna....Walget.... Moree...Stop 2nd night approx 970k drive.

Whats your thoughts ?
whats Big Red Roo situation like ?
would I get LPG at Wilcania and or Bourke?

Yeah, that's the way i and my in-law's go to Adelaide from Moree.

You can get most fuel at Cobar, or Bourke. Broken Hill to Cobar is 590km, so make sure you can run that in one go.

Big Red Roo's are going to be outrageous at the moment with the amount of feed in the area and the water that will still be around.

buddy92 · 15-04-2012, 09:57 PM

Wilcania? DO NOT stop there, bad mistake. Worked as a security guard there, never again, NEVER. And yes I've had some really messed up stuff happen there, not just heard but had it happen. It's just wrong, plain wrong.

And I'm from Dubbo, and the roads are appauling here and Wellington, I got to Wellington atleast every 2 days as the girlfriends parents are from there and they are sick. That road will be the death of my car.

Fantome · 15-04-2012, 10:24 PM

Just retired from driving Dubbo-Broken Hill run 7 return trips a month. Through Wilcannia about 9pm and returning about 7 am, never had the slightest problem in 14 years.

Roos not too bad at the moment but then I had a lot of steelwork on the front so not a worry to me. Biggest problem will be insects and mossies around Wilcannia because the floodplains are nearly covered and river is up. Makes a hell of a mess of the windscreen and front.

There is no 24 hour fuel at Broken Hill or Wilcannia (unless you have fuel card and buy over 250litres) so night time travel may be limited.

Also there are two roadhouses, one at Little Topar 75 kms east of Broken Hill and Emmdale, 100 kms east of Wilcannia that are open to about 9 pm. Both sell fuel significantly cheaper than Wilcannia. Emmdale also has good tucker and arguably the best coffee oh the road.

Also Broken Hill to Cobar is 456kms, 196kms BH to Wilcannia then 260kms Wilcannia to Cobar. White Cliffs is also a fair old detour 93kms via the Opal Miners Way which branches off on the outskirts of Wilcannia. Forget about the Dry Lake Road shortcut it is only open to 4wd as far as I know and is heavily damaged. Likewise Bourke to Walgett via Brewarrina is only open to light vehicles under 5 tonne.

graham7773 · 19-04-2012, 05:10 PM

Just a little afterthought. BAXR8_Ute Willcannia is the place where the indigenous gentlefolk destroyed the pub by hurling railway sleeper spikes at windows and doors beacuse of a change in opening hours and the removal of one of the gentlefolk who was so drunk he literally could not walk. Definitely do not stop there on pension day as dozens of locals turn up at the pub and walk away with 1 or 2 slabs of grog on their shoulder, I have driven thru the place dozens of times. the only times I stopped were to get fuel once, and install an alarm in the local centerlink office. Even then, we stayed in a motel in Cobar. and right now, Great(Eastern?) Greys and to a lesser extent big Reds are a problem esp around dusk and dawn. And if you see a biggish wombat crossing the road, try your hardest to avoid him/her as they are about the equivalent of hitting a brick wall and will destroy the front of your car, bull bar or not. 120 t0 140kph right? That will do it. But enjoy your trip. PS if your doing less than 110kph on the Barrier Highway, be prepared for the threats, insults and possible nudges from Macks, Kenworths, Scanias and assorted other road trains, b-doubles and lesser juggernauts who don't like to be travelling at less than 140-150kph. Been there, done that.

Fantome · 20-04-2012, 03:29 AM

Just arrived Broken Hill (2am) after traveling from Dubbo. Cruise control in "juggernaut" set at 98, saw three foxes and nearly hit an owl but no roo's around at all. Heaps of insects as usual, impossible to drink coffee at Emmdale without some insect wading through the froth! Wilcannia very quiet, couple of kids in street, short blast of horn and got a wave, quite a pleasant trip,really.

By the way Graham, are you sure they used railway sleeper spikes? unusual given that the nearest railway is 200 kms away. I think I remember this happening back in the early 80's the only remaining pub still has perspex "windows".