Skip's 4x4 - Cape York Trip

Well, here we are, years after the proposed trip date. Years have gone by, and still no Cape York trip. I am beginning to wonder whether this trip will ever happen. With the price of fuel rising, and with my kids well into their teen years, perhaps this trip is logistically impossible. In the original chart below, fuel was estimated at an average of $1.30 a litre over the whole trip, but with fuel here in the city well over that now, you can just imaging what the fuel prices will be out in the bush!

However, I have managed to persuade my family that a trip to Queensland is worth doing, but not going to the northern tip (Cape York), but instead doing Fraser Island, the theme parks, and heading South, for the return trip, taking in some great scenery around Canberra, Kosciuszko, Great Ocean Rd, and returning via the Nullarbor. This trip may well be our last big long distance trip with the family, and so, 3 of us from the GoBush 4wd club have decided to go for it. You can read all about our trip plans on the Queensland trip planning page at our club. We want to keep the number of vehicles down to 3, and so this is a private trip.

Continue reading this page is you want to see our original Cape York trip's planning details, which are perhaps a touch out of date now...

Trip Leader: Skip
Proposed start date: TBA. July 2004
Duration: 6 weeks
Distance: 13000k approx.
Rough plan: Go for a long drive! (Under construction)
Perth, Kalgoorlie, Great Central road to Ayers rock, Alice Springs, Plenty Hwy to Mt Isa, Cairns, Cooktown, Cape York, Back around top end taking in Darwin, Bungle Bungles, Gibb River road and Mitchell falls, Derby, Karratha, Exmouth, Carnarvon, Perth

Waypoint	Distance from last waypoint (K)	Progressive Distance from Cape York (K)
Cape York	0	0
Archer river roadhouse	324	324
Road junction	304	628
Cairns	143	771
Ravenshoe	83	854
Road junction	110	964
George town	147	1111
Croydon	148	1259
Normanton	152	1411
Burk & Wills road house	180	1591
Cloncurry	192	1783
Mt ISA	117	1900
Camooweal	187	2087
Barkly road house	262	2349
3 ways roadhouse	187	2536
Elliott	228	2764
Daly waters	104	2868
Mataranka	167	3035
Katherine	107	3142
Pine Creek	90	3232
Adelaide river	195	3427
Darwin	44	3471
Jabiru	209	3680
Pine creek	207	3887
Katherine	90	3977
Willeroo	120	4097
Timber creek	161	4258
Kununurra	230	4488
Wyndham	100	4588
Road junction	56	4644
Derby (Gibb river road)	694	5338
Road junction	60	5398
Broome	140	5538
Road junction	25	5563
Sandfire road house	319	5882
Port Hedland	291	6173
Karratha	201	6374
Nanutarra Roadhouse	295	6669
Exmouth via shortcut	300	6969
Coral bay	141	7110
Minilya road house	85	7195
Carnarvon	141	7336
Overlander road house	201	7537
Monkey Mia	154	7691
Overlander road house	154	7845
Geraldton	280	8125
Perth	416	8541

The following figures are assuming an average price of $1.20 per litre for Diesel and ULP. It is likely to be less than this over the whole trip. It is also assuming that GAS is about half that price, and is available most of the way. I have included my estimate for fuel economy of 3 vehicles, when loaded and over a mixture of highway and gravel road driving:

Miles per Gallon Estimated vehicle economy when fully loaded on/off rd.	K's per Gal	K's per Litre	Total Litres required	$Cost at $1.30/Litre (Diesel/ULP)	$Cost at 80c/litre (Gas)
10	16.00	3.52	3935.90	5116	3147
GQ Patrol petrol 12	19.20	4.23	3279.91	4262	2622
Landcruiser petrol 14	22.40	4.93	2811.35	3654	2247
16	25.60	5.64	2459.94	3196	1966
Landcruiser diesel 18	28.80	6.34	2186.61	2841	1747
20	32.00	7.05	1967.95	2557	1573
22	35.20	7.75	1789.04	2324	1430
Hilux / Rodeo Diesel 24	38.40	8.46	1639.96	2130	1310

Required: Must be fully self sufficient. All camping gear, large quantity of water and non-perishable food, first aide kit, spare tyres and parts, etc. UHF CB Radio is a must (we use channel 14). Vehicle must be capable of more than 1000k between fuel stops. More details soon.

Recovery & safety gear: We already have HF radio, GPS, EPIRB, Turfa winch, Short Wave receiver, ropes, snatch straps, air jack etc, but we still encourage everyone to bring whatever tools and recovery gear they have. More details soon.

Possible Starters: Scrounger (Landcruiser GXL on gas) with Robbo as co-driver,
Skip (Diesel Hilux dual-cab) with Turbo as co-driver (to be confirmed).
NOTE: This is a closed trip. Entry by invite only!

Waypoint	Distance from last waypoint (K)	Progressive Distance from Perth (K)
Perth	0	0
Kalgoorlie	600	600
Menzies	132	732
Leonora	63	795
Laverton	105	900
Warburton	570	1470
Ayers Rock	518	1988
Kings Canyon	298	2286
Alice Springs	~320	2606
Gemtree	~140	2746
Tobermorey	427	3173
Mt Isa	~250	3423
Cloncurry	117	3540
Hughenden	290	3830
Oasis Roadhouse	~270	4100
Ravenshoe	201	4301
Cairns	110	4411
Cooktown	~210	4621
Cape York	709	5330

Skip's 4x4 Cape York Trip (or other parts of Queensland?)

Skip's 4x4

Cape York Trip (or other parts of Queensland?)