Brisbane to Alice Springs?

Question

Want to travel from brisbane to alice springs with three of my mates in a motorhome.

Any idea what we could do along the way as in any good places worth visiting. what's the distance between brisbane and alice springs?( 2535 kms according to goole maps but i think it is more than 3000kms)

Also how much fuel does a motorhome consume...i checked a website and i said 18 per 100 kilometers..is this right or would it be more?

Or any other general idea.

Thanks a lot in advance.

Answer 1

1. There is no direct road. Your motorhome road through to A.S. can be through Toowoomba and west to Augathella, then up through Tambo and Barcaldine where you turn west for Longreach. Then via Winton to Cloncurry, turn west again to Mt. Isa, through Camoweal to the Threeways, turn south to A.S. Sealed roads all the way, about 1600km Brisbane to Cloncurry if I recall correctly .

Alternately go up the coast to Woodstock just south of Townsville, then through to Charters Towers, through Richmond, Julia Creek etc to Cloncurry, you know the way from there.

Alternately Brisbane to Rockhampton, turn west through Gracemere, Duaringa, (Blackdown Tableland natn'l park) Blackwater, you can view big coal mines near Blackwater, a Emerald, Anakie (gemstones at Anakie, not at Emerald) and Alpha, Barcaldine, you know the way from there.

You can also get on to this road through Roma, (oil field museum) up through Injune (Carnarvon Gorge off the road to the west), Rolleston, Springsure, Emerald, then turn west for Alpha.

Another way is through Miles, where there is a big outback village centre, worth a look, turn north for Wandoan etc, through Banana to the Capricorn Highway.

2. The fuel mileage sounds about right. A very long way between Camoweal and the Threeways along the Barkly Highway. Used to be a place called Barry Cave's roadhouse west of the NT border but I think it is long closed. Fill up at Camoweal whatever the fuel cost or carry a couple of jerrycans.

3. At Tambo you can get Tambo teddy bears - these are unique. Barcaldine - Workers Heritage centre, worth a half hours wander about. Longreach - Stockman's Hall of Fame and Qantas Founders museum are worth a look, tours of the 747 parked there, the old power station is interesting too. Best meals are at the Qantas museum restaurant, but there are good steaks at the big corner pub opposite the original Qantas office. Winton - take a look at the little museum attached to the Waltzing Matilda story.

Answer 2

Brisbane To Alice Springs

Answer 3

An alternative route is to go southwest along the New England Highway from Brisbane through Ipswich and Warwick. From there you have a choice of routes through Tenterfield and Tamworth or Goodiwindi and Moree to Coonabarabran then Gilgandra, Warren, Nyngan, Cobar to Broken Hill then through South Australia to Peterborough, Port Augusta, Coober Pedy to Alice Springs. Whether you take the northern or southern route, it is a long way. If you are returning to Brisbane go out through Queensland and back through South Australia and NSW or vice versa. both are long but interesting trips with much to see along the way.

If you are going through Winton, between Longreach and Mt Isa, stop at the Tattersalls Hotel. Two or three times a week they fly fresh fish in from Brisbane and they have an excellent chef and a good wine list. Take a diversion from Winton to the Dinosaur Track Exhibit. It is only 200km west of the town along a very good dirt road. It seems ridiculous but it is well worth the visit. I enjoyed it much more than the tatty Stockman's Hall of Fame in Longreach.

There is a roadhouse about halfway between Camooweal and Threeways at the Barkly Homestead where the road to Boroloola heads north from the Barkly Highway.

A trip like this is a great experience. I have done every section of it, some sections a few times. Allow plenty of time for the trip as there is much to see on the way.