152 replies to this topic

[eyepeeler]

In just over a week I start a new adventure in the Hatchback.
I am heading to Adelaide for the Bay to Birdwood. The trip will begin with the car being loaded up on the Indian Pacific and we head out of Perth for a 2 day train trip to Adelaide. A few trips have been planned around the Bay to Birdwood.
The trip back to Perth will be driven in the Torana, unlike last time I did it. This time I want to drive it in a Torana.
Will keep updates and pictures along the way.

[Covert]

Great, I had a look at the entrance list and there are 61 toranas this year

[Shiney005]

Is the car going to be covered on the way over? I have heard they get covered in soot from the train if you don't.

If you don't mind taking it up a bit of gravel, (40 kays) then make sure you camp at Koonalda on the way back. It is on the old Eyre Highway, north of the existing one between Nullabor and Eucla. It is an old servo made with the sleepers from the trans line. Workshop, bowsers, and a heap of old cars still there.

 

Edit. You need to be fully self sufficient though. No water there.

Edited by Shiney005, 13 September 2015 - 10:43 AM.

[eyepeeler]

Is the car going to be covered on the way over? I have heard they get covered in soot from the train if you don't.
If you don't mind taking it up a bit of gravel, (40 kays) then make sure you camp at Koonalda on the way back. It is on the old Eyre Highway, north of the existing one between Nullabor and Eucla. It is an old servo made with the sleepers from the trans line. Workshop, bowsers, and a heap of old cars still there.

Edit. You need to be fully self sufficient though. No water there.

Cheers for the tip Shiney. Am going to go have a look for sure. I want to camp on the coast though, know any ripper spots??

Got the camping tent sorted. Genuine hutch.

[Shiney005]

The original 30 second tent!

When you say on the coast, do you mean east of Ceduna or West of Israelite Bay? Because there is nowhere a Torana can get to in between.

[eyepeeler]

The original 30 second tent!
When you say on the coast, do you mean east of Ceduna or West of Israelite Bay? Because there is nowhere a Torana can get to in between.

I don't mean right on the waters edge but a park up spot to camp that has a view out along the bight.
When I drove it last time, I saw a few cars head off the road towards the coast.
Around Bordervillage is where I want to be.

[ozyozyozy]

Go the hatch hutch.
Good luck and enjoy

[Bigfella237]

Is the car going to be covered on the way over? I have heard they get covered in soot from the train if you don't.

 

It's not the soot so much as what they call "rail dust", which isn't really dust but very fine metal particles that etch themselves into your paint and start to rust...

 

 

either way it's well worth the price of a car cover!

 

[Covert]

🚊

[Shiney005]

There is probably a track along the border itself, but other than that there is nothing for 15 kays east of Border Village so make sure you turn off before then.
If you have good maps you could try and find Gilgarabbie bore. It is about 7 kays west of Nullabor roadhouse and only 5 kays off the highway and the little stone hut there would make a good wind break.(I think at this time of the year it will be very windy anywhere along that piece of coast. There is a rain water tank there but not much else and it is a further 4 kays to the cliffs. Which by the way, aren't that impressive. The Bunda cliffs (what you see from the highway) are about 50 meters high. But the Bight goes inland at Eucla and then back out to the coast at Madura and it is where it hits the ocean again that it gets really spectacular. The Baxter cliffs are twice as high as the Bunda cliffs, but you aint goin' there in ya hairdressers car.
Anywhere else between Nullarbor and Eucla, the Bight is only ever less than a kilometre from the bitumen but like I said, expect wind.

 aIMGP6820.jpg   169.76K   3 downloads

Edited by Shiney005, 14 September 2015 - 09:00 AM.

[Indy Orange]

I wouldn't be standing there that close to the edge ,you got guts Laurie.

[Indy Orange]

There are places along the coast that are spectacular the Great Australian Bight is one of them ,but one place that always gives me the creeps is The Gap in Albany ,get bad vibes from that place just looking down those sheer cliffs.

[jd lj]

At the gap in Albany don't get too close to the edge as the rocks get wet from the spray and are slipperyer than they look.

SW WA has lots of great places if you have time to stop.

[eyepeeler]

Car is loaded on the Indian Pacific

[N/A-PWR]

Great Adventure Craig.   

[eyepeeler]

All boarded and ready to get this show on the road.

[Potta]

Hey I know that place, I worked there for a while.

 

Always wondered how the cars get loaded on the train though.

 

Happy travels!

[arrimar]

Gold class too! Enjoy yourselves.

[Shiney005]

It's not the soot so much as what they call "rail dust", which isn't really dust but very fine metal particles that etch themselves into your paint and start to rust...
either way it's well worth the price of a car cover!

You won't even notice it with the colour of the car. It matches my 1970s kitchen perfectly.

[Covert]

Nice, enjoy the trip. I'll be spectating somewhere along the route so will hopefully see the hatch cruise by.

[eyepeeler]

Passing the Northam Weir

[N/A-PWR]

Great Shot Craig,

 

just passed my place in Wooroloo. 

[eyepeeler]

Have just got back from the super pit in Kalgoorlie.




Train station


Some shots along the way in the wheat belt