By: dissent988
7/03/2008
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I need to drive from Perth to Adelaide over Easter. No big deal, done it heaps of times. Only thing, the car needs high-octane fuel.
Wondering whether anyone knows if there is a good supply of premium unleaded all the way across? |
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By: twoleftfeet44
7/03/2008
4:47 pm Yahoo! Profile:
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| Try the WA equivalent of Victorian RACV - auto club of Victoria - they should be able to help. |
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By: tgare2003
8/03/2008
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| Theres premium fuel so dont worry i rode a motorbike to perth and back,just fill up at the major stations along the way and youll be fine. |
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By: dissent988
8/03/2008
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| Thanks - I thought there would be. Normally I go over there with a Camry, so don't have to worry too much about ULP. But the little Beamer only drinks premium. |
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By: westieinatutu
8/03/2008
6:35 pm Yahoo! Profile:
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| Yes, premium all the way across, but EXPENSIVE over $1.70 pl in some places, especially Balladonia but there is fuel every 200km. |
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By: wearetwofatfarmers
8/03/2008
6:44 pm Yahoo! Profile:
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| Balladonia was my favourite road house for a while..nice people there,,and your fuel mate wil be ok all the way across,,its a nice drive 2700ks from perth to adel,,done it a few times.. |
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By: spider7legs
8/03/2008
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ummm... you might find fuel is a little more expensive than $1.70 for standard across the Nullarbor. Last I heard, it was over $2 for standard.
I know because I've lived and worked out there, and know the owner of five of the roadhouses across the Nullarbor.
Not sure why someone said Balladonia was the best of the roadhouses across the Nullarbor. They are the mob who refused to let a Chinese-Aboriginal mate of mine work there despite that she was part of a contracting team using Balladonia as a base. Every single person on that team boycotted Balladonia as a result; the company kicked up a big storm, and Balladonia felt the heat. They still didn't change their racist policy ... although I hear its under new management now.
The thing with most of the roadhouses across the Nullarbor is that because most of them are owned by one company, the staff is interchangeable. Perhaps someone crossed the Nullarbor and found the Balladonia staff nice; well, two weeks later most of them would probably have been based elsewhere across the Nullarbor.
Note to person crossing the Nullarbor: don't drive or ride at night or dawn, as you may come off second-best in an encounter with a roo. Also, do try to cross at new moon, because if you take a walk at night you'll see a truly astounding sky free of light pollution. Most people don't know that starlight casts a shadow; stop off along the Nullarbor and take a walk on a moonless night - its a sight worth seeing. |
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By: dissent988
8/03/2008
9:32 pm Yahoo! Profile:
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"Note to person crossing the Nullarbor: don't drive or ride at night or dawn, as you may come off second-best in an encounter with a roo. Also, do try to cross at new moon, because if you take a walk at night you'll see a truly astounding sky free of light pollution. Most people don't know that starlight casts a shadow; stop off along the Nullarbor and take a walk on a moonless night - its a sight worth seeing"
LOL!! Thanks. Actually, I cross the Nullarbor at least three times each month, sometimes more; I drive interstate freight trains between Adelaide and Perth, and return.
But you're right - the night sky is spleniforous.
That was a great post, spierlegs, and very informative. I wasn't aware that the roadhouse staff gets rotated, for one thing. And as for Balladonia, it's not my favourite roadhouse and I almost never stop there. I once stayed in the Balladonia motel units, something I wouldn't want to repeat.
I've actually driven over several times, but as I mentioned earlier, I was never concerned about premium fuel because my usual car (Camry) runs happily enough on regular ULP. So I've never paid much attention to the fuel situation other than what I needed for myself.
This trip, I'll fly over to Perth and drive a little BMW 318i back. It's a fussy little car that only drinks high-octane and will play up if it's fed regular fuel.
I usually only drive in daylight; even then, the emu can be a problem, and there are always camels (hit a few of them with the train). Normally, I drive Perth-Norseman, overnight,then straight through to Ceduna, then to Adelaide on the final day.
Again, thanks for the post, and thanks to everyone else too.
Cheers,
Jim. |
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By: ol_whal
8/03/2008
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[[LOL!! Thanks. Actually, I cross the Nullarbor at least three times each month, sometimes more; I drive interstate freight trains between Adelaide and Perth, and return.]]
Cool job Jim, do you take a relief crew on board and travel the full distance |
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By: dissent988
8/03/2008
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"Cool job Jim, do you take a relief crew on board and travel the full distance"
We work relay; two two-man crews, changing over every eight hours. Behind the locomotives we have a crew coach, which has five bedrooms, kitchen & lounge. Not that there's much time to lounge about.. |
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By: spider7legs
8/03/2008
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No worries, Jim.
The thing about the Nullarbor is that it is not a flat dry monotonous landscape. It is full of life, and full of rich variety. You just have to know how to look.
I said the bit above about roos because so many people make the mistake of driving after sunset or before dawn, which is when roos are wandering around. This might be ok if you're in a train or roadtrain; but bad news for the average car!
I like your word for the Nullarbor night skies: "splendiferous". Absolutely right!
I always thought it was such a shame that so many people treated the Nullarbor simply as a means to get from one place to another, a flat dry dull monotonous landscape to be endured rather than appreciated. It can take a bit of time to see the real beauty in the landscape, and to appreciate the infinite detail; but goodness, its worth it.
Dissent, be aware that premium fuel will cost well over $2 these days. If you have jerrycans, fill them and use them; but do drop in and say gday to the people in the roadhouses! |
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By: dissent988
8/03/2008
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"Dissent, be aware that premium fuel will cost well over $2 these days. If you have jerrycans, fill them and use them; but do drop in and say gday to the people in the roadhouses"
Yeah - I thought it might be getting up around that level by now. Usually, I'll fuel (after Norseman Caltex) at Coc*klebiddy, Madura, and Nullarbor. Not sure if the 318 has the same range and economy as the Toyota though.
Last Monday we encountered serious problems with our train, 15km west of Fisher (about 30km east of Cook). It was around 2am, and I had to walk the 15km back to Fisher alongside a severley crippled freight wagon that we needed to store there.
Watching the slither of a waning moon burn its way into the eastern sky made the long walk less tedious. And you're right - the place is teeming with life. |
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By: spider7legs
8/03/2008
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dissent - lovely to encounter someone else who sees what I see of the beauty of the Nullarbor landscape.
I was told six months ago that fuel across the Nullarbor was over $2 for standard. Be prepared for prices well above those of urban and regional areas.
I say again - if you have or can get jerrycans, use them. However, do support the roadhouses and their staff by stopping in to at least say gday, even if you don't buy anything. At least have a cup of coffee or tea! ($2.50 last I heard) |
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By: spider7legs
8/03/2008
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the thing about the Nullarbor roadhouses is that yes, they do charge high prices for everything; but that is mostly due to the fact that costs are so much higher out there.
Remember that the roadhouses have to generate their own electricity; run desalinisation plants to supply water; and pay transport costs to get their supplies of food and fuel. While they do enjoy a degree of monopoly, they do have to pay high prices just to be there.
While its good to minimise your costs by supplying yourself, you should support the services that the roadhouses provide. Remember that they are often bases for road accidents and emergencies; help to fuel the RFDS planes; and provide amenities for bewildered and road-dazed travellers. |
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By: dissent988
8/03/2008
10:30 pm Yahoo! Profile:
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"Remember that they are often bases for road accidents and emergencies; help to fuel the RFDS planes; and provide amenities for bewildered and road-dazed travellers"
Yes - and the bottom line is that someone has to do it. I don't have any huge objection to paying half again as much for fuel and other ammenities out there. The only roadhouse I ever had a problem with was, in fact, Balladonia, which is only 200km from Norseman. The attitude was as bad as the service, and I make a point now of only using that place if I have to.
Best one, in my own opinion, is Coc*klebiddy. |
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By: spider7legs
8/03/2008
10:42 pm Yahoo! Profile:
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yes, I'm pretty down on Balladonia because of the way they treated my Chinese-Aboriginal mate - refused to let her use their facilities as a subcontractor to a company temporarily based out on the Nullarbor.
That, I must emphasise, was due to the managers rather than the owners. Although I did at the time try to make the owners crack down on the managers, with staffing shortages in remote areas being what they are, there's not much you can do.
However, staff are rotated between roadhouses - if Border is short a couple of people, Madura will send over a couple. Balladonia was always a problem, though...
Cawkles is pretty good, and a plum position for staff due to its facilities especially the pool. Plus they are not 24 hour which makes for easier shift rotations.
If you want to know the best of the roadhouses at the moment, have a chat with some truckies. They always know who is where, and what place has got the best food! |
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By: bnb6154
9/03/2008
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Keep chatting you two - you are taking me on a trip down memory lane.
All but 30 years ago I worked out at Madura Roadhouse and I will say it probably was one of the best times of my life. The social life out there was great - and the opportunities to check out the countryside were the best.
I remember being in awe the first time I came to the top of Madura Pass, the view was amazing and so beautiful. Many a time when not working a few of us would wander up the pass and just sit around taking in the scenery.
I will say Balladonia didnt have such a good reputation in those days either and very few of the truckdrivers stopped there. |
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By: spider7legs
15/03/2008
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I worked out on the Nullabor for a couple of months as a break from normal life, and absolutely loved it.
A bit of a hothouse if you let yourself get caught up in it all, but a really refreshing place to be if you kept yourself to yourself. Snakes on the doorstep when you walked outside; roos feeding outside during the night; the RFDS blocking the road to drop by; and above and beyond all the landscape past the artifical oasis of the roadhouse. Being able to walk outside at new moon and see your shadow cast in starlight; seeing the awesome sight of the southern skies on a moonlight night; being out in the great expanse without cars or houses or people ... I always felt sorry for the tourists and travelers who saw the Nullabor as a barren expanse of road to be endured. |
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By: westieinatutu
15/03/2008
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Over $2 now Spider? Crikey. Mind you I haven't asked any of the truckies for a quite a while how much fuel is out there.
I agree the Nullarbor IS a special place. We rode from Hobart to Coolgardie and the Nullarbor was my favourite bit. We got stuck at Madura for three days waiting for a new back tyre (the tyre went to Mildura first - never let a Scotsman order anything over the phone) and I could have quite happily stayed there. |
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By: spider7legs
16/03/2008
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:)
yeah, its a whole different pace of life and perspective out there.
We used to get a one-legged truckie come in - amputated at the hip - and it always amazed me how he could do his job. Another bloke would always come in dressed in drag, and he always got treated by staff and other truckies at face value. A woman truckie used to come by; she was once a prostitute in Kalgoorlie. They all got treated the same by the truckies and staff. It was only the tourists whose eyes would boggle! |
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By: westieinatutu
16/03/2008
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Ha. Crikey, the one in drag, was she an English bloke called Christina? He lived here for a little while.
You certainly meet a wide range of people working in a roadhouse, and that's what I like the best about running one. |
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By: spider7legs
16/03/2008
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nope, the truckie in drag was as Aussie as they come.
Where's your roadhouse? I wouldn't mind a change of scene... |
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By: westieinatutu
16/03/2008
10:33 am Yahoo! Profile:
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Coolgardie. I always need staff, they come and go, go walkabout or simply can't hack the work.
If you ever want to come back to civilisation send me an IM on wayoutwestie. :) |
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By: jayne.carey
12/04/2008
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I am planning to drive from Echuca Vic. to Perth leaving this weekend
I feel sure I will be safe as I am driving on my own
I am 67 yrs of age, done it a few times when I was younger, but this time I am hoping to just sleep in my little white Hyundai,
Do you all think I will be OK getting there |
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By: saos1n888
12/04/2008
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| I personally think driving that distance by your self is silly... fatigue will set in due to no body being there to have a conversation with.. be careful. |
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