Hi

Just slow down and enjoy it. 4 weeks is a short period of time and I suggest you see just the major big ticket stuff and add one out of the way place.

If you rush it you do not have time to take it all in.

Uluru and Kings Canyon, Coober Pedy and Broken Hill at the top of the list the others overnight are a bonus.

Kath

Hi Kath, Sean and Everyone

We are still in the planning stage and having lots of fun!!

Now thinking we might take 2 weeks (approx) to get there via the Flinders Ranges, get on the Oodnadatta Track, then head off to The Rock, Kings Canyon etc and head back via the Stuart Highway. Will try to include Rainbow Valley (not sure where that is yet).

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone, it is much appreciated.

Simon and Louise

Rainbow valley is on the other side of the highway from the rock but only an hour in on a good dirt road. Need to stay there to see it at sunrise.

Rather than taking your time to get there seeing broken hill and the flinders I'd make a B line up there and back. The flinders is a trip in itself and other things closer to home can be done on another trip.

I doubt this will be your only trip west from home and it would be a pity to not have the time to do the center justice.

Other things to see and do are the old telegraph station (I bought a campfire tripod from the blacksmith) and the desert park.

About 160k NE of alice on the plenty hwy is gem tree. A brilliant caravan park in the middle of nowhere with wood fired hot water and no electricity after 9pm when they turn the generator off. It's so dark that the sky is truly something special, a pommy bloke has built his own observatory there! Best bit of all is that they run gem fossicking trips for garnets and zircons.

I'll echo that there is no point doing kings canyon without the rim walk. Also go see palm valley and make me jealous, whenever I've had time the road has been shut and in 7 years of traveling sa Wa and the Nt full time i'm still yet to see it.

Hi Sean

Thanks once again for the advice. Louise and I will be at the Caravan show this week and we intend on gathering info on SA and NT (specific items of interest) . There is so much to see and do around The Rock, we may do the Flinders Ranges another time. Still thinking of passing through Oodnadatta on the way.

I will be noting all the points/suggestions from everyone and taking them to the show and conducting 'research' thereafter and from there we will decide the best way to do this trip.

Thanks again. Cheers. Simon and Louise

Hi Sean

Gem Tree had 24 hour power when I was there in April 2010

cheers

Damn they've spoiled it then!!

To correct something I said earlier rainbow valley is on the east side of the highway 22k in kind of near Stuart well.

Simon and Louise,

Like others, I'd suggest give Flinders Ranges a miss. Thats worth a good week itself, and its only a few days drive from Newey. Do it another time.

You've only got four weeks. You could probably bolt up there, do the touristy things, and if you've got the time come back slowly and check out Coober Pedy, Broken Hill etc etc.

Green with envy, S & L, green with envy.

Sitting in my office at Broadmeadow, looking out the window at a brick wall.

Cheers
Ross

Yep and if you take too long the door opens after a set time.

We had lots of them in NZ and it didnt pay to sit and read the paper while you were there ROFL