Planned road trip

[KenL]

Hi all, I’m planning a trip from Sydney to Darwin leaving Apr 1st. Heading up to lightning ridge then across to Woomera, then up to Darwin. I’ve got plenty of time so I intend to do some gem hunting and gold detecting along the way. Any one know any good spots

 

[Simmo]

Not sure if they have anything for the public in Coober Pedy or Tennant Creek anymore?
Gemtree in NT comes to mind?

 

[KenL]

yes planning on going to Coober Pedy and Tennant Creek. I’ll definitely do some research on Gemtree Thanks

 

[elrodeo]

Moving over to sw WA in a few months ,once business is sold and everything packed up. Son and I will be doing a Gold, Opal, Sapphire and Gems prospecting run through NSW, QLD, NT and WA. Plan at this stage is run up to White Cliffs , then Tibboburra through to Yowah , Lightning Ridge . Then down to Bingarra , Inverell, Arimidale areas. Rip to the coast and follow the coast up to Rockhampton for bit of sun and surf and beach time. Then swing in to Emerald / Rubyvale areas before heading across to Gemtree and Harts Range area via Boulia. Then straight run up to Katherine swing left to Kununurra and venture to Broome via Halls Creek and have good explore of the are then cruise down the coast to sw WA.

Done Coober a few times and to be honest unless you have access to someones lease the common ground is pretty average these days. Went to White Cliffs in September and the common ground there is quite sizeable, most locals friendly as and still opal to be found for the fossicker.

Unless you have to go to Woomera I'd be going via Whitecliffs, Yowah , The Ridge and then up and across to Boulia and on to Gemtree.. Then continue on up to Tenant Creek and Darwin. I would give staying at Alice the big miss as alot of local trouble there at the moment. Lots of thievery and mindless vandalism going on.

 

[Davent]

Moving over to sw WA in a few months ,once business is sold and everything packed up. Son and I will be doing a Gold, Opal, Sapphire and Gems prospecting run through NSW, QLD, NT and WA. Plan at this stage is run up to White Cliffs , then Tibboburra through to Yowah , Lightning Ridge . Then down to Bingarra , Inverell, Arimidale areas. Rip to the coast and follow the coast up to Rockhampton for bit of sun and surf and beach time. Then swing in to Emerald / Rubyvale areas before heading across to Gemtree and Harts Range area via Boulia. Then straight run up to Katherine swing left to Kununurra and venture to Broome via Halls Creek and have good explore of the are then cruise down the coast to sw WA.

Done Coober a few times and to be honest unless you have access to someones lease the common ground is pretty average these days. Went to White Cliffs in September and the common ground there is quite sizeable, most locals friendly as and still opal to be found for the fossicker.

Unless you have to go to Woomera I'd be going via Whitecliffs, Yowah , The Ridge and then up and across to Boulia and on to Gemtree.. Then continue on up to Tenant Creek and Darwin. I would give staying at Alice the big miss as alot of local trouble there at the moment. Lots of thievery and mindless vandalism going on.

It's not just Alice, Alice is probably the worst, but it's territory wide. Been here for 24 years, and it's the worst I've seen it.
Seems if it's made of glass, it must be smashed! I walk my dog daily in the suburbs of Darwin, and walk past people smoking bucket bongs and drinking cask wine on the footpath, complete with dirty nappy and take away food, shopping trollys left where they were, along with the bongs.
Night time I go to sleep wto the sound of heavily accented domestic violence, and wake up to loud music in another language.
It wasn't always this way.....

 

[Jaros]

That sounds like being in halls creek.!!!!

 

[user 7268]

Not good to hear Dave, No issue in my location but hit Mareeba and also Cairns after dark BIG issue. Love a dollar for how many times in Cairns I had requests for my car to be used as a Taxi? Like every set of lights one has to stop for But all the banging on the window also woke my 65kg bitey mate who was asleep on the back seat up. Problem solved no more window banging I must admit one has been very tempted to leave a door unlocked just to see if it gets closed quicker than it was opened

 

[user 4386]

Not good to hear Dave, No issue in my location but hit Mareeba and also Cairns after dark BIG issue. Love a dollar for how many times in Cairns I had requests for my car to be used as a Taxi? Like every set of lights one has to stop for But all the banging on the window also woke my 65kg bitey mate who was asleep on the back seat up. Problem solved no more window banging I must admit one has been very tempted to leave a door unlocked just to see if it gets closed quicker than it was opened

I camp well outside those places - have had mates have their vehicles trashed. Used to be like that along the Queenstown road in Tasmania when I was about 20. If you broke down and came back with help or parts you were lucky to still have wheels on it. This is a mates car left safely in the caravan park in Mt Isa (back window smashed, door broken, wheel).

 

[Davent]

If you want to get a "feel" for the top end, check out the mango enquirer on Facebook.

 

[user 7268]

If you want to get a "feel" for the top end, check out the mango enquirer on Facebook.

Dave that's just plain wrong . Like no need to travel just walk down the street for an adventure

 

[KenL]

Thanks for all the feedback, plan on coming back through rubyvale and emerald on the way back. I’ve got plenty of time, I’m working on being away for at least two months

 

[user 7268]

If you came back down via the Savannah Way you could do Palmerville, Georgetown, Charters Towers then down to Clermont on to Emerald etc Be a great trip