Driving melbourne to cairns

[Andy1171]

Moving to cairns in 2 months time and i am taking the car with me. Im driving a 2005 vz commodore just wondering what i should do to prepare the car before i leave aiming to do the trip in 3 days. What is the best route to take mitchell hwy or a7 in regards to road conditions.

 

[monkeys437]

Check fluids and tyre pressures. If it's nearly due for a service now wouldn't be a bad time, but they're easy k's so I wouldn't stress too much

 

[Andy1171]

yeah it is due will get a service done around 3 weeks before i leave thanks mate

 

[acarmody]

If you're going inland and not coastal, take a couple of cans of fuel and maybe a few litres of water. Better to be safe than sorry.

 

[Smitty]

its gunna take 3 lonnnnnnnnnnnng days to get to Cairns from Melbourne

its 2 long days to get to Brisbane from Melbourne (if you wanna keep yr licence)
and Cairns is nearly as far again

 

[franklinfrog]

Spare wheel air pressure!!! And make sure your jack and wheel brace actually fit the wheel nuts. Take some spare fluids, mainly water/coolant. And just go for it, you'll soon find out if something goes wrong.

Surely in land route is hundreds of km shorter I would think? Dunno about road conditions, as long as they're not gravel, you'll be right. Map out your route before you leave, don't wanna waste time asking people and don't wanna go the wrong way!! I would think it might be a 4 day mission if you're going alone, more than 10 hours a day is gunna end bad, especially in roo territory. Let us know if you make it!! Wooohhhoooo!!!!

 

[acarmody]

its gunna take 3 lonnnnnnnnnnnng days to get to Cairns from Melbourne

its 2 long days to get to Brisbane from Melbourne (if you wanna keep yr licence)
and Cairns is nearly as far again

Its about 17 hours from Brisbane to Cairns.

OP don't try this in 1 day unless you have 2 drivers driving in shifts. A lot of long, straight boring roads to get nice and sleepy on.

I'm doing that drive in a month and we are starting at 4am and getting there about 10pm, we have 4 kids in the back so we have to pit shop a few times.

And good point about roos, cows too. Those bastards are everywhere. Try to avoid driving at night.

Also think about having a CB radio, I know up North Queensland there are roads with call points.

 

[Troy711]

I've done Canberra to Brisbane (and reverse) a few times and the drive is easy as. Between myself and my missus we do it in a day but by the end of it (because of the 2am starts) my eyes look like 2 piss holes on the snow.

 

[Sabbath']

I did Croydon(Vic, bout 40 mins east of Melbourne CBD) to Adelaide and back in 24 hrs. Did all the driving myself, had a mate come along to keep me alert/somebody to chat to on the drive. Left at 3AM Thursday, got back at just after 4AM Friday. I took:

Spare Grease for Wheel Bearings
All my Sockets
Some Spanners
Pliers/Wire Cutters
Screwdrivers
Tape
Cableties
Spare Tyres
Ratchet Straps
Fuel
Water
Oil
Diff Oil

Did the trip to go pick up the boat, so would rather have been over prepared than under prepared.

Encountered a roo in the middle of the road at about 1:30am on the way back. Definatly a sphincter clenching moment that, when i whipped the wheel around to avoid it and had the trailer and car penduluming at 100km/h. Silly bugger got up and hopped away as the XR6 behind came through no drama.

 

[Andy1171]

i plan on doing it in 3 days going inland, Melbourne to Bourke nsw first day bourke to emerald qld then emerald to cairns aiming to be driving between 5am and 5pm. Im pretty confident with long driving. I have a handheld uhf ill bring along plenty of water etc. I am with racv im sure it will work australia wide ill double check before i leave though.

Thanks for the advice!