Aussies-- Any Input Appreciated!

[WyomingRoaming]

@MrMike @Mikeb62 @bigleonski Thank you all for the continued suggestions. I have been skimming FB Marketplace and bought a few camping good so far. I am heeding the advice of the forum and running a second battery placed in a Projecta Portable Power Hub from Anaconda. Not as nice as the units at ARB, but a fraction of the cost, plus the reviews seemed good enough after a quick check.
https://www.projecta.com.au/products/PH125/power-hub-with-300w-pure-sine

I also bought a Dune 4x4 45L, which is almost certainly on the "kings" end of the price spectrum, but it had decent reviews, and some quick math indicated I can buy two of these for one of the higher end. So, I'll either come out a few hundred dollars ahead, or spend about the same, plus some frustration (and spoiled food) in finding a replacement Dune 45L Fridge Freezer

As for the rooftop tent, I am looking at this one from ARB.
It is the Flanders model-- Fast, light(ish), lots of headroom and includes led lighting inside. It's within my budget for a rooftop tent, and checks all of my boxes but I am willing to look at others, too. It does not have an annex, nor is one available for that model.

I like the idea of a rooftop tent-- fast, can store my bedding in it, up high away from the snakes and such. However, I am used to using a ground tent. Would that be a bad idea here (more from a safety perspective)? Seems most of the trucks that look the part have them, but they could be ornaments, or they could be really needed--I don't know. Thoughts?

 

[WyomingRoaming]

I'm in Sydney, 5 mins North of Harbour Bridge. So, if you near there you're welcome to come over for a chat, beer, coffee and checkout my Grenadier . I love Jackson Hole and have been there a few times skiing.

I'd like to take you up on that! We'll be North of the Harbor next week. Meeting a friend for some tea, and to pick up some equipment from him. I'll shoot you a DM.

@WyomingRoaming I’m a newly minted Aussie, been hanging on the Gold Coast all this last week. Stoked for you guys! This place rocks! Maybe we’ll cross paths in the next few months, I’ll be headed south.

Sounds good! Let me know when you start to head this way and we can work something out. And yes, this place definitely rocks!

Also, I have seen TWO Grenadiers since I have been here. Shale Blue one in the Palm/Whale Beach area and a second in the Elizabeth Bay area (Scottish White, Magic Mushroom?-- Can't remember).

 

[MrMike]

@MrMike @Mikeb62 @bigleonski Thank you all for the continued suggestions. I have been skimming FB Marketplace and bought a few camping good so far. I am heeding the advice of the forum and running a second battery placed in a Projecta Portable Power Hub from Anaconda. Not as nice as the units at ARB, but a fraction of the cost, plus the reviews seemed good enough after a quick check.
https://www.projecta.com.au/products/PH125/power-hub-with-300w-pure-sine

I also bought a Dune 4x4 45L, which is almost certainly on the "kings" end of the price spectrum, but it had decent reviews, and some quick math indicated I can buy two of these for one of the higher end. So, I'll either come out a few hundred dollars ahead, or spend about the same, plus some frustration (and spoiled food) in finding a replacement Dune 45L Fridge Freezer

As for the rooftop tent, I am looking at this one from ARB.
It is the Flanders model-- Fast, light(ish), lots of headroom and includes led lighting inside. It's within my budget for a rooftop tent, and checks all of my boxes but I am willing to look at others, too. It does not have an annex, nor is one available for that model.

I like the idea of a rooftop tent-- fast, can store my bedding in it, up high away from the snakes and such. However, I am used to using a ground tent. Would that be a bad idea here (more from a safety perspective)? Seems most of the trucks that look the part have them, but they could be ornaments, or they could be really needed--I don't know. Thoughts?

Honestly, snakes etc are over stated as a probable danger. Usually they are more scares of you than you are them.

 

[DaveB]

AND the city of churches ️ .......go figure

Yp
Who'd have guessed that a serial killer could be religious.

 

[DaveB]

I have been reading Bill Bryson's In A Sunburned Country (2000). He sums up many of the cities quite well, at least from an American's perspective. Has me laughing out loud much of the time. I recently started the book and I am reading about Adelaide now-- interesting place, although with your brothers and sisters comment it reminds me of Alabama back home!

Banjo strings and chewin tabbaccy.

 

[LeftCoastOverland]

@WyomingRoaming I assume you’re from Wy? What part? Also how long is your stay in Oz?

 

[WyomingRoaming]

@WyomingRoaming I assume you’re from Wy? What part? Also how long is your stay in Oz?

Yeah my wife and I live in Jackson, WY along with my parents and some other extended family, too. Have for years now. I was born in the Volunteer State- good ole Tennessee.

We plan on being here for about 8 months, but that is very tentative. Depends on how we stretch our money and if we decide to explore some areas for longer than expected.

You moved your family here from California, right?

 

[WyomingRoaming]

Okay... Wrapping up some of the questions here, but another has popped up-- Is an NRMA membership worth the money?

 

[LeftCoastOverland]

Yeah my wife and I live in Jackson, WY along with my parents and some other extended family, too. Have for years now. I was born in the Volunteer State- good ole Tennessee.

We plan on being here for about 8 months, but that is very tentative. Depends on how we stretch our money and if we decide to explore some areas for longer than expected.

You moved your family here from California, right?

Yeah California most recently. Did a 2.5 year stint on Maui, and prior to that I had been up in Idaho for 10 years. Spent plenty of time in Jackson, love that place. Forest Circus took me all around the west fighting fires back in the day.

 

[bigleonski]

Okay... Wrapping up some of the questions here, but another has popped up-- Is an NRMA membership worth the money?

That’s your break down service. I say yes, others may disagree. Just make sure it covers you Aust wide. I assume it does, RACQ in Qld does. Should be three levels of cover. I pick the middle one, and if I do a big trip upgrade it to get the higher milage limits for towing etc.


Edit - the need for NRMA is inversely proportional to the reliability of your car. The less reliable it is, the more you need it.

 

[WyomingRoaming]

Yeah California most recently. Did a 2.5 year stint on Maui, and prior to that I had been up in Idaho for 10 years. Spent plenty of time in Jackson, love that place. Forest Circus took me all around the west fighting fires back in the day.

Well, when we meet up, I'd love to hear some stories. I have a bit of tangential experience working with USFS... I like your name for it but I find that field really interesting.

 

[TheDocAUS]

Okay... Wrapping up some of the questions here, but another has popped up-- Is an NRMA membership worth the money?

Yes, I used it to recover the Patrol after an alternator failure and it covered the accommodation while the car was fixed. I had the extended cover, not basic NRMA membership. Basic membership is enough for city and regional use, but once you go remote the extended is much better.

Where are you traveling now? I have some ideas for Northern NSW. I visited there a couple of weeks ago and it reminded me of some great locations.

Autumn School holidays in NSW Monday 15 April to Friday 26 April. Which means more traffic and tourists.

 

[Steve.B]

Keep in mind that Adelaide is the murder capital of Australia and also the place where brothers and sisters get to know each other very well.

Yes and plow and laser level the whole continent for rice paddocks Joh Bjelke Peterson is still the premiere of QLD.
Is it true you don't have daylight saving because Joh refused to get out of bed 1 hour early for anyone, and the sun did shine out of his a--
botom.
There was an interesting write up in that Murdoch rag the Australian ( yes I know his first newspaper was in Adelaide so you can blame us for that one ) he compared all of South Australia 1.5 million to 10 randomly picked American cities all with populations between 750,000 and 980,000 populations and compared crime statistics for all areas over the previous 30 years. So the results were South Australia averaged 24 murders a year, the lowest for any of those randomly picked American cities was 350 murders a year, ranging up to over 500, and in all areas of crime America was more than 10 times higher.
For Australia Tenant Creek has the highest murder rate per capita about 2 murders a year.

 

[WyomingRoaming]

Hey everyone,
We are currently in the Flinders Ranges. Saw some yellow footed rock wallabies yesterday, but still trying to get a photo half as good as @TheDocAUS. We have had an incredible time so far and if you’re interested, my wife or I (irregularly) post on a website we created wildhuckleberrys.com
(The name is a cheesy rip off of a 90’s cartoon we watched about a family on various misadventures, the Wild Thornberrys)

Cheers
Ethan

 

[WyomingRoaming]

Also, @Mikeb62, I wired up a DC to DC charger per your recommendations. Working very well! Able to power the fridge, charge camera and even power StarLink, which is how I’m messaging from the middle of the Flinders Ranges.

 

[TheDocAUS]

Hey everyone,
We are currently in the Flinders Ranges. Saw some yellow footed rock wallabies yesterday, but still trying to get a photo half as good as @TheDocAUS. We have had an incredible time so far and if you’re interested, my wife or I (irregularly) post on a website we created wildhuckleberrys.com
(The name is a cheesy rip off of a 90’s cartoon we watched about a family on various misadventures, the Wild Thornberrys)

Cheers
Ethan

Ethan

Make sure you visit Wilpena Pound and Brachina Gorge. In Brachina Gorge near a rock face on a bend is the yellow footed rock wallaby colony. There is a picnic table at the location. Go there hour before dusk and the wallabies come from the rock face - there is a tiny wallby sign as you approach the area.

Rock beds in Brachina have been moved horizontal, so you drive through 600-800 million years of bed rock as you drive along the gorge.

 

[WyomingRoaming]

Yes! That’s where I saw them yesterday. We are planning on going back. The colors on those wallabies are beautiful. Wilpena Pound is also on the list

 

[TheDocAUS]

Rawnsley Park Station is worth a visit, just south of Wilpena Pound (literally).

 

[TheDocAUS]

The wallabies come down from the rock, cross the road and graze down in the valley. Approach slowly and wait for them to come to you. The closet you can get is about 25 metres and then they run.

Euros allow you to get much closer, around 10 metres. A young Euro from that exact spot, grazing in the valley.

 

[TheDocAUS]

If you visit Blinman, the Pub use to sell the best toasted Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato sandwich I have eaten. I even went back again just have have another.