Thunderstorms are expected every spring and summer months in the Australia’s Northern Territory and causing problems in the Lasseter District and the flash flooding along the Docker River and the hail is usually as small as pea size to marble size can cause problems to flattens the plants and the grass. Lightning storms are also seen in Yulara and be safe to watch it in the summer sky when it rains and the hot temperatures makes the storms build up heat of the day in the summer afternoon hours.
Thank you so much for directing me to your video Hans. It is such an historical view of how things were back then. You would be astounded by the changes which mining has caused to the towns you visited in 1967. I have just begun to put up a new series of videos of my latest trip which I took a few weeks ago. I have 12 in the series so it might take a few days before they are all on You Tube. Again thank you for sharing your video with me.
Well you'll be pleased to know I retired and bought a large caravan. My wife and I did a number of trips in WA and several to the east and centre. Sold it because I wanted to go more remote. Bought a camper trailer for the Pilbara and Kimberley and several other trips. I then joined a 4wd club and we go remote and take challenging trips where towing isn't a real option. I've got a RTT and stand alone tent, but I usually swag it with a stretcher. I've enjoyed sitting in your passengers seat, although I prefer to drive myself. That was the best video I've watched because it showed the road conditions. I'll be coming back that way from Darwin in July 21 and so that was my purpose in watching initially. Laughed a bit at your chat and views, and I share many of them. Thanks for your time and effort in sharing.
Thank you Bob. I do try to get away from the 'bustling crowd' as far as is possible & like you I now own a stretcher type tent as well as the RTT. I wanted to show the road conditions as much as possible because that is what I am interested in when planning a trip & many people who make videos seem to gloss over the very details that I deem important. I am hoping to do the Gibb River road again in the early part of this year because it looks like Covid will be with us for quite a while & if only West Australians can travel around the state it might be a tad less crowded up there. I hope I didn't offend you with some of my views, sometimes I think I spend way too much time on my own out there!! Happy Travels!!!
One thing you haven't considered in regard to caravans on the road is that for many people the caravan is their home. They are not on holidays, but they may have retired, sold their house and now travel the country living permanently in their van. Young couples also do this with travelling and working on the road- many trades and professions can be done on the move, finding work where they may stay for 2-3 months. Others travel and live in their van with home comforts as its their lifestyle, don't own a home e.g. www.tripinavan.com.au/ Yes, congregating around toilets and amenities by some (people in tents do this too) is not fair on others and is downright rude.
There may be more videos of 'the rock' as I remember walking up to one of the lookouts & taking video of it. I have so many videos of my travels on You Tube I tend to forget what is actually on it. I have also been to many of these places multiple times & recorded the same things over & over. I was making videos long before You Tube & a lot of my older stuff was on VHS tape. I did manage to get some onto DVD but the quality was crap & now we have gone digital the quality is way better although now we have to watch out that we dont infringe someone's copyright! I put a video up not that long ago of people dancing in a park in Saigon, Vietnam. I got pinged for copyright because the music they were dancing to was on my video for all of about one & a half minutes! I get very pissed off with this sort of thing & I refer to it as the 'American disease!' I dont want to offend you but your country has taken litigation to the next level & unfortunately the disease has spread around the world due to the exporting of American Culture through films & tv. Australia used to be tied to English Culture but I have seen the transition from British culture to American culture within the last 60 years. There is so much to be admired about America but I am afraid that the Trump years saw my opinion change dramatically with the apparent brainwashing of a huge portion of your population by his lies & his hold over the Republican Party which continues to this day. How can a nation of such promise be sucked in by a wannabe dictator. One of his idols is Putin & yet Americans seem to be heading towards re electing him in 2 years time. Sorry Francisco but the world is witnessing the fall of the American empire & no matter the rhetoric about making America great again from Trump, he saw to it that the rest of the world saw your country a laughing stock with his mismanagement of your democracy. I dont know what your political persuasion is but what I have just said here is what many Australians think right now. We admire your country & its lofty ideals but they were handed to a despot who thinks only of himself & apparently the majority?? of your country fell for it, hook, line & sinker. Even now his ego cannot accept that Americans began to see him for what he is & the events of January the 6th last year showed how dangerous for Democracy he is. All of the above is, of course, my personal opinion. Please dont take offense at my comments because the world needs that shining light of democracy even more so right now but I worry that your next Presidential election could well be your last if your country lets him back at the wheel. Take care my friend. I wont say I will pray for you for I am not religious but these are dangerous times we live in.
@@dougrorison1211 yes right now our country is crapy with all these demorats. I hope we get a change soon. We here alot of Australia here too that that your government has a lot of mandates. I guess it's the same all over. God help us.
Every summer gets the desert thunderstorms in Uluru and watch it safe in Yulara and do not go in the water to swim and stay away from tall trees on the Ayers Rock campground. Lightning is one of the most powerful forces of nature. Please be safe to watch lightning storms by the resort area of Yulara and big problems of flash floods along the Docker River during the extreme weather alerts of the severe storms hit the area of the Lasseter District. Giles Meteorological Weather Station in Warskurna , Western Australia has issues of severe thunderstorms hit the area during spring and summer months of the monsoonal moisture from Northern Australia. Flash floods are big concerns of the Docker River along the Northern Territory to the Western Australia border. I wanna to see lights storms in Yulara by the resort village but not middle of the summer in the southern hemisphere opposite our winter here in the northern hemisphere. I can still see storms more likely slight chance or moderate chance of thunderstorms midday or evening hours but not really get very strong thunderstorms because the flooding in the Docker River and it can be very dangerous to hit the roads during these weather conditions. I’m loving to watch lightning and hear the sound of the thunder afterwards when it starts raining very hard during thunderstorms. It sometimes get hail is big as marbles or golf ball sized hail are uncommon because the clouds usually high up to 55, 000 feet high. It is normally around 25,000 to 35, 00 feet high above the ground and sometimes 45,000 to 50,000 feet high of the thunderstorm clouds as known as the cumulonimbus clouds. The skies get darkened with menacing thunderstorms clouds with heavy rain falling and lightning and the sound of the thunder afterwards from the lightning flash. I love watching lightning storms when season to come and do love lightning to.
Thank you Hanh. I am glad that you can join me on these trips. I like to let viewers experience a little of what it is like travelling around the country even though I can waffle a lot at times. Thank you again for the positive feedback. Take care.
Hi Mike, so glad you are enjoying the videos. In answer to your question part 3 is being uploaded today. It is titled 'Second phase of outback journey 2019.' This video will be followed by another titled, ' Third phase of outback journey 2019.' to be uploaded directly after. In my introductory notes I explain how this disparity came about. Unfortunately in these Covid 19 times our state of Western Australia has closed its borders to tourists from both within Australia & overseas until at least September at this stage, so I am unable to travel across country until the authorities allow it. Meanwhile the travel bug must be assuaged by viewing videos! I am glad you enjoyed my videos so far. I don't know if you subscribed to my channel but I do have previous trips uploaded if you are interested in camping in our outback.
Because road trains belong out there. It is their workplace & in my experience they actually drive to the conditions. Many caravanners just don't seem to give a damn about who might be following behind them. Glad you like the videos John
I’m really enjoying this series, the missing part 3 had me searching but I’ll catch up. Doug, don’t let the jerks get you down with their ridiculous comments. Thanks for sharing your adventures!
Thanks texpat. The 3rd part of this series is actually titled 'Second phase of my outback journey.' The reason for that was that I actually bypassed the entry to the Plenty Highway (which is the Queensland end of the Outback Way) on my outward journey & shot up the Stuart Highway to Tennant Creek then turned right & headed across to Townsville. I reunited with the outback way on my return journey. I caused a lot of confusion amongst my subscribers with that Faux Pas. I never let the detractors get me down either. I am pretty thick skinned & I make some of my comments to provoke a reaction to see what others might be thinking. I openly admit to being an opinionated mongrel but I do tell everyone who might disagree with them that they can always use the off button. I don't force them to watch. Glad you are enjoying the videos there in Oregon.
I had been contemplating travelling the Longest Shortcut once wexhave some semblance or normality and the Covid vaccine is rolled out. I've considered it to be a very rough, narrow outback track but your videos have shown otherwise. As fuel is pretty well the major factor, what was your average fuel consumption for the trip? I'm driving an Isuzu MU-X with long range tanks giving me 119 litres of diesel, plus I can carry a jerry of 20 litres. I'm keen to visit Yulara and camp but I can't see any option but to pay their extortionate prices.
Hi Wayne. I put this series of videos up to show those who were contemplating doing it, what the actual road was like when I did it. I have never had a problem getting fuel on my travels. I always carry at least 2 extra jerry cans but have found that I rarely needed to use them. In fact on one trip I carted them all over the country & brought them back full. If you fill up at every opportunity you should not run short. Even on the Outback Way there are strategically spaced fuel stops along the way. As an example, coming from the WA end you fill up at Laverton & you would fill up at Tjukayirla roadhouse, then Warburton. After that Warakurna which would probably see you get to Yulara. without needing to go into Docker River. My Nissan Navara achieved it's worse fuel consumption on this road with an average of 7km/ litre on some stretches because I was in 4WD & the road was very corrugated so speed was down to walking pace but only for short stretches. I still did not need to top up from my Jerry cans though. Yulara is extremely pricey as are all the areas near like Kings Canyon etc. If you are prepared to rough it there are a number of 'free' camping areas. (I use a HEMA maps app on my tablet which highlights most of the free overnight stops available.) There is a roadside stop located about 20km?? out of Yulara which you access by driving over a sand dune & it opens out into a reasonable camping area provided you are completely self contained. I was told of this site by an employee of Yulara as they had no vacancies at all when I arrived on that trip because all of Australia thought that they needed to climb the rock before the Indigenous owners shut it down. You are no doubt aware that I am not a lover of the caravanning people. (I see that you have commented on another of my videos) & this trip really opened my eyes to how selfish some of them are, but that is another story. If you have never been to the rock before it is worth it to stay even one night just to get a picture of it in the sunset. I drove the Larapinta drive loop on another trip & that was beautiful. Out towards Glen Helen then a big loop around to Kings Canyon. That was another trip in which I drove back 30 km because I would not put up with a postage stamp non powered site for $50 per night!! Any way enough of my drivel. I hope you get to do the trip when this dreaded Covid thing gets under control. Cheers
@@dougrorison1211 Thanks for the great reply Doug, very helpful. I also like to keep my fuel topped up and fill every opportunity. Although some seem to think they're paying too much, its cheap insurance compared to pushing on to where you plan to fuel up and find that they're closed or run out. And if you run out, what is the cost for someone to come to you or a vehicle recovery? Paying a little bit more is peace of mind. Your fuel economy is pretty good and I'd expect something similar on driving the Shortcut. I live in Melbourne and most of the local 4wding is in the Vic High Country where hours of low-range driving is the norm and fuel economy can be around 4-6 kms per litre. In the near future am hoping to do the drive across the Nullabor to Perth and now the GCR to Yulara, Kings Canyon etc. I'm not one for the luxuries, although I have an off-road camper trailer that enables me to quickly set-up for overnight and longer stops. I also have a touring tent that's great for quick set-ups but with rock-hard ground its awkward whereas the camper trailer is a forward fold with no canvas on the ground, sets up in its own footprint. My late wife and I visit Central Australia and Ayers Rock 33 years ago and we climbed it to the cairn at the top. We drove there in a Ford Laser camping in a 2 man tent. Now that I have the 4wd I'm keen to visit many more places that I now know about and the little Ford Laser just couldn't get to. I have the Wikicamps App and use that to find roadside areas and free camping spots, it has reviews by other users which is very helpful. With your helpful review of the Yulara camping area I would probably stay just one night for sunset and sunrise photos, really just visiting the Olgas and the Rock on my way through. Can't see the justification for staying longer than necessary at their prices. Thanks again for the great videos, some people get bored with the constantly changing views of the road ahead, and around, but to me, and you, and many others, there is nothing better.
@@Wdeane1957 Thanks Wayne for the comments. I never get bored driving the outback roads away from the hustle & bustle. I noticed your comment about rock hard ground etc. I put up a video of an Oztrail stretcher tent last week. I am planning to use this when going north in April instead of unfurling the rooftop tent every night. Might be a solution for you also?
@@dougrorison1211 great review of the stretcher tent. I'm going to check them out and most likely will get one as well. Different tents for different travellering and camping situations is the go.
Hi Chris, sorry to take so long to get back to you. The 3rd part was actually titled 'second phase of outback journey' I explained how this came about in my reply to Mike Barrett. The Out Back Way is actually 2 distinct roads cutting across the middle of Australia. When I finished the 1st leg from Laverton (in the west) to Alice Springs, I decided to turn north towards Darwin then turn right at the Barkley Highway& head across to Townsville. I only intended to put up the videos covering the actual out back way which (from the Queensland side) really starts around Winton & meanders towards Boulia then Toko & westwards back to Alice Springs. When I put the videos up I tried to explain this but it seems to have caused some confusion for which I apologise. I hope this explanation enables you to find the rest of the videos. If you search my site you should be able to pick up all of the videos of that entire trip.
I'm sorry Doug .. but I think you are fairly narrow minded. I'm probably around your age and I have a caravan. I also have an RV5 tent for doing quick trips into remote areas, however, there are MANY like me who live full time 'on the road' and the thought of having to put up a tent or a fold out camper every night isn't my idea of adventure. Sure .. that's quite ok for the quick trip here and there .. but not for extended periods of time. Many 'grey nomads' go away on their trips for several months at a time. Whilst I love sitting around a campfire at night, looking at the stars while having a cold beer or glass of wine, I also like the idea of sitting down for dinner at a proper table and eating a meal off a china plate and drinking from a proper wine glass. Also like to sit and watch the news and some good ABC programs on the satellite TV system at night as well, before retiring to my queen sized bed (with electric blanket if cold enough) and getting a good nights sleep ..... particularly if it's pissing rain and there's a chance of me getting up in the middle of the night to go to the on-board loo without running the risk of falling down a ladder. It also means I don't have to use those ablution blocks that you were so pissed off about having to park so far away from. Another advantage when towing a caravan is that you tend to drive a bit slower and have time to take in the scenery and magnificent views .. that you tend to miss when your traveling at 100 km/hr Finally, there would be many retired folk traveling that simply could not travel and see the beauty Australia has to offer without being able to use a caravan, as they may suffer from a range of medical/physical conditions that would prevent them. Fortunately for them, today's technology allows them the freedom in their twilight years, to do just that. I say .. to each their own.
Thank you David for taking the time to 'educate' me on the luxuries of caravanning. Sorry to disappoint you but 'been there, done that.' I have towed caravans around this country in the past. Perhaps that experience coloured my views on people who seem unable or willing to rough it. My strong opinions on the caravanning lifestyle seem to have stirred a wasps nest which has touched a nerve with some of you. That was my intention & I make no apology for it. Covid 19 has obviously been a boon to caravan manufacturers who are attracting people who would normally fly overseas for their holidays, to strap on a van & head into the great unknown without a lot of them having a clue of what they might be getting into. You mentioned that you like to dine on china plates occasionally & be able to watch the ABC on TV. I just book into a motel if I feel the need for some creature comforts. You also mentioned how you love to watch the scenery as you drive slowly around the country. This comment just reinforces my point. Some of you are a menace on the roads as you gawk around with out regard to who may be behind you. There was an interesting campaign a couple of years ago by a truck driver here in WA who advocated that caravanners be made to sit a course on road etiquette as the number of them had increased to such a degree that they were a danger to themselves and other road users due to the speeds (or lack of it) at which they travelled. This etiquette test might also be applied to those who tend to clog up the roadside stops and park nearest to the facilities even though, as you point out, you have those of your own in your vans! You also took pains to chastise me for complaining about people parking close to a toilet block at Boulia in Queensland. That wasn't because I was 'pissed off' at having to walk to the toilets but because they had parked so close to the windows of the toilets that they would have been listening to me fart in stereo whilst I sat on the bog! They and others of their ilk are part of the reason I hold these 'narrow minded' views. But as you say to each his own! Cheers & happy 'camping.'
@@dougrorison1211 I didn't say I drive 'slowly' around the country. I just don't drive at high speeds because you miss seeing a lot of the scenery and it's more dangerous if something goes wrong. I've NEVER had a problem with semi's and road trains .. I just talk with them on the radio and assist them when passing .. simple. 95% of these truckies are great .. and fair minded and helpfull .. the other 5% have attitudes like yours where you think you own the roads. Here's a 'newsflash' for you mate ... you don't!! I don't disagree with you with regard to there being a number of caravaners that shouldn't be on the road, because of a lack of knowledge and experience. But I can also say that I've come across quite a few really bad truckies over the years that, likewise, shouldn't be on the road. I put caravaners that sit on 100-110kph in the same basket. They are a danger to other drivers and to themselves. Finally, you say you have these views because of the people that park too close to the ablution blocks and others of their 'ilk'. It seems to me that you are 'tarring' every caravaner with the same brush.
@@davidhuett3579 Yep seems that way. I am just a grumpy old shit with racist bigoted views according to you but I at least got you to react didn't I? Maybe if more people had an opinion then this country wouldn't be wallowing in political correctness. Whilst we plebs argue our masters screw us. You wont like my latest set of videos then. Hint, dont watch. You should see what I left out!!
@dougrorison1211 If you mean by way of our masters screw us that, as a mature Australian adult, our Government, not any other country's Government I might add, decided to ban brand new Honda 125cc "Postie" (Cub and Trail motorcycles), Grom and Monkey motorcycles because they don't have dual ABS breaking systems, only single ABS on the front brake (Yes, laughable, if it wasn't so stupid considering the size and "power" of these motorcycles and the fact they have dual disc brake systems when years ago they didn't even have that!), then I agree with you. BUT, I disagree with your view on people using caravans for holidays. Thanks for your videos and time.
So hypercritical…. You spend time telling people not to be a hero because they drive faster than you across the Plenty HWY as you’re doing 70 and then whine about caravans ….. really? Real camping and roughing it……….. you’re hardly doing it rough with your set up. Get over yourself and stop acting like a hero. Other then that, great video’s, especially during lockdown. A little more of your opinions on the places you stayed would be great. Happy travels.
Maybe you should watch the other 50 odd videos I have put up Andrew. I didnt end up calling myself the grumpy camper without good reason. I spend most of the time on these videos complaining about something or other because I am an opinionated prick! Strange though that a lot of people seem to like my style & cant get enough of them. You have the distinction of being one of the very few who have a negative opinion of me without even knowing who I am, basing your comments on one video?
Good video there of country but just one thing I found bit racist is you don't ofter the indigenous family for help but the bloke with the camping trailers you ever slow down for him so why the double standard we are all australian
That's because he's your 'typical' Pauline Hanson type supporter .. racist and bigoted .. can pick them a mile away. Quick to criticise everyone else but not willing to accept that he has many traits that other road users may dislike.
Well Naythan I have found that our indigenous cousins like to pull off the road and sit under a tree for a while. I don't know what the reason is but I think it is some cultural thing that they do Sometimes they just pull off to the side and sometimes they pull right off the road into the bush. Sometimes they are in groups. I used to stop but now don't bother unless it is obvious that they want assistance. That is not racist, that is a fact of life out there. I have met some wonderful Aboriginal people in my travels and have even given some a lift to somewhere but nowadays with all of the ballyhoo about racism (like your 'innocent' observation) I only stop when invited and, strangely, that is how our indigenous cousins seem to want it. So we are quickly becoming a divided nation.
There is no we mate it's just you mate I've alway help poeple on the road and always will that's apart of traveling this country all so in remote areas like so can't go to long with out water but that's just me same culture thing I same time do
@@davidhuett3579 Actually I don't vote for One Nation but if you actually go all the way back to her maiden speech in parliament she merely asked why one group of people were apparently being given preferential treatment in this so called egalitarian country although she didn't have the education to use the word egalitarian. This was her right to ask and it seems many in this country agreed with her and yes I am fully aware that I am imbued with many traits that others find distasteful but I don't apologise for them and I can take the criticism because I have thick skin!
