This is for people planning/creating a Trip.
If you have been asked to Manage or Lead a Trip go here.
If you are a Trip Creator, read on.
101 Destinations
102 Decide:
where you want to go;
and/or
the purpose of your Trip.
103 Australia is a big country (7.6 million km2) and Western Australia is a big State (2.6 million km2). It would take a lifetime to see it all.
110 Database of Trips
111 This website database has more than 500 Tracks, Trips, Tours, Station Stays, Beach Access Tracks, and Point to Point Tracks for Day Trips, Weekend Trip and Extended Trips throughout Western Australia.
115 Highlights
116 Both a Trip Creator and a Trip Manager should have an understanding of the natural and cultural history of the sites and locations to be visited – the reasons for routing the Trip to the location.
117 In the absence of such knowledge/understanding research needs to be undertaken.
120 Duration
121 The Destination and/or how long you spend there will generally determine whether it will be an Extended Trip, Weekend/Long Weekend Trip or Day Trip.
125 Extended
126 More than four days.
127 An Extended Trip would generally travel in excess of 800 kilometres.
128 If creating an Extended Trip, consider starting the Trip on a Friday evening and extend through to the following Sunday – a nine day Trip with only five weekdays away.
129 See the 240 ‘Get Out Of Town’ Strategy.
130 Weekend/Long Weekend
131 Two to four days.
132 As a guide, a Weekend/Long Weekend Trip would generally cover 150-800 kilometres.
133 If scheduled for a Public Holiday, consider extending the Trip for a day.
134 Gain extra time and distance with the ‘240 Get Out Of Town’ Strategy.
135 Day Trip
136 A Day Trip commences about 9.00 a.m. and, if all goes well, concludes before dark.
137 As a guide, a Day Trip would generally not exceed 150-300 kilometres.
138 See the Trip Creator Manual for Day Trips.
140 Seasons / School Holidays / Public Holidays
141 Seasons
142 It is not the function of this Manual to provide a lesson in geography and/or the seasons of Western Australia, however, a Trip Creator needs to have an awareness of the best times to visit specific regions.
143 School Holidays
144 School holidays present a conundrum for some (teachers, parents) as it is the only time they are able to get away. Conversely, many destinations are unacceptably crowded during school holidays making accommodation and other visitation matters very problematic.
145 Note that there is often a difference between public and private school holidays.
146 Public Holidays
147 Public Holidays often present an opportunity to extend a Trip for those who are able to take another day or two off, particularly around easter. Note that easter Sunday can vary from 22 March to 25 April.
148 Western Australia has 10 public holidays per year.
150 Route Planning
151 Selection of the Route is a most important consideration.
152 Factors that will affect the choice of Route include:
Access
Campsites
Fire Restrictions
Permits
Points of Interest
Resupply
Track Conditions
153 ACCESS
154 Land management requirements such as Disease Risk Areas (DRA) and logging in forests may cause access issues.
155 National Parks, private property, pastoral stations, fences, locked gates, targeted placement of boulders, bollards and logs are all impediments to access.
156 Be aware of ‘adverse possession’ access issues. Access roads have been subsumed around Lake Moore, along the Blackwood River, near Elachbutting Rock, and numerous other locations.
157 CAMPSITES
158 The availability (or otherwise) of suitable campsites will affect your Route Planning.
159 Free Camps are difficult to find in the Wheatbelt. More well-known Free Camps are often ‘dust bowls’ and devoid of firewood. See 240 First Night Campsites. Ensure that firewood is collected before arrival at the campsite.
160 Some Free Camps are available only to self-contained rigs. Even if tent camping was allowed, these sites are generally exposed or too close to busy roads.
161 In more remote areas, good campsites may sometimes be found by following tracks away from official Parking Bays or Rest Areas.
162 If a Trip Manager/Leader is seeking seclusion, they should be advised that lighting and campfires can be seen considerable distance at night, particularly in flat country. Bushes/trees will assist in screening the campsite.
163 A Trip Creator should plan alternative campsites.
164 See 250 Campsite Locations.
166 FIRE RESTRICTIONS
167 In a state as large as Western Australia there will always be fire restrictions in effect at some time and some place.
168 Most fire restrictions are ‘two stage’ – Permit Required period and a No Fires period.
169 Different periods of restriction are imposed by various Local Government Authorities depending on local conditions. Check the website of the LGAs in the area where the Trip is routed.
170 PERMITS
171 In more remote areas Permits may be required to traverse aboriginal land and private railway access roads.
172 Travelling on the Trans Australia Railway access track is problematic, depending on which sources you wish to believe, although it is clear that the railway managers prohibit travel on their access track. There are other tracks paralleling the railway.
173 Some Permits may be obtained online. Others require a long lead time and this has to considered in the planning phase.
174 Advise the Trip Manager/Leader to carry a printout of the Permit.
177 POINTS OF INTEREST
178 A Trip Creator should research local Points of Interest that may require minor deviation to the Route or adjustment to the Timings/Schedule.
179 Note that these Points of Interest are in addition to the Highlights that routed the Trip to the area in the first place.
180 See 270 Resources to Assist in Trip Planning, below.
181 RESUPPLY
182 Fuel
183 Most vehicles will have a minimum range of 500 kilometres, an important number in Route Planning.
184 Not all fuel outlets are accessible 24/7.
185 It is preferable that participants do not carry extra fuel inside or on top of their vehicle.
186 When possible provide indicative pricing for diesel and petrol at each planned refuelling point.
187 Food and Water
188 Participants are always advised to be self sufficient, however, resupply may be required on longer Trips. And then there are bakeries. And coffee shops.
189 Be mindful that businesses close at 5.00 p.m. weekdays and midday Saturday in ‘non tourist’ towns.
190 TRACK CONDITIONS
191 Information on more popular tracks may be available online. See the applicable LGA website.
192 Recognise that information on track conditions, from whatever source, is time sensitive.
193 The main issues are:
- Road Closures and other access issues;
- Corrugations;
- Floods/Fires.
196 RECONNAISSANCES
197 Reconnaissance of an entire Trip should not be needed and may indeed be impracticable, however, the necessity to confirm particular parts of a Route may arise – generally access and track conditions. It is recommended that the recce comprise a minimum of two vehicles.
199 WEATHER EVENTS
200 See 140 Seasons, above.
201 Local weather events such as flood-causing rain may necessitate re-routing.
202 Though not strictly a weather event, fires may cause roads to be closed (2019 fires around Fraser Range caused WA’s major interstate connection, the Eyre Highway, to be closed for many days).
203 Consideration should be given to ‘escape routes’ on segments that test the fuel/water range of vehicles.
204 MAXIMUM NUMBER OF PARTICIPANT VEHICLES
205 The number of vehicles on a Trip will affect the choice of campsites. More than seven or eight vehicles makes finding a suitable campsite more difficult.
206 It is suggested that the maximum number of vehicles on a Trip is 12 unless the trip can be split (for example, a beach Day Trip) in which case the only limitation is finding Trip Leaders for each group.
207 Depending on the destination, nature of the terrain and/or the type of vehicles participating the limit on vehicles may be as low as seven or eight.
208 The more vehicles, the more chance there is of turns being missed, vehicle breakdowns, poor communications, and other issues.
209 The Trip Manager is to advise if towed vehicles are allowed.
210 Time and Distance Calculator
211 The Time and Distance Calculator spreadsheet has been developed to help with Route Planning.
212 It is useful to determine how many kilometres could be travelled each day.
213 The variable to determine progress is what speed that can be maintained on a track. This can be (very) difficult to ascertain if the track has never been travelled.
214 The Time and Distance Calculator should be used as a guide only, and only for planning. Clearly, in the field, there are many variables that could easily make a mockery of the schedule designed within the Calculator.
215 Note that the Start/Finish points of each Leg in the Calculator correspond with the Start/Finish points of the applicable GPX files. Where possible the Start/Finish points should coincide with towns, refuelling locations, major intersections, roadhouses, or campsites.
216 Data from the Calculator will be helpful when preparing the Joining Information – daily distances, refuelling locations (not all are 24/7 and/or card operated), resupply places, and overnight stops.
217 The Calculator needs to be available during the Trip and, therefore, as a reminder, it is also listed in the Execution section of this Manual under 1400 Navigation.
218 The data produced from a Trip (a Track or a Trek) will show average speed maintained. Obviously this can be used for future reference for similar tracks, making the Calculator more accurate. It is another reason to create meaningful Legs for the Route.
219 Download the Time and Distance Calculator.
220 Meeting Times/Places
221 MEETING (START) TIME
222 Standard departure time is 9.00 a.m. on Day One.
223 The Trip Leader must devise a procedure to deal with people who are late and cannot be contacted, and then promulgate that procedure.
224 If the ‘Get Out Of Town’ strategy described in 240 is employed, aim for 5.00 p.m. (previous evening) or earlier, in consultation with all participants. Some participants may elect to leave earlier so they arrive at the First Night Campsite before dark. Use the Time and Distance Calculator to ascertain what Meeting Time is required.
225 From the Meeting Place the group can travel to the overnight campsite, selected to allow an arrival time of 7.00 p.m. – 9.00 p.m. This procedure will allow participants to spend more time at the destination.
230 FINISH TIME
231 The very nature of 4WD trips means that a Finish Time can only be estimated, however, the aim should be for a daylight Finish Time.
235 MEETING PLACE
236 In selecting the Meeting Place give consideration to a location that:
- is away from congestion/peak hour traffic;
- has sufficient parking;
- allows easy/safe access on to the major route of travel – that is, do not have to cross lanes when exiting the Meeting Place to join traffic.
237 Download PDF
Download GPX files
240 Get Out of Town Strategy/First Night Campsites
241 Planning to meet on Friday afternoon/evening at a location in the direction of the Trip destination allows the group to ‘get out of town’ and travel two to three hours towards the destination.
242 From the Meeting Place the group can travel to the overnight campsite, selected to allow an arrival time of 7.00 / 9.00 p.m. This procedure will allow participants to spend more time at the destination.
243 This strategy should be juxtaposed against the increased risk of travelling during the evening/night.
244 Note that this strategy could present challenges and issues if the person does not arrive at the campsite and the area is outside mobile phone coverage. See 750 Non Arrival of Participant at First Night Campsite.
245 Except for Regans Ford Caravan Park these First Night Campsites are free camps.
246 A spreadsheet with First Night Campsites’ distances and estimated travel time is on Google Drive.
250 Campsite Locations
251 A list of more than 450 Campsite Locations is here
252 Many of these Campsite Locations are not listed anywhere else – although that will change the longer this document is extant – and others are reasonably well-known.
253 Campsite Apps
WikiCamps
Campermate
Traveller Autobarn
Full Range Camping Australia
Station Hoppers
255 National Parks
256 Most WA National Parks allow camping. See:
257 Many DPaW campgrounds can now be booked online. Fees apply. Campfires not allowed. Facilities range from nothing to long drops only to full camp kitchen.
258 This is a good, non-time sensitive article on WA’s National Parks:
https://www.bootsnall.com/articles/camping-western-australias-national-parks.html
260 Nature Reserves and Timber Reserves
261 Camping is not allowed in Nature Reserves unless there is a sign to indicate it is permitted.
265 Station Stays
266 A list of Station Stays is in the Road Trips Western Australia database – see 295 Road Trips Western Australia.
268 Road Trips Western Australia database
269 Many campsites are listed with the more than 500 Trips in the Road Trips Western Australia database – see 295 Road Trips Western Australia.
270 Resources to Assist in Trip Planning
271 World Wide Web and Google
272 An Internet search is the first place to start researching an area/location or highlight.
277 Maps
278 The advent of Moving Map Software (MMS) has radically altered Route Planning and Execution. Regardless of the MMS used, paper maps should be carried. If these are not available (and there are becoming increasingly more difficult to access) use downloaded electronic maps that are on a device different from that used for MMS.
280 Parks and Wildlife Service
281 Parks and Wildlife Service (DPaW) is a government agency in the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) Go to – www.dpaw.wa.gov.au/
282 DPaW is responsible for all National Parks in Western Australia – there are only seven National Parks administered by the Commonwealth government Parks Australia. DPaW looks after:
- National Parks
- Conservation Parks
- Management Areas
- Nature Reserves
- Timber Reserves
- Bibbulmun Track
- Cape to Cape Track
285 Cockburn 4WD Club Google Drive
286 There are numerous resources on the Club’s Google Drive.
290 Cockburn 4WD Club Website
291 There is a lot of information in Reports of previous Trips on the home page of the Club’s website.
295 Road Trips Western Australia
296 The Road Trips Western Australia database is at:
Google Drive / Road Trips Western Australia / Trips