Final decision, following the National Cabinet meeting yesterday, with South Australia still saying that they plan to open their border on 20 July - which is too late for us, and may not even happen if the situation in Vic gets worse - its time to accept that we will only be doing an Outback NSW trip. I added the "opals" as we will go to White Cliffs and Lightning Ridge. Prepare to do all your Christmas shopping in one trip!

The Outback NSW plan is not as challenging or remote as the SA plan was, but we will still be out of Sydney, on dirt roads, seeing wide open spaces and camping! (And we will be a bit closer to 'civilisation' if anyone should fall ill...)

The plan is:

Day 1 Saturday 11 - Sydney to Cobar via Mudgee and Dubbo 685km
Day 2 Sunday 12 July - Cobar to Broken Hill via Ivanhoe and Menindee 593km
Day 3 Monday 13 July – Around Broken Hill Take the day to see the sights, Silverton, Mundi Mundi Plains, RFDS Base etc 100km
Day 4 Tuesday 14 July - Broken Hill to White Cliffs via Mutawintji National Park 272km - Sightseeing around White Cliffs for the afternoon. Buy some Opal and tour an Opal mine.
Day 5 Wednesday 15 July – White Cliffs to Tibooburra via Milparinka 270km
Day 6 Thursday 16 July – Tibooburra to Wanaaring 234km
Day 7 Friday 17 July – Wanaaring to Bourke 251km
Day 8 Saturday 18 July – Bourke to Grawin “Club in the Scrub” via Brewarrina and the Glengarry Hilton 215km
Day 9 Sunday 19 July – Grawin to Lightning Ridge 60km
Day 10 Monday 20 July – Around Lightning Ridge - There is a lot to see around Lightning Ridge, and you could buy more opal… 50km
Day 11 Tuesday 21 July – Lightning Ridge to Tamworth via Walgett, and Narrabri 412km
Day 12 Wednesday 22 July – Tamworth to Gloucester via The Thunderbolts Way 185km
Day 13 Thursday 23 July – Gloucester to Sydney - An easy drive home via The Bucketts Way 263km

Total Trip Distance Sydney to Sydney = 3590km (3700km with side trips)

I have emailed everyone with the new plans (See Page 7 of this thread). If anyone else is interested please PM me with your email address, although we are really at cut off time as I am finalising bookings today...

I reckon we will still have a great trip! Please let me know if you have any questions or want to change your plans. Oh and CAMPER TRAILERS are OKAY - as long as they are proper offroad trailers ready for rough dirt tracks!

Please Consider! To go we need AT LEAST 3 vehicles. Maximum number would be 12 to 15 given that these two options are a little less 'unforgiving' than the original Simpson Desert plan.
Please post below if you would like to come, or if you are thinking about it. I will generate a Definites and a Maybes list. If you would like a, Itinerary, please PM me with your email address.

Thanks,
Dave

Definites
1. DaveG
2. Timothy + 1 (confirmed)
3. Eva & Chris K (confirmed)
4. GregD (confirmed)
5. EdD & Sarah (confirmed)
6. GaryC +1 (confirmed)
7. DanielD +1 (confirmed)
8. AliH (confirmed)
9. BrianM +1 maybe (confirmed)


Thanks,
Dave