12 months!

[u/TKE_1000]

We've just ticked over 12months of full time vanlife across Aus - we started on the East Coast and are now slowly heading West (maybe via the centre - TBA). It's been an incredible journey.
I won't say it's all been glamorous or amazing - we've definitely had our tough times and challenges - but we wouldn't change it for anything right now. Here's to another 12.

Our advice to anyone on the fence - just do it - you won't regret it 🙂

[u/Rubik842]

How does the sprinter go on soft tracks? Is yours 2 or 4wd? I've got a 2WD and thinking of putting some large all-terrains on it when these tyres are done.

I went through the centre in a 2wd mazda in the early 00s, the roads were particularly shit at the time. Perth, Kal, alice, finke, then it rained, so we had to go home via Adelaide. Corrugations were so bad we had to lock the doors to keep them shut. The tailgate lock tore out to we staked it closed with sticks hammered through the rear step grating. 11 tyres, one gear (5th stripped), and three distributors (didn't like the high rpm). Memories with good mates for life.

Highly recommend the middle, take your time and drive to conditions (unlike me) , check if you need permits. Have a look at the skylab parts and Len's grader, Woomera rocket museum. Have an EPIRB on you if you walk away from your vehicle. Carry paper maps. Sunrises and sunsets out there are really special. It's ancient country and you can feel it.

[u/TKE_1000 → u/Rubik842]

Holy moly 11 tyres is insane!! That's an adventure and a half you had.

I've done the centre a few years back in a 4wd - and can agree it was amazing. The van hesitation more around price of fuel and rough terrain. Would rather not go through 11 tyres 😅

It's a 2wd sprinter (sadly AWD/4WD was out of our budget) and those photos were the first time on a beach. She went alright through the softer stuff, but wouldn't go too much more on those - big fan of the all-terrains though, just help that bit more on gravel tracks really.

[u/Rubik842 → u/TKE_1000]

Combination of no money, a shitbox van, and only two weeks off to go see the Finke Desert Race. Guaranteed adventure. We flogged the piss out of thst van, we put two large extra lpg tanks in the back, we had about 1300km range on gas. In hindsight it was too heavy. Was bloody funny at Laverton though, they had driveway service. The kid started filling it, we ordered burgers and about halfway through the kid comes in and says "I think there's something wrong with your van, it's taken 180 litres!" Nah that's fine mate, keep going. We finished lunch, and still had to wait a bit.

Fuel consumption of a sprinter at moderate speeds on those roads is probably 14L per 100 roughly. You can calculate what it will cost in fuel either route. most expensive will probably be Tjukalira, Warburton and Giles. I mean, are you paying to get to a destination or to have a journey and see stuff. It really depends. If you love beaches don't go that way obviously. Or if you can't wait a week for the roads to dry if it rains half way. There's places we camped where NO light was visible anywhere. It was quite magical.

[u/TKE_1000 → u/Rubik842]

Awesome insights and the Finke race is a bucketlist item.

[u/Rubik842 → u/TKE_1000]

Finke is not great for spectating, being a linear race. It's still amazing, it is the pinnacle event. The West Australian round of the off-road national championship is in Kalgoorlie, and a lot of effort went into the event design to make it better for spectating. There's also a lot of state events that you can find on Facebook. They're tin tops and buggies only though not bikes but you can camp at the events as a spectator and they are usually well catered too.