Sydney to Cameron Corner (a.k.a. how to break ABRP)

[Vostok]

Visiting Cameron Corner is on my bucket list. I have to visit at least one of the seven “corners” [footnote] in my lifetime, just because.

Has anyone ever been there in a Tesla? Even turning on all the charging options in ABRP broke it - can’t find a feasible route. I could get as far as Wilcannia via Bourke.

Sydney to Bourke is fairly easy, a single 50 minute charge at the Dubbo supercharger. Then an overnight charge at the Bourke Riverside Motel destination charger. Bourke to Wilcannia would be a little bit squeaky bum even in Model 3 Long Range... 420km driving at 100 km/h, arriving on 10% charge.

Then it gets a little tricky. Wilcannia to Broken Hill is not far (200 km) so provided we were happy to spend a day charging off 240V in Wilcannia that’s do-able. Once at Broken Hill, there is a destination charger at Emaroo Cottages.

Broken Hill to Tibooburra is a little further (330km) but fine for Long Range, even at 110 with AC on. Then we’d need a full charge at Tibooburra over a day before the final leg to Cameron Corner - a round trip of 300 km, but the road there was sealed last year.

Footnote: Australia’s “Corners”

1. Cameron Corner (NSW, QLD, SA meet)
2. Haddon Corner (90° bend in SA/QLD border)
3. Poeppel Corner (QLD, SA, NT meet)
4. Surveyor Generals Corner (WA, SA, NT meet - this is actually a “dogleg” with two corners 127m apart)
5. MacCabe Corner (NSW, VIC, SA meet - in the middle of the Murray)
6. Gregory and Greaves Corner (where the straight NSW/QLD border ends at the Barwon River, near Mungindi)
7. Townsends Corner (where the straight NSW/VIC border, the ‘Black Allan line’, ends at the source of the Murray River)

 

[Chuq]

Regarding ABRP not being much help here - there is a bug/feature request with them to support 3-phase sockets

Trip around Australia

Since Covid-19 arrived and lock downs in Australia especially Victoria I have been using A better route planner for plan for escapes (EV trips) when we can cross the state boundaries. So I would like to share the Plan to drive around Australia trying to keep to the major Highways. This has meant ...

forum.abetterrouteplanner.com

 

[Shallowal]

Where did you see that the Cameron Corner road is sealed. As far as I can tell it isnt, and when I visited a couple of years ago, you definitely needed a 4WD vehicle.
Also, why would you route Sydney via Bourke to Broken Hill. Seems a long way round.

 

[moa999]

And even then, if you look at Plugshare, not many 3 phase, let alone 10A sockets listed in that area.

 

[meloccom]

You could do the return trip to Cameron’ Corner from Tibooburra.
Tibooburra Motel has cabins and powered sites.
I stayed at the Kulgera Roadhouse on the way to Alice Springs and they were happy for me to charge the car at the powered site and stay in a cabin. But I booked first and made sure that they were happy with the arrangement first.

 

[Vostok]

Where did you see that the Cameron Corner road is sealed. As far as I can tell it isnt, and when I visited a couple of years ago, you definitely needed a 4WD vehicle.
Also, why would you route Sydney via Bourke to Broken Hill. Seems a long way round.

It was reported in the SMH Traveller liftout today that they finished sealing the road to Cameron Corner last year - “[get to] to Broken Hill and from there it’s a 435-kilometre drive to Cameron Corner. The last section of dirt road was sealed last year“

But more searching suggests the author was a bit confused, it appears it was the final section of the Silver City Highway from Broken Hill to Tibooburra that was sealed last year, not the road to Cameron Corner, as reported in an earlier article:

Seal of approval: The remote NSW highway that's also an airstrip

The full sealing of a NSW outback highway is helping open up the far west to tourists and locals.

www.traveller.com.au

Anyway, Model 3 LR is a 4WD vehicle, is it not?

As to routing via Bourke - ABRP proposed it, presumably because it thinks there is no charging infrastructure between Nyngan and Wilcannia, whereas there is a destination charger at Bourke, and that was the only way to get to Wilcannia.

 

[cafz]

As to routing via Bourke - ABRP proposed it, presumably because it thinks there is no charging infrastructure between Nyngan and Wilcannia, whereas there is a destination charger at Bourke, and that was the only way to get to Wilcannia.

Cobar seems to have one of the most popular 3-phase sockets on Plugshare: PlugShare - L T Electrics

 

[Vostok]

Cobar seems to have one of the most popular 3-phase sockets on Plugshare: PlugShare - L T Electrics

I recall NRMA once mentioning Cobar as being on their list of future DCFCs, but I cannot find a reference to it. I might be misremembering.

Yes Plugshare shows a different picture of charging options to ABRP in NW NSW - many of them have a surprising number of checkins. @Chuq is in ABRP’s ear to include the 3-phase sockets in their App - goodonya @Chuq!

 

[Chuq]

I recall NRMA once mentioning Cobar as being on their list of future DCFCs, but I cannot find a reference to it. I might be misremembering.

While Cobar hasn't been specifically named by them, the Barrier Highway is included on their plans for the next stage, so it's a fairly safe assumption given there aren't that many towns to choose from on the route.

I've just updated the NRMA thread with a copy of their pic: NRMA fast charging network

 

[tragic]

What a fine idea this is. You have me ‘planning’ it just for fun. Did it pre-Tesla and was great.

Have to pick your time and weather, and a 3 phase adaptor would simplify. Suggest start with Plugshare and also look at Outback Beds which gives you additional accommodation between towns and where you could also maybe line up charging.

 

[paulp]

Visiting Cameron Corner is on my bucket list. I have to visit at least one of the seven “corners” [footnote] in my lifetime, just because.

Has anyone ever been there in a Tesla? Even turning on all the charging options in ABRP broke it - can’t find a feasible route. I could get as far as Wilcannia via Bourke.

Sydney to Bourke is fairly easy, a single 50 minute charge at the Dubbo supercharger. Then an overnight charge at the Bourke Riverside Motel destination charger. Bourke to Wilcannia would be a little bit squeaky bum even in Model 3 Long Range... 420km driving at 100 km/h, arriving on 10% charge.

Then it gets a little tricky. Wilcannia to Broken Hill is not far (200 km) so provided we were happy to spend a day charging off 240V in Wilcannia that’s do-able. Once at Broken Hill, there is a destination charger at Emaroo Cottages.

Broken Hill to Tibooburra is a little further (330km) but fine for Long Range, even at 110 with AC on. Then we’d need a full charge at Tibooburra over a day before the final leg to Cameron Corner - a round trip of 300 km, but the road there was sealed last year.

Footnote: Australia’s “Corners”

1. Cameron Corner (NSW, QLD, SA meet)
2. Haddon Corner (90° bend in SA/QLD border)
3. Poeppel Corner (QLD, SA, NT meet)
4. Surveyor Generals Corner (WA, SA, NT meet - this is actually a “dogleg” with two corners 127m apart)
5. MacCabe Corner (NSW, VIC, SA meet - in the middle of the Murray)
6. Gregory and Greaves Corner (where the straight NSW/QLD border ends at the Barwon River, near Mungindi)
7. Townsends Corner (where the straight NSW/VIC border, the ‘Black Allan line’, ends at the source of the Murray River)

You’re brave stopping at Willcania.
I’m a Broken Hill boy and ummm yeah, some of the things that happen at Willcania arent great.
Say hi to Rick and Cathy at Emaroo. They also have a destination charger at ‘the frames’ about half hour out of mildura at Renmark. One of the first ones I arranged.

 

[moemoke]

I did the trip in April 2019 in my Moke which has a shorter range then a M3sr.
You could stop for short 'lunch break' charge at either Packsaddle or Milparinka and
I'm sure you could get a few hours charge at the Corner as the sandy sections may chew through the power.
Love to see some photos if you do this trip, just do it when its dry otherwise they close the road to everyone incl 4Wd's

 

[Vostok]

I did the trip in April 2019 in my Moke which has a shorter range then a M3sr.
You could stop for short 'lunch break' charge at either Packsaddle or Milparinka and
I'm sure you could get a few hours charge at the Corner as the sandy sections may chew through the power.
Love to see some photos if you do this trip, just do it when its dry otherwise they close the road to everyone incl 4Wd's

When Maps told me the 140km leg from Tibooburra to CC would take nearly 2 and a half hours I was a bit puzzled. Unsealed roads don’t necessarily slow you down (and sometimes faster is better ) but sandy is a different story.

How much of this road is “sandy”, requiring 20-30 type speeds? I have driven in sandy conditions before, in Kakadu, with a 4WD so I know what it’s like.

Unsealed roads don’t faze me - if they are firm. In the early 90s I did the 170km drive from the Lasseter Highway to Kings Canyon before the road was sealed and there was only a campground there. It was the most disgusting gravel road I have ever driven on. And I did it in a yellow Holden Barina.

As we slid into the campground, entirely populated with Range Rovers and other serious 4WDs, the turned heads and looks of utter disbelief were absolutely priceless! Yeah the road was rough, but entirely doable with a 2WD.

 

[Shallowal]

When I was there 6 years ago, one of the claypans was wet so we had to drive around the edge through the 'very' soft sand dunes. When we came back a couple of days later, the claypan was fine and the drive was much easier.

 

[moemoke]

Vostok, the sand is not deep or in very long sections, its just that your driving over it and does take extra power to get through it.
If you had to stop on some of the steeper dunes it may be a problem getting going.
It is a great road fun to drive in the right car, your Tesla should be fun.
I also did it in a VG Valiant back in the 90's, was going well till we smashed the radiator about 40k's the other side of the corner

 

[Shock-On-T]

When Maps told me the 140km leg from Tibooburra to CC would take nearly 2 and a half hours I was a bit puzzled. Unsealed roads don’t necessarily slow you down (and sometimes faster is better ) but sandy is a different story.

How much of this road is “sandy”, requiring 20-30 type speeds? I have driven in sandy conditions before, in Kakadu, with a 4WD so I know what it’s like.

Unsealed roads don’t faze me - if they are firm. In the early 90s I did the 170km drive from the Lasseter Highway to Kings Canyon before the road was sealed and there was only a campground there. It was the most disgusting gravel road I have ever driven on. And I did it in a yellow Holden Barina.

As we slid into the campground, entirely populated with Range Rovers and other serious 4WDs, the turned heads and looks of utter disbelief were absolutely priceless! Yeah the road was rough, but entirely doable with a 2WD.

This is so true, and so funny.
It's amazing how people think they need to kit their 4wd out for the zombie apocalypse, when in fact the ultimate touring vehicle for Australia is the family sedan.

 

[RareEarth]

That happened to us when we pulled into Innamincka in our Falcon station wagon towing a box trailer with all our camping equipment in it, had just travelled from Tibooburra via Cameron's Corner. There was a line of parked 4wds, we were the only 2wd there. Next day drove out to the Dig Tree, there were sandy stretches but if you kept your momentum up it was OK. Also letting a bit of air out of your tyres helped.
I remember back in the early 70's when I started bushwalking in the Flinders Ranges it was rare to see 4wds, most people drove 'normal' cars. I used to go there in my sister's little Mazda and once up to Arkaroola in a mate's FE Holden.

 

[LWI]

So right. Birdsville 2019 - but they may have been going further....

 

[Candleflame]

just get a three phase adapter. than you can charge wherever you want.