The Oaks (NSW) - Serpentine (WA)

[skippydiesel]

Forum News & Debate is a tad slow at the moment, so I thought I would offer this, as something many of you may like to get involved in.

 

For years I have wanted to fly from The Oaks to WA in a small aircraft - all sorts of hurdles have got in the way however the opportunity may now be close.

 

Forum News & Debate is a tad slow at the moment, so I thought I would offer this, as something many of you may like to get involved in.

 

I will be flying my Sonex Legacy, Rotax 912ULS, with just me on board.

 

Some necessary planning details;

 

• She carries an easy 95+ L usable fuel (preferably 98 RON)
• I usually flight plan at 130 knots True @ 15L/hr ,for 5.6 hrs duration and 40 + minutes reserve (10L) at same power setting.
• I would also prefer to land for refueling with 30+ L remaining (I am paranoid about running out of fuel)
• I would prefer not to fly for more than 3 hrs without a wee stop, say 2-3 hrs is perfect. 
• I will be carrying collapsible fuel bladders to facilitate fetching 95 RON (I will only corrupt her innards with AVGas if no reasonable alternative exists).
• I am in no particular hurry but fully aware that the more time I take, the more additional cost for sustenance & accommodation and the more potential for adverse weather to impede my progress..
• I am more than happy, within reason (?) to divert of the  most direct overland track, to visit fellow pilots &/or take in particular points of interest, that you may recomend. 
• I would like to follow the coastline but will avoid any significant overwater, other than a short dash over the northern part of the Spencer Gulf.
• I have some idea of returning via a more inland route.than the largely Coastal SA& WA section.
• I would be delighted to "fly in company" with another aircraft  for all or part of the trip.

 

At this stage I have not made contact with any one or airfield along the rout (?).

 

I am hoping that the woeful flying weather that the East of the country has been experiencing, may clear within the next month or so. I may be wrong however summer flying on this trip, seems to present additional challenges that may not be so pleasant for a recreational pilot.

 

Serpentine appears to be a reasonable destination - you may advise otherwise.

 

I await your council/recommendation with great interest.😈

 

[onetrack]

Skippy - Will Owen from the S.W. of W.A. owns one of your favourite ultralights, and has done a West-East-West trip in recent times. He posted some details of his trip on here, but I can't find it now.

 

He should be able to provide useful trip information, and he may even be keen to join you for at least part of your trip, and I'm sure he can get you up to speed on what's what in W.A. Unfortunately, I can't even recall what his username is on here, someone else may know.

He's a nice bloke, very helpful - I know him because my best friend worked on his farms, and I visited the main farm, and met Will, several years ago. He's leased out his farms, and I'm not sure what he does on a daily basis now, but I think he still flies regularly, however I'm not sure if he still instructs.

 

https://www.facebook.com/willflyhire.com.au/

 

 

Edited Friday at 11:08 AM by onetrack

[sfGnome]

I can add nothing except that I hope it goes well and look forward to seeing trip reports and photos.

[Love to fly]

 

Tocumwal to Jurien Bay last year, February - March. Knew it would be hot but had family reasons for going then.  Mid/high 40’s is just too hot though. Aircraft performance, pilot performance, tyres all suffer. Most of the trip was high 30’s, low 40’s so not as bad.  And important to realise that some of the roadhouse runways aren’t usable when they’ve had a lot of rain. Caiguna was out for our trip home.  We use a ZOLEO and recommend it, or something similar. You can send/receive tests and emails via satellite when out of mobile range and your friends can track you in real time. I’m no expert, but happy to try and answer any questions you have.

Edited yesterday at 01:45 AM by Love to fly

[skippydiesel]

My questions will almost always relate to ;

• Must see
• Fuel
• Accommodation

On the topic of accommodation- I will be carrying an emergency tent & supplies but as a retired person, no longer in the first flush of youth, would prefer to kip in a nice cozy bed with a roof overhead, toilet & (hot) shower not too far away. 

Cost is  is a factor

 

Suggestions  welcome.?? 😈

[facthunter]

The Weather would be my Main concern for both the actual flying and accommodation and the Aircrafts safety when the weather changes. It's  LOOOooNG  WAY.  Nev

[onetrack]

Everything West of Port Augusta is expensive - fuel, food and accommodation - and accommodation is normally tight, so you need to book well ahead. I stayed at Eucla Motel last May, accommodation is good, but not cheap, and food offerings and operating hours are limited. Caiguna Roadhouse has good food and a satisfactory airstrip (when it's not soggy), and the Bight scenery is spectacular. Nullarbor roadhouse has an airstrip, but everything at Nullarbor is the priciest of all.

 

I'd follow the coast because the main highway is never far away, and there are many station airstrips and old Eyre Hwy construction airstrips that probably still usable for outlandings. The distances are vast from Western S.A. onwards, and assistance can be a long way away in emergencies. For medical assistance help, the RFDS is superb.

Keep friends, associates and authorities notified of your movements. I believe you'll find Myrup at Esperance is welcoming to aviators. Esperance is very scenic, the beaches are spectacular. Nearly all W.A. wheatbelt towns of any size have good airstrips, but you need to arrange transport once on the ground.

 

Pick late Summer/early Autumn as the time to go, you can still camp out comfortably in that weather. Acquire a really good camping mattress, and always carry a few litres of water. Be aware that weather conditions can change dramatically within a short period across the "long paddock", especially if it involves a sharp wind direction change. You can go from 40°C to 20°C in a couple of hours, with a wind that swings rapidly from N to S. You can also get steep temperature drops overnight from fine hot days, even in mid-Summer, if the tip of a cold front moves in.

Watch out for major headwinds travelling West, try and pick when a big high pressure system is in the Bight, or forming in the Bight, a typical Summer pattern with light winds.

 

John Langmead has a good blog about doing an East-West-East trip in a Cessna 182RG in 2007. Some things have probably changed a bit in the intervening 18 years, but his information is still largely valid. He had the advantage of pretty good airspeed in the Cessna.

 

Flying Memories – Chapter 10 (the final chapter) – South

SOUTHERNOCEANBLOG.COM

---

WA trip in VH-MWL with Liz. As I reach the end of this record of my flying memories I want to record in some detail an account of at least one trip that I remember as being simply a great trip in an aeroplane...

 

[skippydiesel]

Hi One\ track,

 

Thanks for all that.

 

I was thinking of trying to contact Clubs at potential overnight  / refuelling locations - what think you?

 

What of Serpentine as my destination field??😈

[facthunter]

Esperance is worth a few days and I think there's a club there. Normal prices.  You might EVEN want to LIVE there.   Nev

[onetrack]

Yes, for sure, make contact with all the clubs, the aviation fraternity is pretty good as regards support. I believe Serpentine is quite good - message rgmwa on here, I understand he operates out of Serpentine with his RV-12.

It's home of the SABC of W.A. and you need their permission to operate into and out of the field. Contact their committee to request permission, and advise your travel plans.

[rgmwa]

Serpentine information and contacts here: 

Home

WWW.SABC.ORG.AU

---

Sport Aircraft Builders Club (SABC) based at Serpentine Airfield, Western Australia

There are some dongas on site for visitors and aircraft can tie down near the clubhouse.

[tillmanr]

Thread drift I know but hey. I drove up to the gate at Serpentine WA and rang a committe member whose number was on the gate. I was made enormously welcome with about a 1 1/2 hour intro through the hangars/members who were present. I came away with the most positive impression I have had from any flying fraternity and trust me I have visited dozens in many countries. 

[Love to fly]

1 hour ago, facthunter said:

Esperance is worth a few days and I think there's a club there. Normal prices.  You might EVEN want to LIVE there.   Nev

We found commodation really expensive at Esperance on our way West. Totally unavailable on our way home so refuelled and went to Kalgoorlie for the night. Taxi into Esperance from the airport would have been over $100.  I put together a list of where we stopped, highlights etc last year. I'll dig it up tomorrow. 

[onetrack]

Agreed, Esperance accommodation is expensive, but all coastal towns in W.A. are pretty expensive. The cost will alter according to whether it's school holiday periods, and whether it's a peak holiday season period.

Stayz is not too bad at finding accommodation within your price range and requirements. And airbnb is another option.

 

https://www.stayz.com.au/search?destination=Esperance%2C Western Australia%2C Australia&regionId=1153&flexibility=3_DAY&d1=2025-08-10&startDate=2025-08-10&d2=2025-08-14&endDate=2025-08-14&adults=2&sort=RECOMMENDED&upsellingNumNightsAdded=&theme=&userIntent=&semdtl=&upsellingDiscountTypeAdded=&categorySearch=&total_price=0&total_price=800

 

https://www.airbnb.com.au/s/Esperance--Australia/homes?refinement_paths[]=%2Fhomes&place_id=ChIJuycfmldHWyoR0At6JDj2AAU&checkin=2025-08-10&checkout=2025-08-14&adults=1&query=Esperance%2C Australia&flexible_trip_lengths[]=one_week&monthly_start_date=2025-09-01&monthly_length=3&monthly_end_date=2025-12-01&search_mode=regular_search&price_filter_input_type=2&price_filter_num_nights=4&channel=EXPLORE&price_max=815&selected_filter_order[]=price_max%3A815&update_selected_filters=false&search_type=filter_change

 

Edited yesterday at 10:14 AM by onetrack

[rgmwa]

2 hours ago, Love to fly said:

We found commodation really expensive at Esperance on our way West. Totally unavailable on our way home so refuelled and went to Kalgoorlie for the night. Taxi into Esperance from the airport would have been over $100.  I put together a list of where we stopped, highlights etc last year. I'll dig it up tomorrow. 

Give Esperance airport a miss and land at Myrup. Friendly locals will probably give you a ride into town and the caravan park cabin rates are quite reasonable. 95/98 ULP at the servos in town so take your fuel bladders with you. 

Edited yesterday at 12:09 PM by rgmwa

[Love to fly]

9 minutes ago, rgmwa said:

Give Esperance airport a miss and land at Myrup. Friendly locals will probably give you a ride into town and the caravan park cabin rates are quite reasonable. 95/98 ULP at the servos in town so take your fuel bladders with you. 

We landed at Myrup on the way over, and were offered hangarage for the night. Many phone calls later we finally found accommodation for the night. Heading East a few weeks later couldn’t find any accommodation anywhere.  Local information centre said September throughout May they generally had 100% occupancy.  We refuelled at Esperance and headed to Kalgoorlie for the night. Caiguna was too wet to land and we wanted to see Forrest so headed there the next night. 

[rgmwa]

I was on my way back to Perth from Victoria once and landed at Esperance in the late afternoon. It was pretty stormy weather. Got a ride into town with some locals (RPT had just landed so the airport was open). Unfortunately I hadn't realised it was the Easter weekend and there was absolutely no accommodation in town anywhere. Eventually I took a taxi (expensive) back to the airport thinking I might be able to get through to Ravensthorpe before dark but an incoming storm put an end to that plan. The airport was closed and deserted and I was almost resigned to spending a very uncomfortable and wet night in the plane when it occurred to me that the transportable toilets next the the terminal were probably open. I got the seat cushions out of the plane and spent a reasonably comfortable night sleeping on the floor of the disabled toilet. It was clean, had hot water, power to recharge the phone and iPad, warm and dry through a miserably wet night and a toilet. What more could you wish for? 

 

[onetrack]

Well, that's pretty innovative, and certainly one to mark up for future reference! My luck would be, every single thing around would be locked! They normally lock up toilets anywhere at sundown.

It certainly pays to have contacts when you travel, and it's important to know about holidays and events that might impact on your accommodation plans. Esperance is very popular for the Kalgoorlie-ites, for R&R.

 

Another little spot to keep in mind is Hopetoun (W.A.), about 190kms by road, and 88NM by air, West from Esperance. It's only a relatively small place, but mining projects in the Ravensthorpe region injected a huge amount of money into the town and region from the early 2000's.

But the mining projects have faltered, and then revived, and then faltered again (typical of mining)- so Hopetoun is now more intent on chasing the tourism industry. 

 

Fitzgerald National Park is right next door and it's a Park of National significance. Hopetoun airstrip (unsealed and uncontrolled) is right on the outskirts of town, while the Wavecrest Village (accommodation) is just a few hundred metres away from the airstrip. Wavecrest even has a courtesy bus. Wavecrest have a good bar and bistro, and the town also has a decent pub. No fuel at the airstrip, but fuel supplies in town.

 

Ravensthorpe aerodrome is 19kms N of Hopetoun, but this is a security-controlled aerodrome with RPT flights, mostly for the mining companies.

 

As always, however, transport in these small towns is a problem, there's no car hire or taxis in Hopetoun, which surprises me. Esperance is the nearest place you can hire a car.

 

Wavecrest Village — Hopetoun Accommodation

WWW.WAVECRESTVILLAGE.NET.AU

---

Situated in the pristine coastal location of Hopetoun in Western Australia’s southern coastal region, Wavecrest Village accommodation has been created around the natural beauty of the rural setting with...

 

Edited yesterday at 01:43 PM by onetrack

[rgmwa]

7 minutes ago, onetrack said:

As always, however, transport in these small towns is a problem, there's no car hire or taxis in Hopetoun, which surprises me. Esperance is the nearest place you can hire a car.

I landed at Coober Pedy on a trip up north to Katherine. The airfield was deserted so I Googled what I assumed was the local taxi service and arranged to be picked up at the airport.  After almost an hour with no sign of any activity, I rang again and got through to the driver. He said he was at the airport but he couldn't see me. There was certainly nobody where I was, so I said; "Which airport are you at?" He said; "Ceduna". It seems there are no taxis in Coober Pedy.
 

[rgmwa]

Another useful little tip. If you land at some remote place in the outback that has a caravan park or a motel and give them a call they will often send somebody out to pick you up. 

[Moneybox]

Skippy, are you saying you can cruise at 130kts?

 

(I usually flight plan at 130 knots True @ 15L/hr)

[Geoff_H]

7 hours ago, rgmwa said:

I landed at Coober Pedy on a trip up north to Katherine. The airfield was deserted so I Googled what I assumed was the local taxi service and arranged to be picked up at the airport.  After almost an hour with no sign of any activity, I rang again and got through to the driver. He said he was at the airport but he couldn't see me. There was certainly nobody where I was, so I said; "Which airport are you at?" He said; "Ceduna". It seems there are no taxis in Coober Pedy.
 

We hired cars at Coober,  they will pick you.up at airport.   

[Geoff_H]

I have done the Warnervale to Jandokot several times both ways 10  or so years ago.   Always in same day so no accommodation.  Used a week bottle.  Having also driven Sydney to Kalgoorlie and lived in Kalgoorlie i can remember that nothing was cheap and most was very rudimentary. Forrest an Port Piri are good avgas fuel stops

[skippydiesel]

10 hours ago, Moneybox said:

Skippy, are you saying you can cruise at 130kts?

 

(I usually flight plan at 130 knots True @ 15L/hr)

Yes.  I use my Dynon True airspeed, as a de facto fuel flow gauge (the actual one is not sufficiently sensitive) so mainatine 130 knots, 5000 rpm, in Cruise.

My actual average fuel consumed is 14.25L/hr but a flight plan at 15L/hr.

My Dynon Fuel flow read out rarely drops below 17L/hr in level flight. When compared against actual Litres refueled, cant be correct. Weirdly the computed Fuel Used/ Fuel Remain read out is spot .😈

[facthunter]

 High(er ) cruise speeds  mean you will feel rough air more and have to put more effort into the flying part. Winds can be significant low down on this route. Hot day Sea breeze effect at about 1400 local is strong when the  ambient temp is high.  Don't eat any SUSS food and you must carry WATER... Nev