Central Aus trip - Bullbar required?

[Sweefu]

Hi All,
Last year I sold my NM Pajero and jumped into a new Pajero Sport which has been great.

This forum has always given such great insight and info, I know we have a lot of great experienced members on here, which leads me to my question.

Next month I am doing a trip driving from Melbourne to Darwin, spending time mostly around Kakadu and Litchfield National Parks. I haven't driven to these areas before.

Is a bullbar a must have for this sort of trip? Realistically my time management is pretty poor so I won't rule out driving early in the morning and into the evening too.

Can anyone who has driven in similar areas comment on the amount of wildlife on the roads and if you would do the trip without a Bullbar? I've still got time to get one sorted out before I go, just not sure if it's a necessity - would love to save the money if not.

Thanks all!

[NWDarwin]

After living up that area for 7 years if there’s any chance you’ll be driving at dawn and dusk like you’ve indicated, I’d be erring on the side caution and putting a bull bar on. Have seen way too much road kill from pigs, buffaloes, horses and even donkeys.

[Pixie_au]

Went through similar decision recently and decided that a roo-strike early in the trip could cut short a well-planned and long holiday. So I got one as (expensive) insurance.

Have only ever hit a roo once before and without a bar (on previous vehicle) it might have done some damage but fortunately didn't have to find out.

Your next question will be "what type"

[Nab]

You definitely don’t need one, along with lots of the other stuff we take!!! BUT in the off chance you hit a roo you will be wishing you had one installed. If it was me I would put one on, gives a place for some spotties which will help in your early/late drives.

[pharb]

After many years of annual trips from Eastern Vic to Lightening Ridge amid lots of drought years where the roads were littered with herds of kangaroos on the road side fighting for something to eat, and 100s of carcases of those that unsuccessfully played chicken, and managing to not hit a single item of wildlife, but at home in more highly populated Gippsland have had heaps more close calls with bigger roos than I have seen in Western NSW, or the couple of trips up the centre and into northern WA I have done.

Our work vehicles (cars, utes and trucks) seem to be always hitting wild life in Gippsland, I think with my work car one of the few that doesn’t have a cable tied together front bumper.

Most recent work vehicle that took a hit damaged front fender, A pillar, door and B pillar. Front bumper was already damaged from a previous hit.

My thoughts - seem more likely to hit animals at home in Gippsland than when touring the rest of the country,
- harder to see animals lurking in heavier under growth on road sides in Gippsland than outback, hence reducing risk
- higher chance of animal strike during morning and evening when on way to and from work than when touring at gentlemanly hours, hence reduced risk when on holidays and not traveling at those times,
- whilst might be traveling in early morning or evening when on holidays probably not doing as often as traveling to work, hence reducing frequency of risk

I wouldn't be without a proper bullbar on my Pajero, but winch and mounting location for lights and aerials etc are part of that decision, not just frontal protection (bull bar doesn't protect doors and side panels etc).

[munn]

I live in Alice Springs and have for 20+ years and although I havn't hit a roo yet, I have seen lots on the road just been lucky for none to jump out at me, aswell as a fair few cows as they do get out of the fences somehow, for the $2500 it will pay for itself when you do hit one. That's the way I see it anyway

[cannonsjs]

I just got back from the Centre and chose not to fit a bulbar before going. I would say that they are pretty much mandatory if you are doing any amount of your travel at night, both for mounting lights and the much higher likelihood of hitting something. There was literally hundreds of fresh road kill (mostly roos, but also cattle and a camel) between Port Augusta and the NT border on our way back, however we saw very little during the day. One guy overtook us just on dark as we were about to pull into our overnight stop and the next morning when we were on the road we passed the same car parked on the side of the road with the bonnet crumpled in.

[Sweefu]

Thanks for the advice everyone, very helpful to hear some first hand experiences.

I want to do the trip safely and have the freedom to drive at night if we absolutely have to, so the car is booked in with Ironman for a colour coded steel commercial deluxe bar with recovery points!

Can't wait to see it all get fitted up!

Cheers