Member - Ian S (NT) replied:

Hi haysie,

I was out there last week. The track after Camp 8 is hard to follow and is difficult, if not impossible to 12. You will have the advantage of following our track but the disadvantage in that we lost it so often we were crossing raw dune systems. get yourself a good track plot from a good year to follow to run in your GPS system.
After Camp 12 it has less new vegetation and is easier to follow the track.

As said a few times the section after the Twins past Camp 3 and 4 is in aboriginal land and you won't get a permit to transit. Try if you like, I don't mind being made a liar if you can get one! The Hale River floodout is covered with bonnet high vegetation and it is impossibe to find the track.

There is a bypass the goes directly S from the Twins then E to avoid passing through 2 parcels of aboriginal land that eventually comes out on the Colson and from there you can head directly for Camp 6.

It will be an event!! Enjoy. Introduce yourself when you come through Mt Dare.

Cheers
Ian@Mt Dare

Member - Ian S (NT) replied:

Hi Haysie,

If you follow the 'ápproved' route avoiding Camp 1 and bypassing East Bore, you can get you permission from Mt Dare to cross Andado property.

Otherwise call them direct.

Cheers
Ian@Mt Dare

Member - Phil G (SA) replied:

Haysie,
I'll assume your vehicles are both 1Hz with aftermarket turbos.
Fuel usage varies with the conditions - from Ian's description sounds like might need a little more than usual.
In 2004, from Alice Springs to Birdsville (1000km), there were two turboed 1Hz that were well laden and used 240litres. Two normally aspirated 1Hz's used about 220 litres.
We'd carry 300litres for the 6 cyl diesels from Alice Springs, so maybe 250 litres usable from Mt Dare would be OK.

You're crawling over spinifex at about 8kph average for days on end, so your fuel usage is high. It can be pretty hard on suspensions, so try not to rush it. Last year our group had a panhard rod problem on a GU and a broken control arm on a Prado which we welded up. In 2004 our group had an IFS 100series have an A-arm failure. I think Ian had some broken spring shackles last year.

Cheers
phil

Crackles replied:

Gaday Haysie, we went over last year & found fuel consumption not too bad concidering the slow going & softer than usual sand. Around 25% more than a standard Simpson crossing in a 1HZ cruiser. I think it worked out roughly to 24L per 100. We used around 190L from Mt Dare to the Plenty Highway out north via the Hay. South through Poeppels will probably use a little more. Unless you get alot of wind beforehand, a 1/2 reasonable set of tracks should start to form that you can follow by the time you go. We carried 320L of deisel, 150L of water but went no where near finishing either despite showers on 3 nights. Shed all your excess weight, it will be far easier on both you & the car.
The Twins south around the Aboriginal land to Camp 6 was the roughest section for us.
Cheers Craig..........