Gascoyne Junction to Kirijini
Submitted: Monday, May 10, 2010 at 19:42
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Paw
The Mount Austus caravan park is now open folks
The road from
Carnarvon to
Gascoyne junction Junction is like a billiard table where it is dirt.
From
Gascoyne junction to
Mount Augustus via the Ullawarra road and Cobra Gifford Creek Rds are all good you can maintain speeds of 80k's safely but be careful when approaching creeks and dips as some can be sharp and not all are signed, lovely country side but dry dry dry.
Mount Augustus caravan psrk is now open and the husband and wife team can not do enough for you the price of petrol is $1-93 who nows what brand and diesil is $1-87.5. All new a/c in the donga"s and all new abultion blockes where being installed when we were there. B.B.Q packs can be bought and cooked on the Barby but at the moment no cooked food and only water and soft drink can be bought at the bar.
The road from
Mount Augustus caravan park to Paraburdoo is accessed from the back of the caravan park through the station to the Dooley Downs Pingandy Road the first 100Ks is at about about 40Ks per hour but ok after that you can travel at about 80 Ks an hour if you want but best just to enjoy it.Turn left on the Ashburton Downs
Meekatharra Road and stay on the Ashburton Downs Road untill you hit the Nanutarra Road then head to
Tom Price. All the roads are good all the rivers are bone dry and it looks like it has not rained in a long time. The manager at
Mount Augustus caravan park said it had not rained since 2006.
My wife and I did the trip in our 1999 GU TI Patrol at about 6 to 6.5 kilometers per litre no problem with the car. We did this as a
test run for my retirement and to see what up grades we would need to make for the car.
I have asked a few engine exchange companys and 4x4 centres in
Perth if they can install a Toyota 4.5 turbo diesil but it all seems too difficult, and I do not want a Chev. So I might have to stick with the TB which is running like silk and install long range tanks. The car is too good to sell.
We are planning to do the trip again this time with an off road camper and start off at
Mullewa just in from GeraIdton.
Regards Paw.
Reply By: get outmore - Monday, May 10, 2010 at 19:55
Monday, May 10, 2010 at 19:55
I noticed they have bitumanised towards
gascoyne junction past
rocky pool which has unfortunatly brought hoards of
Grey Nomads setting up semi permanant camps
When i was last there over 10 years ago it was a peacefull spot with few visitors.
good to hear the dunnies at the "resort" are being replaced they had wonkey thrones and no hot water
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Paw - Monday, May 10, 2010 at 20:05
Monday, May 10, 2010 at 20:05
Yes I agree with you about too many people I was at
Gascoyne Junction 30 years ago we came in from
Meekatharra on motor bikes it us two days to get to
Gascoyne Junction then. I noticed this time tht the bar had not changed.
Regards Paw.
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: get outmore - Monday, May 10, 2010 at 21:24
Monday, May 10, 2010 at 21:24
Ya know a beers cheaper there than any of my locals in
Perth
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Follow Up By: Member - Tony S (WA) - Tuesday, May 11, 2010 at 00:02
Tuesday, May 11, 2010 at 00:02
Agree with what you say get outmore. Five years ago
Rocky Pool was great - very few people. Now YUK! The
Carnarvon Shire should put a time limit on camping or, charge them $20.00 a night and
police it. That would move them on. Ok the War Office and I are
grey nomads and it is normally three nights max. Cannot stand sitting around doing nothing.
Tony
FollowupID:
686304
Follow Up By: AlanTH - Tuesday, May 11, 2010 at 13:08
Tuesday, May 11, 2010 at 13:08
We stayed at Mt Augustus for just 1 night last year as it was a complete disgrace.
Not only was there no hot water in one lot of showers, the drains were chocked with hair, sinks were filthy and as has been said the thrones weren't bolted down and moved sideways with you! Most disconcerting.
A group of oldies complained to the so called manager that the dongas were overrun with insects and he gave them half a can of Aerogard to spray 6 rooms with!
Any improvement on what it was is welcome.
Alan.
FollowupID:
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Reply By: blue one - Monday, May 10, 2010 at 20:40
Monday, May 10, 2010 at 20:40
Rode through there with my great grandfather on horses
no one about.
long time ago
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Reply By: Shawn - Monday, May 10, 2010 at 21:54
Monday, May 10, 2010 at 21:54
Thanks Paw, I'll be doing that trip through Mt Augustus - Karijini on the way up to
Cape Leveque in three weeks for two months.
Can't wait to start the trip.
Cheers
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Paw - Tuesday, May 11, 2010 at 16:04
Tuesday, May 11, 2010 at 16:04
Shawn,
I am interested in your trip, it looks good for a future trip for us, can you give me some details on the route you will be taking.
Thanks Paw.
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Follow Up By: Shawn - Tuesday, May 11, 2010 at 21:03
Tuesday, May 11, 2010 at 21:03
Perth,
Coolgardie,
Lake Ballard, Leinster, Mt Gould, Mt Augustus, Ashburton Downs area,
Tom Price, Paraburdoo, Karijini,
Newman,
Oakover River,
Carawine Gorge,
Marble Bar, Wallal Down,
Port Smith,
Broome,
Cape Leveque.
Only been in the West three years and have not been to any of these
places,
so all will be a new experience.
FollowupID:
686446
Reply By: Member - Dunworkin (WA) - Tuesday, May 11, 2010 at 00:07
Tuesday, May 11, 2010 at 00:07
Back in 2004 we towed our caravan from
Mullewa to
Carnarvon with no problems apart from dust getting into the van. We stayed at the Murchison CP and also at
Rocky Pool, there was only a couple of vans in there at that time. Good trip.
Cheers
Deanna
AnswerID:
416203
Reply By: Member - Duncan W (WA) - Tuesday, May 11, 2010 at 00:26
Tuesday, May 11, 2010 at 00:26
Rocky Pool looked fantastic but way too much
rock from what I saw for us to pitch the tent. Might of been ok
well back from the water though. Ended up just stopping for a quick bite before heading into the Kennedy Ranges.
Called into the Gascoyne Shire office to
check road conditions etc, grumpiest customer service officer I've ever met. Asked what the road was like and all I got was" it's a gravel road, so what do you expect", to which I replied "I don't know that's why I asked" Dherrrrrrrr
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Reply By: Member - Rod N (QLD) - Tuesday, May 11, 2010 at 07:59
Tuesday, May 11, 2010 at 07:59
G'day Paw,
Looking at doing that trip about Aug so all your info is good.
What is the distance and how long did it take you from Mt Augustus to Paraburdoo?
Did you notice any suitable
camp spots on the Pingandy Rd to break up the trip?
Rod
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Paw - Tuesday, May 11, 2010 at 16:01
Tuesday, May 11, 2010 at 16:01
Rod,
You are looking at about 500 Klmtres from
Mount Augustus to Paraburdoo.
My log book says 551 Ks from
Mount Augustus to
Tom Price and it is 90 Ks from Paraburdoo to
Tom Price on the bitumen.
Time wise allow about 7 to 8 hours. There are quite a few nice
places to stop on either side of the dry river crossings in the shade, but be careful approaching the crossings and dips as some are not marked and are bumpy.
Also look out for cattle and Emus and wildlife in general.
I used the Hema map
Pilbara and Coral Coast 5th edition.
Regards Paw.
FollowupID:
686401
Follow Up By: Member - Rod N (QLD) - Tuesday, May 11, 2010 at 16:32
Tuesday, May 11, 2010 at 16:32
Thanks Paw. Very helpful
FollowupID:
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