Anne Beadell Condition Report & 2 Questions

Submitted: Saturday, Nov 05, 2011 at 16:13

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Anne Beadell Highway

An inland alternative to travelling the Nullarbor, the Anne Beadell trek offers remoteness, isolation and unique vegetation and wildlife.

Anne Beadell Highway

Section: Treks

An inland alternative to travelling the Nullarbor, the Anne Beadell trek offers remoteness, isolation and unique vegetation and wildlife.

Anne Beadell Hwy

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Mini Map Series of the Anne Beadell Highway with detailed notes about the trek, required permits and sights of interest.

Snowy79

G'day

Well I will start off with a condition report on part of the Anne Beadell hwy. We are doing the full thing next year so thought we would have a look at part of it having heard how bad the corrugations are. So last Saturday went from Cooper Pedy out to Emu and back for a day trip, sun-up till sun-down basically but it is achievable without needing to drive like a maniac. After Mabel Creek station corrugations all the way with the odd smooth patch, most of them were not any worse than what you would find on any dirt road, although there were some bad sections but these had detours around them that were easy to follow. We dropped our tyre pressures down to 24psi, and didn't have any dramas, other than the beer cans had to be opened with caution. I will be so bold as to say that I think Goog's track when I drove it a few years ago was actually rougher than the Anne Beadell.

So now for my questions; in general for those who have driven the whole thing, does it get any worse than this section or is that fairly representative?

At the moment I am looking at buying Jaco Eagle Outback, the off-road version of their pop-top caravans. But am debating whether I take this along the ABH, or hire/borrow a camper-trailer for this trip, would a small custom off-road caravan survive this, anyone towed one across before?

Thanks in Advance

Snowy

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Reply By: Member - RobnJane(VIC) - Saturday, Nov 05, 2011 at 18:23

Saturday, Nov 05, 2011 at 18:23

G'day Snowy,

Pretty dated info, but advise we travelled from Laverton to Coober Pedy towing our camper trailer early in December 2006.

Our impression was that the WA track condition was better than the SA side, and from what I recall the last day and a half was probably the worst for corrugations. Overall though we've experienced similar conditions elsewhere and just make the appropriate adjustments to tyre pressures and speed.

ABH is definately a trip we'll do again, at a cooler time of the year and take a little more time.

Good luck with your preparations and enjoy the trip.

Rob.

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Reply By: Mike & Amanda - Saturday, Nov 05, 2011 at 18:45

Saturday, Nov 05, 2011 at 18:45

Hi Snowy,

I remember when we were looking at Jayco, it seems like aeons ago, the salesperson listened to where we wanted to go and said straight out "don't buy one!"

She then went on to tell how Jayco had changed the name from 'Offroad' to 'Outback' due to a court case and that the warranty now does not cover certain harsh 'track' use. Anecdotal information also suggests they might not be very dust proof. This drove us away and we ended up with an Australian Off Road Odyssey.

Since then we've learned you can probably take anything anywhere if you drive to conditions.

Good luck with your trip and the selection of your living accommodation!

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Reply By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Saturday, Nov 05, 2011 at 18:48

Saturday, Nov 05, 2011 at 18:48

Hi Snowy

Like Rob has said above, the SA side is the worst. You must have still been going at a reasonable pace, as we took 2 days one way from Emu to Coober Pedy.

Another thing to remember is that when you do the trip, you will be loaded up with all your camping gear, spares and food for the trip which will add more weight to your vehicle.

As for Googs Track, for me we found no issues with that at all apart from the dunes in the northern section being very cut up from drivers not reducing their tyre pressures and being inexperienced in sand driving.

As for the Jayco Eagle, they are a good unit, but not made for conditions like the Anne Beadell. This Jayco had been on the side of the Anne Beadell less than a month when we came across what was left of it in August 2010.

Image Could Not Be Found

For the sake of not ruining your new purchase, leave it at home and you will have less to worry about.

It is a great trip and you come to live with the corrugations and there is a lot to see along the way.

All the best with your planning.

Cheers

Stephen

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Reply By: Life Member Dick B - Saturday, Nov 05, 2011 at 21:31

Saturday, Nov 05, 2011 at 21:31

G'Day Snowy

We went from Coober Pedy to Laverton in late June. I was in a Troopy towing an Ultimate Camper and my friend was in a Patrol. We were well loaded and left Coober Pedy at about 8.30am. From memory we arrived at Tallaringa Well about 4pm. Next day we were on the road about 8am and arrived at Emu camp at 4.30 after visiting Totem 1 and 2. The road from Tallaringa Well was some of the worst conditions I have driven, and I grew up in the bush.

How you managed to go from Coober Pedy to Emu in a day is amazing, let alone return to Coober Pedy the same day. I doubt that has ever been done before.

I hope you give your vehicle a thorough inspection after that.

Cheers
Dick

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Follow Up By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Saturday, Nov 05, 2011 at 22:41

Saturday, Nov 05, 2011 at 22:41

Hi Dick

I thought the very same and with times like that, there would be no way in hell that the vehicles will arrive at the other end in 1 piece. The only quicker times that I have ever heard of, but one way was from a group of experienced motor bike riders on KTM Motorbikes and they were sitting at over 100 kph, which as you would know would be impossible for cars.

Cheers

Stephen

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Follow Up By: Snowy79 - Sunday, Nov 06, 2011 at 11:37

Sunday, Nov 06, 2011 at 11:37

Dick

Thanks for the information, sounds like from peoples feedback what we saw was the worst of it when it comes to corrugations.

Travelling light, we left Cooper Pedy at a bit after 5am, with the intention of driving in one direction for about 4 hours then heading back, purely to see what the track was like. Got to Mabel Creek station at first light. At about the 4 hour mark, looking at the map we realised we were only about another 70km from Emu, so decided to push on as it is something that I have wanted to see ever since reading Len's books. Were there for about 30 minutes, then were back at the Stuart Hwy just as the sun was going down. Dropping the tyres to 24psi we sat on a speed that we found worked best with the corrugations, ranging between 30-60km/h and averaging a bit over 45 km/h.

Apart from an auxillary power cable coming loose all was fine.

Thanks

Snowy

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Follow Up By: Life Member Dick B - Sunday, Nov 06, 2011 at 14:59

Sunday, Nov 06, 2011 at 14:59

Snowy

I just want to be sure you went all the way to Emu. What point did you call Emu.
It is 156km from Coober Pedy to Tallaringa Well and another 125km to Emu. That's 281km total. A return trip to Coober Pedy is 562km. People who have driven this road find this amazing to say the least.

Back to your question about the condition of the road, when we were there, the section from Tallaringa Well to the Emu campsite was definitely the worst section of road we travelled.

From the WA border to the West the road is generally much better.

Hope you have a good trip next year.

Cheers
Dick

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Follow Up By: Snowy79 - Sunday, Nov 06, 2011 at 15:46

Sunday, Nov 06, 2011 at 15:46

Dick

We got to Totem 1 & 2, and a dirt air-strip on a claypan which we assumed was Emu although there was nothing left in the way of buildings/structure just some old rusty drums, unless the original camp site was a bit further on?

I ended up with 578km on the clock from the Caltex servo at Cooper Pedy back to the same spot. Leaving Cooper Pedy at a bit after 5am travelling light, and was back by around 7pm, so perhaps more of a marathon than a sprint. Was able to do the first and last section between Mabel Creek and Cooper Pedy at 80km/h.

Wasn't trying to set or break any records, and didn't think we were driving overly fast for the conditions at the time. But being mixed up in mining/construction industry for the last 12 years I literally spend more time on dirt-roads than I do on the bitumen, so it is possible that my idea of normal travel may seem fast to others.

But we have already factored in that travelling with wives and camper trailers in tow, that our progress will be somewhat slower next year.

Cheers

Snowy

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Follow Up By: Life Member Dick B - Sunday, Nov 06, 2011 at 19:11

Sunday, Nov 06, 2011 at 19:11

Snowy

I would say you got to Emu OK.

The camping area is just up the road beyond the airstrip. Where you pass the airstrip on your right heading west, you continue maybe 1km further and the road swings left and heads a but uphill from memory. Another km you come to a junction of several old roads and there is a camping area there.

Your distance reading also confirms you were in Emu.

I grew up on dirt roads and I doubt I could have covered the distance you did in one day. Agree the road as far as the Mable Creek turnoff is a good gravel road.

Once again, have a good trip next year. You may break the Coober Pedy to Laverton record.

Cheers
Dick

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Reply By: Member-George (WA) - Sunday, Nov 06, 2011 at 14:26

Sunday, Nov 06, 2011 at 14:26

Hi Snowy, I would not tackle the Anne Beadell with anything less than a purpose made fully off-road camper trailer or caravan.
Also go prepared with a HF radio for help with any problems you may encounter.
Remember, you are on your own in a very remote area, don't take it lightly.
Last of all, check track conditions at the start of the Anne Beadell, conditions can change rapidly.
I should also mention to be well set up and plenty of water and provisions, allow at least 1 week water and provisions in excess of what you calculated from Laverton to Coober Pedy. Cheers and good luck

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Follow Up By: Life Member Dick B - Sunday, Nov 06, 2011 at 15:06

Sunday, Nov 06, 2011 at 15:06

George

You are spot on with your advice to Snowy. We went 4 days and did not see another vehicle in either direction. HF or a Sat Phone is essential, we carried both. We took 8 days to do the entire trip with one rest day at the Ilkurlka Roadhouse. It is very remote and you have to care for your vehicle in those conditions.

Cheers
Dick

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Reply By: Member - bob v (WA) - Tuesday, Nov 08, 2011 at 10:40

Tuesday, Nov 08, 2011 at 10:40

Hi Snowy. We arrived back home from doing the Anne beadell to Coober Pedy then took the Oodnatatta Track to Alice and back down the Great Central Road early in October 2011. Just over 6,000ks in 3 weeks. We travelled in 3 Nissan Patrols and we towed 1 purpose built trailer. On the ABH stretch the new Ironman suspension we put into the trailer broke but the Ironman suspension we all had put into the vehicles coped very well. Apart from a couple of tail lights comming loose and a lot of checking and tightening of bits and pieces we encountered no other problems. The WA side is no worse than most of the dirt tracks we have found around Perth but at the WA/
SA boarder it was almost like someone had drawn a line and stopped grading the track as from here the track became a lot more narrow and a lot more rough. As everyone else says drive to the conditions and you should be ok. We have an outback Jayco Flamingo and are very glad we chose not to take it as there are apart from the corrugations quite a few places it would have been difficult to get it thru due to the width of the track or the sharpness of the corners and some of those chicken tracks are there before you know it. All that said this was so far our favourite trip so I hope you have as much fun as we did. Sue.V

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Reply By: luke80 - Tuesday, Nov 08, 2011 at 18:14

Tuesday, Nov 08, 2011 at 18:14

3 weeks ago we travelled from Qld down the Birdsville track to Port Lincoln SA, then up Googs track to Coober Pedy then set out along the Anne Beadell. I was running 20lb in the tyres and doing about 40km/h. Not long before Emu my brand new 200L long range auxillary fuel tank split and dumped all my fuel. Was lucky to make it back on the 90L front tank. Glad that didn't happen 500km further on as we were travelling alone. The corrugations I didn't think were that bad but obviously bad enough to split a fuel tank! We were told the track gets better the further west you get by the locals.

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