Submitted: Wednesday, Feb 18, 2009 at 21:05

It's a testament to Australia's last outback explorer, Len Beadell, that many of his roads are more popular in these modern days that at many other times in the recent past. His iconic outback highways are punctuated by his now famous marker plates and plaques, often attached to a blaze on a desert oak or a large cut post, painted white and topped with tin. They mark cross roads, mileage points, state borders and other boundaries. The Lat Long co-ordinates stamped on each are incredibly acurate despite being shot be hand with a sextant.

Although many of his original plates have been "souvenired" by the less scrupulous travellers, most, if not all have been replaced with faithfull replicas by members of the Beadell family and others.

Over the past 25 years I have managed to encounter many of the plaques and photograph them. The count is in no way complete but then my travelling days are a long way from over. In no set order, here is my collection to date;

01. Mount Davies Road 20 km south of Great Central Road


















02. Emu Atomic test site, Anne Beadell Highway


















03. Annes Corner - Anne Beadell Highway, SA (Yes that is rain!)















04. Volkes Hill Corner - Anne Beadell Highway SA


















05 SA/WA Border - Anne Beadell Highway


















06 Neale Junction - Anne Beadell Highway, WA


















07 Windy Corner - Gary Highway (intersection of the Talawana Track), WA
















08 Everard Junction - Intersection of the Gary and Gunbarrell Highways, WA
























09 Gunbarrell Highway near the intersection of the Heather Highway, WA



















10 The old Sandy Blight Junction Track - Great Central Road Intersection, WA















11 Giles Mulga Park Road 20km west Amata, NT

















12 Giles Mulga Park Road - Kintore Avenue intersection, WA



















13 Talawana Track on Balfour Downs Station, WA (near old stockyards)




















14 Gary Highway - Gary Junction Road - Callawa Track intersection, WA




















15(a) Beadell Family Marker on "New" Gary Junction Road near Jupiter Well, WA


















15(b) Original Gary Junction Road near Jupiter Well, WA


















16 WA-NT Border on the Gary Junction Road


















17 Sandy Blight Junction Track - Gary Junction Road intersection, NT


















18 The Explorer Tree Sandy Blight Junction Road, NT



















19 Tropic of Capricorn marker - Sandy Blight Junction Road, NT


















20 NT-WA Border Sandy Blight Junction Road


















21 One Hundred & Forty (140) mile marker Sandy Blight Junction Track, WA

















22 Sir Frederick Range Sign - Sandy Blight Junction Road, WA


















23 Half Way Marker - Sandy Blight Junction Road, WA


















24 One Hundred (100) mile marker to the Gunbarrell Hwy - Sandy Blight Junction Road, WA


















25. Plaque at S 25 10 08 E 128 32 19 Giles Mulga Park Road (Near the now "Great Central Road" taken July 11th 1985.


















So that's 26 (25 and a family plaque -15a). In the packing boxes still in storage I have others (at least 3) from my early 80's sojourn along the full length of the Gunbarrel (all east of Million Dollar Corner). Thankfully those plaques uncaptured will motivate me to get out there on a mission in years to come. Cheers Mick

Oh and a bonus - A couple of shots of the original Gunbarrel construction party Grader whcih we found at Giles in 1985. I don't know if it is still there.

Tags: Places/Destinations, Hobbies/Interest
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