<span class="highlight">Best</span> <span class="highlight">time</span> <span class="highlight">to</span> travel the Anne Beadell "Highway" in 2016?

Sounds like I need to shift my travel window if I want to see the flowers.

One problem is, my past experience is that the rates for hire vehicles increase dramatically later in the season (namely, July and August). Which is one reason I was looking at that late April through June time frame. My earlier trip was mid-May through mid-June.

On the other hand, if I'm in Oz during those months, then I miss the 40+C weather here where I live!

Considering the information about this year's weather, I wonder if anyone here could make a prediction for next year's bloom in the GVD?

No way to predict the rain, so I just have to hope for the best. During my 2008 trip, I had to alter my travels due to rain.

I wonder if or how an El Nino affects the weather patterns in that part of the world?

I think a Troopy with leaf springs would be exempt from your suggestion? Hope so LOL!!

I may be wrong ,but I think wild flowers are totally dependant on rain. I was there 2 years ago in early August and there were few flowers. Track is slow at times, but with tyres down low it's not too bad. Really a 2wd high range track, unless it rains a lot.

I would most likely be travelling the AB from west to east.

So the road down from Emu to Maralinga is now a good option?

Obviously I like the idea of doing the entire AB to Coober Pedy. I was under the impression the road was bad all the way from the SA line to near Coober Pedy. Is the AB east of Emu worse than the AB from the SA line to Emu?

Hi Candace

Rather than saying a thousands words, these images will show you what you can expect to see from Laverton to Emu, before heading south to Maralinga. Now you will see why I love the Great Victoria Desert. That Red sand gets into your blood for ever.


Cheers


Stephen















































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Stephen,

You are definitely the number one salesman for the GVD! Beautiful pics, thank you.

"Do not miss this site east of Neale Junction." I don't want to miss ANY of those sites, but if I do finally get this all booked I will have to make sure I know where they are!

Stephen, is it OK to say I both hate you and admire you at the same time!!! Ever since reading Len Beadells books one Christmas on King Island I have wanted to travel those roads. His books make it feel so real and so immediate, as if you can drive the road and come up behind Scotty on the Grader doing the smoothing works on the road, or Doug on the Bulldozer. The stories awakened a need I never knew I had, and led me to believe that I was born on the wrong era, Star Observations, mirror signalling and true adventure.

These pics mate, are fantastic! Thankyou

Bonz

Hi Bonz

I think that just like you and reading all of Len's book, I had to get out there myself to see what it is like in the flesh as such....lol

Len sure travelled some real great country and we owe him and his great team the most greatful thanks of opening up all that country.

But just like Len, there are many other just as special people that opened up other great parts of our country, for all of us the explore.

It is well known here in Clare my love of the bush and though that, have had the opportunity to meet and talk to many special people. My great friends from Booborowie, north of Clare, Gwen and Ivan Sims we one of those very special people, opening up all Virgin country in what is now known as the Nippon Highway area in WA. The stories and photos that he has told me, just make me envoy of him opening so many news tracks and finding many special places.

Another one of my real life heros was a Clare local called Gerald Day. Like many unrecognised people, he also opened up a lot of remote places in the northern part is South Australia and Western Australia and was even once hire to take well known Australian, Harry Butler out into the desert. One very special story that Gerald told was on one of his trips, he came across a small family group of wild Aboriginal that had never had any contact with white people.

He had instructions from the then Western Australian Aboriginal Welfare to report any groups that he came across. He radioed in his find and stayed with the group until trucks were sent out to take them into the missions out there. Gerald kept in regular contact with the mission, to keep updated on how the true remote bush people settled into mission life. When they were taken, he said to me that that was the worst thing that he had ever done in his life and felt sorry for them. The good end to that story was that the family group only stayed in the mission for less than twelve months, before dissappearing one night and going back out into the bush to live the lives that they truely missed.


I could go on and on, but the bush is such a very special place for me to be.



Cheers



Stephen

Yep I know what you mean, maybe one day we'll meet up on the wallaby and share a yarn or two, I sure am keen to hear them mate.

All the best
Bonz

Currently I'm looking to hire from Australian 4WD Hire:
Their site

Britz is still a possibility. Though after April 1, they will no longer offer the beloved Troopy Bushcampers like the one I had in 2008. That worked perfectly for me, I wish I could get that again.

According to Australian 4WD Hire's site and the email quote I got, any Hema gazzetted road is okay to travel on. I do need to call later today and verify if certain destinations I have in mind are acceptable.

OK, sounds like even late April is too early, lol!

Yep, its definitely on a Hema Map, and 24/7 roadside assist sounds like a bargain!!!! Seen people broken down out there unable to get assistance from Cooper Pedy or anywhere else.
Make sure you get one with decent fuel capacity (say Prado or Troopie) and I'd steer clear of dual cabs which have small fuel tanks and can bend chassis on those roads when too much weight is in the back.

Early and late in the season is just a gamble on the weather. We once were out there in late October and had 6 straight days of over 40 degrees. Not comfortable - too hard to get respite from the heat apart from driving. Our favourite months are June/July/August.

Please be careful about any track/road on the Hema map. I just went through this scenario, and the response from Hema was, that if it on there map it is drivable, as it has been driven by their repersentatives.. I was informed by a farmer who checked the Hema map and found tracks on his property listed on the map. The farmers response was that he has not seen a Hema rep in many,many years, and that the tracks marked on the map where not for general public use. On queryinghHis statement, he said the land has now changed from leasehold to freehold and you require the farmers permission to enter his property. I do not want to open a can of worms but, is hard to determine what is open and now closed as private tracks. This problem was encountered recently on my travels in Sth Australian areas. He stated that if you wished to enter his property to visit a point of interest or to travel through, you should visit the homestead as tell them of your intensions. He stated most time the you are granted permission. This is becoming of major concern for me as I travel in odd ball places , and finding private property and tresspassers signs. It make it a bit hard when you have already travelled 100kms only to find you cannot enter, and have to return back.

Candace, having travelled the ABH three times, as long as you take it easy, get your tyres and set up correct, you should be fine. July/August there is still plenty off traffic on the ABH, so as long as you can sit any emergency out for a day or two, someone should be along.

On that topic, looking at the specs/inclusions in the 4wd hire, a couple of things spring to mind worth asking when you hire. In no particular order...

1. Find out the best/worst range for the long range fuel tank - you're going to need at least 850 to Ilkurlka with safety margin
2. It lists a 20 ltr water cannister - would suggest you need to up this by a factor of 2 or 3.
3 Hand held UHF might be useful - would also ask about hiring a PLB or equivalent for that extra safety factor.
4. What other tools/spares do they provide .... this could be a curly question as they may not want a customer touching/fixing anything, however it would get very expensive towing a vehicle out of the ABH for the want of a fanbelt / fuse / or other such minor consumable.

Roof top tent looks like a goer ... had one - would suggest you sleep in it before leaving - some of the matresses can be rahter thin - a self inslator might make it a bit more comfortable... otherwise it looks the goods.

Scott,

Thanks for the info.

I didn't get a chance to call them yesterday but will call them today.

Yes, with anything other than a Troopy, I'm concerned about the fuel capacity. Not only for the AB but also for the Simpson which I also hope to do. And water capacity is also an issue...one of the reasons why I wish I could hire one of the Britz Bushcampers! They had a built-in water tank.

I know if I want to do the Maralinga tour I'll have to obtain a UHF. And obviously I would want it in the Simpson as well. Speaking of the Simpson, if I do go there I will also need a sand flag...

I already have a satellite phone and a PLB so I'm good there.

Hopefully the rooftop tent isn't too much of a hassle to put up/take down! But definitely has advantages over sleeping on the ground.

Garry,

Thanks for the info.

I doubt I'll be getting off the "beaten path" as much as you do, not that I wouldn't like to! But there are a number of places scattered around the Outback that are on my list to visit. Making it to all those will easily consume the approx. six weeks I hope to be there.

What you do sounds like what I do closer to home. But there are countless roads and places to visit that are fully on public land. So I can keep quite busy with them and don't have to get into that sort of research.

Phil,

Thanks also for your advice.

I'll be calling them shortly so hopefully I can get more details about the vehicles, in particular fuel capacity. Seems odd they don't put detailed spec sheets on their website, Britz is good about that.

Candace you will not regret using a rtt, they do have advantages. If you get a troopy and place a rtt, just consider the height to open and close your tent. Judy and I are a bit vertically challenged hence we use a wheel step to stand on. and a ladder to get on the roof rack to also help setup and pack, mainly to zip and unzip the cover. The wheel set is an adjustable step you place over the wheel. We also use it as an extra bench to place a tub on. From memory they are not real costly, I paid about $40- and got it from bcf or ray's outdoors. Supercheap also sell them

Candace, if you're going to get a UHF and you don't want a permanent set up, but would like the benefit of an external antenna, might be worth looking at something like this...

http://www.prestigecom.net.au/gme-electrophone-tx3100pnp-plug-and-play-80-channel-uhf-cb-12v-kit

Regards fuel range, ... if you can cover the ABH, then the Simpson won't be an issue.