Gavin's & Lean's Outback Trek,
A short note on our trek during July. My wife and I own a 1991 Holden Rode Dual cab and our friends own a Land Rover Defender and together we completed a 6,000+ Kilometre trek leaving the Sunshine coast to Beenleigh heading west to
Toowoomba,
Roma,
Mitchell,
Charleville,
Cunnamulla,
Eulo,
Hungerford,
Thargomindah, Noccundra,
The Dig Tree,
Innamincka,
Lyndhurst,
Leigh Creek ,
Marree,
Coward Springs,
William Creek,
Oodnadatta to
Dalhousie Springs via
Hamilton back to Mt.Dare (to fuel up). We then travelled over The
Simpson Desert traversing most tracks (we did all the WAA Line which we thought was the best track) we were able to visit The Lone Gum and Approdinna Knolls to Poeppel's Corner and over Big Red which both the Rodeo and Land Rover went over first try (so much for the detractors of Rodeo's saying that they are only good for for getting into building and not suited to hard off road
treks). We then proceeded to
Birdsville through some flood water, we went back to Big Red two days later and went back up
Little Red then Big Red just for the fun of it again with no dramas. Whilst on Big Red we had to help a Land Cruiser over as he was stuck near the top, he wasn't impressed at having to be assisted and we also helped another Land Rover which had gear box problems (no reverse or fifth gear). We then travelled to,
Windorah,
Quilpie,
Yowah back to St.George, Nindi Gully,
Goondiwindi and
home via
Toowoomba.
Both vehicles performed faultlessly all trip with fuel consumption (both vehicles are Diesels) figures excellent at an average for the Rodeo at 8.5l/100 and the Defender just over 9l/100.
Complaints:
Why can't people take their rubbish with them, there was
toilet paper, tissues, cans etc.everywhere. We managed to keep ours with us it's not too hard to do.
Trailers, should be left behind, they are causing lots of problems, also don't be afraid to let your tyre pressures down as this is causing as much damage as
trailers.
In closing it was a fantastic trek and we would not hesitate do do all over again, Rodeos can do it and Defenders do make one of the best off road vehicles. We planned this trek over a twelve month period working out what we would need and what we could get by without, between us we had
winches, recovery gear, spares, tools and of course some of Scotland's best and some wine for the girls. There is nothing better than setting up
camp and watching the Sun go down and the Full Moon come up over the Desert while having a quiet drink and contemplating what we had done and what was ahead.