Durba Spring on the Canning (Video)

In 2008 I spent 88 fires travelling the remote western deserts with my Canadian friends Scott & Gaby. One of the gems of the Canning is Durba Spring. This beautiful place is such a welcome respite from the rigours of the desert journey. It can also become incredibly busy during the peak Canning travel periods. We have been completely alone in the place at 3:30 p.m. only to be surrounded by 40 vehicles by 6:00 p.m. This short, but intense period of usage can have a severe impact.

Thankfully the sustainability of the area has been enhanced through the works of Track Care and the local Martu rangers with toilet facilities for campers in particular. There is also an ongoing program to re-establish local rock wallabies into the gorge and surrounding areas.

This video offering captures a couple of days spent a Durba and the activities undertaken to replenish an reinvigorate before we continued west on the Puntawarri. Durba is a rugged but fragile place so if you are heading out that way this year, please treat the place with care and help maintain the long term viability of the area by considering the following.

Have your permit;
Take your own fire wood as there is none at Durba;
Use the toilet facilities provided;
Camp well back from the spring area;
Use an exisiting fire place (of which there are plenty);
Watch your fires;
Burn and take any rubbish with you;
Be cautious as to what you leave in the environment (detergents, oils etc). This is not the place to be conducting an oil change;
If you're stringing a clothes line protect the tree trunks with cardboard, a tree protector or similar;
Have consideration for fellow travellers.





Cheers Mick