Victoria's Big Desert.

G'day Boobook,
Got a property out that way so know the area well.

Milmed track has only one sandhill that I would consider is a challenge & only if your towing & travelling from East to West. Main reason is that there is a sharp right turn near the bottom & you can't get a run up. Apart from that it's an easy run.

Chinamans well track is also pretty easy too.

If it rains the claypans in between the sand on both tracks will have you sliding all over the place! Heaps of greats spot to pull off & camp but have a look at the ground levels as if you get lots of rain overnight you could see yourself bogged by morning if the area is soft. Trust me rain makes a BIG difference to some of the soils out that way.

Heading out to Little Desert myself at the weekend & the weather is looking real good so enjoy yourself & take your time. The Victorian Wimmera & Mallee are a real special part of the state that my wife & I love to travel in. I guess thats why we decided to buy a bit of it!

Cheers
Stu

Boobook

I was on Googs Track last October, and the Border Track last January. I reckon you'd do Googs as a shakedown for the Border Track. The border track to the north of the Western Hwy has some very high dunes. The sand is white, deep and soft.

Will be there, hopefully with the new super patrol, if it doesn't blow up on the Dyno this afternoon (real risk).

Some really good stuff out there and the best is in Vic- go out of your way to get the Victorias Deserts touring guide.
The map shows Coburn pines - a good quiet spot a little overgrown and nearby Thompsons Peak which is a must.

Will be camped 30km south of Murrayville at Big Billy with signs saying

B.G.
MX
CLUB

(taking bikes)

- if you send me an email I can send you a GPX file.

As said above Googs Tk is a walk in the park compared to the Big Desert.
White Springs is a great camp away from the crowds & central to a maze of tracks with Red, Blue & Yellow Gum camps all good launching spots to do the Border Tk.
If challenging sand hills are what you're after then see of you can climb the big 3. Thompans Peak, White Springs lookout & Big K Lookout. (I can guarentee you wont have your trailer on to get up)
Woods easy to get if you grab a bit just before camp particually important at Red Bluff. I wouldn't bother with SA as they charge $ for the same facilities you get for free on the other side of the fence plus have more restrictions.
Milmed Tk is pretty straight forward & a close match to what you'll find at Googs. It's a good option to cut across to the better driving.
Allow plenty of time for the Border track as any long weekend turns it into a car park. Over Easter despite heavy rain making it extremely easy to drive they were still managing to get stuck.
Cheers Craig.................

Boobook;

If going to the Coorong to look at Chinaman's Well, stay clear of the beach section from Tea-Tree (near Salt Creek) to 42-mile X-ing: bad washouts and extremely soft shell-grit and steeply sloping sections of beach. (From 42-mile Xing south is all easy).
Cheers

Hook

Given the above comments about traffic jams etc on Border track i will take the advice and try to do it off peak.

I am now wondering, is it sensible to take the campers on the border track?

Thanks

Hi Boobook,

It's been several years since I did the Border Track and we're actually planning to go back the Queens Birthday weekend for another look. From what I can recall, you can make the trip as challenging as you like. On our last trip the SA side was closed for the seasonal closure (summer fire danger period) and we ended up going into Scorpion Springs CP and Ngarkat CP before coming back onto the the Border Track near the Big Desert NP. Camped at Red Bluff on Victorian side - good camping spot there. The Border Track from Murray Sunset NP to Scorpion would be OK for a trailer, the SA conservation parks are not too difficult either so you could avoid some of the more challenging dunes commented upon by others if you wanted, they're in the seasonal closure section of the track I think. Even taking the above route you do have to deal with some soft sand areas and dune country so would still be a good "shake down trip" if you wanted to use this route. As others have said, wet weather and clay pans would change the scenario greatly.

I did Googs Track in February last year with a camper trailer (south to north) and didn't have any problems - needed to adjust my tyre pressures a couple of times and have a second go at some of the dunes. The sand was packed down after some rain and that helped. Momentum and correct tyre pressures will see you get through with no problems. South side approaches to the dunes are (as often said) pretty chopped up and you might have to watch your speed with a trailer in tow - could get a bit bouncy going over the dunes with too much speed because of the deep corrugations created by other 4WDs using wrong tyre pressures.

Hope the above is helpful. Have a great trip.

Cheers

Rob K

Thanks all, one new question, is there an accepted UHF channel for the area?