The Mysteries of Mount Hughes - A video
Submitted: Monday, Sep 09, 2013 at 23:17
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Mick O
I put a post up the other day concerning one of the more interesting finds in the area of
Mount Hughes on the cusp of the Great Sandy and Tanami Deserts. The Explorer
Warburton passed here in the mid 1870's somewhat off course due to a faulty time piece. He was none to flattering about the place.
Carnegie was next to visit it in 1897 with us hot on his heels 116 years later. There were a lot of mysteries around
Mount Hughes including the
plaque left by the Thunderbirds, strange stone markers and other '
cairns' for want of a better description made from round rocks piled on top of boulders. The remnants of the first inhabitants of the land were also frequent.
I’ve cobbled together a video clip to accompany my blog on the fourth day of our expedition. We were getting pretty tired by this stage as it’s bloody rough country, it was damn hot and the air-con on the quad wasn’t working too
well!
Reply By: Member - John (Vic) - Monday, Sep 09, 2013 at 23:54
Monday, Sep 09, 2013 at 23:54
Good stuff Mickey, Go Pro works
well.
I see Massie loves the ride, saves her a lot of running.
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Follow Up By: Mick O - Tuesday, Sep 10, 2013 at 16:51
Tuesday, Sep 10, 2013 at 16:51
Mate if a bark was equivilent to metre, she ran the marathon every day!. Loved having a go at the sticks that passed her box. As you could imagine, there were a lot of interlopers. She would get off the quad each day and just lay by Al's side for the most part, totally exhausted. She's a good dog that one.
Cheers Mick
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Reply By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Tuesday, Sep 10, 2013 at 07:32
Tuesday, Sep 10, 2013 at 07:32
Hi Mick
Looks like you guys had another fantastic trip and saw some great,remote country.
Well done to you all.
Cheers
Stephen
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Follow Up By: Mick O - Tuesday, Sep 10, 2013 at 17:09
Tuesday, Sep 10, 2013 at 17:09
Thanks Stephen. You had fun also. We were heading your way for a while but didn't know where to find you ;-)
Cheers Mick
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Reply By: Member - Duncan W (WA) - Tuesday, Sep 10, 2013 at 09:56
Tuesday, Sep 10, 2013 at 09:56
Interesting looking country Mick. Where there many caves and overhangs on the face of Mt Hughs that indicated a more permanant habitation?
Look forward to your next installment.
Cheers
Dunc.
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Follow Up By: Mick O - Tuesday, Sep 10, 2013 at 10:29
Tuesday, Sep 10, 2013 at 10:29
No Dunc, very much a straight face of worn Leopold like sandstones and siltstone. The back of the hills looks a lot like basalt with areas of schist just to complicate it. Huge boulders have fallen away from the
cliff face to dot both the talus and plain, one of which was nearly 5 metres in height and of such a uniform shape you’d have reckoned it had been carved out!
The
Mount Hughes group occupies a really interesting position in that it’s on the cusp of the two predominant desert types. To the north are the huge sheetwash areas of the Tanami and to the south, the longitudinal dunes of the Great Sandy. Deeper into the GSD we came across quite a few lateritic breakaways riddled with caverns and caves quite a few of which showed signs of habitation We found an amazing hidden grotto complete with a
rock pool that looked like someone had carved a baptisimal font!
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Follow Up By: Member - Duncan W (WA) - Tuesday, Sep 10, 2013 at 14:28
Tuesday, Sep 10, 2013 at 14:28
Now you've definately piqued my curiosity with the mention of
the grotto.
Cheers
Dunc.
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Follow Up By: Mick O - Tuesday, Sep 10, 2013 at 17:11
Tuesday, Sep 10, 2013 at 17:11
Blogs will follow my good man don't you worry.
Cheers
Mick
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Reply By: Member - Leigh (Vic) - Tuesday, Sep 10, 2013 at 12:38
Tuesday, Sep 10, 2013 at 12:38
Hey Mick, always great enjoyment to see your videos and adventures. Thanks, Leigh
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Follow Up By: Mick O - Tuesday, Sep 10, 2013 at 16:49
Tuesday, Sep 10, 2013 at 16:49
Cheers Leigh. Did you get away yourself this year?
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Follow Up By: Member - Leigh (Vic) - Tuesday, Sep 10, 2013 at 17:22
Tuesday, Sep 10, 2013 at 17:22
Hi Mick, been working solidly this year and a few family health matters required my attention. Had planned the
Maralinga trip with Stephen but had to withdraw but on a brighter note I will have unlimited flexibility next year and beyond. Watching your travels was about as good as it got this year and that was enough to keep the flame alight!!! Catch you soon,cheers Leigh
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Reply By: Member - Michael J (SA) - Tuesday, Sep 10, 2013 at 20:57
Tuesday, Sep 10, 2013 at 20:57
G'day Pal,
Just watched it courtesy of JDub...No doubt about it, years could be spent just touring..and I use the word loosely..around that area. How I would have loved to be part of that trip.
I am guessing that it is a lottery to determine just where to go in this enormous land.
However, no matter where one chooses to go a wealth of information/intrigue will accompany the trip.
Waiting for the videos my friend..
MJ
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Follow Up By: Mick O - Thursday, Sep 12, 2013 at 22:21
Thursday, Sep 12, 2013 at 22:21
Plenty to come MJ, just got to get Vik to let me play on the computer lol.
Cheers Mick
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Reply By: The Landy - Wednesday, Sep 11, 2013 at 06:36
Wednesday, Sep 11, 2013 at 06:36
Enjoyed that, thanks Mick, just need to find the time to get out there myself, in between climbing and everything else!
Cheers...
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Follow Up By: Mick O - Thursday, Sep 12, 2013 at 22:24
Thursday, Sep 12, 2013 at 22:24
Climbing...what surely you mean on a quad don't you?
You'll have the new beast ready soon enough Baz and then watch out. If you reckon 'The Landy" was a good rig, you'll love the Tojo.
;-)
Cheers Mick
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Follow Up By: The Landy - Thursday, Sep 12, 2013 at 22:39
Thursday, Sep 12, 2013 at 22:39
Well I did swap the outback for some snow capped mountains for a while, and heaven forbid don't mention quad bikes, the Crown Prince has been talking about them recently... I'm sympathetic!
Yes, looking forward to the new vehicle, pick it up tomorrow, and will get the canopy built and the gear put back on it over the next 6-8 weeks...
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