Mt Ive Station
Submitted: Tuesday, Sep 17, 2013 at 19:15
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Member - Stephen L (Clare SA)
Hi All
I am after your personal comments from those that have stayed at Mt Ive Station and driven on their private station tracks. We are not looking at their Cabin accommodation, but just their camping areas, and what is on offer.
I have been to the
Gawler Ranges before, but never stayed at Mt Ive.
I have heard mixed reports, some good, some not so good.
So if you have something to say, I would like to hear what you have to say.
Cheers
Stephen
Reply By: Member - Warrie (NSW) - Tuesday, Sep 17, 2013 at 19:31
Tuesday, Sep 17, 2013 at 19:31
Hi Stephen, we stayed there this time last year - $20/ double no power, and had 2 nights. You can use the rec room and
camp kitchen and meet interesting people. Only a couple of campers and same in the cabins so it was nice and quiet. There is a donkey to heat water for showers but it was running all the time so abundant hot water.
We drove on their station tracks to the shore of
Lake Gairdner.An easy day and drive. And then up steep
Mount Ive to see the sunset. See the pix . I suppose after typing this up I am thinking - who could complain about the place? 10/10 as far as we are concerned........ W
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Warrie (NSW) - Tuesday, Sep 17, 2013 at 19:35
Tuesday, Sep 17, 2013 at 19:35
Oh and there's a building you might recognise!!!..... W
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Tuesday, Sep 17, 2013 at 20:13
Tuesday, Sep 17, 2013 at 20:13
Thanks Warrie
Do they still charge the fee to use their tracks.
Cheers
Stephen
FollowupID:
798108
Reply By: setsujoku - Tuesday, Sep 17, 2013 at 20:31
Tuesday, Sep 17, 2013 at 20:31
We visited in April this year, and would go back again for sure. The facilities are good, the donkey is always boiling hot, and there is more than enough space.
My only suggestion would be to head as far away from the main building as possible, as the generator was running in the middle of the night for the couple of nights we were there. As you can imagine in such an
open space it sounds like it is right next to you!
From memory the
camp fees were reasonable. There is fuel available, but at the usual inflated prices due to the remoteness.
There are plenty of fire pits as
well, so as long as it's the right time of year you can get one going nice and early. There is also plenty of wood around outside of the station, so no need to worry about not being able to find any, just can't pick it up from within the park that's all.
The private tracks were in good nick. I think we paid $40 (???) to access them. The track up to the top of Mt Ive is
well worth it, and whilst it is a slow journey it doesn't take too long, and the
views are
well worth it.
If you do the private tracks make sure you do the quick side roads on the way to or from the
lake, as they are
well worth checking out, and it seems that a lot of people don't make the effort.
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Tuesday, Sep 17, 2013 at 20:46
Tuesday, Sep 17, 2013 at 20:46
Hi setsujoku
Thanks for that and the private station tracks sound great.
Cheers
Stephen
FollowupID:
798112
Follow Up By: setsujoku - Tuesday, Sep 17, 2013 at 20:57
Tuesday, Sep 17, 2013 at 20:57
No worries at all.
If you go out on the private tracks it might pay to
check out the couple of geocaches that we placed whilst out there. As yet no one has visited them since we placed them on the trip, so FTF honours are still up for grabs.
They were placed on a couple of the side tracks at the attractions in the hope of getting others to make the quick detour as
well.
We told them that we were visiting for the cache that was already there, and were going to place a couple more and they were more than happy for us to do it, and even gave us some stubby holders for our efforts in trying to help bring others out to the station.
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Warrie (NSW) - Wednesday, Sep 18, 2013 at 09:01
Wednesday, Sep 18, 2013 at 09:01
$25 for the private track access to the
lake with lots of things to see along the way. Hundreds of goats at an old
dam. And now you know what the building is - one less surprise..... W
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Follow Up By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Wednesday, Sep 18, 2013 at 14:36
Wednesday, Sep 18, 2013 at 14:36
Thanks again Warrie
We will now be going and staying there and doing the station tracks.
Also where can we find your photos from Mt Ive.?
Cheers
Stephen
FollowupID:
798175
Reply By: Member - Warrie (NSW) - Wednesday, Sep 18, 2013 at 20:49
Wednesday, Sep 18, 2013 at 20:49
Hi stephen, looks like the posts have covered most things. There is a Mt Ive website - just Google it. As for more pix, there's already some at
Mount Ive. And this will confuse the computer as there is Mt Ive the mountain and Mt Ive the station so I will try and fix that up now.
No need to tell you about rain on those
Gawler tracks. We had a lovely dry trip in 2012 from
Kingoonya south to the station but in April this year we slithered and slid going across via
Yardea, Hilltaba and on to
Wirrulla. They really are grand old ranges..... W
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Wednesday, Sep 18, 2013 at 22:11
Wednesday, Sep 18, 2013 at 22:11
Hi Warri
Thanks again, and yes i have visited their web site, but thought that they would have more information on their private station tracks.
If it is wet, you will not see me within cooee of the place. Those roads turn to.........at the first sight of rain.
Thanks Again.
Cheers
Stephen
FollowupID:
798210
Reply By: Triggy - Thursday, Sep 19, 2013 at 19:57
Thursday, Sep 19, 2013 at 19:57
Hi Stephen,
We did Mt Ive and The
Gawler ranges 2 years ago. Stayed i night in the
Gawler Ranges and drove most of the tracks. A great place to stay and visit. We eneded up staying 2 nights at Mt Ive swagging it part way around 2 station tracks. each track was around 30KM long
Homestead to
Homestead. Simple but nice tracks to drive. Plenty of roos, goats and emus to see and around the $20 mark a night for the stay which included the track and key to get through to
Lake Gairdner which was also a great place to visit. I would definitley do both
places again. Actually called through Mt Ive 4 months ago on our return trip from the Finke desert race to get enough juice to get us through to Pt
Augusta. Didn't think the diesel cost was too outrageous (can't remember what it was per litre)
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Thursday, Sep 19, 2013 at 20:20
Thursday, Sep 19, 2013 at 20:20
Hi Triggy
Thanks for taking the time to reply. It sounds like a few days there will be on the cards.
Cheers
Stephen
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