What are the Rig Rd/ K1 tracks like as a nice drive.

Thanks Robin

Nice to see you are helping the trial.

Should also mention...Do your homework carefully on fuel requirements if you are coming down the Hay river track. There is nothing between Jervois Stn and Birdsville or Mungarannie. You will also need permits to travel the area and they can take quite some weeks to get.
The Hay river track is a delight in good weather. Quite narrow and time consuming but pretty.
Cheers
Brenton

Thanks Brenton, I'm planning to carry 240l or possibly 260l of diesel. it's 790km from Jervois to Mungarannie and I understand mostly inter-dunal. At a planned conservative 26l/100k based on previous desert trips that's about 200l as an expected top. I have the permits sussed out with Joel Flemming. I have auto goop on the way thanks to StephenL and can't wait.

Boobook i'm pretty sure I calculated the distance from Jervois to Mungarannie at about 900+Km? It's further than Birdsville but. Fuel depends a little on any side diversions you may take, personal driving habits, load weight, and weather and track conditions....even so you probably wont need 260l of diesel. As you state the trip is mainly interdunal and easy by 4WD standards. It remains a challenge as it is isolated and with few if any one to help if you break down. We did the trip last aug-sept and the weather was perfect with spring flowers everywhere.. I drove a 4500 petrol 100 series, took 320l in a long range fuel tank + 2 jerries and had plenty left over..I used about 25-26l/100. Mates had a diesel 100 series and took two spare jerries on top of the 140 the cruiser carries. I'm not sure on his useage but he also had plenty left over. We were not towing a camper I might point out. If towing there are still a dozen or so dunes in the E-W section that could test you and the slim track in the hay river area would make backing or turning difficult in some areas.
Oh..be prepared for pinstriping...the narrow hay track area is lined with paint loveing Acacias.
Its a pleasant trip with a wide variety of conditions and flora. In many ways we enjoyed it more than the Simpson crossing as it was more isolated, and less monotonous.

Thanks Brenton, I plan to double check all my distances but I will do that run straight away, it is the longest even by my current calculations.

Will let you know what I come up with,in case I am doing something wrong.

Hi Brenton,

I have calculated the Jervois to Mungeranie run a few times, and while I am doing it by running a track on a map, I keep getting about 800 - 820km even with a few minor diversions.

Can I ask how you calculate it to be over 900km, 100km extra at 25l/100k would be too close for comfort.

I would be interested in your or other feedback on this distance.

Brenton, I should also mention at the expense of being howled down by the Dudley Do-Right brigade that I will be towing my camper and the fuel use is representative of that.

All, Pleeeeeeeeeeese start a different thread if you want to voice an opinion on towing in the Simpson or anywhere else. Go for broke on your own thread if you think it is important enough for the 300th time, but please don't hijack this one.

Not sure if I can find my calcs still...but I remember I also allowed the trip around Lindsay's property out to the rock etc and to Lake Caroline..which we found a bit boring. I will email you personally ..if i can work out how to do it.
Have more pics if you need them?

Cheers
Brenton

That is very kind of you to offer Brenton. However the onus is on me to do the research, so don't sweat if it isn't easily at hand. More pics would always be welcome though.

I can see that a trip around Lindsay's would add a bit and I probably should allow more for that alone.

God this site is great at times.

Tony,
We last travelled Hay River in 2005 - it followed 100mm of rain about 4 weeks prior, so the sand was reasonably firm. My TD79 series (which gives similar economy to my 200series) used 154L to cover 890km between Jervois and Mungarannie. One of the people on my trip towed a TVan behind a troopie, also with the same TD motor. He used 10% more fuel than I did.
There are a lot of easy kms on that trip. The 100k from Jervois to Batton Hill and at the other end, the tracks from Beachcomber Well south to Mungarannie are very easy on fuel (assuming no rain).

If I was a gambling man, I expect your 200 series plus Tvan will use 170L for the 890km (which includes the jaunt up to Lake Caroline and the bush tucker and Goyders Pillar trips.

Great feedback Phil. Looks like 900km is the consensus too.

154l seems good economy ( 17.3) and 170l is 19.3l/100km. If I go up 20% from that and assume 23l/100km on average, that's 205l plus either 35l or 55l to spare based on 240l or 260l.

Cheers.

Thanks Phil that sort of confirms my thoughts. I have done the WAA line and am tossing up alternatives this time. Also is it possible to give an idea of the average speed on the K1 - Warburton track? I'm guessing it is typical slow travel on the top half of the K1 lint then I have read 40 - 60k as you head south on the Warburton track. Does that sound anywhere near right.

G’Day
As a prevailing wind in this region is from West to East, the drive is of cause easier from West to East (Mt. Dare to Birdsville).
Driving a conventional way, by French Line has it’s disadvantage too; there it most of time big traffic. In full season, for average morning (7am to 12pm) you would meet at least 30vehicles going opposite way. So, for us it was not a nice or a pleasant drive. We love serenity of wilderness without crowd, that’s why we are always solo drivers. But for that, one must be really equipped not only with top quality gear, but also more than only basic natura survival skills and the good knowledge of vehicle.
Worrying about if…. or if not…. is no good for this type of enjoyment.
Worrying would make you tired, sick and than you may make most likely fatal mistake.
Cheers Dana

Dana, It all depends on where you go and the luck of the draw. I never go in school holidays. Yep there's more traffic on the French Line, but it's only a problem if you let it get to you. Oncoming traffic is not an issue - they appear and then they're gone. Main hassles we've had is when large groups go in the same direction, in which case we usually pull up for a cup of tea and let them go.

Tony, if you've gone WAA before then go French Line this time. Average speed on the K1 would be 30-40 kph when rolling. In 2006 we (2 vehicles not towing) travelled from warburton Crossing to a spot just north of the shot line on the Hay River track in a normal days travel. But we usually travel less distance than this because we are usually in a group of 6-8 vehicles.

Cheers
Phil

Just to add, in 2006 we did 276km on the K1 in a day (2 vehicles, no towing).
In 2005 we did 163 km in a day on the K1. That was 8 vehicles, one towing and at a relaxed pace.

Hi Phil,
Any drive we do can be a nice drive before it goes pear shaped.

Why worry about something that may never happen?

We can worry & worry and nothing ever happens or we can have a nice drive and nothing ever happens. Or we can worry and its goes pear shaped or we can have a nice drive until it goes pear shaped.

You're going up the CSR next year. Are you going to worry about the whole trip the whole time thinking about what the worst case scenario is? Or are you going to go on a "nice drive" and worry about any problems that may occur after or near to when they occur.

If something bad is going to happen it is going to happen anyway - you might as well just go for a nice drive.

Cheers
Alan

PS - these are my opinions only and any perception of me trying to force my opinions onto others is unfounded, as we all have free will. I do not say "you must", "you will be stupid not too" or "it is essential" or "is is mandatory" that you must go for a nice drive, you may make the decision :-)

Phil please don't focus too much on the term 'nice drive'. Perhaps I should have picked a better term.

I don't mean 'nice drive' as in "I'm going to put a picnic rug in the boot of the Commodore and cross the Simpson desert over 3 1/2 weeks."
I have been 4wding for over 30 years, have a sat phone, HF radio, UHF, full set of 6 appropriate tyres, and repair kit, can carry 240 of diesel, 120l of water, in a party of 3 vehicles, I've crossed several deserts many times and done many 3 - 4 week outback trips, inc the Simpson, done first aid courses, 4wd courses and sand courses, and go away 4wding about every 6 weeks.

I ask this question as part of 12 month preparation for a trip for June next year. I hope that qualifies me to look for a nice drive across the desert. :-)

What I meant is what is the scenery like further south in the Simpson, and along the rig road given the rig road was built for trucks and has a clay pan, and further south gets out of the dune area, also is the road flat and clay, or sand?

I'm seeking advice on the route on that basis, I did think that was implied, but apparently not. I didn't plan on putting my full trip prep details on the forum to address all sorts of unrelated questions. Perhaps I should have, explaining my preparation to people I've never met took more typing that the original question. Sorry for confusing you. I hope all that isn't too casual.

Hey BB No sweat mate. I wasn't confused. Just my comments about us all and our seemingly casual attitude to all this remote travel. Not directed at you at all.

What about waiting until you get to Mt Dare or Birdsville to decide which way to go. It's not as if you have to make a booking! Ha!

I asked Mt Dare what the tracks were like and was told that the WAA line was the worst. That was a red flag to a bull to us. We took the WAA line. Not only because it was supposed to be the hardest but because we figured that it would be the least travelled as a lot would take the, please excuse the choice here mate, "nice" ways. We prefer the isolation. But this shows my point. Personally maybe we are also getting a little over confident in the car. Just thoughts mate.

The desert wasn't like the WA flower show but it was amazing. Simply the best drive to date.

We are trying to get time enough for a Simpson detour on the way to or from the CSR next year but when one works it is hard to get the extra time to "smell the roses" on the way.

Enjoy

Phil

Ok Phil, I think I'll focus on my OP and planning.