Old Morgan mail road
Submitted: Thursday, Feb 06, 2014 at 11:03
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Member - Brenton H (SA)
Would like to travel from
Adelaide to
Bindara Station in NSW later this year and the more straight line route would be along what I believe is known as the Old
Morgan mail road. If any one can give me the latest info on travelling this route such as- is it Public access or do I need to get permissions from stations along the route, condition of the roads etc etc. It goes from
Morgan via Balah, Canegrass, Pine Valley , Oakbank,
Loch Lilly, Hariedale, sth Ita and then meets the silver city highway.
I don't intend any stay overs ...unless I get stuck somehow, but that's unavoidable.
I read some directions recently from the Nanua races (2013) at
Kimberley stn that suggested intended travellers can take this route so I am assuming no problem with access??
Cheers
Brenton
Reply By: Member - Fab72 (Paradise SA) - Thursday, Feb 06, 2014 at 14:05
Thursday, Feb 06, 2014 at 14:05
G'Day Brenton,
When it's dry, it's an easy drive even in a Commodore. It is a
well maintained road, wide and very minimal corrugations. A bit dusty in
places but hey, it's pretty dry at the moment.
Camping in Dangalli is allowed although the usual Parks rules apply.
Lots of wild goats crossing the road so keep the pace down.
There's some brilliant
ruins which are a must see at Morganvale.
Fuel consumption won't be much different to your normal highway figures.
Enjoy the trip.
Fab.
AnswerID:
525847
Reply By: Member - Brian P (SA) - Thursday, Feb 06, 2014 at 14:13
Thursday, Feb 06, 2014 at 14:13
Hi Brenton. I found this old post. It might be helpful. Cheers Brian.
http://www.exploroz.com/Forum/Topic/68072/Morgan_Mail_Road_South_Australia.aspx
AnswerID:
525849
Follow Up By: Member - Brenton H (SA) - Thursday, Feb 06, 2014 at 15:24
Thursday, Feb 06, 2014 at 15:24
Yes, I saw that one Brian. In fact it was this post that got me thinking it may not be a PAR and I need permissions.
Thanks
Brenton
FollowupID:
807919
Follow Up By: Bazooka - Thursday, Feb 06, 2014 at 20:31
Thursday, Feb 06, 2014 at 20:31
Some seriously good humour in that link Brian. Hope I'm not offending anyone in extracting these tidbits but they really tickled my fancy.
"Hi Tim
In case our Lone Wolf is out and about, no, he is not Paul. This is a nice
forum, inhabited by a people who think they are chooks, wolves or whoever."/MotherHen
"Welcome back Wolfie, you have been missed! I don't have an answer to your question but what else is new."/Beatit
"Business is great, life is even better. I found your website a month or two ago and had a bit of a read. Seems you've had a few changes in life, but fortunately have not regained any semblance of sanity."/Jim
More from Jim: "Fair Dinkhum, give me a call. The 4wd market is crying out for metal stuff that is outrageously priced. Cargo Barriers, rear storage area dividers, roof racks etc. I get asked about this stuff all the time. I can't make it."
FollowupID:
807948
Reply By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Thursday, Feb 06, 2014 at 14:57
Thursday, Feb 06, 2014 at 14:57
Hi Brenton
Firstly the
Morgan Mail Road is usually in top condition and is a Public Road. The only time that you would want to stay
well away from it is if it is wet. For some reason, the closer that you get to Lochlilly, the road narrows a bit, bit it is still in good condition.
One of the times that were were out that way, there were some large bodies of water that were a very impressive sight to see. The South Australian side is very
well signposted.
Cheers
Stephen
The Morgan Mail Road is well sign posted
Generally the roads are wide and in good condition
Even out this far, you know where you are
Large body of water before Lochlilly Station
Conditions closer the Lochlilly
If it was not for this sign, you would not know you are about to change States
This gate is the actual State Boundary
Once you are here, you are close to your destination
AnswerID:
525850
Follow Up By: Member - Brenton H (SA) - Thursday, Feb 06, 2014 at 15:34
Thursday, Feb 06, 2014 at 15:34
I have to admit Stephen you are an absolute wealth of useful info.
Thanks, especially for the great pics.
Brenton
PS: did actually meet you and your good wife in person a few years back on the top of the
lookout to
Lake Harry. You were kind enough to give us directions to your selected
camp spot and wood stash that you had just left at the Cooper ferry crossing. We found it and
our camp was a better success because of it. Many thanks.
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Thursday, Feb 06, 2014 at 20:11
Thursday, Feb 06, 2014 at 20:11
Hi Brenton
I remember you on top of that great
lookout for sure.
If you are passing through that area, you will be going straight past the old
Morgan Vale Homestead. It is not signposted but it is
well worth going in for a look. Here are some images of what is left there. It was a special place for us to visit, as one of the guys that I went to school with, I was their family property, until it was run down and taken over by National Parks.
It is a great drive and there is lots of ever changing scenery to see along the way.
Cheers
Stephen
Old Morgan Vale ruins
This old car could tell a few stories
This old building still had thatching on the roof
My mates grandfather built the main homestead himself
This old school building was shipped in from Burra to Morgan Vale over 100 Years ago
All the old yards were cut and made by hand
FollowupID:
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Reply By: Member - Brenton H (SA) - Thursday, Feb 06, 2014 at 15:18
Thursday, Feb 06, 2014 at 15:18
Thanks to all for the good info...thought it would be ok...but you never know until you ask.
Cheers
Brenton
AnswerID:
525853
Reply By: Nomadic Navara - Friday, Feb 07, 2014 at 12:03
Friday, Feb 07, 2014 at 12:03
From Reply 3 - "For some reason, the closer that you get to Lochlilly, the road narrows a bit, bit it is still in good condition."
The thread took a few hours for the first reply so over lunch time I did a little playing with the trip planning on Google Maps. I found that the name Old
Morgan mail road finished around the northern entrance to Danggali CP (
Morgan Vale.) I could set destinations on the road going north from there up to a point where there was a T intersection.
On the NSW side I could set destinations on the road from the Barrier Hwy to
Loch Lilly and south or it towards
Wentworth.
I could not set destinations along the road between the two sections. That must say something about what the authorities consider the importance of that connecting road. It's good to see Stephen can give some good reports on the road. I would have liked to be able to travel that track in March to get from
Wentworth and back to the Darling but I don't think there would be enough traffic along it for safety backup (no HF or sat phone.)
AnswerID:
525919
Follow Up By: Member - Brenton H (SA) - Friday, Feb 07, 2014 at 13:01
Friday, Feb 07, 2014 at 13:01
Peter, do you mean the 47 Km section east of Oakbank out station to
Loch Lilly?
If so i wonder why?...it all looks the same on my Hema map.
I do think a Sat phone is a good investment these days if travelling in the outback. It got a friend of
mine out of trouble when his 100 series Diesel cruiser suddenly blew out clouds of black and white smoke and then stopped completely in an isolated area while on our way to the Simpson a few years back. Useing our sat phone we were eventually able to organize a rescue and got him back to the Toyota dealer in Pt.
Augusta several days later.
Turned out in the end to be just a loose wire to the fuel injection system which took them 4 days to diagnose. (lots of other expensive alternatives were postulated before they were convinced otherwise)
Just shows you don't need something catastrophic to cause a serious emergency when
miles from anywhere...especially in very hot weather.
FollowupID:
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