Central Australia Itineary Help Appreciated

G'day kwk56pt, I used to be kwk60ac hope the welding rods and silastic are still holding the place together!
You can buy fuel at Tjukayirla, Warburton and Warakurna on the GCR, SBJR is a great trek, the view from the lookout at the Sir Frederick Range is pretty cool. Fuel was pretty well priced at Kintore, but only available every half hour or so the people in the shop there were in charge a couple of years back, probably still are.Mount Leisler ( Perentie dreaming) is a great spot and a dominating feature in the landscape.
Fuel also available at Papunya, both here and Kintore have excellent indigenous art producers if you like dot paintings.
The Gary Junction road will get you back towards Alice, however if you head South from Papunya it will get you into the West Macs and you can then work your way towards Alice checking them all out on the way in to Alice, don't miss Palm valley.
Fair bit to see in Alice, check tourist information for what interests you. ( The desert Park is well worth a look).
Then get out to the East Macs. Anne Beadell is a great trip, be prepared to get the teeth shaken out of your head from Mabel Creek to Emu, but the corrugations ease off as you head West from there, fuel available at Ilkurlka approx halfway.
When are you heading off? We'll be out there ourselves late July. Maybe see you around. Cheers, Kanga.

Hi kwk56pt

You may like to look at My Blogs for Central Australia and the Great Central Road from 2008 and the Gary Junction Road to Alice Springs 2009. The East MacDonells have a softer beauty than the West. We did not go through the Sandy Blight Junction as we were caravanning, although friends with a Phoenix did shortly before we went through in 2009.

There are plenty of camping opportunities in remote areas, but you are not permitted to camp anywhere but authorised areas when transiting Aboriginal Lands by your permit conditions. While permits for the Great Central Road are quick to obtain, the WA side permit for the Sandy Blight Junction Road is not so quick and can take around three weeks.

Motherhen

For a first time visit to the Alice area I'd recommend the West over the East Macs. There's more, and more spectacular, stuff to see.

The Gunbarrel Highway is also a great trip - magic desert country. Cross from NT to WA at the border and turn north onto the Heather Highway and then west onto the Gunbarrel heading to Carnegie Station. From there you have the choice of heading straight to Wiluna or taking the more northerly route via the Granite Peak Road through Glen Ayle Station. You can also duck off onto the CSR from Glen Ayle via one of their station tracks - $20 fee.

John

Good read, myself and a mate are about to head off as of 28th of April from Albany WA to cover the central desert rd to Alice as well
Then head down via the flinders to fowlers bay and then home to Albany WA