Walkers Crossing - South Australia
Submitted: Wednesday, Jun 11, 2014 at 12:42
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Member - Simon and Christine G
A few of us are planning to drive from
Birdsville to
Innamincka via the
Walkers Crossing Track.
A Toyota Prado pulling a Kimberly Kamper and Nissan Patrols not towing trailers will comprise the travelling party.
The time of year will be September before the
Birdsville races (or while they're on).
Anyone got any advice as to what to expect in terms of road conditions and is pulling a 1.5t trailer an issue or not?
We will be reasonably
well equipped although we won't have everything you can get - if that makes any sense!!
Cheers
Simon
Reply By: oetkb - Wednesday, Jun 11, 2014 at 13:06
Wednesday, Jun 11, 2014 at 13:06
We did this last year with no troubles.
The river beds were soft and sandy and they were the only time we had to engage 4wd. We were driving a 76 series towing a camper trailer. The weather conditions were perfect, dry, gentle breezes during the day, cool at night and quiet.
Navigating around the oil field works was a little confusing, we just followed their signs and did okay. Finding the start of the track was probably the hardest part of navigating it. We were one of the first to travel it last year after it had been opened.
Well worth the experience, a lovely track that changes landscape from river beds, open plains to stony desert. The stony desert part was quite surreal and seemed never ending. We met only a few other travellers but not many.
We were going to
camp on the stony section and it was quite windy due to the open exposure so we continued onto and ended up staying on the side of the
Birdsville track about an hour south of
Birdsville.
We didn't start
walkers crossing until mid morning as we'd left
the dig tree that morning and had stopped in
Innamincka for a bit.
If we were going to do it again we would make the effort to get to the start earlier to travel it in the one day or plan to put up the tent before the gibber
rock starts because after that point sleeping on the ground wouldn't be the most comfortable option.
AnswerID:
534180
Reply By: mikehzz - Wednesday, Jun 11, 2014 at 14:22
Wednesday, Jun 11, 2014 at 14:22
It was a pretty easy track when I did it a few years ago. Lots of rocks on the road up the
Birdsville Track end. I suppose some rain would change the story dramatically. Some of the mud out there is unbelievable.
AnswerID:
534183
Reply By: Les PK Ranger - Wednesday, Jun 11, 2014 at 15:29
Wednesday, Jun 11, 2014 at 15:29
Yes Simon, pretty easy going, just keep tyre pressures down to a comfy level, and use 4wd for handling benefits.
I probalby stayed at my usual 28psi or so (with trip load) when through there late April, down from usual 40psi loaded highway pressure.
Indeed, going that way (BV - Inna) make sure you watch where the track comes down to the lakes region, lots of oil / gas tracks . . . we inadvertently went across Lake Marak-onnamooka and you've really got to ensure you get onto that 15 Mile Track turnoff, or risk a long detour via Moomba !!
If you've got the nav system with the Westprint maps loaded, it'd be easy peasy, otherwise watch your distances and compass direction for turns.
AnswerID:
534185
Reply By: baz&pud (tassie) - Wednesday, Jun 11, 2014 at 15:35
Wednesday, Jun 11, 2014 at 15:35
G'day S & C G
We did the
Walkers Crossing track a few years back, as stated it's a bit stony at the
Birdsville end, but after that easy going, we took our time and spent a night camping at
Walkers Crossing.
Pulling a KK wouldn't be a problem.
Have a great trip.
Cheers.
baz
AnswerID:
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Reply By: rumpig - Wednesday, Jun 11, 2014 at 17:07
Wednesday, Jun 11, 2014 at 17:07
we towed a KK along
Walkers Crossing Track last year, it was pretty easy going at the time we did that drive as the graders had been very busy about the area, though obviously conditions can change.
most of the "track" was a good road IMHO, very little of what we drove i'd call an actual "track". keep an eye out for the small road signs along the way, there's heaps of signage about for directions, just some are quite small and could easily be missed if you were cruising along enjoying the scenery and not seeing what the
sign says at each
intersection (we nearly missed a turn doing just that...lol)
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Wayne J - Wednesday, Jun 11, 2014 at 21:31
Wednesday, Jun 11, 2014 at 21:31
If the road is as good as last year before the races you will have no worries we came through with a patrol towing a 3.3 ton off road van bit sandy in
places but fine.
True what others have said re signs or lack of!
Wayne
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Member - Michael A (ACT) - Thursday, Jun 12, 2014 at 15:52
Thursday, Jun 12, 2014 at 15:52
We came through on the track last year going to the races, the track had just been opened and we stopped and chatted to a guy in a subaru forester who had done the track. We then did it in our prado with no wuckin furries.
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