Maralinga to Coober Pedy. Can do???

Submitted: Monday, May 04, 2015 at 12:59

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Maralinga

England needed large uninhabited tracts of land well away from the prying eyes of Russia and where else but Australia could fulfil these requirements.

OBJ

Hi all.

I am booked to visit Maralinga in July. We are coming in via the Eyre Highway/Ooldea, but thought it might be interesting to head out to Coober Pedy via the Anne Beadell. In doing some preliminary checking (to determine how many thousand permits, permission notes, injections, passport stamps and certificates I need), there is a note that says access to Maralinga via the Anne Beadell is not possible.

No drama as we are not coming in that way ... but is it possible to come out that way to Coober Pedy?

Thanks in advance.

OBJ

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Reply By: Member - backtracks - Monday, May 04, 2015 at 13:20

Monday, May 04, 2015 at 13:20

Hi, best to check with Maralinga, things have changed recently and I'm sure you can get to the AB from Maralinga . I was on the AB last year and a bloke I meet was doing exactly that. btw, the AB is slow but no drama. Cheers.

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Reply By: Mick O - Monday, May 04, 2015 at 14:18

Monday, May 04, 2015 at 14:18

Jack,

ring Robin at Maralinga. Anything is possible it's just a matter of asking and getting the right permission. He can be a bit problematic to get on to but persevere.

We did it last year and a few vehicles a year are allowed up it. A lovely drive with a few Beadell Markers along the way. Apparently grommets litter the ground out that way as well.

Cheers

Mick

''We knew from the experience of well-known travelers that the
trip would doubtless be attended with much hardship.''
Richard Maurice - 1903

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Follow Up By: Member - John - Monday, May 04, 2015 at 15:04

Monday, May 04, 2015 at 15:04

Mick, I will bite, what are "grommets"? Thanks in advance.

John and Jan

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Follow Up By: Mick O - Monday, May 04, 2015 at 15:52

Monday, May 04, 2015 at 15:52

A little "in thing" between John and I from when we first met back in 2006 and travelled up the WA coast. A small grommet pinged out of his dash near Mt Augustus and we couldn't find it. It's not the sort of part Toyota stock for the 80's so we have searched ever since.

The loss of that grommet still haunts him.

;-)

''We knew from the experience of well-known travelers that the
trip would doubtless be attended with much hardship.''
Richard Maurice - 1903

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Follow Up By: Member - John - Monday, May 04, 2015 at 15:58

Monday, May 04, 2015 at 15:58

ahhhhhhhhhhh

John and Jan

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Follow Up By: OBJ - Monday, May 04, 2015 at 17:02

Monday, May 04, 2015 at 17:02

If there is even the most remotest of possibilities that my grommet is there I will mount a search party that makes MH370 look like a row in the ocean.
OBJ

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Follow Up By: vk1dx - Monday, May 04, 2015 at 19:02

Monday, May 04, 2015 at 19:02

Very true Mick. If you never ask then you will never know.

We got access to a foreign owned property a few years back. It used to be open but was closed after being purchased by "foreign" owners. Took a bit of chin wagging but all good.

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Reply By: Member - Boobook - Monday, May 04, 2015 at 15:35

Monday, May 04, 2015 at 15:35

Stephen L will know more, but I just went through the same process.

A lot of it depends on when you are going

You need
- Permits for the woomera prohibited area from Dept of defence.
2 - 3 weeks

- Permit from Maralinga Lands
Included in a maralinga visit

- Call Mabel Creek Station as a courtesy as you are passing through their property.

- Lastly you officially need an escort from Maralinga to Emu. That is most likely Robin and probably won't happen unless you can arrange a Thursday Maralinga tour and work in with Robin's inspection every month or two. He can't go up on the Wednesday after a Tuesday tour.

After all that be prepared for the hellish corrugations. You may want to check if you really want to do it. Most people say it is best to totally avoid the section of the AB highway from Mabel Creek to Emu.

Tony

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Reply By: RobAck - Monday, May 04, 2015 at 18:15

Monday, May 04, 2015 at 18:15

We were in Coober Pedy a couple of weeks back doing a job with the Council and the word was don't to the AB unless you are prepared for your suspension and body to take a serious beating. Seems the track has become even worse over the last couple of years. It is so bad we spoke to one group who intended to visit Marling, expensive but really enjoyed it, they diverted back via Mt Ive along the highway then North again

Rob

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Reply By: The Landy - Monday, May 04, 2015 at 19:01

Monday, May 04, 2015 at 19:01

We exited Maralinga via the Anne Beadell heading west last year and required it to be noted on the permit issued by the Defence.

Things may have changed since then, but I can't see why?

Very enjoyable past of the drive...

Enjoy,
Baz - The Landy

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Reply By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Monday, May 04, 2015 at 19:32

Monday, May 04, 2015 at 19:32

Hi OBJ

Do not believe everything that you read on the Booking site for Maralinga, which claim that you can not travel the Emu Road.

Robin is the best person to speak to about driving the Emu Road, and can issue permits. Robin has told me that he has the power to issue permits for this road on a application basis and numbers, and then includes this in your Maralinga Permit.(once again, this is another first that you will find out anywhere, but Dennis Brown - "Brownie" as he is know, and a Traditional Aboriginal Elder is now grading the Emu Road as I speak to cater for the increase in traffic both from Maralinga and down from Emu)

Once you get the green light from Robin, you will then need to contact Woomera to get their permit for the Emu Road, with is from the Department of Defence, as well as their permit to travel east from Emu. If you also intend to camp at Tallaringa, you will need a permit for there as well from the National Parks Office in Ceduna.

Have a great trip.

Cheers

Stephen

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Follow Up By: OBJ - Monday, May 04, 2015 at 19:59

Monday, May 04, 2015 at 19:59

Is phoning Robin the only method of contact? I've had no success in the past contacting him.
I'd love to do this run if possible, if the road is OK. No point trashing my vehicle, but if it is in the process of being graded, it sounds like a good option.
Thanks again Stephen. I remain indebted to you for all your help on this one.
OBJ

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Follow Up By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Monday, May 04, 2015 at 20:33

Monday, May 04, 2015 at 20:33

Hi again OBJ

By phone is the best method, if you can get him to answer. If you do get to do the Anne Beadell, east to Coober Pedy, work on 2 to 3 days, travelling very slow, eg 20 - 40 kph and make sure your tyre pressures are down to about 18psi.

Travelling this way and stopping very regular will give both you and your vehicle a reprieve from the survre corrugations. As above I find this section the worst part of the trip and will avoid it where possible. But having said that if you still do not rush the trip, it is still a great drive.

As for camping along the way, for some reason, most people try to make Tallaringa Well as a nights camping location. Take my work, but there are far better places to find a camp than there. You will not find a scrap a firewood, yet kilometres either side of it, there is all the dead Mulga you could ever hope for, and better camping options, well these are just my thoughts anyway.

If you open the link above for the Maralinga Range Tours, you will see the correct phone number to contact Robin, as well as his own private email. Just keep leaving phone messages and he should eventually get back to you.

Cheers

Stephen

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