Hunt Oil Road? Any update on Road conditions?

Submitted: Tuesday, May 12, 2015 at 11:42

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Hunt Oil Road

This remote trek links the Gunbarrel Hwy with the Great Central Road. It passes via Mount Worsnop and past the Hunt Oil road camps and drilling sites.

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Mount Worsnop

Section: Places

Mount Worsnop is a flat, table top mesa situated in the Sutherland Ranges of Western Australia. The remote Hunt Oil Road passes within a kilometre of the mount as it winds its way past Lake Gillen

Hunt Oil Road

Section: Treks

This remote trek links the Gunbarrel Hwy with the Great Central Road. It passes via Mt Worsnop and past the Hunt Oil road camps and drilling sites.

David WA

Hi All , doing the Gunbarrel Highway in August - and trying to decide if we should try the Hunt Oil Road as a nice interesting section from Geraldton Bore down the Hunt Oil Rd, then up to Warburton and on to Yulara.
Anyone have any relatively new road conditions or advice? Someones told me its a nightmare of punctures - but I can't get that impression from what I read? We would only be tonking along slowly, so I'm hoping it will just be a nice isolated trek. Would appreciate any comments
David WA

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Reply By: Mick O - Tuesday, May 12, 2015 at 14:59

Tuesday, May 12, 2015 at 14:59

2-3 day trip with high spinifex. Expect it to be heavily overgrown in many places with sand in the top reaches and washaways prevalent in the 97km from the caves down to the Great Central. Yes there will be the need to watch out for sticks so taking it easy is the order of the day and watch your trailer tyres hard if you are towing. If you have butter walled tyres then expect a pick or two. That is simply the price of doing business out there. Spinifex protection for the engine and exhaust areas is crucial.

Hunt Oil Road

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: David WA - Tuesday, May 12, 2015 at 15:54

Tuesday, May 12, 2015 at 15:54

Thanks Mick !-
any guess as to average speed you did on the H.O.Rd? - really need to do it in less than two full days hopefully.
I'm also hopeful some others will do it prior to me our trek in August, and knock the Spinifex down a bit. :)
(No trailer, so all good there.)
How many punctures did you get on it?
cheers
David

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Follow Up By: Mick O - Tuesday, May 12, 2015 at 18:46

Tuesday, May 12, 2015 at 18:46

Two days is achievable David but that doesn't leave much time to smell the roses along the way.Alexander Spring, Mounts Worsnop and Allot, Woodhouse Lagoon, the Caves, The Hunt Oil Camp, a few old airstrips and camps along the way.

The video in the blog link is a fairly accurate indication of average speed. Quicker on the bottom half than the top.

Punctures, six or seven I think between the two vehicles and trailers but this included a couple on the ON1 cut line from The Hunt to Mungilli. I was using Cooper AT's back then as well.

What time in August do you intend being on the track?

''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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Reply By: equinox - Tuesday, May 12, 2015 at 18:49

Tuesday, May 12, 2015 at 18:49

Hi David,

I travelled the HOR last September.
Total time taken was 12 hours 24 minutes. This was inclusive of visiting Hunt Oil Drilling Camp, Woodhouse Lagoon, Alexander Spring and climbing Mount Worsnop and Mount Allott. Average speed 13.4 kph (this is was Ozi said, probably includes stops)

You'll have to be unlucky to pick up a puncture to be honest. Most of the spinifex will be gone by August though protection is better. Last year there was a bit of a washout just north of the Alexander Spring turnoff.

If your looking for alternate routes why not go down the David Carnegie Road, fill up at Tjukayirla and go back up to the Gunbarrel via HOR.

Cheers
Alan

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Follow Up By: equinox - Tuesday, May 12, 2015 at 19:04

Tuesday, May 12, 2015 at 19:04

Sorry ignore that 13.4 kph, it was more like 24kph (including stops)

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Follow Up By: equinox - Tuesday, May 12, 2015 at 22:05

Tuesday, May 12, 2015 at 22:05

Here's a vid taken on the HOR in 2008, this one takes me back :-)

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Follow Up By: Member - John Baas (WA) - Tuesday, May 12, 2015 at 23:42

Tuesday, May 12, 2015 at 23:42

X2 for Al's report on the HOR; at least from Mt Allott sth to the GCR.

We did that section only at Easter this year, with 4 vehicles. No spinifex of any note, and no punctures on the track itself (we did have some, but they were when we were 'off-track'). Track itself was 'standard agricultural' desert track insofar as rutting goes, but pretty good re corrugations....

Cheers.

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Follow Up By: David WA - Wednesday, May 13, 2015 at 14:56

Wednesday, May 13, 2015 at 14:56

Thanks guys for your advice - As we are going early August - I'm hopeful for a good fun isolated trip down the full length. We'd be doing it over almost 2 days - so will make sure we take some time to enjoy the tranquillity.
I will update with a blog about it.
Thanks for taking the time to offer your advice - really appreciate it.
David

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