Just back from nearly 3 weeks in the lower outback during which we managed 15 nights of camping without a single drop of rain whilst Victoria/SA to our south suffered wintery conditions and to our north even
Birdsville track was closed
as we drove thru
Marree.
On this trip we decided to do things a bit differently and see several outback stations and new
places with lots of 4wd opportunities.
But before we took off we loaded up with 160 lt of petrol at just over a dollar and before we paid the $181 bill the attendant said have I got a deal for you, take these 40 rolls of
toilet paper and you get extra 10c /discount.
I.E. instead of $181 your total is now only $180 ?
This is only half of it
Ok
well, could really resist getting something for nothing so off we went.
Some comments about a few
places.
Mt Ive station
Great value 4wding if you like rocky peaks and
bush camping, $70 for 3 days - you can even get to Lake Gardiner but you not supposed to drive on it.
By camping 3km from
homestead facilities its ok to drag in a tree and have a great campfire.
Davenport inlet near
Ceduna
My favourite place for beach and serious sandhill driving is little known , where else can you drive down a
cliff onto a 1 acre
rock that gets covered in seawater at wrong time of day , and whole experience cost nothing and there isn't even a single ban "XYZ" sign.
1 Acre sea rock near Ceduna
- $10/night
camp fee if you
camp , and we did on edge of Googs Lake and near Mt Finke , great trip but I'm sure the sandhills are rougher than when I did it in 1999.
My wife is wearing a Fitbit running type wrist brace and was losing her work related fitness competition but by the time we did this track it reported that she had climbed 377 flights of stairs and she shot to the top of the competition.
Soft Sand near Mt Finke
Station
Not a lot there but
painted desert is worth a days photography.
I was kept amused for 40 minutes watching someone putting up there Tvan.
Painted Desert
You
camp near a
small lake full of bird life , very pleasant for a day or 2 , you can drive to Lake Eyre south.
Our research said it was rough drive but it is seriously not.
Coopley
They were out of everything when we went thru , although I was laughing to much to notice as after a week of driving with 3 long range diesel cars , I had to ferry one driver, in my petrol 4800 patrol, to get fuel after his BT50 ran out 5km from town after only 1000km outback.
Still the most ridge type driving experience of the trip was the unmarked drive up and past the nearby Mt Scott repeater station.
Don't go there unless you like a rocky climb on the edge with some serious drop offs and wind shear.
Mt Scott Ridge
SkyTrek.
Probably the most overated and expensive drive , $60 for the 80km 5hour track but it is interesting and the only place a trip member copped a dented sidestep (by not paying attention). We had to tick this one off.
Wathe Reserve
Almost unkown and last sandy
free camp before
home.
Leaving Wathe Reserve
we arrived back
home in
Melbourne about a 1000km from last fill up at
Port Pirie and went back to the same fuel station as at our trip start.
The guy behind the counter said I will wok some magic for you again and again fuel cost was $181 but only $180 if you take these 40
toilet rolls with you.
P.S. Do they still make those Oil filers you put a
toilet roll into ?