Roads near Mungo

Submitted: Friday, May 28, 2004 at 12:15
ThreadID: 13239 Views:1426 Replies:7 FollowUps:8
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I spent last weekend out at Mungo National Park, but could not believe the poor quality of the local roads. I believe Wentworth Shire Council simply stopped maintaining them some time ago and will not do so again until it rains. Still, I was amazed by how bad things had got. Anyone else had any recent experience of it?
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Reply By: Member - Roachie- Friday, May 28, 2004 at 12:19

Friday, May 28, 2004 at 12:19
Not since last October and they were commodore quality then.
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Reply By: Grinner - Friday, May 28, 2004 at 12:23

Friday, May 28, 2004 at 12:23
I think the problem is that to properly grade a dirt road, it needs to wet. This means either a water tanker or rain. If its graded when its dry, it only lasts a short time until it becomes badly corugated again.

Therefore I suppose that in that part of the country they've decided that there are more important uses for their water that wetting down roads.

Grinner
AnswerID: 60598

Reply By: Mad Dog (Victoria) - Friday, May 28, 2004 at 13:51

Friday, May 28, 2004 at 13:51
I was there 12mths go, rough as gutz especially the road in from the west, top hut rd I think it's called. One crazy with a SA plate passed me along that road doing 110k. With so much dust behind me I wasn't aware he was there till he got alongside. I was getting along at 80 which was more than enough on that road. The other rd out to Mildura while rough wasn't too bad.
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Follow Up By: Phlip - Friday, May 28, 2004 at 14:11

Friday, May 28, 2004 at 14:11
Yes - I came in Top Hut Rd, very bad, and went out on Arumpo Rd to Mildura, also bad. Locals say Arumpo Rd is wearing faster due to day visitors from Mildura. I tried to maintain 80 but often just could not.
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Reply By: Member - Rohan K - Friday, May 28, 2004 at 14:30

Friday, May 28, 2004 at 14:30
We were there in April and thought they were fine but I guess it depends on expectation, perception and suspension.

We met some folks in Pooncarie who had just come done from Menindee (where we were heading). They said the first 50 kms heading north from Pooncarie were shocking - filling removal and bone jarring. We took off expecting the worst but found it pretty benign, really - a few stretches with bad corrugations - but generally pretty smooth. But then, we had aired-down the tyres. Perhaps that and the supple Pathy suspension afforded us a different experience.
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Follow Up By: Member -Bob & Lex (Sydney) - Friday, May 28, 2004 at 15:58

Friday, May 28, 2004 at 15:58
You'll probably find that unlike you they still had hyway pressure in their tyres.
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Follow Up By: Member - Rohan K - Friday, May 28, 2004 at 17:10

Friday, May 28, 2004 at 17:10
I didn't ask, but that's what I suspected.
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Follow Up By: Phlip - Friday, May 28, 2004 at 19:59

Friday, May 28, 2004 at 19:59
This is a fair tip, certainly I have benefitted from varying tyre pressures before, but I confess I didn't have the compressor on this trip, and didn't expect to need it based on reports in advance. The locals tell me the roads were a lot worse then ever before - still, it pays to be prepared I guess.
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Reply By: Member -Bob & Lex (Sydney) - Friday, May 28, 2004 at 17:56

Friday, May 28, 2004 at 17:56
We where down there at xmas & roads where fine.
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Reply By: Willem - Friday, May 28, 2004 at 18:03

Friday, May 28, 2004 at 18:03
Grinner is right. None of the Shires are grading roads because of the drought. There is no point to grading bulldust as within a very short time the bulldust and corrugations are back. They are waiting for substantial rains before any grading takes place. So you poor blokes will just have to put up with it!

Cheers
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Follow Up By: Phlip - Friday, May 28, 2004 at 19:56

Friday, May 28, 2004 at 19:56
I can accept that - but I puzzle about why the road was reasonable for 60 kms from Menindie, then you cross from Central Darling to Wentworth and there is a complete change in the nature of the road. Perhaps the rain is following the shire boundaries?
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Follow Up By: Willem - Friday, May 28, 2004 at 20:37

Friday, May 28, 2004 at 20:37
Probably something to do with the nature of the different soils. Maybe a strata layer of loam soild is in one area and then followed by a strata of shale or a strata of dolerite. Hey, its only a guess but that could be the reason.
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Reply By: Lone Wolf - Friday, May 28, 2004 at 19:22

Friday, May 28, 2004 at 19:22
I think they were sort of okay during Marck. A few stretches of corro's, but that's all.

I Found 80 kmh. in the Honda seemed about right.
AnswerID: 60688

Follow Up By: Member - Bernard - Monday, May 31, 2004 at 16:05

Monday, May 31, 2004 at 16:05
Phlip -- We were in Mungo NP mid last week. Decided not to drive from Mildura or Balranald but went in from Euston and came back out Prungle Mail Road. Both very good to excellent with only a couple of sticky patches. Corrugations were no problem. When gradings in doubt, stick to the minor secondary roads that aren't so popular with the tourists.

Biggest problem we found was that Tourist Info Centre in Mildura told us roads to Mungo were closed; Parks & Wildlife told us roads in Mungo were open but didn't know about access roads. Mungo Lodge had been told roads in Mungo were closed and had guests go home early. We drove to Mungo and found all roads were open. Great communications!

Bernard
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Follow Up By: Phlip - Monday, May 31, 2004 at 16:46

Monday, May 31, 2004 at 16:46
Thanks for that info. Very good!
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