Anne Beadell Highway

We're doing the Anne Beadell in June, after coming down the Canning in May. There's some good info in the trek notes on this forum, and also a useful little booklet in the Outback Travellers Guide series (available from Exploroz).
We're travelling with two other vehicles, but have seen other trips mentioned on various forums where solo travellers have made the journey. Just need to make sure your communications gear is able to do the job in a crisis!!

Make sure your vehicle will be able to withstand the corrugations, a HF radio or sat phone etc.

You'll also get vehicles travelling the other direction so beware and keep the CB on the suggest channel. When we did a couple of years back there was plenty of water in the tanks along the way.

Hi Peter & Ann

The best piece of advice I could offer would be to say enjoy and make sure you give yourself plenty of time to soak up this great part of Australia’s Outback - the Anne Beadell is a great solo trip for well prepared travellers.

Of itself, the Anne Beadell Highway is not difficult, but it is the distance and remoteness that provides most of the challenges and that can be addressed in the planning stages. Water, fuel, communications and vehicle preparation would be key elements of that planning along with allowing time for the issue of the relevant permits.

From a vehicle perspective, ensure you drive to the conditions as it varies from sandy sections to areas that are heavily corrugated - slow down (I'm mean really slowdown) on the corrugations and that should help avoid any suspension issues! You will also find sections where the vegetation will provide some "pin-striping" of the vehicle and trailer, so you might want to consider some protection, if it is something that might bother you...

There is plenty of information on the trek notes here on EO and from numerous blogs.

We have towed our TVAN across it and back along the Great Central Road and Sandy Blight Tracks and wrote about the trip in our blog...

(Link) Western Deserts Anne Beadell and Sandy Blight Junction Tracks.

Cheers, Baz – The Landy

Be prepared for a couple of days of non stop corrugations.

We drove from Nullarbor roadhouse to Cook and Vokes Hill Corner then west on the Anne Beadell on our own and towing a boat in 2006.
We had a sat phone and a PLB and took our time.
We found it an easy drive that we enjoyed immensely. We saw no other vehicle at all until we got to Yamarna at the western end.
Slide show here....
http://s246.photobucket.com/user/Peter_n_Margaret/slideshow/06%201%20Nullarbor%20and%20Anne%20Beadel

Cheers,
Peter
OKA196 motorhome

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Hi Peter & Ann,

The Anne Beadell is not overly difficult in that it has no severe dunes etc but it does have corrugations especially at the eastern end so use reduced tyre pressures (75%) and reduced speed for comfort and to minimise stress on the vehicle.

You need to keep a close watch for washouts, both new and old. They can suddenly appear within short distance as you round a bend for example. They can be a large hole or a trench down the track.
Of course, as with all unsealed outback tracks, recent or immediate rain is a problem. Keep a check on the weather.
Also there are long distances between fuel availability so plan carefully.

There are plenty of convenient places to camp alongside the road.
Be aware that you require permits.

Although it is a principal track on the E-W route, the number of travellers is low and you may not encounter another party for many hours, even all day. So it is imperative to carry adequate communications equipment in case of serious emergency. This can be a satphone (with emergency numbers), a HF radio, and/or a registered PLB (Personal Location Beacon). A UHF radio is of little use in an emergency other than to contact a nearby vehicle who may or may not be of assistance. We travel alone most times and carry satphone and PLB.
Severe accidents may unexpectedly come in the form of health incident, injury, snakebite, or vehicle accident. Your life may depend on obtaining prompt assistance.

The Anne Beadell is a nice drive. Take it easy and enjoy it.

Hi Peter and Ann

We have done it many times, including solo.

Have a read at my blogs and just do as much research as you can, as there is far more to see out there than most people ever realise.

Allow at a bare minimum of 8 days, long will be even better. Make sure you take the small 10 kilometre one way detour to the actual Vokes Hill.

Depending on vehicle fuel consumption, allow a minimum of 900 kilometres of travel before being able to top up with fuel ( this will include the bigger detour to Len's 300 Mile Marker ) at Ilkurlka.

As I said, research, research, and more research and you will have one of the Best desert, remote trips you can experience.



Cheers and Happy Researching.





Stephen

We did this solo in August 2013 took us 11 days to do the 1400 kms from Coober Pedy to Laverton. 120 series Prado with a S.Aust built Adventure Camper ran (cold)18psi in the front 22 in the rear and 18 in the camper, on bfg A/T. Logged into vks on our hf radio every second night. Slow down and enjoy the bush camps, scenery and wildlife. We will be doing it again but the opposite way.

G`day Peter & Ann,
I am sure it`s been said before but just a reminder.
If you have to stop on the road it is essential to have all four wheels on the top of the corrugations, if you have them in the bottom of the corrugation you may not be seen and someone could possibly run into you. :>)

Stay safe and enjoy,

Scrubby.

Did part ofthe AB in July 2016 solo. Travelled up from Cook to Vokes Hill Corner then turned right towards Coober Pedy. Took us 4 easy days in a stock Toyota Prado towing a Jimboomba Off Road Camper Trailer. Had a full tank when leaving Nullabor Roadhouse and took 60 additional litres but still had 1/3 tank when we arrived at Coober Pedy - extra fuel not needed but would still carry just in case. Had slight rain but track was in fair condition. Found going pretty easy and at no time was low range needed even pulling the trailer up the small dunes. Dropped tyre pressure to 28 psi all round and had no tyre problems.

Thks Gary, that's really good news & esp re camper trailer towing. Looking frwrd to trip.