Track update. Anne Beadell Highway. It's wet!

Last week I drove from Nullarbor Roadhouse to Voakes Hill via Knowles Cave and Cook. Cook is on the railway line so has Telstra reception. I checked the weather forecast- 6mm over 2 days then fine. Sounded good. Dry conditions to Voakes Hill on the ABH. On Monday 17th April the rain started. At first it rained 12 hours a day. Every day. I camped near Voakes Hill for 2 nights then near Anne's Corner for 2 nights. I travelled slowly to let the track dry out. On the fourth night the thunderstorms started and did not stop for 24 hours. By Friday morning my tent was surrounded by a lake. Time to make a decision. Stay put and wait for the promised fine weather or get out while it was still possible.

I got out. Twelve hours driving in constant rain on a track that was often flooded. Emu was the wettest and scored 50-75 mm. The most difficult section was the last 5km to the dog fence. The most depressing section was the 3km run along the dog fence to the gate, and then 3km back on the opposite side of the fence driving in the same endless bog.

The best technique was to drive on the track even when it was under water. A lot of the track is heavily corrugated but at least the corrugations provide a firm base. A few times I tried the detour tracks. They looked relatively dry but were incredibly soft and much worse than the track.









I arrived in Coober Pedy well after dark. There was one appropriate place to stay.



Today I note that the same rain band has closed the road from Coober Pedy to William Creek and the Oodnadatta Track.

Cheers, John