Goog's Track

Submitted: Saturday, May 12, 2018 at 14:56
ThreadID: 136689 Views:3213 Replies:5 FollowUps:4
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Heading over to Gawler Ranges in late May - early June & just thought while we're in vicinity maybe we should include Goog's Track as well.
We're towing a good offroad camper trailer. I understand there are some high sand dunes (we have a sand flag). We're travelling alone. We have UHF radio. Is south to north the best route?
I believe we get a camping permit & mud map at Ceduna Visitor Centre.
Should we do it?
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Reply By: Rob A2 - Saturday, May 12, 2018 at 16:07

Saturday, May 12, 2018 at 16:07
Yes permits are required with a nominal fee and the VIC @ Ceduna is the go to spot. UHF 18 is the required channel and South to North is the recommended direction of travel. Reasons are simple but often ignored; safety, track is single lane and moving off the track means pushing bush and significantly increasing risk of punctures. Sandflag is a good idea and UHF on scan. Tyre pressures once past Googs Lake should be set for a Simpson crossing. We use 12psi in the camper and front with around 18 in the rears of the car. Normally can walk up and down the dunes but as usual plenty of them are dug up as some off road experts just don't seem to get the message about tyre pressures. Apart from that the Kingoonya pub is back trading and it makes for a great stop after your 2-3 days on Googs Track.

All in all it is normally a great drive.

Rob
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Reply By: Allan B (Sunshine Coast) - Saturday, May 12, 2018 at 16:16

Saturday, May 12, 2018 at 16:16
.
...."Should we do it?".... Yes definitely, it is a great drive.

Dunes are not too high for a Prado and camper with the right tyre pressures.

Direction?..... south-to-north is recommended, not so much for driving ease but more to keep the single-line traffic in order. However we have travelled north-to-south (because it suited our greater trek) and had no difficulties with the several oncoming vehicles, some with trailers.

Flag definitely required but can get a belting from overhanging scrub trees.
Permit can be obtained from Ceduna or online here.

More info here.

Cheers
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Follow Up By: Member - Peter & Ann - Saturday, May 12, 2018 at 19:03

Saturday, May 12, 2018 at 19:03
Ooh, a diesel Prado. Yes, thks Allan, I have one of those. Looking frwrd to it now. Bring it on!! Sorry to be facecious.
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Follow Up By: Allan B (Sunshine Coast) - Saturday, May 12, 2018 at 21:35

Saturday, May 12, 2018 at 21:35
.

Sorry Ann (or is it Peter?), your facetiousness is lost on me.

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Reply By: mechpete - Saturday, May 12, 2018 at 18:48

Saturday, May 12, 2018 at 18:48
keep your tyres pressures low
trailer tyres 10-12psi vehicle 14-16psi
you will have no trouble
cheers mechpete
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Reply By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Sunday, May 13, 2018 at 09:07

Sunday, May 13, 2018 at 09:07
Hi Peter

It is a great little drive, but I would break the trend and do it north to south.

The reason being is you just can not tell many so called four wheel drivers about the importance of dropping tyre pressures and think they can go through with high tyre pressures, with the end result of cutting the hell out of the track.

The southern dune faces heading north in a number of places are extremely scalloped and it it a snail crawl up them, with speed totally impossible.

The main camping spots are at Mount Finke and Googs Lake.




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Stephen
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Follow Up By: Duncan2H - Monday, May 14, 2018 at 13:27

Monday, May 14, 2018 at 13:27
It'd be a shame to see the general advice changed to do it from North to South.. this will only result in the northern side of the dunes ending up in the same terrible condition as the southern sides. :(

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Follow Up By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Monday, May 14, 2018 at 19:34

Monday, May 14, 2018 at 19:34
Hi Duncan

It does not matter where ever you go, the Simpson Desert, Googs Track and the like, we will always get brainless drivers that you can never educate on the importance of lowering tyre pressures with in sand dune country.

On one of our Simpson trips many years ago, we were heading west along the French Line, with tyre pressures dropped to 14 psi, four wheel drive engaged and just tackling the east facing dunes with ease.

One of my group, put a call out over the radio that he was having an issue with one steep dune. We all stopped and I went back to see what the issue was. He was only getting around a quarter of the way up the dune and was then bogging right down.

I then asked a few questions, and could not believe the answer to one of my questions......I put my tyres back to 45 psi...........

To put it bluntly I was rather crapped off, as when we hit the dune country, we all dropped tyre pressures.

We then went on to make sure that he did not increase his pressures again.....and you guess it...he bloody well did.

He was then given a new nick name.....Dumb and Dumber.

Some people you just can not tell, they think they know it all.



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Stephen
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Reply By: Member - Warrie (NSW) - Sunday, May 13, 2018 at 12:02

Sunday, May 13, 2018 at 12:02
Hi P and A. I assume that you have wide tyres on the camper such as 245/70 x 16 or bigger. Reason being that in 2012 we attempted to go N to S with a camper with only standard 14 inch rims and tyres at 185R14. Came across from Tarcoola and all is well signposted. Got onto red sand and over first low dunes. Reached the first big one at 25 m plus and with very dry sand and could not get over. Pressures down to 12 all round. Gave up after several attempts so camped 100 m from track.
Next day unhooked and drove the 10 or so km to Mount Finke and walked a little way up it. See pix in Places such as Goog's track First/ Last Big Dune.
In 2013 we did the southern end from Lone Oak up to Googs Lake, again just in the 4WD. In and out in an afternoon so must get back and camp at the lake which is very picturesque. Trees ripped off sandflag but otherwise an easy drive with only small dunes.................. W
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