Old Gunbarrel eastern end track conditions

Possibly planning to be around Warakurna mid 2019 with two other couples in their own vehicles. I am considering leaving our trailers parked up in Warakurna and taking an out and back trip on the Old Gunbarrel from Warakurna maybe as far as Lake Christopher.

We will meet the permit requirements of between two and five vehicles, plus relevant communication equipment viz HF Radio.

I am wondering if anyone has any reasonably up to date information on the track conditions on the eastern end.
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Reply By: IvanTheTerrible - Monday, Nov 26, 2018 at 20:18

Monday, Nov 26, 2018 at 20:18
Contact the Roadhouse at Warakurna. They would have the most up to date info.
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Follow Up By: Idler Chris - Monday, Nov 26, 2018 at 23:00

Monday, Nov 26, 2018 at 23:00
Quite often roadhouses are staffed by backpackers with no idea of road conditions. If you get one of these answer the phone be very careful what they tell you.
An alternative is to contact the police station. The sergeant there is great and he travels those roads on a near daily basis.
Chris
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Follow Up By: IvanTheTerrible - Tuesday, Nov 27, 2018 at 19:52

Tuesday, Nov 27, 2018 at 19:52
The roadhouse at Warrakurna had a live in manager last time we went through. He lived in a house just behind the roadhouse.
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Reply By: Member - shane r1 - Monday, Nov 26, 2018 at 23:12

Monday, Nov 26, 2018 at 23:12
road conditions are perceived differently by most people too. What I think is reasonable may be absolutely crap for someone else.
Don’t know how you get around that.
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Reply By: Allan B (Sunshine Coast) - Tuesday, Nov 27, 2018 at 00:07

Tuesday, Nov 27, 2018 at 00:07
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Hi Ray, Current track information will be of no use for a "mid 2019" trek.
I agree with Chris and Shane's suggestion for nearer to the time.

That section can have some nasty washouts but if you leave the trailers behind and go carefully you should be OK. And of course, you can always prematurely turn around and return to your trailers at Warakurna.
However, I would not go near there if rain was in the offing or if it had very recent rain.
Cheers
Allan

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Reply By: Skiman - Tuesday, Nov 27, 2018 at 09:06

Tuesday, Nov 27, 2018 at 09:06
Hi Ray,
While I also agree that conditions between this year and next can change, for what it's worth I was there earlier this year (April) and you should have no problems, not towing and in a well prepared 4WD. There were 1 or 2 small washouts, easily managed, and plenty of growth on the sides of the tack and in the centre, including spinifex. But a nice drive in that section.
Cheers, Mark.
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Reply By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Tuesday, Nov 27, 2018 at 10:00

Tuesday, Nov 27, 2018 at 10:00
Hi Ray

Further to the above good replies, here is my 2 cents worth.

Firstly if your campers have withheld the trip out to Warakurna, then they should have no problems on that section of the Original Gunbarrel Highway, with the only exception if it is wet, and if so, stay hold up at Warakurna, as things to dry out quite quick out there.

If you are only going as far as Lake Christopher, you will be camping out for 2 nights, as it may only look a short distance on a map, but it will be slow going, and no speed trip. Our first days drive from Warakurna had us camped about 20 kilometres short of the Lake Christopher turn off, so even if you had a long day, you are still going to have to camp in the area that first night.

There are no sign posts to let you know when to turn off, so moving maps navigation will be a very good aid. If you are not on the lookout, you will drive straight past the turn off without even knowing it was there.

Conditions do not change much out that way, as the track is not maintained, and the washaways will only get bigger year after year.

It is a pretty drive and not hard, just take your time and stop to smell the roses...
Rather than talk any further, I will let you decide what the conditions are like from the below photos.



Cheers


Stephen



















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Follow Up By: Allan B (Sunshine Coast) - Tuesday, Nov 27, 2018 at 10:46

Tuesday, Nov 27, 2018 at 10:46
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Ah yes Stephen, that brings back memories.
That was a most pleasing trek. Did it with Connie and Mick. Almost expected to go around a corner and find Lennie and his "construction party".
And the grader blades are still there. It is maybe not surprising that they have not been repositioned to above someone's bar. lol

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Allan

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Follow Up By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Tuesday, Nov 27, 2018 at 11:02

Tuesday, Nov 27, 2018 at 11:02
Hi Allan

Thanks for that and it is great to see those original old grader blades still safe in the bush. It is for that very reason that I have never shared that location with any person, well one exception.

Would you like to know how Mick knows where they are?

It was an early morning call of nature and I could not believed what was at my feet. I GPS waypointed the position and got in touch with Mick and gave him the waypoint of that special location.

I hope he mentioned that I give him the location.......lol



Cheers



Stephen
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Follow Up By: Member - Boobook - Thursday, Jan 10, 2019 at 12:25

Thursday, Jan 10, 2019 at 12:25
You won't go wrong with Stephen's advice. Especially if Allan is in agreement.

Take the trailers. There are some pretty spots in that section. It's not a bad road.

Some very pretty camp spots on the side of the road under the desert oaks near the Lake. One of my favourite spots in Australia is around there. The one I have in mind looks like the one Stephen calls Perfect camp spot at the end of the day. Nothing super special, just a nice treed location with lots of shade and nice walks

-24.922003, 127.142190

You could probably get as far as Jackie Junction and south to Warburton without any drama, t might be faster.
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Reply By: Member - Ray S - Thursday, Jan 10, 2019 at 08:19

Thursday, Jan 10, 2019 at 08:19
A very belated thank you and apology to all who replied to my request for information on track conditions on the eastern end of the Gunbarrel. For some reason, email notification of your responses ended up in my junk box. Result? I thought no one loved me! We have recently changed our security system from Mcafee to Norton, so I suspect that may be the culprit in the sudden redirection of the notifications to the junk box.

Stephen, your photos are fantastic - a very graphic reminder of why desert travel is so enticing.

Your information on travel times was also helpful. I would be pretty confident that the trailers would do okay. My travelling companions have TVans and our Rhinomax Scorpion withstood the rigours of the Gunbarrel last year (2018) from Carnegie Station to the Heather Highway turn off, and down the Heather Highway. It's just that we have particularly reasons for not taking them out on the eastern end.

My main goal is that we experience the Rawlinson Range a bit more 'close up and personal' by trekking along them for a bit. Maybe we can get enough of this experience with an early start (and long) day trip and travelling out and back as far is practical in a day (with slow travel an acknowledged given)?
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Follow Up By: Member - Ray S - Thursday, Jan 10, 2019 at 08:23

Thursday, Jan 10, 2019 at 08:23
PS I think I have 'tricked' Norton into ensuring that I receive email notifications of any further responses in my inbox, not junk mail.
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