Gary Highway and eastern Talawana track conditions

Hi Mal and Naomi,
Did all those roads in 2017 in a D-Max with trayback no issues. Very remote so as long as you are experienced, well prepared, and have the time to take it easy and not be rushed you will have a great time. The tracks are well travelled and vary greatly in condition, just be prepared and have the patience to travel to the conditions. People at Parngurr are very friendly and welcoming.
Chris

A group of us did some of these tracks in June ‘18.

North from Cocklebiddy to Rawlinna is steady, station tracks, with lots of limestone outcrops and a number of gates, closer to a dozen rather than 2 or 3. Camped opposite the railway station at Rawlinna, and got to see the Indian-Pacific & a few other attractions. The IP stops there for the evening meal, heading west, and some light entertainment.

From Rawlinna north, there is more of the same, track wise, but eventually gets into sandier soils as you leave the Nullarbor. Some washouts, scratchy bits & also some top scenery through the sandhills, with lots of different flora. Worth stopping at Neales Breakaways for the night, but don’t go where I did or you’ll get bogged!

Neale Junction is a good camp with a couple of long term residents already there. Worth going into Point Lilian too, it’s not far off the track, to the west. Good water at Cooper Hills Bore too. Think road improved a bit further north too, but we turned left at Parallel Road No.2, and scratched our way across to a night camp in a gravel pit beside the GCR.



We camped at Geraldton Bore before heading up the Gary. Not bad travelling, but bit slower going up past Charlie’s Knob. Definitely worth driving up to the top of the Knob, to see where you’ve been, and where you hope you’re going. Few washouts after Charlie’s Knob, but levels out further north. We went into McPhersons Pillar & camped the night, though not one of the best sites we’d had. Was worth it though, to see the Pillar lit by the setting sun. I wouldn’t bother going to Mulan Rockhole nearby, unless you’re heavily in Australian history.





Track further north varied a bit, some scratchy stuff, quick gravel, corrugations & washouts.Windy Corner turned out to be the “a’hole” of our entire 10K trip, but one of the lads found a set of wheel tracks heading east, only a km or so north of the Corner, that lead to numerous cleared areas suitable for a good camp, and a fire!

We were planning to do western end of the Talawana, through to Newman, but the wet area around Well 25 changed our plans and exited through Well 33, Telfer Mine and down to Desert Queen Baths, in Rudall NP.

Bob

I did the ABH last year and heard someone on the HF radio say it was absolutely buggered and they had to turn back. I was running lowered tyre pressures and no one in my group of 4 had any issues.

I did the Talawana a few years ago in its entirety and confirm the section between Windy Corner and near Well 24 does have scratchy stuff, that didn't bother me too much, but the Spinifex was a problem having to stop every 1/2 hour or so to clear it from underneath - take a sturdy drop sheet and make sure you have both Left & Right hand leather gloves. I ended up being sold 2 left hand gloves and got spinifex in my right finger which became infected, fortunately I carry antibiotics.

Did the Talawana from Georgia Bore to Newman last year, the section from Georgia Bore to Rudall River turnoff was quite rough but then after that was a reasonably smooth highway.

We went in to DQB and got a seriously sharp rock in the side of a tyre which destroyed the tyre, I now carry a spare tyre carcass. This led to a series of misfortunate events seeing me in Port Hedland with Toyota replacing wheel nuts, Beaurepaires changing tyres and Tyrepower supplying and fitting new tyres with the now spare carcass.



sounds like a top trip you have planned there

cheers

Mal and Naomi G love to do it myself. Not much info on Rudall N. P. Last frontier me thinks. Googled it found some good photos. What C. T you towing cheers enjoy..

I'm looking at driving the Gary Junction Road out to Gary Junction. Then south on the Gary Highway to Everard Junction. Then southeast on the Gunbarrel Highway and Heather Highway to the GCR.

On any of those roads, will I run into the issue of vegetation (namely spinifex) build-up under the vehicle? I'm concerned about that because I will not have another vehicle along so a fire would be a very big problem! The other track issues listed in the various posts here should be manageable with care and reduced tyre pressures.