Just back from a 2 week trip to the Calvert Ra – via Wiluna/
Carnegie Station/Glenayle Station/CSR.
We were 5 Subarus – 4 Foresters & a MY (the MY continued up the CSR alone after we left the Calvert Ra) – Foresters were 1 x XT auto, 1 x X manual, 1 x XS auto (fitted with Goodyear LT Cargo tyres), and a 2000 manual (fitted with HD rear springs). The Foresters were all standard and all had rear seats removed with a false floor fitted. The ‘X’ series cars were all fairly new, and in hindsight they all needed HD rear springs – it is obvious that all 4WD’s are becoming ‘softer’ each year! Each car carried 40 L of water and a extra 60 L of petrol – we left 80 L of fuel near W 14 (PU on the return trip) and emptied 80 L of water at W 10 to save weight – water was topped up again at W 15. Fuel economy was 9.6 kms/L on the CSR/Calvert section, with an average of 10.4 kms/L for the whole trip, which was better than we had calculated. ULP at
Carnegie is $1:50/Litre!
The Transit of Venus was observed on the CSR near W 12 – very interesting to be part of Australia’s history ‘replayed’ – we may all be French now if it wasn’t for
Cook’s trip!?
Generally the track was fairly good – except for corrugations and bad erosion in
places. Our timing was good, as the Carnegie/
Wiluna road had been very muddy the week before – the Carnegie/Glenayle/W 9 track was excellent - the track into the Calvert Ra from the East via Constance Hedland and the
Eagle Hwy was closed because of rain. The dunes were ‘friendly’ and we had no trouble cresting any. The traffic volume was very low – we passed only 7 vehicles going north on our way
home (south).
The LSD was in great shape compared to our last trip from
Jigalong in 2001 (to Canning’s Cairn, Durba
Gorge, Calvert then down the CSR and out via
Carnarvon Ra) – there were lots of trees in blossom, flowers and green spinifex. The south face of Durba Ra looks like a golf course. There were heaps of birds at the Calvert’s and the creek at the main
camp area was running.
The main purpose of the trip was to take a closer look at the Aboriginal ‘art’ painting and petroglyphs. We discovered more art at virtually every spot we walked – we are all a lot fitter for the walking/
rock hopping over the 6 days camped at the Calverts.
We took our own dunny (Calvert Crapper) – 3 small (20 litre) metal drums and a
seat – we left one drum in the ground and burnt and bashed the rest and brought it out. A great success – 10 people for 6 days would have made a big ‘mess’!
Another fantastic trip – great to be
home and washed and sleeping in a bed – but can’t wait for the next trip – Maybe the Anne Beadell?