Great Central Road closed if heading west

I have already contacted the Shire of Laverton and Ali Kent - Member for Kalgoorlie , neither were aware of the situation

The difference to the past lockdowns is the aboriginal communities are issuing transit passes for the GCR.
If COVID risk was the issue,they would as previously done, stopped issuing passes

I'm with Pedro on this - if the land coucils have issued the relevant permits for transit then it is solely the "WA border" issue (again).

They have a nice little sealed deviation bay westbound at the NT-WA border west of Docker River and a Road Closed sign when facing west, where presumably they can/do set up a checkpoint for transit & G2G's.

We did WA-SA-NT-WA back in in April-June and had all the relevant passes/G2G's/permits. Did anyone in SA (or WA) show interest in seeing one? No. Did anyone in NT want to see one? No, the Kulgera police roadblock said "nah, it's on your phone so if we need it we can get it". Returning on GCR we saw the DR road closed sign and panicked, as the road had been closed due to rain the day prior, but it was just to divert traffic through the vacant checkpoint "siding". No interest from police at Warakurna at that time, so one can only conclude it is a manifestation of the latest border wobble.

If they have some interception capability on the Tanami, I wonder about the Kalkarindji-Halls Creek road too. Halls police would be stretched ...

Edit: should add that although we had obtained our G2G's for re-entry into WA on that trip, about a week or so back we received an email from WAPOL saying our G2G applications had been rejected. A real WTF moment, we emailed them telling them the reality, and heard no more. Maybe that was another manifestation of the latest border closure?

The (not so) United Nations of Australia :-)

Even though in Sydney we are on extended lock down, it could be worse. While I am frustrated as to how we in NSW got to where we are, I'd rather be here in Oz than anywhere else ATM.

Wish people would stop their bloody whinging!! The situation is unlike we have experienced before. There will be stuff ups, mistakes and some rather silly things done. The Delta strain is extremely easy to transmit. We have known about the virus for 18 months and if you dont expect a major hiccup in your travels well you are crazy. I,ve had trips cancelled and had to camp extra time in places I didnt really want to be! So what? Thats life...stuff up or do the wrong thing and it could be a nasty experience for you or your loved ones. Just do as requested and stop being a Karen.
I,m as frustrated as hell too. However we will come out of it. Many wont!!

If this was a COVID issue I would agree with you, unfortunately it is not COVID issue - NT is a very low risk state. It is a decision made my some shiny bum bureaucrats that have probably never being out of Perth. When I ring the G2G Line, the people there have no idea of where the GCR is . It is classified as a remote road , this needs to be changed .

It certainly is an issue due to covid Pedro. If not tell me why permits cannot be obtained.

Permits to transit and obtain fuel have been issued by the NT Land Council and WA Aboringinal Planning Authority have been issued - They can't be worried about COVID coming from NT. Also I can fly into Perth from NT and go home without COVID testing or mandatory quarantine for 14 days unlike if coming from SA.
Therefore nothing to do with COVID threat - NT is rated as a very low risk state unlike the rest of Australia

welcome folks to the daily life of long haul truckies....states with different weights,lengths,rules etc..........incompetent,uncaring beauracracy......but its still the only place id be................covid or no covid.....................beauracracy is cumbersome at the best of times...........in these crazy days,put up shut up and get by as best you can....but remote indigenous will be decimated if covid gets in...keep smilin,cheers bernie

After getting knocked back we waited in Alice for the SA quarantine restrictions to be lifted, then a fellow camper mentioned his G2G pass to travel the GCR was approved. On questioning him, I found out he didn't even live in WA but was a traveller who wished to go to the Murchision for wildflowers then return East via the north . He told me he had being knocked back 3 times before having success. So I tried again, this time on compassionate grounds as my wife had some medical issues that had specialist appointment in Perth and there practice doesn't see patients for a 4 week period if they have being interstate , or 6 weeks if being in quarantine. So after submitting all this documention, a policeman rang us up requesting proof of WA residency and proof of 14 day stay in NT, plus filling out a form stating we are self sufficient in water, food and fuel, we also had to nominate a place to quarantine if required - Laverton Caravan Park.
After all that it was approved and we got back safely and Covid free !

Thanks for completing the saga :-)

I suspect the problem depends on exactly WHO you get processing your G2G application, and whether that individual has even the slightest clue about the road and facilities. As you had valid transit permits for both sides of the border, you would have been able to access fuel/food at Docker, Warakurna and Warburton as well as non-aboriginal land locations such as Tjukayirla - so the self-sufficiency bit is a crock.

Without wanting to slight our "boys (and gals) in blue", with Covid generally stretching their resources in all states, the weight of the bureaucratic processing burden may well have been assigned to a group of relatively junior personnel.

We've got a contact in the WA police force so am asking some questions now. Definitely can't get stuck in Alice with 3 dogs in the middle of the summer