Simpson Desert

Thanks for the reply. Its good to begin to hear from "real" people who have travelled thru this country. It's reassuring. My wife & friends refer to these trips as another one of "Rogers wild goose chases". They always seem to look back on them fondly though.

The only waypoints I have are those published in the article in the 4x4 Australia magazine I mentioned. The first waypoint is at Poeppel Oil Well, the last is at Lindsay's Camp and there are a total of 11.

Any comments on the adequacy of 11 waypoints pulled out of a magazine?

Hi

I don't have the article to hand, but when you apply for your permit ($100 per vehicle + Batton Hill Camping Fee of $10 per person minimum 1 night), you will get a heap of waypoints from Jol Flemming.
If you are using Ozi Explorer I could send you my track plot file if you like. There is really only 1 tricky bit that saw us heading in the wrong direction for a little bit.
It only has about a half day with absolutely no track to follow. The old shot line that you follow out from Beachcomber Oil Well is now like a main road so many people have driven it. Where you have to turn North off this shot line is signposted & has a barrier - it's not that hard. If you did however get way (even only a little) of the course you should be on & wern't using a GPS or better still digital mapping, then you would quickly feel as though you are the only people in the world - fantastic.
If you want more info, let me know.
David

Hi David

Its starting to sound that this route is more used than I had first thought.

Thanks for the offer of the track plot file. I may well take you up on offer. I've got a laptop which we took last trip to the Kimberley but it was only used for my son to chat to his mates back in Tassie when we occassionally left the bush to resupply & soak up a bit of luxury. Our navigation to date has been with the old fashioned method (ie maps & compass). Perhapes we should move with the times. I'll give you a call if/when I get Ozi Explorer.

Thanks for the help.

Roger

Hi

Don't get me wrong, you can do this with nothing but a map & compass, but with no tracks marked on a map & no landmarks it would be difficult. Using a GPS with the waypoints that Jol will give you (or me) would be fairly easy. A GPS digital mapping system with topo maps makes it easier again. You still get the feeling of being the only people to have ever been there for a while, but you can see where to cross dunes etc on the map rather than guess. It is also a good feeling when you can see that you are heading in the right direction.
Like I said, there is 1 bit that had us going in the wrong direction for a bit, thinking that the track would loop back to the waypoints we were given. It never did - a few of us followed it for about 5km after I found the track we should have been on. Never did find out where it went, but was a well defined track. Another reason for another trip !.
I also found the topo digital maps & GPS very handy when plotting a course from the French Line to the Centre of the Simpson. No track - we just decided to go. Made it easy to plot a course up interdunal valleys, knowing when to cross into another valley etc.

Thanks for the reply.

Read your article. Sounds like a fantastic trip. I'll show it to the others. A couple will go yeah lets do that and a couple will hesitate. The sensible thing to do will be to take a slighly less adventurous route. The last thing we need is overly anxious people in the middle of the country you describe. You never know though we seem to get more adventureous each trip.

I'm assuming that the route taken by yourself is a bit tougher than the one mentioned by David and Roon Moon? Am I reading this wrong?

Hi Roger

This trip was probably harder than Ron Moon and David's trip as there was more offroad and trackless country to negotiate. Part of the route that the 4x4 artricle describes is known as the Madigan Line and has been pretty well tramped over the past 20 years by the Moons and a number of 4x4 clubs and tour operators. But then one only has to go 1km off course and you are in the wilderness doing it tough.

How well prepared is your set up? How much off roading has been done by yourself and your companions?

The key to desert travel is to keep the vehicle weight down and to drive carefully with tyre pressures down between 12 and 15psi. Unfortunately the weight thing is a catch22 situation when you need to carry enough fuel for 700km@26lt/100km or 3.8km/l and enough water(taking into account possible breakdown).

You've travelled at the right time, I'm sure there are still many places to go to get you right off the beaten track but it's getting harder. I've done a few of the trips you've mentioned on your site but none of the more remote ones. Maybe one day. Hopefully at least some of them will still be available.

Hi again Willem

Aware of the Madigan Line. It was our preferred route until we heard of this one. We are all experienced, well prepared & aware of the issues re desert travel. I agree weight is a problem especially as this will be the start of a 3 month run up north. (ie we ain't travelling light) The other catch 22 for us is we are great believers in mud terrains. We can live with the road noise on the tar in exchange for better performance & tyre reliabilability in all other situations (in our view at least) with the exception being performance in sand. But they've always got us thru the sand in the past so I quess they will again.

You wouldn't happen to have been up the track from Tenent Creek to Lajamanu? I'll head back to your website & have a look in case I'm asking a stupid question.

Thanks

Roger

Roger

No I haven't done the run from Tennant to Lajamanu. It is said to be a relatively easy run but very remote. Permission has been granted in the past. I would contact the Central Lands Council in Alice Springs to find out more.

I have done the track from Tanami Mine to Lajamanu a while back.. Quite a nice run and not difficult.

Hi Willem

We also did the track from Tanami Main to Lajamanu last time on our way to the Kimberley via Gregory NP (hence me asking about the Tenet Ck track - always looking for somewhere new). I agree a nice run. We also enjoyed Gregory NP. Very peaceful. Only saw one other vehicle on our trip thru.

Thanks for all the help. Catch you round.

Roger

Hi Roger

Something you might relate to.

I have been to Gregory NP on 3 ocassions and have followed all the tracks across and through and it is a good drive.

On our first visit and coming out from Bullita Homestead, I went to cross the East Baines River. With the late afternoon sun in my eyes I drove on the left side of the markers across the river instead of to the right, over the rocks. The steady flow of the dry season river had created river slime on the surface of the rocks and my old Cruiser started losing traction and slid towards the rockledge and a dark patch of water. I managed to stop the truck about five metres from the edge. Got out and dropped the tyre pressures under water down to about 10psi and then managed to crawl out very gently in 1st Low Range from the predicament to the safety of the embankment. Quite a hairy moment and SWMBO was not impressed. Another couple of km along the track I holed the fuel tank negotiating over the limestone karst. I managed to plug the hole with blue tac putty mix.

Great fun recalling it now. Some concern when it was happening though LOL.

I recall the crossing. We managed to bumble into a hole but got out ok.
Our fuel tank survived but its a boney track aye.

Hi Bob

Seen the Colson Track on the maps. It's also on the to do list. Which is a very long list and getting longer. Starting to sound like we could wander around this part of the county for weeks.

Roger