4b track sth of alice

goodday gramps
it may be this track distance is about right just drops off to the side of the road and i think last year coming back i saw a gate on it

steve

steve,

As far as I know Owen Springs was opened 2003/2004 sometime. The track links the Stuart Hwy to Larapinta Drive. We went through in May. Did'nt notice any links to Boggy Hole/Palm Valley. You end up around 50Ks from Alice and 70Ks from Hermannsburg (on Larapinta).

From memory it was an easy drive. As per Willem's response, check out his trek notes. Nothing sticks in my mind that would prevent off road trailers/caravans using it but then again I was'nt thinking about that at the time :-)

There were some good photo opps along the track (ruins, Hugh River bed, etc).

PS There is a track to the north of Rainbow Valley turn off to Owen Springs Reserve. I did a Treknote on it for EO. It is caravan friendly and you can use it as a detour to Alice Springs

goodday willem
how are you settling back in to a regular bed lol

it may be the owen spring track but i thought there was a sign near the road saying 4b track only not sure the turn off was before rainbow valley travelling south

steve

goodday willem and gramps
having a look at the oziexplore there is a track that runs from the stuart hwy tthru old owen springs and weaves its way out to larapinta drv or what appears to be a faint track further south that goes thru to wallace rockholes i dont know wether this track is open to the public or not i suppose drive down and see if we get turned back
only get told to rack off i suppose

steve

Just tell em you got lost or your gps threw a fit.

Steve

Wallace Rockhole is an aboriginal community who do cater for tourists and I belive they even have a Caravan Park there. I am sure that you will be welcome. The access track is via the Larapinta Hwy.

I am not sure which track to you mean when you say further south unless it is the one I have described to you earlier. That track to Wallace Rocklhole through the ranges is virtually non existent and there is a lot of creek sand to negotiate. You will probably find that any tracks from Owen Springs Reserve to the west may be fenced off.

Forget about trying to take your van to Boggy Hole or Palm Valley.

Send me a copy of the track you are looking at via email and I should be able to help you out.

Closed to the public.

thanks johnsy
willem i think we will stick to the owen springs track

thanks
steve

GOB & denny vic if your looking for something a bit differant and have time follow the Hugh RV from the Glen Hellen road back into the Macs good country to look at and you will be able to get your van a fair way in to set up a base camp.The turn off is on the right just before the main causeway of the Hugh. Repost if you want more info.

goodday willem
the track referred to goes in past an area called redbank waterhole
we are looking at camping in these areas and leaving the vans in alice springs at 1 of the parks over night or 2

gooday johnsy
will leave vans in the alice and looking for another place to look around have been out to ruby gap but would go again this trip have my sister and bil with us in their truck would also like to go back to palm valley but stay o/n this time as we did it as a day trip last time we see all these places on day trips and try to get back to them to stay a bit longer and enjoy the area
our original trip is to go to birdsville and cross the desert and back and then head north but watching the long distance weather and the weather thats already gone thru the warmest driest place wiil be darwin for some fishing and then head south and as we have some time on our hands well have a bit more of a look around the alice and its environs

steve

Sounds a good trip.

The place I was talking about is hugh gorge if you want to look it up and there is a set of steel cattle yards on the way in go past them and the gap in the range (1-2ks) and find a spot in the creek there to leave the vans.The track is slow and a bit narrow in a couple of sections but a good drive.

GOB & denny,

The Owen Springs Reserve track has a turnoff to Redbank Waterhole. 2ks to the waterhole on the left about 4ks off the Stuart Hwy

Goodday Johnsie

Can you give me some more details on where Hugh Gap is .I run oziexplore so if you have a couple of coordinates it would be good.The track you refer to is it the track to Boggy Hole Bore and reedy Hole Waterhole.

Thanks
Steve

johnsy

A mate from Alice and I did a trip recently out through 8 Mile Gap and to the north of Ellery Creek Bighole past Cummings Yard and then through the gorge where Fish Hole waterhole is marked on the Natmaps in the Chewinbgs Range. For convenience I call it Fish Hole Gorge. To get to the gorge however it took 2 hours to do 2 km. We were scouting for places to put the wheels though. Should be able to halve it to 1 hour if you follow our tracks. Once through the gorge it brings you out into the Chewings Range where there is an old station track to follow.

Gday Willem it sounds like you were headed more to Giles Spring which is up the head of the Ellery unless you were trying to pick up the old stock route and cutting across to pick up the gouge from the w/sw.I doubt whether you will find any referance now to the stock route as it was only a dozer cut at the creeks in the fisrt place and the stock was later brought across missionary plain to the Jay cr.

Denny the turnoff is marked off to the west from Reedy hole check out http://www.nt.gov.au/ipe/conmgt/images/2003_Owen_Springs.pdf.

note they are now calling reedy hole birthday gap.

G'day again Johnsy

Yes we took the track to Giles Spring but turned north a short distance after passing Cumming Yard. This is a newer track obviously put in by rangers as there were a number of dead (feral) cattle to be seen along the way.

This must be the Old Stock Route that you mention though we did not see any dozer cuts except at the northen side of the Chewings Range as the track drops down to Hamilton Downs Station. Once on the plain and after getting severely bushed we followed the tracks from Hyabba Dam to the east past the Hamilton Downs Youth Camp and Painter Springs. After that the track disappeared and near Mt Forster we turned to the north again and went cross country to reach the Tanami Road 7km to the west of the Stuart Hwy.

I have been to Giles Spring(Fern Falls as I like to call it) a number of times in the '90's. I believe that it is now fenced off and that access is denied by the Conservation Commission due to the discovery of rare plant species...or so they say :o)

Willem no there are some rare species of cycad up around that area and only a few plants I,m led to believe also some endangered mamals hiding in the little gullies up there so fair enough its closed.

As an aside who did you hang out with in Alice trying to work out if Ive come across you.

Hi Johnsy

Email me through my website and I will tell you.

I lived in Alice from 1992 to 1995.

Yes I have some photos of the cycads at Giles Spring. There are also some fascinating water carved rock formations higher up along the range. I am still disappointed that I never climbed higher up to the top of Mt Giles. The ferns growing in the rock enclosures are amazing for such a dry climate

everybod eles read it ok maybe your the illiterate dropkick!!!!!!!!
steve also

Have a look at your own posts; the most simple form of punctuation is to place a full stop at the end of sentence.