Closed - Sandy Blight Junction Road
Submitted: Friday, Sep 23, 2005 at 17:12
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equinox-Kings Canyon
Hi all,
I was planning a quick recon trip for next weekend and I had planned to use the
Sandy Blight Junction Road to get me from the
Great Central Road to the
Gary Junction Road.
The
Sandy Blight Junction Road requires two permits - One from the Central Land Council for the NT section and one from Ngaanyatjarra Council for the WA section.
I applied to both councils yesterday. The Central Land Council rang me today to say that at the request of the Traditional Owners they cannot approve my permit. Apparently it is due to safety concerns and permits will not be considered until the NT government upgrades the road. It would seem this request from the traditional owners has only been in place for about 5 weeks. The person who I talked to (name withheld) was most helpful in explaining the situation to me.
Shortly after the phone call I received a fax from Ngaanyajarra Council. I quote, "Your permit approval for the
Sandy Blight Junction Road will not be approved by the Ngaanyatjarra organisation until you have provided proof that the Central Land Council have approved your permit application for the
Sandy Blight Junction Road on the Northern Territory side."
I applaud the quick response times from both councils as I only applied yesterday.
I am getting concerned though as it would seem that access to a lot of the country is being denied. Regular forumites will know that I also was denied access to the part of the Colson Track that traverses aboriginal land some weeks back now. I am a lover of the Outback which is one of the major reasons I am now living at Kings Canyon. I do not vandalise sacred sites nor leave a trail of litter behind me and I take full responsibility for my owns actions. I recently spent over $60000 to purchase a decent vehicle so as to be able to traverse the land with minimum risk of requesting outside help.
I do not blame the Councils as they are just the messengers of the traditional owners. I can only assume that the traditional owners believe they are being hard done by which may or may not be true - I dont know.
Regards
Equinox
PS - Caught out of the corner of my eye this arvo a Exploroz Wheel Cover heading east out towards
Kings Creek Station. I think it was on a 100 series cruiser.
Reply By: Footloose - Friday, Sep 23, 2005 at 17:26
Friday, Sep 23, 2005 at 17:26
When I was on the
Gary Junction road in June, the police told me that they didn't think that the Sandy Blight road was a gazetted road. They werent specific , they might of meant the access track through
Kintore. But that area was pretty cut up, I can understand the councils reluctance. Sorry mate.
AnswerID:
131541
Reply By: Glowplugs - Friday, Sep 23, 2005 at 17:41
Friday, Sep 23, 2005 at 17:41
I wouldn't worry about it. Just go. There is no one out there. If the NT Government has to grade the road then it must be a gazetted road.
I know that many of you don't share my
views but I have yet to be asked to show a permit. If taken to court I have a legal opinion which may win the day.
AnswerID:
131544
Follow Up By: Footloose - Friday, Sep 23, 2005 at 19:00
Friday, Sep 23, 2005 at 19:00
Geez Willem, if you went to court you'd be sure to have glowplug references :)
FollowupID:
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Reply By: Member - David 0- Friday, Sep 23, 2005 at 19:34
Friday, Sep 23, 2005 at 19:34
I think we should all write to the Central Land Council and advise them that travelling on these roads helps to keep them usable.
I recently travelled the Wiso track from Lajamanu to Tennent
Creek, which even the locals won't travel. They have been requesting funds to grade the track for some time, as it allows the Walpiri people access to there lands closer to Tennent
Creek.
Our travelling it actually made it easier for others to follow, as it was almost completely overgrown with wattle. it ook 41/2 days to travel 450 k. 295k of it overgrown.
Wattle and other shrubs grow in these tracks becasue they are lower than the surrounding terrain and thus hold moisture. Only through regular use, will this growth be somewhat controlled.
Please people write to the local communities and the Central Land Council, advising that you understand there concerns but only through use, can these tracks be kept open and in usable state.
Re the Wiso, wWe obtained permission from the local police and the Lajamanu community, and have agreed to provide trek notes and photographs to the Lajamanu police.
David O
AnswerID:
131563
Reply By: Bob of KAOS - Friday, Sep 23, 2005 at 20:07
Friday, Sep 23, 2005 at 20:07
Equinox
I travelled nth to sth in April 2005, and sth to nth in April 2004. And several other times in past years. It is one of my favourite tracks because of its isolation, the spectacular scenery, and I guess the name has a certain allure. I would be devastated if I couldn't pass that way again.
In April it was in good condition. The only drama we had was meeting the
Kintore Police fanging home from a quick trip to Tjurkula (?spelling).
Sadly, I will be forced to do it 'sans' permit if the rules have been changed.
I think you are being charitable toward the LCs. The traditional owners couldn't give a rodent's who drove down there.
AnswerID:
131566
Follow Up By: Bob of KAOS - Friday, Sep 23, 2005 at 20:45
Friday, Sep 23, 2005 at 20:45
I applied for permits for my August trip about two months in advance - the trip was great success but no response to my permit application as yet!
FollowupID:
385915
Reply By: Cracka - Saturday, Sep 24, 2005 at 12:02
Saturday, Sep 24, 2005 at 12:02
We applied for the permits to traverse the Sandy Blight too, north to south. Actually the WA section request was ignored and a permit to use the GCR issued. Permit for the NT section was denied, track condition being cited as being too "dangerous" for us. I accepted their decision, albeit grudgingly, and went ahead with the GCR. Got pretty stroppy when we arrived in Warakurna to find that Connie Sue and Mick had preceeced our arrival there by a day or two, VIA SANDY BLIGHT! AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Can't get too upset about it as they are a known quantity to either the CLC or the traditional owners, (probably both) and I am not. Funny thing though we virtually followed Connie and Mick all the way to
Laverton via the
Hunt Oil Road and hardly died anywhere.
Of course travelling by ourselves we weren't allowed to use the dissused section of the Gunbarrel either. Something about not having someone along for me to "save" when they broke down. Geeze, I'm getting a bit cynical here I'd better go!
Cracka
Quebec 4104
AnswerID:
131626
Follow Up By: Willem - Saturday, Sep 24, 2005 at 12:56
Saturday, Sep 24, 2005 at 12:56
Cracka
Coming back from the CSR along the Gunbarrel in '94 I decided to take the Abandoned Section of the Gunbarrel as I saw it on the map. North from
Jackie Junction and then East through some very beautiful country of undulating
sand dunes, no corrugations and many magnificent Desert Oaks. We even drove out to
Lake Christopher for a look see. We were driving solo and did not see another vehicle for the three days of our journey along this track. It was only when we got to the Warburton/Warakurna Road that we came across a huge trench which had been dug across the track. I managed to get across it OK and then saw ar huge
sign facing away from us. On the other side it read something like
NO ENTRY ABANDONED TRACK NO THROUGH ROAD etc. Funny though, we were in 2wd most of the time.
Cheers
FollowupID:
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Reply By: Cracka - Sunday, Sep 25, 2005 at 09:47
Sunday, Sep 25, 2005 at 09:47
Gotta admit Willem, we spent seven weeks and eight thousand klicks on our trip this year and only in the Simmo did we engage 4x4. I don't know what I can do to get to all the
places we want to see as we travel by ourselves. Sandy Blight and the "dissused section of the Gunbarrel" being just two that we have been denied access to. We enjoy being by ourselves, although we're not anti-social we do chat with other travellers but when we
camp there is nothing like the feeling of an isolated lonely
camp, especially when it's time for a billy bath!
Cracka
Quebec 4104
AnswerID:
131692