adelaide 2 innaminka

Submitted: Wednesday, Jan 15, 2003 at 23:08
ThreadID: 2980 Views:3635 Replies:5 FollowUps:3
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im travelling toinnaminka from adelaide and was wondering if via lyndhurst or via broken hill was the easier route.can someone advise me on road cond and fuel consumption.we will be travelling in mid march in one car .also how far is it thru sturt nat park and what conditions driving wise can i expect ,"is it puncture country and would you class it aeasy drive or harder trip. ps:how far via each route? cheers dc.
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Reply By: Mike - Thursday, Jan 16, 2003 at 10:18

Thursday, Jan 16, 2003 at 10:18
dc, via Lyndhurst is definately a lot shorter and is not all that hard. the road is quite good, especially if you use the new track, via Moomba. We usually stop at Copley and Blanchwater Ruins on the run just so that we can take our time. The roads are not generally tyre destroyers, but I would always take 2 srares when travelling in this type of area. Last time we travelled to the Cooper via NSW, we went via the Warri Warri gate up through Qld. This trip was over very rough roads and was quite hard on the vehicles. Either way, you will have a ball, travel through some marvellous country and end up in heaven (aka Cooper Creek)
Happy trails,Mike.
AnswerID: 11374

Reply By: Member - Mike - Thursday, Jan 16, 2003 at 13:12

Thursday, Jan 16, 2003 at 13:12
Fortunately do this run reasonably often - is my backyard!
National Parks have good campsite on Strez Track at Montecollina Bore set within dunes - favourite spot of mine.
Concur with remartks re Cooper. From Innanmincka try Bore Track to Boollards Lagoon, ring first and will cost $10. Takes you close to Camerons Corner. (Fuel avbl). Then cross border into NSW and Sturts NP. Good camping enroute and nice site outside Tiboburra nb water restrictions there at moment so carry your requirements. Fuel avbl. return via Depot Glenn and Milaparinka (pub upgraded), Broken Hill is worth doing.
Re fuel. I drive GQ RB30 petrol and can get from Lyndhurst to "Minka on main tank, ditto return legss as outlined(I do carry auxilary tank but not required. NO FUEL at Moomba. By pass track from Strez. crossing to "Minka ie Old Strez Track easy and interesting.
I hope that whets the appetite! Warning March can be hot and mind 40s.
Mike
AnswerID: 11378

Reply By: Darian - Thursday, Jan 16, 2003 at 14:38

Thursday, Jan 16, 2003 at 14:38
DC - to support the above - we love it up there - both routes to the Cooper are "easy" in off road terms - surfaces are really good dirt BUT with the provisos: 1. Rain changes everything 2. Your are suitably equipped (eg "town tyres" will probably suffer on the lower two thirds of the Strz - those 2 inch stones can be a pain in the wallet ! And yes re Mike and the temperature - I went up with a group in LATE April 2002 - around 35 everyday - was close to 40 out at the Dig Tree with a north wind......can be very tiresome, and as lovely as the Cooper is, it probably won't be fit for swimming in ! Conversely, you might get rained in for a week, and be shivering, or the weather could be delightful......(most of we regulars have experienced the lot) ....but you have to go.......it is always worth it.
dp
AnswerID: 11386

Reply By: chapo - Thursday, Jan 16, 2003 at 20:52

Thursday, Jan 16, 2003 at 20:52
G'day dc.
We have just returned from Innamincka , the best route is by far through Lyndhurst and up the Strzelecki track. Dont go via Moomba ,the road is too rocky.Go via Merty Merty ,turn left and follow the Strzelecki track. When it meets up with the Dillon Highway(Moomba rd) turn right for a couple of hundred yards then laft again onto the track which will take you all the way to Innamincka.If you take the Dillon highway you are in for the roughest 50 klm you'll ever drive.Dont believe all the rubbish about the track being 4wd only.It is a much better road than the main drag.
The Cooper creek is OK for swimming and the Coopers on tap at the pub is magnificent.Cullyamarra waterhole is a great camping site but wood is scarce,best to bring some.Fishing is good but heaps of turtles.
AnswerID: 11405

Reply By: Phil G - Thursday, Jan 16, 2003 at 22:08

Thursday, Jan 16, 2003 at 22:08
dc,

I usually suggest that you go up one way and come back the other.Broken Hill, Tibooburra and spend a couple of days checking out Poole's Marker, depot glen, milparinka, and the tracks in Sturt Nat Park, then off to Cameron's Corner (refuel) and take the bore track to Innamincka. Can be a little easy to lose your way on the bore track.

Cullyamurra Waterhole should still be good even if the water level is low.
I was last there 6 months ago and the level in Coopers was lowish, but Coongie Lakes was fullish.

You could come back via the old Strezlecki - nicer drive than Moomba, and if you still have the time, turn off and come down thru the Flinders Ranges. We camped at Chambers Gorge last time.

Best way to prevent punctures is to run lowish pressures in your tyres (say 24psi), keep your speed below 80kph and don't overload the vehicle. If travelling alone, I take an extra spare casing.

Its an easy trip. I did all that in a Corolla in 1978!

Cheers
Phil G
Adelaide
AnswerID: 11412

Follow Up By: Chapo - Friday, Jan 17, 2003 at 02:49

Friday, Jan 17, 2003 at 02:49
Hey PHIL,isn't Chambers Gorge great.We camped there only a month ago, we were the only ones there,well us and the wallabies.Cullyamurra waterhole had plenty of water in her ,the temp hit 48 in the shade but it was beautiful in the creek.
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FollowupID: 6346

Follow Up By: Phil G - Friday, Jan 17, 2003 at 12:52

Friday, Jan 17, 2003 at 12:52
Chapo,

Yeah, we enjoyed it too. As well as the wallabies, there were patches of Desert Pea and the magnificent red cliffs at sunset. Only 8km off the main drag from memory.

About 10 years ago we took the family to Cullyamurra and camped for the week after Xmas. Everyone said we were crazy. Hut we had the place totally to ourselves, spent the mornings in the water in the shade of the gums, spent the afternoons in the pub and had no problems with the 40 degree heat. Sounds like you had the same!

Cheers

Phil
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FollowupID: 6368

Follow Up By: Chapo - Friday, Jan 17, 2003 at 18:49

Friday, Jan 17, 2003 at 18:49
G'day Phil.
Gee mate sounds like we could have been on the same holiday.Thats exactly what we did.Went for walk early in the mornings,then swam to cool off and then hit the pub for a few icy cold Coopers and the best meat pies I've ever tasted.
We teamed up with a young family we met at Lyndhurst and they travelled with us for a week.They had two young kids who were feeling the heat a bit, so big Des in the pub hired a couple of videos from the trading post, put them on for the kids and we spent all arvo in the air conditioned comfort of the pub.Good man that Des!
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FollowupID: 6379

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