Just back from a 3 week trip to
Coongie Lakes.
Basics : 4200 klms; used 825 Lts Diesel in the 4.2 Patrol towing the Coromal Camper. (Can I plead mud and sand for the excess fuel consumption?)
Route :
Ipswich;
Dalby; St Goerge;
Cunnamulla; Thargominda; Bulloo Downs; Old Tickalara; Youngs Tank;
Fortville Gate;
Fort Grey; Camerons Corner; Merty Merty;
Innamincka;
Coongie Lakes; Jackson Oil;
Eromanga; Quartpot Creek;
Quilpie;
Charleville;
Home.
The road to Thargominda is bitumen – (like watching paint dry).
Bulloo Downs to
Fortville gate was interesting – corrugated on sand then rocks on the wide gibber plains. Wide open scenery – red sand under the tyres at last. Camped by the Bulloo River.
Fort Grey is a surprise. Gas barbeques;
toilets; clean water in the middle of a remote desert park.
Well marked walking tracks with information plaques were also a bonus.
Camerons Corner has gone all civilized with rooms and accommodation. Nice folk run it.
They had ran out of both unleaded and Diesel. We carried
reserves – luckily.
The Old Stezlecki is a wide
well graded road – 'thanks' to the oil coys.
Saw the Geothermal Energy Project – cold water pumped down one
bore 4200 mtrs deep– turns to steam and returns to the surface by 2 bores to drive turbines. Water is cooled then back down it goes.
Had roast dinner at the Outamincka pub. Recommended.
Caught yellowbelly in the Cooper, which was flowing over the ford at
Innamincka, and flowing into
Coongie Lakes at a fair rate. The ford would cause concern without the trailer weight.
The road to Coongie was OK – a little corrugated but drive to conditions.
Coongie is a must visit – 'vast inland sea' is an apt description.
Too many rabbits for the dingoes to keep under control.
Saw dark storm clouds on the horizon which could have extended out stay a few weeks.
It dropped its load around
Eromanga instead.
The Dig tree is fenced plus board walks – carvings are still clear.
The storm caused flooding on one property we camped on – got bogged on the way in and on the way out (with 13psi front and 17 psi rear). The owner is happy for us to send him a bill, anytime we visit and bring that much water.
Fossicked for opals NW of
Eromanga and west of Quartpot Creek, and roasted marshmellows over glowing coals under a wide sparkling night sky (better than finding a fortune).
Stayed on another sheep property near
Charleville – had 2” rain the night we arrived.
Another very happy farmer. Visited the Bilbies at
Charleville.
Saw many Roos and Emus - feral pigs and Wedgetail eagles (breeding up from the road kill).
Dingoes, Rabbits and goats are definitely not endangered.
Had the tyre on the LHS camper burst twice – probably roo bones. (one Bridgestone; one Kumo)
Coopers on the Patrol were fine.
Nights were fairly cold. Days were brilliant.
Took 770 photos to re-live the experience before the next trip - (thanks to the digital camera and the laptop). Actually needed the GPS and laptop mapping on 3 occasions – but we were on remote tracks at the time. At least it justified buying the toys.
Best experience – Getting the camper out over flooded claypans onto the
Winton Road.
Worst experience – how can you possibly have a bad experience on a West Qld desert holiday?