Roxby Downs, Andamooka

G'day Rick. Thanks.

Sounds like you'll be having a great trip. The early explorers sure did it tough.

I've read the journals of Edward John Ayre. His time in this part of the country was spent in the Flinders Ranges and west to Lake Torrens. He made three attempts to cross the lake, each time beaten by the mud.

On the third attempt he turned back 10 miles into the lake with the horses boging to the waist.

I'm planning on getting some digital photos on my website while at my son's home at Roxby Downs, between trips, so will post if I can get it together.

You may also wish to view some images from my previous trips at Wilderness Landscape Photography

Some of the images are from a little to the south on Andamooka Station and Bosworth Station.

I suppose you'll be taking some photos. Do we get to see them?

Regards,
Laurie.

Sorry, have not yet tackled the psoting of pics here.
Have plenty if you want some - leave a note here with your email addy & I'll send a few.

Babbage, Swinden, Stuart, Warburton were all in these parts in the 1850's. I think it's tough in my 4 x 4; but shoeing horses and tackling that country, not knowing what is over the horizon, as the initial white fellas did, is an amazing feat.

Cheers

Rick.

I'd be really pleased to see your pics. My e-mail can be found at my website.

Thanks,
Laurie.

Thanks for that info Muddy.

I'll actually be just a little south of where you were. In between your track and the Andamooka to Lake Torrens road. Won't be going far on this particular trip.

The land is a part of the original Andamooka station which has been taken over by BHP Billiton. This section, as I understand it, is leased to Mulgaria. I'm negotiating to travel on other BHP land and am waiting to find out if I need to deal with Mulgaria or BHP over this area.

Thanks,
Laurie.

Thanks Leigh.

I've been roughly along where you sugest, though I didn't see the artifacts or the amphitheater.

Found some wheel tracks through the salt bush which finally brought me to a reasonable 4x4 track over the dunes. Got stuck a couple of times crossing the dunes. It's a 2wd bike and I pull a small trailer. Had wheelbarrow wheels at the time. Have 13" car wheels now. (on the trailer, that is).

The track went past Yarloo bank on the way to the lake.

I camped in the dunes one night, getting there. Started to rain and blow pretty well in the late afternoon (winter time), so I set up camp in the rain, a little way up a dune, not knowing whether to expect a flood. Then it stopped and I had an easy night.

You can see a couple of pictures from that trip at ATV Travel

Regards,
Laurie.

P.S. steves tuckabox in anda also does a good feed. Cheers

Yes, Chimney Hole Dam must have been quite a water hole before the spillway washed out.

On one of my trips, my wife droped me, with the bike, at Chimney Hole Dam. We have a Comodore wagon, you see, and she wouldn't take me any further for the roughness of the track.

About half way to the lake there is an old vermin proof fence. It is cut at the track but extends both directions. I followed this fence south for 17km till it meets an arm of the lake and camped there at Sketching Pile.

I'm thinking that I may need to follow this same fence north to reach Bill's Lookout and beyond. However, there is a track going up a steep and rough hill, out of a creek bed, just near Chimney Hole Dam. Looks like that might be the way the 4x4s go. I was hoping for some info. It's looking as though I may have been off the main track in this area, more than most.

With thanks,
Laurie.

Yes. Parcel arrived Friday.

Regards,
Laurie.

Thanks Alan.

I've had a look on Google maps/earth. It looks like the steep track that I mentioned joins the fence. The big question is: can I get up that hill without going bottoms up? I'll have a look when I get there but may need to look for a safer, though longer way.

I found the larger version of the map in Rig and Profile. Thanks.

Regards,
Laurie.