Trip Report

I've been trying to condense our trip into a short piece but failed dismally, so I've decided to do it in sections.

Part One - Gary Junction to Port Hedland

Our trip began with an easy two days up the bitumen through Waikerie to Port Augusta, Coober Pedy and Alice Springs. Once in Alice we slowed down and spent a morning at the Transport Hall of Fame. What a wonderful display they have there. It kept us enthralled for the morning. We headed out to the West McDonnell Ranges and called in at Simpsons Gap, Standley Chasm, Ellery Creek Big Hole and Glen Helen before setting up camp at Redbank Gorge. This is a really lovely campground, high on a bluff which overlooks the valley leading to the gorge. Next day our trip began in earnest as we travelled the road past Haast's Bluff to Papunya. This section was slow going, rocky and corrugated but improved just near Haast's Bluff. Fuel at Papunya was $1.80.

The Gary Junction Road was overall in good condition. There were some sections of rocky going, corrugations and sand but these were offset by long stretches that were excellent. The desert country was just magnificent with desert oaks, white gums, wild flowers everywhere and the spinifex green and waving its yellow fronds. It was like a garden. We stopped for lunch at the first Len Beadell marker after Papunya and again at the Sandy Blight junction near Kintore. Our first camp on the GJR was thirty kms west of the border near the Dover Hills. A track leading off the road through a grove of desert oaks led to a cleared area with a rocky hill behind it. It was amazing to be all alone with the desert darkness closing in around us and the stars coming out above. The milky way stood out white and bright. The next morning we climbed the hill and found that half a km away was another camp! I'm sure they had no idea they had neighbours and would've been just as surprised as we were.

The first stop next day was at Kiwirrkurra to have a look at Len Beadell's burnt out ration truck and then we decided to have an icecream from the local store. Eight dollars later we were enjoying two Magnum Classics! We saw lots of camels, some we had to wait while they condescended to cross the road. The only cars that we saw were late in the afternoon and most of these had just completed up to Well 33 on the Canning and were heading eastwards. Our next stop was at Kunawarritji Community where a mate had left a message after his Canning trip. Everyone at the community store remembered the note but no-one knew where it had gone to! The fuel was $2.90. We continued on to camp under a Repeater amongst the flowers and bushes. We woke to the birds singing all around us.

By now we were almost across the desert. We came to the huge salt lakes near Punmu and tried to see the far end with our binoculars but couldn't. Punmu was pretty quiet and at first we thought there was no one there. Now we headed onto the Telfer Mine Road and it was like a highway to drive on. The only vehicles we saw all day were from the mine. We stopped to look at the rabbit proof fence then not long after we were on bitumen again. The desert crossing was over and it felt really sad to be heading away from that enormous roof of sky and the overall feeling of being such a small speck on the planet.

We called in at Carrawine Gorge and then decided to go on to Eel Pool to camp. The day was getting on and we missed the turn off, backtracked, found it, but then decided too late so camped beside the road. This turned out to be a lovely campsite surrounded by the rugged, rocky, red Pilbara hills and amongst more wildflowers. We had no passersby and only faintly in the background could we hear the sound of the Woodie Woodie mine working. We were on the Skull Springs Road and spent the next day slowly travelling taking in all the scenery. Totally enjoyable. We got to Nullagine then up to Marble Bar. It felt strange to be hemmed in by other campers and only the hot shower compensated for our loss of solitude.

Next day we headed out and had a look around Marble Bar then on the Comet Mine. This is a really interesting museum set in the grounds of the old mine. Well worth a visit. We drove into Glen Herring Gorge and then continued on to the railway road from Newman to Port Hedland. Strangely enough on this good road we had our one and only blow out! Indee Station was our nights camp and what a good spot this is. There are hot showers, flush toilets and a camp kitchen with tv room (if you're crazy enough to want it). All this for the price of $12. Each night they have a happy hour where the hosts Col and Betty provide the nibbles and the campers bring along their drinks. Col built the homestead brick by brick, and since he only had one form for making bricks, it took him quite a long while! The end result is unique.

Next part - Port Hedland to Broome/Derby.