Kingsford Smith Mail Run, Carnarvon to Meekatharra

Sorry missed the spellchecker.

Matt Hi

We tried to do the wool wagon run in 2005 Exmouth to Geraldton but it started to rain and thy closed the roads behind us, we spend two days at Lyon's river HS

we hope to get back up and do all three trip (fast while still young and then slower when older) lol

Cheers

Richard

Hi Matt,
We were up that way in Sep 2005, nice drive and the roads were in pretty good condition. The Kennedy Ranges north of Gascoyne Junction a worth a look and we also camped at Bilung Pool 151 k's north of Murchison Settlement, very nice spot.
Howard

Hi Matt, hope your Dad got away ok. Have a look through back issues of Western4wd I'm sure Nick did an article on that trip a while back.

Just read the end bit. I'm looking for a bit of a trip around that time. Doing the long weekend at the end of September. Love the area around the Kennedy Ranges and Mt Augustus. Any firm dates at this stage?

The road from Carnarvon to the Junction is nearly all bitumised now, the rest of the roads you will go on won't present you with any challenges other than the odd puncture perhaps.

The scenery is pleasant and reasonably varied. As another poster indicated, the Kennedy Ranges (about 40 Km north of the Junction) are well worth a look. You can actually drive up onto them if you go via the woolshed track on the abandoned Mt Sandiman Station. Note that when I say abandoned, the owners no longer live on the place, but it is a working Station and all gates should be left as you find them.

Also, check out the Junction Hotel. The manager, Gene, is a big, burley bloke and he'll soon tell you where to go if you annoy him, but it's all a bit of fun.

Mount Augustus is definitely worth a look.

The roads get closed if there's been a heavy overnight dew, let alone rain, so plan your travels for September/October (when it will still be cool) and you should be OK.

Cheers,

Russ.

Hi Matt, I have just returned (last week) from a trip to Karijini, we travelled from Meeka to Mt Augustus to Karijini to Millstream. Part of this was on the mail run road. I can report that the Meeka to Mt Augustus road is in fine condition, one of our party was in a Hi-Ace camper and had no problems, they left us at Mt Augustus and went back via the Kennedy ranges - again no problems.

We bushed camped between Meeka and the Mount, there are lots of spots, we went a couple of hundred metres off the road but didn't hear any traffic pass all night or the next morning. There is a 'resort' at Mt Augustus which was friendly and cheap enough at $11 per night for unpowered. Hot showers, flush toilets and a bar! Accommodation is available in Dongas, which in that area makes it a pretty up market 'resort' !

There are plenty of great walks in the area of varying lengths, including the trip to the summit - if you are fit go the Gully route (class 5) its more of a challenge.

For anyone contemplating the road from Mt Augustus to Paraburdoo which is trip noted on this site, this road is also very easy, I didn't need the notes or my GPS it was clearly signposted and again OK at the moment for a 2WD vehicle if you don't mind the stones and some corrugations. There were a few dips you need to negotiate carefully but just easing off to about 30kph was all that was needed ( I was pulling an off road trailer) Bush camping in this area was a little harder to find due to the vast areas of loose rocks and otherwise lumpy and pitted areas off the raod. We found somewhere OK though.

Have fun,

Nick