Canning Stock Route

Quentin,

March/ April is a bit early, I go in June and the latest would be September.

The southern end is more a dirt track with some small rocky parts, the middle is sand and the top is back to dirt/ sandy tracks.

The trip is getting more popular, so except a bit of traffic. You might be lucky to go a day with out seeing another vehicle.

The water in the wells does change from year to year and how the person before you leaves the well. In most cases if there is a cover over the well than the water is good to drink. I have boiled water before drinking and top up the water tanks when ever I can. I have 120lt of water on board but will not use all of it before I have the chance to fill up. 60lt would be the minimum.

Long range tanks plus jerry cans are the way to go. The patrol can have an aftermarket tank fitted. How ever the main tank is the one that gets changed the most.
It will also depend on where you get the fuel from. I always go from south to north. I have full tanks at Wiluna, 280lt, plus empty jerry cans. I use the fuel drop at Well 23. This is a 205lt drum and what does not go into the tanks goes into the jerry cans. I will not have to use the Kunawarritji Community for fuel but do call in to restock food items.

The trek notes would have camp sites on them but about the only popular place that camping and visiting is not allowed now is Calvert Range. When you get the permit it will explain where you can go and where you can go. Camping is first in best spot. Most camp sites are near the good wells for water.

I will take 20 days to do the Canning Stock Route, Wiluna to Billiluna, that works out to be 3 wells per day with 4 days where I stay in camp for at least a full day. This does vary because of other campers, weather, and vehicle breakdowns.

It will take about 12 months to get the trip planned. You have started in the right place, and expect to do a lot of reading and phone calls over the next few months. It would be better to have at least one other vehicle as a minimum and 3 vehicles in a convey would be good. HF, UHF, EPIRB, Sat phone, these are not options of one or the other, but what should be carried on the trip.
There are some good books available from this site on the Canning, and they should be taken on the trip for information as you travel.

This is a remote track to travel and if planned correctly will be a lot of fun. Have a good trip when you go and if you are there in June 2008/ 2009 I might see you you on the CRS.

Wayne

Quentin

Wayne is spot on. We have long range tanks and carry close 215l in tanks plus 30 extra in cans. We used 130l to get to Well 23 and could have gone through to Bililuna without filling at 33 but did top up. We have 80l water in the Patrol with a bit extra in smaller containers. We found we could top up enough from the wells which were good last year.

We plan on being back there between 23 and 33 this August on our way out to the Pilbara.

Cheers

Peter

QS.

I am going in May will approximately be at the beginning on the 8th.

Now there is no fuel at well 23 this year. I have spoken to at the aboriginal community at well 33 and he has suggested to carry 260 litres for a landcruiser 6 cyl. I don't know what your fuel consumption is however i have been told you will use about 15% more fuel on the route than on a normal road.

As far as water is concerned the 20ltr containers are better than one large one as it is easier to fill up smaller ones at the wells.

it is a trip one does not take on without prior 4X4 sand experience and it will take 12 months to organise properly. there are a lot of vehicles travelling the route and each day just seems to bring more of us. People that live there wonder why people would attempt such a thing.

I just love it.

I will post my trip notes when finished. hopefully one can get out alive.
Enjoy the planning it is just as good as the trip

Meggsie 1972

Thanks for your input. No fuel at 23 is a problem. How did you find that this will be the situation please?

.....and I reckon that if you are only hopeful that you will get out alive then perhaps you should not go, or is this just melodramatics for another cause??

QS

Quentin,

I have been speaking to Grahame at the roadhouse at The aboriginal community and he has said that the truck has burnt to the ground. I also have read it on the VKS737 site. that is why i called him to find out about fuel.

I travel for a living and have crossed many paths in the deserts, cape, Kimberley and most of the south and one day i know my old girl won't make it, i travel on paths that are rarely ventured and some that are not even tracks.

I just enjoy getting out there, ring grahame his number is on this site, i believe he is transporting fuel but not as far south as well 23. the best knowledge is local.

Enjoy the planning

Quentin,

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As you can see from the photo that the drums are sealed from the refinery. That how ever does not stop any one else from taking it.
It does work on a honest system. having said that we have not had a problem with furl being taken.
Before I started taking empty jerry cans we left a half full drum of diesel. I had a convey of 8 vehicles and that was leftover after we had filled every thing we could that would hold fuel. Most people that are short we take the fuel in the part empty drums.
The drums are marked with you name on the top, you will have to roll them out to stand them up and back you vehicle over to the drum.
There are some hand pumps there, but they have been dropped in the sand and look very ordinary. I always take my own hand pump.
The fuel at Kunawarritji (Well 33) does have a high turn over. That can be good also bad. The fuel tends not to sit in the tank for long but they can also run short very quick. I have not purchased diesel from there but have last year had to get some petrol and that was OK.
At Kunawarritji they don't accept credit cards, cash or eftpos only. We saw a driver of a petrol vehicle pay just on $900 to fill up. Fuel has been around the $2.80lt last year.

As far as aftermarket fuel tanks go, have a talk to ARB or TJM. What vehicle do you have? That will make a big difference to the size of the tank that can be fitted.

Roof racks. Very hard not to travel with out one. I have the empty jerry cans up there plus the gas bottles.

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As you may have guessed I take conveys on trips all over Australia. They do have problems from time to time, but I have fixed a lot more vehicles that are not we me than travel in my convey.

Based in Sydney I start the Canning at Yulara (Ayers Rock) and finish in Alice Springs. Perth is a bit out of my way but hope to spend some time there one day.

Wayne

Wayne G,

Just a couple of things,
Fuel at the Kunawarritji can be unpredictable. Last year in June they did not receive a delivery because of the mines in northern WA requiring more fuel for some reason. Even Rabbit Flat was effected. This was a short term problem of about a week with out a delivery.

I am not having a go at you but just to explain why I don't use CH 40 on the CSR.
Having every convey on one channel is just as bad as not having a UHF on at all.
I agree UHF is good for a convey but no one wants to listen to convey chatter all day. Important information can get lost when another vehicle speaks over, music is played over the UHF or static is heard.
I am not saying don't use CH 40 but if you are a lone traveler put the UHF on scan, if you are in a convey have at least one UHF on scan. That way you will pick up every other UHF in range that has convey chatter also every vehicle should have a sand flag not just the trip leader. The more flags the easier to be seen.

Wayne