Madigan Line Trip

David
Would it be possible to have a chat at some stage as we are intending to visit Geosurveys and Geo centre later this year.
either email ozhumvee AT hotmail dot com or 0431 470 119
Thanks
Peter

Hi Peter
I hope you have done your homework. The Madigan is now like other Simpson Tracks, just keep on following the tracks in front of you. Geosurveys Hill and the Geographical Centre are 100% cross country. You will find about 60Kms of good old shot lines near the Centre and that all. Make sure you take extra fuel, water and lots of puncture repairing gear, you will need it.

All the Best


Cheers

Stephen

Hi David,

Thanks for your reply; I'll take a look at the Patrol forum link.

Regards,
Peter

Hi Stephen,

So, are you saying that the Madigan Line, say Camps 6 - 16, are relatively easy these days since there is a reasonable track to follow?

Whereas, Geosurveys Hill & Geographical Centre are 100% cross country and, therefore, a completely different kettle of fish?

So, to put it in perspective, possibly do Madigan Line Camps 6 -16 with minimal punctures whereas the real cross country stuff would be significantly slower, rougher and harder on both machine and man and a lot more punctures.

Would that be a fair assessment based on your comments above?

Regards,
Peter

Hi Peter
You have hit the nail on the head. The Madigan line is easy to follow, proving that you are not the first vehicle through for the season. There is still a possibility of punctures, not like the Geo trip where punctures will be the norm, for the fact that it is pure cross country travel. Your pace of travel for the Geo will be low range 1st and second, with very short stints of 3rd. Expect to travel about 30 kilometres plus per day, our slowest was only 22 kilometres in 1 day. Cross country will sort the men out from the boys.

A great trip but the hardest you can get for a Simpson Trip.

Cheers

Stephen

Yes we are no strangers to cross country stuff, started exploring the SD etc over 20 years ago.
Travelled the Madigan early last year, 3rd group but after lots of rain and new growth after the last two vehicles.
Track was very easily lost in some sections and the later travellers probably followed our tracks and established a 'track' again.
Yes it is MUCH harder to make your own route/track than follow even very faint tracks.

Gday Stephen,
I think you're understating the Madigan Line. When I did it in 2004, it wasn't too bad, but in 2006, it was a lot harder. The desert changes, and I was surprised when a couple of people last year said they lost the track in places between camps 6 and 13.

The hardest dunes are prior to crossing the Colson track (I'm sure you remember these well :-)), and up to camp 6. Then heading cross-country to the oval (north of the claypan), and also between 12 and 13. You still need to go cross country where the track is blown away between 16 and 17. Madigan's Oval is not usually seen by travellers. Theres a visitors book at the north end of the oval, which had not been signed during the previous 12 months, when our group was there is 2006.

Breakages in the groups I have been with: 100series front arm; Old Man Emu front shocks; Prado rear control arm (needed to be welded out there), Nissan Patrol panhard rod, and I've heard of others who broke a Nissan front CV, front coil springs, and other miscellaneous damage. Definitely a high chance of something needing to be welded in most groups. Reading the books at the oval, camp 11, camp 16 usually have a few stories of what's broken.

Crawling over spinifex clumps as you cross dunes is pretty hard on the vehicle. When we've travelled north-south at times, its been easier, in that you can ride along on the western faces of the dunes and miss some of the clumpier spinifex.

I'm yet to do Geosurveys and the Geo Centre .....maybe next year!

Hope you're enjoying the Prado - you did some tough trips in the Paj!

Cheers
phil

Hi Peter

Email sent.

David

Hi Phil
How are things going? good I hope. Both you and I know what it is like out there, I was just trying to point out, that if you are travelling mid to late in the tourist season, say from June onwards, you should have had a few groups through before you to re define the tracks from the last season. Unfortunately there are no such luxury of tracks to follow for the Geo. As you know from the Madigan Line, there is no turning back once you have started, except for down the Colson.

There are a lot of people out there that think it is like the normal travelled tracks of the Simpson, far from the truth.

The Old Pajero was a very faithful old girl and had taken us to some truly remote places. If the Prado is as good, which I know it should, it will be a good vehicle also.

Where are you off to this year? We are heading out from Giles, doing the abandoned section of the Gunbarrel, Heather Highway and then the Sandy Blight Junction Track. Not real hard but a good Christening trip for the Prado.

All the best and tack care.

Cheers

Stephen

Gday Stephen,
We did the same trip with Giles/ Abandoned Gunbarrel etc in 2005. You'll have one or two corrugations to deal with on the Heather (horror) Highway!! But its great out there - especially the first half of the abandoned gunbarrel - they graded the rest that heads to Warburton.

We've off to Diamantina/Longreach/Innamincka in May, then staying put for a few months, then hopefully conjure up something in the desert in August, but nothing definite yet.

Cheers
phil

Craig, I totally agree. I was reluctant to post such a request for the very reason you mention. However, I called Mangali 4WD tours who are doing a Madigan trip this August, and it's already fully booked.

Not only that, but I have never been on a tag along as the idea does not really appeal to me. As well, since I usually travel in a single vehicle, am not a member of a 4WD club.

However, a Sydney based group who are heading out that way, may allow me to join their group. Since I am Sydney based, if they do allow me to join them, we can at least meet before hand so that they can get some sort of idea as to how I'd fit in.

Regards,
Peter

I've always been a member of a couple of clubs & makes it easy to get a small group together that already know each other for trips. When it came to the more challenging & remote areas I had trouble finding like minded travellers so decided to join the lcool group (Land Cruiser Owners Online). They have a handful of trips with experienced members normally running at least one to the middle of nowhere each year. Madigan was 2 years ago, Canning last year possibly a Simpson run this year.
Good luck with joining the Sydney group, the Madigan is a great experience well worth doing.
Cheers Craig...................