Camping on Tanami Track
Submitted: Friday, Jun 13, 2008 at 17:37
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Old Johno [NSW]
We are two vehicles looking at travelling
the Tanami Track in late July from
Alice Springs to
Halls Creek.
We are not sure whether to do in two days or three. If two days we would
camp at Rabbit flat but if three days was looking at Renahans
Bore, Rabbit flat & Billiluna. Can anybody give me some
feedback on Renahans
Bore & Billiluna re safety etc. as have a rather nervous wife.
Thanks
Reply By: MEMBER - Darian (SA) - Friday, Jun 13, 2008 at 17:52
Friday, Jun 13, 2008 at 17:52
We bush camped twice on the TT in 06 (3 vehicles) - picked a
clearing around 4pm about 50m just off the roadside - but
well distant from any settlements - both very quiet and restful nights.
AnswerID:
309711
Reply By: Old Johno [NSW] - Friday, Jun 13, 2008 at 17:54
Friday, Jun 13, 2008 at 17:54
Whoop's The three days would not include Rabbit Flat
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Reply By: Vivid Adventures - Friday, Jun 13, 2008 at 18:23
Friday, Jun 13, 2008 at 18:23
If you were going to
camp at Billi I would get out of town -
well I suspect there is nowhere much to "camp" around there anyways, unless you are in with the locals.
I can strongly recommend going out to Lake Stretch - not very far, but lots of
brolgas and things... you need to pay at the Billi community office, but it was only $15 I think.
I'm not sure if it is Renahan's
Bore or not, but I camped somewhere not far from Yuendemu on the "South" side of the track where there was a stock yard and old windmill. There was another spot closer to Yuendemu - perhaps even West of Yuendemu where there were about five or six camps set up too. I would just wing it and see how you feel on the day.
There's not much traffic and it was a nice quiet night.
As for Rabbit Flat, clearly there is a lot of indigenous camping that happens at the turn-off and from the amount of litter, probably some biggish parties - perhaps "Coyote Cash", happens there. I'd keep my distance. At present a lot of the spinifex is quite low and burnt in many
places so I think finding campsites on the side of the road would not be too difficult... just time your arrival or departure at Rabbit Flat for when Bruce Farrand is open.
Cheers
Andrew.
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Follow Up By: Hairy (NT) - Saturday, Jun 14, 2008 at 01:54
Saturday, Jun 14, 2008 at 01:54
EHhh, youd bin trablin wif Willem??
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Follow Up By: Vivid Adventures - Saturday, Jun 14, 2008 at 08:54
Saturday, Jun 14, 2008 at 08:54
Well that was the plan, but it didn't work out like that.
In the end I did the Canning and Willem, Pete and others did their off-track adventure...
Cheers
Andrew who is yet to read Willem's diary.
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Reply By: Member - Jason & Jodie - Friday, Jun 13, 2008 at 18:29
Friday, Jun 13, 2008 at 18:29
Thanks for all the info, I was going to ask the same thing - will be coming down the TT late August :-)
Cheers
Jason
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Reply By: Member - Hanker (NSW) - Friday, Jun 13, 2008 at 18:52
Friday, Jun 13, 2008 at 18:52
When you get out there what you see is what your get so enjoy but leave only your footprints so others can enjoy.
Hanker
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Follow Up By: Willem - Friday, Jun 13, 2008 at 19:06
Friday, Jun 13, 2008 at 19:06
What are you on about?
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Reply By: Willem - Friday, Jun 13, 2008 at 19:15
Friday, Jun 13, 2008 at 19:15
Old Johnno
Just look for a
clearing in the spinifex.
There is a
good camp area just north of Billiluna on
Sturt Creek. Haven't been there for a while though.
Drove the Tanami Road a couple of weeks ago from the Balgo t/o to the Stuart Hwy. Pretty ordinary road in
places. Found a roadworks
clearing about 3km south of Rabbit Flat about 50 metres off the road. Was a
good camp site as it was in a small deprerssion and hard to see from the road.
AND right in the middle of the distance between Rabbit Flat and
Yuendumu is a 7km stretch of bitumen with line markings. Not a service point in sight. Must have been the local council needing to waste money before the end of the financial years....lol
Cheers
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Reply By: toolman WA - Friday, Jun 13, 2008 at 20:25
Friday, Jun 13, 2008 at 20:25
hi Johno,
having travelled the Track several times, my only advice in camping is NOT to
camp near a water ho;e. to many bloody cats. makes for a real bad nights sleep. the ferrals were every where. Time wise you can do it in two days but you wony enjoy it. make it three at least.
cheers and enjoy the space
AnswerID:
309754
Reply By: Member - Dick (Int) - Friday, Jun 13, 2008 at 22:42
Friday, Jun 13, 2008 at 22:42
Has anybody camped at Rabbit Flat recently. Is it a safe place to
camp, or is there a lot of local activity.
What are the opening hours for Rabbit Flat to get fuel. Are they open 7 days a week?
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Follow Up By: Vivid Adventures - Saturday, Jun 14, 2008 at 08:58
Saturday, Jun 14, 2008 at 08:58
Open 7 days. From memory he is open from 7AM until 9PM... give him a call on 8956 8744.
I've never been interested in camping there, and didn't pay much attention to his setup, except that the
toilets are pretty clean, and Bruce is a great Australian character.
There is always activity - not necessarily so local. Yuendemu, Lajamanu, Balgo Hills folks travelling through, to name a few.
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Reply By: Member - Oldbaz. NSW. - Saturday, Jun 14, 2008 at 09:39
Saturday, Jun 14, 2008 at 09:39
We did it very comfortably in 2 days towing C/t last year. Rabbit
Flat did not appeal as a
campsite. We found a good spot about 25k short of the WA border, looked like a roadworks depot.
Peaceful & quiet....oldbaz.
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Member - vivien C (VIC) - Saturday, Jun 14, 2008 at 18:41
Saturday, Jun 14, 2008 at 18:41
Old Johno,
We came from
Halls Creek down the Tanami and camped just south east of the
Granite Mine. There is an area of small rocky outcrops and a cleared area behind them. This would be on your right hand coming from Alice. We could see the
mine from the top of the outcrops. In the morning a
mine vehicle did a
check of the area, apparently its often used by travellers and he was checking to make sure there wasn't a lot of rubbish left scattered around. It was a good spot, cleared area and
well off the road.
Viv
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Reply By: Richard W (NSW) - Sunday, Jun 15, 2008 at 19:36
Sunday, Jun 15, 2008 at 19:36
One of our group had to get back to
Sydney in a hurry and we did
Fitzroy Crossing to the Alice in two days. Had time to stop off at the Wolf Creek meteorite crater on the way through. Drove to the conditions which were pretty rough on the WA side.
Called into Billiluna but it was Sunday and everything was closed. Topped up at Rabbit Flat.
Camped overnight right on the WA border there was track that ran about 200mtrs into the scrub and there was a
clearing that was obviously regularly used for camping.
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Reply By: JimDi - Tuesday, Jun 17, 2008 at 01:52
Tuesday, Jun 17, 2008 at 01:52
We just come off the track 2 days ago, from Alice, first night we stayed 29K past Tilmouth
Well,(petrol $2.01) must have been a road gang there at one point as tractor parts had been left behind also an old disused
bore, lit a fire very peaceful. Next day took us 21/2 hours to go 75 K's to
Yuendumu (towing 3 tonne van) to top up with fuel ($2.25) 2nd night stayed at Renehans
Bore with 2 other travellers, council men collected rubbish and filled the
water tank with fresh water, so we filled up. A bit dusty there as the road trains were going thru at all hours..........next day on to Rabbit Flat, open 7 days until end October (petrol $2.35) sorry forgot the diesel prices......got mobile coverage, 3g at
the Granites mine and also a smooth ride for a short distance. Also there are 2 stretches of bitumen that come out of nowhere and for no reason, rather odd, but appreciated. 3rd night we stayed on the
WA/NT border, there is a track going off to the right for 200 metres,
well used site, we stayed with 3 other couples. Drove up to Billiluna and for fuel ($2.60 petrol or diesel) 4th and 5th night we stayed at Wolfe Creek Crater,lots of other campers as
well, if you think the Tanami is rough just wait till you go down that track.........hope this helps, tell your wife not to be nervous, I wasn't.
happy travells
Di
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