Four Corners

Thanks Alan - seemed as though these three corners would not be too much of problem from the comments on the Forum pages - Surveyor Generals corner would seem to be a different story again reading previous forum comments

Thanks for the info Stephen - have you done this trip recently?

Hi Dickie and Rosie
There are no problems coming down from Giles, it is well signposted.
When we were last at Wingellina, it was over 10 years ago and we came in through the APY Aboriginal Lands from South Australia. I know an Aboriginal Elder at Umuma. When invited out to see him, nothing was going to stop me from going up there, because as you may know, that is one part of Australia that is impossible for the average tourist to get permits to enter the APY Lands. From there, we travelled out further west into WA and up to Giles. Back then, the lure of money making was not set, so all that you had to do was ask for directions on how to get there.

We have made countless trip through the Simpson and now the lure is the western deserts of WA, so completely different from the Simpson.

If you get the chance, make the trip out to Wingellina and visit the corner, there is some unreal country out there.

Cheers

Stephen

And THAT is the reason why I have not bothered with a visit to Surveyor General's Corner.....

On principle I REFUSE to pay residents of Australia to visit a certain point of interest. I wonder if the residents of that community are required to pay to visit Adelaide or any other town/city?

It is pure bullsheet IMHO. It's bad enough having to pay to go to Ayers Rock, but at least there is some evidence of where some of the $$$ you spend there ending up. It can't be cheap to keep water and other essential services supplied to a remote place like Ayers Rock.......... but I doubt there are any such facilities proved at Surveyor Generals Corner. It would be interesting to see whether there is any of those funds being declared in a Tax Return from anyone in that community etc?????

P!ssed Off with the whole thing I'm sorry to say.

As for the other 3 corners; yes all pretty easy to access. Poeppels would be the "hardest" of those 3, although any of them would be a challenge after rain. When we did Haddens after it had been raining earlier in the week and our trip leader had a bit of bother and had to be recovered a couple of times.

Cheers

Roachie

"It would be interesting to see whether there is any of those funds being declared in a Tax Return from anyone in that community etc?????"

Now that was the best laugh all day :-)

Hi Roachie,
To me the joke is not the money (you pay far more than this to do the Hay River Trip, and even far more of a rip off to do the Bush Tucker Tour) - but it is the Monday to Friday basis and no Weekend and Public Holidays.

All of those gainfully employed people need some time off to do...... well what they usually do......nothing.

Having said that, the county out that way is unreal and if just to get there, it is worth just that. It was not that long ago when it was close off and you could not get out there at all.

Cheers

Stephen

Having traveled the Hay river track many times, I know how much work Lindsay Bookie and Jol Flemming put into this track. I also witnessed Lindsays displeasure when some bastard thanked Lindsay for allowing him onto his traditional lands, by stealing a huge grindstone from lake Caroline. In my view it should be more expensive. It might discourage a few AH's who have no respect for anything.

Hi David,
Just for the records, one person that is never heard of for putting in the Hay River Tracks and that is Ken Williamson. Ken did all the hard yards of actually doing all the track logging and going out there by himself, with the help of Lindsay yet Jol get all the credit, so Credit where Credit is Due.
It should be Ken and Lindsay's Tracks.

Cheers

Stephen

Stephen

That may well be so, but who gets credit was not my point. Some jewels are meant to be hard to find. In my opinion there is way too much free access by people who couldn't give a rats, just want to tick the box. Wether the Hay, The Simpson, The Canning wherever. Over the years I've seen on the Hay river, at Lake Caroline, a huge grindstone perhaps hundreds, maybe thousands of years old stolen, the midden site driven over and almost all the stone tools picked up. So what is left for others to enjoy, and learn about. Make it difficult or expensive to get to and at least you keep the numbers down. Purnululu rangers used to keep the access road rough to control numbers, Lindsay and Co charge a fee. Comments referring to sit down money and tax and communities above show a level of misunderstanding. Batton Hill isn't a "community", it is a family home, and if people who visit took time to discuss sit down money and the future of Lindsay's people and all aboriginal people with Lindsay himself, they would perhaps not see so much difference between their own opinions and those of Lindsay who is against sit down money and works extensively to improve the lot of his people. Batton Hill is also perhaps one of the tidiest if not the tidiest bush camp I've seen apart from perhaps the one run by Terrence Couthard in SA. I for one am happy to pay too use it. The bush tucker tour is lacking bush tucker in winter, but persons interested in the country, the people' use of it, and who are willing to have meaningful discussions with Lindsay, Keven, Chris, Billy or whoever is running the tour will find it worthwhile despite the lack of tucker. A chance to see the country froma different viewpoint. last year Lindsay couldn't run the tour for us, so he gave us an alternative. He also met us in the bed of the Hay river at 9pm on his way to Atula and we had a long discussion about many things dear to him.

If one is willing to interact with the country and the people, as I am sure you do, it is worthwhile.

In the Simpson I've witnessed people dropping bags of rubbish beside the track, I've seen people cutting down growing trees, using soap in Dalhousie springs, driving up the side of the Knolls (in years past).

I say put the price up, or make the access more difficult so those of us like you and I who value the land and appreciate its beauty can enjoy the country unspoiled.

Hi David,
You are preaching hear to the converted, and I know exactly where you are coming from. Like one on my notes above, I said it is dear and if it is just to get out there, it is well worth the money, because as you know, there is some unreal country out there.

Because of the nature of your employment, you get to see first hand and on a very regular basis, the things that give responsible four wheel drivers a very bad name, and them we all get tarred with the same brush.

I have learnt first hand to keep certain spots a secret. One such place that we found north of Poeppels Corner contained the very old remains of an aboriginal wirlie and grindings stones. My group did the right thing, took nothing but photos and left only foot prints.

Told my find to one tour operator who claims he knew of the spot. I gave the details to Ken Williamson and when he went there, you guess, the grinding stones have disappeared. That made my blood boil, as once again another piece of Simpson History is now lost forever.

Cheers

Stephen

Stephen

I believe we are talking of the same spot when I say that there is not much left of the whirlie now either.

David

Well, there ya go!! Ya learn something new every day. I wasn't aware there were 2 different points involved with SG's corner.

How far apart are they, please?

Roachie

127 metres Roachie...

See this link : GA SITE

Hi X
There is some unreal country in the APY Lands. I still have my contact up there, but would feel that I would be abusing the privilege it I wanted to go through with a small group of friends. The funny part about our permits when we received them back after applying, the reason on the permit stated for a "family visit", even though I am Lily White AND Leonard is as Black as the Ace of Spades. I was asked to take some of his family members up for a funeral, but could not get the time off of work last October. I might get out that way again, but next year we will have to come down from Giles to Wingelinna

Cheers

Stephen

Thanks Steve for your information and sound advice - your post and some of the others were what we were looking for.