Googs Track - Coober Pedy

Submitted: Tuesday, Apr 14, 2009 at 12:17

ThreadID: 67823 Views:2362 Replies:5 FollowUps:1

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simple

Hi,
Can anybody offer advice as to whether it is possible to travel the Googs track from south to north and then continue from Tarcoola, north up to Coober Pedy. This would mostly follow the Central Australian Railway for approx 110km before turning off through some station country.

Has anybody been this way.
We’ll be travelling in a Ford Ranger.

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Reply By: GoneTroppo Member (FNQ) - Tuesday, Apr 14, 2009 at 13:12

Tuesday, Apr 14, 2009 at 13:12

I've done it the other way round.

AnswerID: 359496

Reply By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Tuesday, Apr 14, 2009 at 13:22

Tuesday, Apr 14, 2009 at 13:22

Hi Simple
Question one is that the station track are easy tracks to follow, providing that you know where you are and which track to take.
You will need to contact the relevant stations that you will be passing through, as well as the Range Officer at Woomera, as you will be travelling through the Woomera Prohibited Area. The times that we have been through there, the station owners were not concerned, the biggest answers will be from Woomera. If the same person is still in charge of the Range, you will need to contact Wally Broome and give him the run down of where and when you will be passing through.

Cheers

StephenImage Could Not Be FoundImage Could Not Be Found

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AnswerID: 359498

Follow Up By: farmer112 - Thursday, Apr 16, 2009 at 02:48

Thursday, Apr 16, 2009 at 02:48

Hi Simple,

I did this trip in late December. Was a very nice drive to Googs Lake, which makes a very fine stop either for camping or for having a lunch break (what we did), then becoming harder. Definitely lower tyre pressure sufficiently in the dunes.

The permit from Wally Broome was no problem. Fast response, and Wally also advised me to contact the farms about use of their roads. We gave them a call and they were happy to help some bloody Gerries. All roads were in really good condition then. You should have a good map of the area, the station tracks are a little bit tricky. Have a GPS for backup to compare where you exactly are.

We took one day from Ceduna to Coober Pedy, but started very early in the morning and drove all day, except for a two hour lunch break at Googs Lake and a short visit of Mount Finke. Arrived in Coober Pedy just with the very last daylight. I would recommend to better make it a trip of at least two days, very nice scenery.

Cheers from bloody boring Dortmund/Germany,

Juergen

German by Birth, but Aussie by Heart!

FollowupID: 627732

Reply By: Crackles - Tuesday, Apr 14, 2009 at 17:38

Tuesday, Apr 14, 2009 at 17:38

The track alongside the Central Australian Railway has large warning signs prohibiting travel which is a pity as it would be a great shortcut.
Cheers Craig........

AnswerID: 359536

Reply By: mechpete - Tuesday, Apr 14, 2009 at 18:14

Tuesday, Apr 14, 2009 at 18:14

I an some mates will be travelling along the Rail Line in the comming weeks . the last time we travelled the line we followed the fibre optic cable about 20 mtrs out from the tracks .
cheers Mechpete

AnswerID: 359545

Reply By: RobAck - Tuesday, Apr 14, 2009 at 19:26

Tuesday, Apr 14, 2009 at 19:26

The short answer is yes and I recommend you stop at Kingoonya pub for a meal and possibly overnight it will be memorable and a great feed and company.

You get your pass from DEH in Ceduna and I recommend camping at Googs Lake and then again at Mt Finke.

It is a reasonably easy run but nothing like the Simpson Desert where you get a break from going up and down by travelling across clay swales. From Googs Lake on you are down to 16 psi and the dunes, whilst relatively small, can be challenging as people still refuse to lower their tyre pressures and have no idea how to drive correctly in this country.

Ensure you have a sand flag and take great care if you want to move off the track as bashing the bush will increase your risk of a puncture as the scrub is right up to the track in the sandy country.

At Mt Finke you have several options for a decent camp site and we do not recommend camping near Mt Finke as it is way too rocky. Follow the track around for a K or so and you get back out into sandy country which is easier to dig in etc

Kingoonya will have fuel in August with any luck so will be carrying Opal and diesel.

Once you break out of the scrub you come across a rail crossing, the Trans Australia Railway, so look out for trains. Shortly after that there is a T intersection. Tyre pressures back up to 26 psi and follow your nose to Kingoonya and pasing Tarcoola and some interesting rail history. The road is normally pretty well maintained but take care

Regards

RobA

AnswerID: 359556