Tablelands Track as alternative to part of GRR

Hi John

From the information i gathered for our trip last year, your cannot go right through the tableland track. The Leopold Downs Road from west of Fitzroy Crossing is open, and includes Tunnuel Creek and Windjana Gorge.

Motherhen

Hi John,

We did the Bedford downs Tablelands Station track about 10+ years ago. By going through Teronis Gorge we missed what they called the Algi Jump up (spelling).

As few years later access to the track was denied by Bedford Downs. I have since heard that access is now allowed. I suggest you start with the Halls Creek Shire to see what they know about access.

We got a lot of info about the Tablelands Track from Moon's Kimberley book.

If you can get to do the track, its a great drive and well worth doing, some really speccy country in there.

happy travelling

Phil

Hi John,

In 2007 we researched doing this and through information from this and other forums we ended up with two phone numbers to call and we obtained persmission from both a station and an aboriginal community to do the track. Due to time restraints we never ended up doing the trek but we were able to get permission. If you search through the forums for replies by 'draff' and the tablelands you'll find a reply I wrote fairly recently which summarised the phone numbers you'll need - I don't have them anymore but a search of this forum should locate them for you .... ! Enjoy. Would love to hear what you think of the track if you end up doing it.

Regards,
Mrs Draff

Hi John,

I did the Tablelands Track in late in September 2007 - GREAT experience!

You need to ask permission from Bedford Downs Homestation. They were happy to assist some crazy Gerries going there and we got permission. I then got the phone number of the Aboriginal office in Derby via Derby Tourist Information, and the officer asked Yulumbu Homestation for their consent, which was granted.

The people from Bedford Downs told me that they just close the track for the wet season, after some stupid a...oles had done extensive damage to the track some years before.

Just make sure to look out for a very sandy patch of track, just two kilometres or so before reaching Yulumbu. Leave the track, there are very sharp stones under the sand, which may damage your tyres. A guy from Victoria went there two days before we did and damaged all four tyres. We were warned by people from Yulumbu and avoided this sandy patch by slowly bypassing over the grass on the side of the track. The people at Yulumbu were very nice and helpful.

The track itself is not too serious, the so-called "impassable" jump-up made us smile, after we had done some very serious jump-ups along the Munja Track to Walcot Inlet before. It just took us one afternoon to go to Bedford Downs from Yulumbu Homestation. But navigation might be tricky after strong regrowth of spinnifex. The track is extremely isolate, so travel fully self-sufficient and well-prepared. I would recommend to carry an Iridium satphone. You can ask the guys at Yulumbu to call the police at Halls Creek if you do not report back to them by phone from Halls Creek after three days or so.

The trip itself is fantastic, beautiful scenery, we enjoyed it a lot. But it may be a good idea to travel this track with at least a second vehicle. I would also recommend not to tow a trailer along this track.

Cheers from bloody boring Dortmund/Germany,

Juergen

German by Birth, but Aussie by Heart!