Hi @ll,
I would like to say a very big thankyou to everyone on the
forum who helped us with their valuable advice for our recent CSR adventure tour. It was a great success, we enjoyed it a lot and did not have any severe problems. We also travelled the Kidson Track / Wapet Road, the Gary Highway to
Windy Corner and the Talawana Track from
Windy Corner to
Newman. I would like to give you a little information what these tracks are like at the moment:
CSR:
Was just great. We had had some very light rainfall, therefore conditions in the dunes have been perfect. Only got bogged once with one of the cars on our way into the
Calvert Range (in my view the worst dunes on the CSR are not actually on the CSR but on the track leading to the
Calvert Range), but could easily get out using MaxTrax. We did not have to dig at all during our whole CSR experience - unbelievable but true.
Track from start 40 km north of
Wiluna up to
well 9 is in quite poor condition - numerous washouts, slow going. Definitely only suitable for high clearance 4WDs and nothing where I would tow any sort of trailer (use detour via Glenayle station track). The rest was in reasonable condition, and we really enjoyed it a lot. Make sure to have an
UHF radio so as to warn oncoming traffic of your presence. Lots of excellent information on the CSR can be taken on the book "Canning Stock Route" by Eric and Ronele Gard, which has just been re-released and can for instance be purchased via Westprint Maps.
Capricorn Roadhouse are doing fuel orders for fuel dump at
well 23 again; price was 2,50 AUD per litre diesel, 200 litre drums only. Fuel price at Kunnawaritji community was 3,20 AUD per litre diesel.
Kidson Track/Wapet Road:
Not recommended at all, except for those of you who are keen to add lots of scratches to their vehicle paint. The track from the beginning near 80 Mile Beach
Campground access road is quite good, but after a while it becomes heavily overgrown (mainly from the sides). We had difficulties to actually find the track in this bloody mass of bushes. After pushing through some several hundred meters of bush, the track became better again, but a short way later it became heavily corrugated. Along this track I have seen some of the worst corrugations ever in my Australian driving experience (some very big holes in the track, deeper than one metre). We had to search for detours several times. Other stretches of the track are in reasonable or even good condition. It is a pity that the track becomes overgrown in
places, as it is leading through beautiful scenery. Maybe Trackcare can do something about it? If you want to travel this track be aware of the fact that it is extremely isolated and do only travel it in a convoy. Be fully self sufficient and carry all necessary emergency equipment, including advanced
first aid kit and communication means (Iridium satphone or
HF radio). We travelled the track on 10./11.6.2009.
Gary Highway to
Windy Corner:
We travelled from North (Kunnawaritji) to
Windy Corner. The track was in good condition except for the occasional washout. There is one heavily corrugated section where we chose to bypass by going cross country. The track is a little bit overgrown in the middle, but spinnifex is cut and low as of 12.6.2009.
Talawana Track from
Windy Corner to
Newman:
From
Windy Corner to
the junction with CSR it is in good condition, a little bit overgrown, but spinnifex was cut and low except for two very short stretches as of 12./13.6.2009. At approx. half way there is a suitable
camp spot, which is located close to an old windmill and tank, some six kilometres from the main track. This side track is not as good as the main track, but negotiable without problems. The windmill made lots of really frightful noise during the night, but is inoperational, so do not expect to find any water there. The Talawana track joins the CSR from north of
well 24 down to
Georgia Bore. This section is slower going due to some corrugations. From
Georgia Bore it continues as a track for approx. 70 kilometres or so to the Cotton Creek (Parrngurr) community turnoff, but is in good condition except for some stony patches and occasional washouts. From Cotton Creek turnoff it becomes much wider and is a good dirt road. When heading towards
Windy Corner don't forget to visit Veever's meteorite crater. We did not visit it this time, but the track leading in there was in good condition last year in October. Whau Whau
Bore would make a good camping spot along the Gary Highway.
Cheers from bloody boring Dortmund/Germany (it is sooooo hard being here again, sitting in the office all of the bloody day, I am really missing the beautiful CSR scenery and the nights on the campfire under the
Southern Cross),
Juergen