Hay River Feedback

Submitted: Thursday, Jul 02, 2009 at 19:03

ThreadID: 70334 Views:2446 Replies:6 FollowUps:2

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Hay River

Suitable only to 4WDers with a strong sense of adventure and experience in remote desert travel. This track is largely unmarked and good map-reading skills are essential.

Hay River

Section: Treks

Suitable only to 4WDers with a strong sense of adventure and experience in remote desert travel. This track is largely unmarked and good map-reading skills are essential.

Member - Trouper (NSW)

Left Birdsville on 10 June 09 and arrived Batton Hill on the 15th June. The trip is certainly remote but not undoable if you have good GPS and not to forget map reading skills. The most difficult section we found was from the Beachcomber Oil well to the Claypan,(if you've done some homework you will know the area I refer to) It was the disappearing of the track and subsequent searching for it again that created the headaches.But still not a major problem. after that it was just follow the track to Batton Hill. I thought that the cost of $40 to see Goyder Pillar was a bit rich. Remember the 5 Ps Preparation and Planning Prevents bleep Poor Performance... Research and you'll be fine.

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Reply By: Member - Tezza Qld - Thursday, Jul 02, 2009 at 19:27

Thursday, Jul 02, 2009 at 19:27

Hi Trouper

Glad you enjoyed your trip. We were there last year. Is the christmas tree
still in the ground opposite the blaze tree? When we arrived at Batton hill
there was nobody around so we went for a drive, as you do, and had a look at Goyders Pillar and other bits, before returning to the camp site We were all set up when Chris and his mate turned up and they were non too pleased that we had had a look around without them. After a bit of a yak we discovered that my nephew, who was with us, had bought Joel Flemmings old 4x4 and after that all was well. Still I reckon that after shelling out the $100 or so for the permit to get there paying to see the piller is a bit rich.
Couldn't agree more with the 5 Ps

Cheers
Teza

AnswerID: 372800

Reply By: Robin Miller - Thursday, Jul 02, 2009 at 20:23

Thursday, Jul 02, 2009 at 20:23

Wonderful trip , glad you enjoyed it Trouper. Can't believe ours was 3 years ago now.

Next time we go back we will drive more of the actual river bed and more of Madigans camps.

Robin Miller

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AnswerID: 372810

Reply By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Thursday, Jul 02, 2009 at 21:50

Thursday, Jul 02, 2009 at 21:50

Hi Trouper,
The trouble is now the lure of an easy dollar. If you thought that was rich, you would have died with your leg in the air at the price for the bush tucker tour.
It makes it a dear trip if you include all the extra add on dollars. Having said all that, it is great country through there.

Cheers

Stephen

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AnswerID: 372834

Reply By: Member - John N (SA) - Thursday, Jul 02, 2009 at 23:21

Thursday, Jul 02, 2009 at 23:21

We leave Saturday - our group has 6 vehicles. We have been looking forward to this for some time now. Thanks for the up to date info Trouper. Most of the party have signed up for the bush tucker tour - we have had varying reports but looking forward to it anyway.

John & Di

AnswerID: 372856

Follow Up By: Carlin - Friday, Jul 03, 2009 at 08:50

Friday, Jul 03, 2009 at 08:50

Hi, We just returned on saturday from 3 weeks doing the hay. We had also had heard varying reports on bush tucker tour. Look, if you take it for what it is then you will have a wonderful time as we did! We had Micheal, Lindseys nephew and we asked alot of questions and he was very informative and had a great dry sense of humour. He was so knowledgable about everything we just had to ask the right questions!! If you are a city person that expects to be babied then you may be dissappointed. We learnt so much! the only down side was we had kids in the car and there was no official stop for lunch so we just kept passing food back to them but I am sure if you asked to stop for lunch they would program it in. i think it should be called history of the local area and a some bush tucker tour! However for free Michael did take us to Goyders Pillar for sunset on the day before our tour and cooked up 10 kangaroos tails yummy!!! really nice! The lovely ladies there do awesome aboriginal paintings. Of course they were a little $$$ BUT you are getting a genunine paintings directly from the artist. They ranged from $20 to $125. And we got a photo of the kids and Tracey, the artist, for them to take to school. Jim if you read this you rock!!! Now we are in post trip depression planning the next. HO HUM!

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Reply By: Stevo - Friday, Jul 03, 2009 at 08:20

Friday, Jul 03, 2009 at 08:20

The $40 fee stings even more when one realises that the pillar and viewing area is not on aboriginal owned land but on an adjoining pastoral lease !!

AnswerID: 372879

Reply By: Peter McG (Member, Melbourne) - Friday, Jul 03, 2009 at 09:21

Friday, Jul 03, 2009 at 09:21

We had a great time through the Hay River last year and enjoyed our time with Chris and relatives - even helped him with some song lyrics. the trip out to Goyder's Pillar was memorable. A big Wedge Tail Eagle was sitting right on the top.

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Peter

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Follow Up By: Member - Trouper (NSW) - Wednesday, Jul 15, 2009 at 17:53

Wednesday, Jul 15, 2009 at 17:53

Yes I was a bit surprised to learn that the "Pillar" is on private property, maybe the owners get a cut of the $40. (to maintain the track!!).....Yet having done this trip I think I'd like to do it again in the next 12 months or so. I sometimes find that, before you know it, the trips over and you're sitting on the computer talking about it. A revisit helps you to really take it all in and maybe appreciate it a lot more as you are not so UP about the trip, if you know what i mean. Thanks for the pictures Pete similiar to Chambers Pilla.

Cheers...............Trouper

FollowupID: 641886