googs track

Submitted: Sunday, Jul 05, 2009 at 13:24

ThreadID: 70412 Views:2995 Replies:5 FollowUps:5

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allan62

can anyone tell me why it is recommended to travell googs track from Ceduna and not from Glendambo
thanks in advance

Reply By: Member - Phil G (SA) - Sunday, Jul 05, 2009 at 13:54

Sunday, Jul 05, 2009 at 13:54

2 reasons:
Firstly, the track is single lane in the most part, heavily vegitated in places and you avoid potential head-ons.
Secondly, the dunes often have a steep lip on their north face.

The recommendation comes from the DEH at Ceduna. Feel free to phone them.

AnswerID: 373167

Reply By: macbushy - Sunday, Jul 05, 2009 at 13:57

Sunday, Jul 05, 2009 at 13:57

From Ceduna you go up the easy side and down the steep side.
Hundreds of reasons for doing so.
Easier on vehicle (revs, fuel consumption etc), passengers (kids like the Yahooooooo heading down) and most important ... track doesnt get cut up any more than it is, with people reving wildly and spinning wheels to get up every dune.

If you do go, please let your tyres down...every little bit helps.

AnswerID: 373168

Reply By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Sunday, Jul 05, 2009 at 14:19

Sunday, Jul 05, 2009 at 14:19

Allan
You will find that there are as many people travelling north to south as there are as people travelling south to north.
The track north is very cut up from people not knowing how to drive in sand, using the correct tyre pressures and four wheel drive. I think that the only reason that they prefer that way, is so you can get your permit in Ceduna before starting the trip. Me personally would always recommend the North / South option only for the less cut up face of the dunes.

My thoughts only. If you are a competent four wheel driver and know how to drive in sand correctly, it is a very easy trip. It makes my laugh when I hear people talking that it a very hard trip. All I say to people like that is they would never cope with the remote places that I get to.

Cheers

Stephen

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Follow Up By: Blaze (Berri) - Sunday, Jul 05, 2009 at 15:53

Sunday, Jul 05, 2009 at 15:53

Gday Stephen,

Some nice pic's there mate, we missed it a couple of years ago with problems to friends vehicle. Will get to it some day LOL

Depending on work maybe later this year, if I do it will be North to South.

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Follow Up By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Sunday, Jul 05, 2009 at 17:01

Sunday, Jul 05, 2009 at 17:01

Hi Glen
If you are after a track file, you know where you can get one. Less than a month to go now, so if you have changed your mind let me know.

Cheers

Stephen

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Follow Up By: Member - Prickle (SA) - Tuesday, Jul 07, 2009 at 21:40

Tuesday, Jul 07, 2009 at 21:40

Yep Yep, good trip, agree with your comments SL. Best camp for me is around Googs lake.

We have travelled both ways, prefer north to south due to it being so cut up the other way.

Russ

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Reply By: RobAck - Sunday, Jul 05, 2009 at 17:15

Sunday, Jul 05, 2009 at 17:15

The problem I have with encouraging North to South is the simple fact that as Phil has established and the photo's prove that Googs is a single lane track with decent vegetation right up to the track itself. So you have almost no opportunity to pull of to allow oncoming vehicles past without having to push down scrub with the subsequent environmental damage and increased risk of punctures. So why contribute the increasing the track damage and raising the risk of a puncture. This area is quite fragile and is nothing like the Simpson where the dunes are separated by nice wide clay swales that allow vehicles the opportunity to pass.

Apart from that it's easier to pickup the required permit from DEH at Ceduna on they way out rather than possibly forget to pay it once you have completed the track

There are some great travelling loops that can be created by heading South to North and stopping off at the Kingoonya Pub overnight, for fuel or a darned good feed is one of them. From there you can head down into the Gawler Ranges and/ or Mt Ive as well and then along the coast

Regards

RobA

AnswerID: 373198

Follow Up By: Krakka - Sunday, Jul 05, 2009 at 20:32

Sunday, Jul 05, 2009 at 20:32

They could put self registration stations if they were that worried about people not paying, DEH office might be okay if you arrive or depart during office hours.

Krakka

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Follow Up By: Blaze (Berri) - Tuesday, Jul 07, 2009 at 22:18

Tuesday, Jul 07, 2009 at 22:18

Rob,

I understand about the DEH permit at Ceduna, I will be collecting mine after the track. My problem is after being up on the Anne Beadell, and wanting to get to Ceduna its a long way around via any other way.

Also the Anne Beadell itself is very tight in places and needs vehicles to reverse as does most of the tracks in the High Country and I guess if we all think about it the track was originally put in by Goog Denton as a 2 way track.

This is straight off the DEH Website, so seems to me they understand people do have to travel bothways.

•If you have a UHF radio, please use channel 18. This will enable you to know of others along the road, coming towards you or behind you. This is for your safety. Lone Oak farmhouse also operates on Channel 18.
•Be considerate! Think of people coming the other way over the Sandhills.

The Tarcoola Races also has locals using the track up and back.

I understand they prefer travellers doing south to north and as for head-on collisions, if drivers run on Channel 18 as they are asked to, and run good hight sand flags, IMHO there is less chance of a head on than there is on the Simpson.

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Reply By: mechpete - Sunday, Jul 05, 2009 at 18:20

Sunday, Jul 05, 2009 at 18:20

i agree with StephenL .
have travelled it both directions several times and if you get into trouble on
Goog,s then don,t go anywhere else , its a easy day,s drive if you don,t plan
on camping along it .
mechpete

AnswerID: 373207