Well I’ve returned to reality and the cold weather of the east coast after an interesting 8 weeks in the west. Thought I’d update you all with a few more track condition reports.
Telfor
Mine Road/Wapet Track
Excellent condition right down to Kurnawarritji. 100 kph road if so inclined.
Back route to
Christie Crossing from Woodie Woodie
Mine (Via
Mike Mine)
Good condition with the odd washaway to contend with. Some light sand inn the station stretches to the south as you approach Mt Hodgson. Not getting much use so it has remained in excellent condition.
Back entry to
Rudall River from
Christie Crossing (Via
Bocrabee Hill,
Hanging Rock).
Hard to locate the start due to side ridges as you come out of the
creek at Christies but once you spot the turn, the track is easily navigable. Some closed in areas and a bit of sand as you get towards Bocrabee but easy to follow and no challenges involved. Into and down the west side of Bocrabee is good. Only place I took a wrong turn was just short of the grassy plain. Take the track to the right, not the left. If you do find yourself on the track, you will arrive on the northern side of the grassy plain behind the belt of acacia. Follow the acacia till it thin s and then head SSE across the plain and you’ll pick up the track again.
Very stony into Tchuckardine Pool and then easy to follow the 7 km to
Hanging Rock. Track is good all the way back to Tjarra Pool.
(This track is not one to take if you are worried about getting the odd scratch on the Pajero!).
Rudall River National
Park
Same Same. Main track north-south is its sandy self. Track to Tjarra easy to navigate. Track to Desert Queen Baths (DQB) still rough but no real issue. Just take your time.
Important to note that there is no
water in the south, west or east of the
park. Tchuk, Curran Curran and Tjarra Pool are all dry. Watrara has a scummy pool a couple of metres across. No.11 Pool is also dry. Klakan Kalkan and Coondecoon Pools in the east of the
park are dry.
THE TOP
HAND PUMP WAS NOT OPERATING AS OF 7TH JULY 09.
I was also told that the southern pump was inoperable as
well but have not been able to confirm this. Does anyone k now if it is operating and the
water drinkable?
Graphite Valley Track and the track east in reasonable condition but hard to locate in
places south of
Talbot soak (Where the track heads east towards
Camel Rock.
Camel Rock to Cotton
Creek. Good condition with the odd washout to be negotiated. 4x4 not needed.
Desert Queen has plenty of
water although
the pool near
the gorge mouth is getting shallower and is down 30 cm over last year. Trees are making a come back providing a bit of shade in the
camping area. Still looks like the face of mars across the valley though.
Talawana from Cotton
Creek to Canning (
Georgia Bore).
Heavily corrugated the entire length although not as bad as Canning Stretches. Canning stretch from Georgia down to the Talawana commencement (Including
Capricorn Roadhouse) is a corrugated hell. An absolute shocker!!!!!!!
Talawana (Canning to Eagle cut line turnoff)
Good condition with light corrugations and a bit of loose sand around the
Curara Soak area. Hardly 4x4 material but needed to watch as you wind around the dunes. Great trip. No
water at Tank and
windmill just south of
Midway Well. Small pool in
Midway well suitable for animals but not peoples (unless desperate & you boiled it).
Eagle Cut Line down to Treagar Hills and
Warri Site
Great run. Two wheel track only at times. Some overgrown areas, not much spinifex to contend with and the odd washaway particularly around the gibber rises and stoney patches.
Eagle Hwy down to the Gunbarrel
Bloody great run. Fantastic track. The
Mungilli outstation has been taken over by a sandlewood operation so don’t plan to
camp there. They have the bores running so will give you
water if you wish it. Nice bunch of blokes, maily islanders and Africans. Sheds at both Warri and Hussar No1
bore are good but no
water.
David Carnegie Road (DCR) - Gunbarrel south to
Great Central Road
Another great run south. A bit rough at the start but no real issues. Track is in great condition with a few good washaways to be negotiated. Minor corrugations in some areas. Very dry but plenty of Camels about. 70 km south from
Empress spring to the
Great Central Road is a bloody super highway. Smooth and recently graded.
Great Central to
Warburton
Great. A few rough spots and thhe odd corrugation but good condition.
Connie Sue to
Neale Junction
Good run with a few washouts and rocky patches. Some sandy stretches ag the northern end. BAD corrugations for 40 km between the McKenzie breakaways and the Parallel Road No 2. Good after that.
Connie Sue Neal
Junction to
Rawlinna
Another great run on a wide track, no road is more apt. Hall roads you hit 40 km n orth of Leech Lakes are all good but the track south 30 km down from Leech Lakes that heads down to
Rawlinna via the abandoned Premier Downs is rocky and slow going.
The best route south from
Rawlinna is to head west to
Haig and then take the
Haig-Eyre Hwy track. Rocky again but no where near as bad as that last 100 km north of
Rawlinna.
Anybody has any queries, MM me or at mickolsen13@hotmail.com
Cheers Mick