Finke to maryvale or Finke to kulgera

Hi Mrbrush,

Mt Dare - Finke - Kulgera is the less demanding route to the Stuart Hwy, then on to Erldunda then the Rock.

Mt Dare - Finke - Old Ghan - Maryvale - Chambers Pillar - Alice, is rougher with sandy sections of track with corrugations etc.. but is a more scenic route.

Personal choice really!

We drove the Finke to Chambers(but in reverse) along the Ghan trk and while a nice look, its the roughest horrible road we have ever driven on.It annoyed me more than the corrigations up the cape.Chambers Pillar is magic, a real highlight of our three month trip.

I have not been to Chambers Pillar, so I am not sure what you would miss there. If you head from Finke to Kulgera you can go to Lamberts Centre - The main road is nothing too challenging but the road in to Lamberts is very winding and slow but not a long diversion - a good experience

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yep go to chambers pillar and castle rock, dont forget lamberts centre of aussie site too then up the old ghan mind the cooorrrriiiggaatiioonss. along the old rail route or take the side road with hump after hump . come out at stuarts well . it is rough but slow and steady is the pace, while your there see what you can i say .

Hello,

I did Chambers Pillar to Mt Dare via Finke a month ago and I didn't think it was that bad. Well worth the trip.

Mike

There is a third alternative that you may or may not want to consider. My preference is to go from Dalhousie to Mt Dare then take the track across the border to Andado Station, then the Old Andado Track to Alice Springs.

The track from Mt Dare to Andado takes you through the flood out area of the Finke River - its surprisingly well vegetated - interesting drive - occasionally a couple of washouts.

The Old Andado Track (might be called Binns track these days) is just a nice track that skirts the western side of the Simpson desert, and has some interesting history. It gets the odd patch of bulldust that you need to be careful of, but passes the Acacia peuce Reserve, and some nice soutry as you exit the desert and pass the Rodinga Range. You could then drop down to Chambers Pillar, Uluru of whatever after Aice.

The Mt Dare website gives good information about all the tracks:
Mt Dare track info

Mr Brush
If you go to Chambers Pillar the Hugh river stock route is about 20km north of Maryvale on the old Ghan [old south road]. It will cut you back to the Stuart hwy and comes out just south of Stuarts Well. Then head south to Eridunda and out to Uluru.Just another option.
regards Murray

ps Rianbow valley is just north of Stuarts Well is also worth a look depends on time

Hi Mr Brush

I did the Finke Track, Mt Dare, Dalhousie etc in my Mitsubishi Express 4wd Van! If I can make it - your vehicles won't have any problems.

Did the trip back in June - the day after the Finke Race - so the track from Alice down to Finke was chopped up from all the weekend traffic but still had no problems - just took it easy.

Have a great trip - it's awesome out that way.

Happy travels :-)

Just back from that area. The old Ghan line was not too bad. I would have some concern about some of the narrow cuttings the track passes through, if you are real top heavy. Just take them a bit slower.

The Ghan line was more interesting than the Finke - Kulgera road, which ia really only a road ti get from A to B. Lamberts Centre is a minor diversion and not far from Finke, so you could see it and then double back to the Gnan line. Nothing else to see from Finke to Kulgera.