Dragon Tree Soak

Good question Pete, If anyone has any information please update the place page here - Dragon Tree Soak Nature Reserve.

Peter,

It’s a tough run believe me. The conventional wisdom at this point is to attack it from the top (northern) side. There is reputedly a track running to the north from The Anna Plains Track but we could find no trace of it as we passed this year.

I have spoken with one of the last successful groups that I was aware to have “almost” reached the soak area back in 2001. Their route took them past Joanna Spring and further to the north on old cut lines. From there they proceeded west on a line above Dragon Tree and then tried to access it by heading south. They struck a lot of water at that time. The country is pretty tough to say the least. Much of it is thickets of acacia and turpentine. There are the occasional swathes of burnt out country but they are largely regrown and present their own difficulties in the form of fire hardened stakes.Water is at a premium. You also have a lot of BIG dune crossings to contend with. The old cut lines are often so overgrown as to provide easier going off them. Take plenty of tyre repair equipment and a means of accessing water from old exploration bores.

I am looking at a south-north crossing of the Great Sandy as an option next year and will be doing a bit more research on identifying the best way in. I believe from what I have seen of Mick Hutton’s Plans that he will follow Warburton’s route as closely as he can. Again I think the best option is to try on the route I’ve mentioned above.

Only in the early planning stages at present so unfortunately spend far too much time working.

Cheers Mick

Pete

I have put quite a bit of research into this one as it remains the most elusive place to get to. I started way back in 2004 with the idea to travel there just for the sake of it and I have been in contact with a variety of desert travellers looking for info from them

This year I underestimated the country and the capability of my travelling set-up and decided to turn back after a short foray into the scrub. I had based my preparation on a trek of 420km cross country through the eastern reaches of the GSD in 2008. A years worth of planning came unstuck due to factors which I shall not divulge here but needless to say a different approach will be taken in the future.

The countryside is unrelenting being thick scrub, mulga, gidgee and other flora, soft sand and huge dunes. Getting the right mix with power to weight ratio to cross the dunes and tyres that will give you a better chance of survival is paramount to a successful attempt on Dragon Tree Soak.

A small number of people have been there and I have been in touch with some of them and have some photos of their adventures. Their entry to the area has been from the north in the past but getting access these days across station properties may be more difficult than before.

Planning is underway for a second attempt in the near future.

Cheers