Chugga Kurri Springs

Submitted: Wednesday, Dec 09, 2009 at 21:06
ThreadID: 74298 Views:7200 Replies:7 FollowUps:11
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Anyone know the lat and long of Chugga Kurri Springs? Even approximately!!
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Reply By: dazza62 - Wednesday, Dec 09, 2009 at 21:21

Wednesday, Dec 09, 2009 at 21:21
Have you tried Google Earth?
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Reply By: Bandicoot - Wednesday, Dec 09, 2009 at 21:34

Wednesday, Dec 09, 2009 at 21:34
It's not on Google Earth. It's WNW of Alice somewhere over the border in WA, somewhere North of Lake Mackay (I think). Just not sure where and can't find it on Hema maps or even the 250 k NatMap topos. It's supposed to be the "Hidden valley" of the Great Sandy.
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Reply By: Gramps - Wednesday, Dec 09, 2009 at 21:40

Wednesday, Dec 09, 2009 at 21:40
Looks like this mob might know since they mention it in their Great Sandy Desert trip of 1998

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Follow Up By: Ianw - Wednesday, Dec 09, 2009 at 22:15

Wednesday, Dec 09, 2009 at 22:15
That trip went from Balgo to Lake Mackay via Chugga Kurri Springs so I assume that it is somewhere in between.
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Follow Up By: Willem - Wednesday, Dec 09, 2009 at 22:52

Wednesday, Dec 09, 2009 at 22:52
Hmmmm I wonder if Chugga Kurri isn't what we now know as Dwarf Well?

Must scour the map again.

There is a track from Balgo to Dwarf Well to Lake Mackay to Kiwirrkurra. Drove some of it this year.

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Reply By: equinox - Wednesday, Dec 09, 2009 at 21:54

Wednesday, Dec 09, 2009 at 21:54
I think you mean Micheal Terry's Thomas Reservoir, also called Ullilla.

It's out west of Kings Canyon, amongst the Cleland Hills.

Here's some excerpts from Terry's book:

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Image Could Not Be Found

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Follow Up By: Member - Graeme W (NSW) - Wednesday, Dec 09, 2009 at 22:11

Wednesday, Dec 09, 2009 at 22:11
There's a story here were he mentions Chugga Kurri Springs:

Michael Terry

No details of it's actual location though.

After a quick search, it appears that his books are not available. It's a pity, as they look like they would be interesting.

Graeme
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Follow Up By: equinox - Wednesday, Dec 09, 2009 at 22:14

Wednesday, Dec 09, 2009 at 22:14
I'm think I'm wrong Graeme,

I take all of what I said back.




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Follow Up By: equinox - Wednesday, Dec 09, 2009 at 22:34

Wednesday, Dec 09, 2009 at 22:34
OK , I'll stick my neck out.

From Graemes link it sounds like it was also called Hidden Basin.

From Terry's book I deduce that it is actually Brookman Waters just south of Lake Hazlett.

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Follow Up By: Willem - Wednesday, Dec 09, 2009 at 22:40

Wednesday, Dec 09, 2009 at 22:40
Graeme

Last year there was a set of Michael Terry's books for sale in a Burra SA 2nd hand bookstore. Price was $1600 and out of my reach unfortunately
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Follow Up By: equinox - Wednesday, Dec 09, 2009 at 22:52

Wednesday, Dec 09, 2009 at 22:52
Willem,

My first edition "Sand and Sand" is coverless and the pages have gone yellow but I treasure it none the less.....

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Follow Up By: Willem - Wednesday, Dec 09, 2009 at 23:10

Wednesday, Dec 09, 2009 at 23:10
Graeme

I had a look at your link

Terry writes: There were magnificent cliffs and scattered clumps of gumtrees, with flocks of white-winged corellas flying above. There was t-tree and golden wattle in bloom, and a pool of cool, clear water. I gazed at it entranced … such quantities (of water) as to be almost unbelievable in that type of desert country. All around … was greenness … It was like a dream of beauty … suddenly come true …”

Hmmm Maybe we are talking about two different areas...lol...

But there were gum trees and fertile looking plains interspersed, but with salt, in that whole Hidden Basin area.

David Carnegie waxed lyrical about Helena Spring in the GSD and when I visited it about 100 years later it was nothing like he had described it !




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Reply By: Willem - Wednesday, Dec 09, 2009 at 22:37

Wednesday, Dec 09, 2009 at 22:37
Ah! the fabled Chugga Kurri and the Hidden Basin

4x4 writer Ron Moon, TV personalities and a film crew went in towards the Hidden Basin in the 1990's sometime, as I recall. Not sure if they found Chugga Kurri however. There was an article in 4x4 Australia mag soon after their expedition

I have been to the edge of the Hidden Basin and have tasted the waters of Labbi Labbi Waterhole. Mention is made of a spring by the name of Tungatiga or something to that effect, on the edge of the Hidden Basin but we did not look for it when we were out there in 2008. Other motorised expeditions out to the area have been in 1957, 2004 and 2007 according to my research. There could have been more. It is a pretty remote and waterless country to drive and hard going at that!

From any of the 2 tracks north or west of the Hidden Basin it is a good 200km of off-track cross-country slog to get to it.Lake Hazlett and Lake Wills are within the Hidden Basin and are treacherous to drive on and should be avoided and the Murraba Ranges posed a significant problem for us. We were lucky to get away with around 18 punctures for the 4 vehicles for the trek. The Hidden Basin is shown in Natmap Raster maps

Must go have a look again one day

AnswerID: 394440

Reply By: Bandicoot - Wednesday, Dec 09, 2009 at 23:08

Wednesday, Dec 09, 2009 at 23:08
Kym Bolton (Goanna tracks) has got back to me himself.
He says:

"We were there in 1998 when I lead a trip from Balgo to Kirracurri.
You will find Chugga Kurri may be marked as Labbi Labbi Water Hole GPS 128 45 585 21 35 272
When we were there the camels had made a real mess.

Really very pretty country – particularly the rocky outcrops and Lake Hazlett".

Still nothing at all under either name (or anything other name) at these coords on either Hema or the NatMap 250 k Stansmore. However, the coords are close to Lake Hazlett which is marked. Interesting that the topos have nothing on it??

So I'm still a bit confused!
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Follow Up By: Willem - Wednesday, Dec 09, 2009 at 23:17

Wednesday, Dec 09, 2009 at 23:17
Image Could Not Be Found


Mishap shown in my Rig Pic is less than a kilometre from where this pic was taken :-)
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Follow Up By: Willem - Wednesday, Dec 09, 2009 at 23:21

Wednesday, Dec 09, 2009 at 23:21
And more

LABBI LABBI BEACON
This beacon, at 21 degrees 35 minutes 32 South and 128 degrees, 46 minutes 08 East (WGS 84)(GPS April 2004) was placed in 1957 by Chris Armstrong, surveyor with Thomson Anthropological Expedition to contact the local Pintubi Tribe, many of whom had had no contact with Europeans

You may have a read of my diary of our Labbi Labbi expedition in 2008
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Follow Up By: Willem - Thursday, Dec 10, 2009 at 10:36

Thursday, Dec 10, 2009 at 10:36
And even more

Not everything is visible on 250K maps. Maybe if there are 1:100,000 or 1:50,000 maps you may see it.

I had a long discussion via email with Geoscience, the producers of the Natmap series and they said that through lack of funding it was impossibe to give more detail or even make updated corrections to placement of roads and tracks. Even theiur Natmap 2008 model is seriously out of date
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Reply By: Member - Graeme W (NSW) - Thursday, Dec 10, 2009 at 19:18

Thursday, Dec 10, 2009 at 19:18
The National Library has a copy of a map from field notes taken during his 1933 expedition.

The description reads:

Map of Michael Terry's 1932 expedition route through Central Australia between Gibson's Desert, Lake Mackay and the George Gill Range.

You can view it online here: Map of 1932 expedition

The resolution isn't any good for detail, but you can order a copy.

Graeme
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