Googs track info

Ralph,
I am jealous. October will be fantastic. I think the reason may be that it is single lane with no white lines. Put up a sand flag and monitor the UHF for on coming traffic.

Skull

We will be on Goog's Track late September going North to South.
It is generally recognised that the many sandhills are easier to cross going North.

Ralph/Skull is on the money, the dunes are actually easier heading south, this is the way most people travel these days. The southern faces of the dunes are so badly corrugated that it would be very slow and uncomfortable going up this side of the dunes, much better slowly going down the southern faces.

Regards

Thanks fellas,
Should be at Googs Road turnoff approx. 12th October in my trusty 60.
Was thinking of taking one of the tracks that leave the Stuart Highway and cut through to Kingoonya rather than continuing down to Glendambo and across. Have either of you any knowledge of the tracks?

If you are travelling solo I'd recommend that you chatter on Ch 10 and Ch 18 from time to time.

This is just in case you meet a solo vehicle travelling in the opposite direction without a sandflag, and driven by someone who may be listening but not transmitting anything.

Let us know about the track conditions and the state of the lake when you get back.

GeorgeM

I will be going N to S ( as that is what has been recommended here for the reasons stated above) at the end of August. Will let you know how we get on. My first time sand driving.

Nothing's changed. Recommendation is still to travel from south to north. The safety reason is to avoid head-on collisions on the tops of dunes because the track is very narrow, and people hoon up dunes in both directions. If coming from the north, the dune faces are a little steeper, and sometimes there are lips to be negotiated at the crests.

We spent 2 weeks on Googs a couple of years ago, and watching people take the dunes was a bit of a laugh - everyone thinks you need a run-up over the bumpy approaches, but it is easier to just walk up with low pressures - that way you don't bounce all over the place. Usual story - too many people who are afraid to let air out of their tyres.

Need a tall sandflag and scan with the UHF (people seem to use any frequency) and transmit on 18 regularly which is the frequency you are supposed to use.

Got back today from doing the Googs Track, Buckleboo Stock Route, Gawler Ranges and Lake Gairdner. All fantastic drives and experiences. My first time sand driving and doing the Googs. Heeding all the advice from the posts above, we drove North to South, on 18psi tyres, hi 4wd 2nd gear, 30km/hr approaches, in a dual cab 09 diesel Hilux, loaded with grog, food, spares and camp gear. Not a hint of getting bogged and the vehicle traversed the hills with ease and confidence. I was pleasantly surprised. Not being on the track before, I don't know how to rate the condition of the track, but I will say the south sides are badly corrugated and you need to drive down them slowly to avoid being bounced around. I wouldn't like to be driving up them from the South due to having all the gear in the car being bounced around. South of the lake there are a few tall halls with steep rises on the North side, but nothing to trouble you. The track south of the Lake is also a different terrain being stony and harder clay area and not as inspiring as the North side of the Lake. The only traffic we saw was 2 vehicles stopped at the memorials (the money trees are a new one to me) and they were heading north. As we were leaving the park and airing up the contractor that checks the vermin proof fence turned up to start his treck along the fence line to Tarcoola, then back again. He reckons he sees some great scenery too. For the record, at both ends of the track there are 2 signs, 1 a national parks green sign, and the other a state 40k/h speed sign and they both have 2 arrows on them indicating traffic goes both ways.
It was a great drive, one I will never forget, and will do again in the years to come.