Googs Track Review

Submitted: Sunday, Jan 08, 2012 at 14:16

ThreadID: 91090 Views:1930 Replies:3 FollowUps:3

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Googs Track

A most adventurous short-cut for those travelling from the west to Coober Pedy & the Alice. Excellent views and plenty of wildlife, featuring memorials dedicated to Goog and Dinger,

Googs Track

Section: Treks

A most adventurous 4WD short-cut for those travelling from the west to Coober Pedy & the Alice. Excellent views & plenty of wildlife, featuring Goog's Lake & Mt. Finke. No dogs permitted.

Googs Track - Outback Travellers Guide

Section: Shop

Series 4 - Track 3 Eight stripmaps break Googs Track into identifiable sections giving travellers information on regional roads, access routes, tourist information, historic snippets, fuel, water,

Member - DingoBlue(WA)

As I will be travelling the Googs track this September I purchased the guide to give me a more comprehensive overview than the paper maps.
In general, I was fairly pleased with the strip map format and the photographs of the intersections however, the print size is such that it would be almost impossible to read whilst driving.
It may be ok for the younger generation, but for us visually challenged, no hair nomads, you'd need to stop and get out the magnifying glass to read the GPS co-ordinates!
All in all, a worthwhile addition to the paper maps.

Rather a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy!

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Reply By: Hugh D - Sunday, Jan 08, 2012 at 15:35

Sunday, Jan 08, 2012 at 15:35

On the other hand, it is very hard to get lost on Googs track - well, except for the very last part, but even that doesn't matter much as you end up at the same place.

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Follow Up By: Member - DingoBlue(WA) - Sunday, Jan 08, 2012 at 15:42

Sunday, Jan 08, 2012 at 15:42

G'day Hugh,
agree it's hard to get lost on Googs track but the reason for purchasing additional publications is that they usually fill out the trip, giving history and other points of interest. Too many times in the past I have belatedly found out that I missed significant locations on my travels because of my lack of research.
There seems little point in just driving a particular route to say you've done it and missing the essence of the travel.

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Follow Up By: Hugh D - Sunday, Jan 08, 2012 at 15:59

Sunday, Jan 08, 2012 at 15:59

Good point, and I totally agree..

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Reply By: Member - Barry P (VIC) - Sunday, Jan 08, 2012 at 18:59

Sunday, Jan 08, 2012 at 18:59

make sure you have a flag up ;some people dont which makes it very dangerous bye barry

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Reply By: Member - Ian G (NSW) - Sunday, Jan 08, 2012 at 20:21

Sunday, Jan 08, 2012 at 20:21

During our 11 years of aussie travels, Googs Track is still up there with one of our favourites. We did it from north to south, which is a bit unusual, but we towed an ultimate camper and it would have been impossible to have done it in the other direction because the approaches were really chewed up and the sand like marshmallow. We needed a run-up on every dune and only got bogged once, but it was our own fault as we didn't give our trusty Landcruiser enough herbs to get up a steep dune.

Interestingly enough we only met one traveller on the way & they didn't have a flag or a radio. Pretty irresponsible we thought especially in view of the fact that they had 2 little kiddies on board. A flag is a must as there are potentially 300 possible head-on opportunities on the crests of each of the dunes.

We made a point of calling our position over channel 18 on the uhf every 1/2 hour, but didn't ever get any response.

We met some people at the Lake end putting their flags on the rear bumper - not very smart either, unless they intended reversing over every sand dune.
There are magic camps and make sure you check out the monuments at the lake end - very sad story and outcome for the two boys.

Make sure you drop in to Mt Ive Station on the way to or from Iron Knob turn off if you go that way as well. They have some wonderful bush camping and some good 4x4 treks. You used to be able to get fuel as well.

enjoy the track, nomads

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Follow Up By: Member - DingoBlue(WA) - Sunday, Jan 08, 2012 at 20:54

Sunday, Jan 08, 2012 at 20:54

Thanks for the info Ian,
We're heading from Ceduna,
North up Googs then Coober Pedy, Oodnadatta and Dalhousie, across the French Line to Birdsville, down the 'track' to Leigh Creek and through the Flinders to Port Augusta then heading home to Perth, so Iron Knob will be on our way back. We won't be travelling through to Mt Ive but is worth keeping in mind for the future.
My father worked at the Whyalla Shipyards in his youth and when I still had hair, (and freckles) we visited the area a few times and I seem to recollect that there were three hills named Iron Knob, Iron Duke and Iron Baron. I don't think there is much left of these landmarks now.
Regarding your comments about unprepared travellers, I have an acquaintance who is inexperienced and intending to travel the CSR in April, without VHS, Sat Phone, EPIRB or sand flag!
I've told him that apart from being the wrong time to travel that route, he really should think about his communications. His response was that 'I don't need that s***t.
I guess it takes all types!

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