The Old Ghan Track

Hi Nathan

I made one slight boo boo.......if you intent to visit the mound springs in the Wabma Kadarbu Conservation Park, then a permit is required.



Cheers


Stephen

Hi bush camper. Where you able to take your van into chambers pillar?
Cheers
Kevin

Hi Nathan

We were there a week back. We don't tow but I would suggest nothing less than a good off road van or CT. A bit rough and not maintained in the most part. CT's and the like should be okay. There were a few Kimberley Kamper types there when we went in. Same for the Lambert Center. Not much at Finke and no camping there.

Phil

G'day Bushcamper,
You are correct in saying that a permit is not required for the trip the OP is planning but you DO need a permit to visit Dalhousie Springs.
The ranger was checking them when we were there & someone got pinged for not having one.

Cheers
Stu

Dalhousie (Witjira) NP is covered by the SA Desert Parks Pass. At $150 I am not surprised that someone wanting to visit just Dalhousie NP for the day doesn't get a pass.

I didn't see one but it would be nice to have a day visit pass or something that could allow one to visit there and maybe camp for just one night and then back out. I do understand that the desert parks and others need funds and am not criticising that.

Personally if it was us just visiting Dalhouse and backing out instead of driving through to the Simpson, as we did last month, then we would still, without a second thought, pay because it's a damned long way back and it really is not a lot in the scheme of things considering food, fuel and maintenance costs on the car.

Phil

We didn't get a permit to go into dalhousie springs however we went looking for the ranger, but was told that he would be there in a couple of days, but we left before he arrived. plenty of people said " give us the money and they would pass it on"
And yes we took our off road van into Chambers pillars, people there said how did you get that in but we didn't have any trouble, just drive carefully.
The Elite van has good high clearance with cooper ATR tyres and as it's 17 ' long, the departure angles were Ok.
Hope this helps

Nice to get a freebie now & again!
Knowing my luck if I don't get a permit it's the day for spot checks & I get done for it.

Bushie

I hope you get got one day.

At least I pay my way. Nothing wrong with a freebie provided its legal mate.

Phil

Bush Camper

I do not know your van. My judgement was made using as a guide the three "supposedly" off-road vans we met broken down on ths Oodnadatta track a few weeks back. Supposedly off road. Bits were being shaken off them. They were not what I would call offroad. Neither were they CT's to even KK's ot T-vans. Just ordinary dual wheel vans. The Oodnadatta track was in better nick than the road to Chambers. It is hard to advise on vans because there are so many variations. Good on you but if I had one (which I wouldn't) I would not have taken it in.

Phil

You DO needa permit for Dalhousie Springs & there is no excuse for not having one as you can get them from either the Pink Roadhouse at Oodnadatta or at Mt Dare.

At $9.00 entry & $17.00 per night camping isn't a lot considering the total cost of a trip anywhere, so there is no real reason for not purchasing a day permit at least.

We also get the occasional caravan that drops in stays the night & leaves in the morning without paying their camping fees, we had some a couple of months ago come to think of it!

Morning Jeff

Cheap as chips. Thought so. Having to pay $150 for a Desert Pass I though was rough.

Back next year mate hopefully with two sons & family in their cars.

Phil and Sue

Hi Michael,

Please excuse my warped sense of humour, but that's a pretty rough "Old Gran" you've got there! :-)

Mine was shorter and cuddlier.

Yeah, I know you've got dyslexic fingers - so've I - but all seriousness aside, that's a great photo!

Again, my apologies.

Regards,


Charlie

Never been up the old Ghan (or Gran Track either) Track, but had heard you have to watch out for the odd railway spike.

No wonder!!! Didn't realise you also had to negotiate a lot of "wooden corrugations" as well?

Yeah, top photo, Micheal. If you've any more like this, you should put them in your profile page.

Bob.

Michael P, Thanks heaps for the Picture, getting more and more excited

Nathan

Hi Guys,
Thanks for the compliment, (Photo).

Bob, deciding which photo's to leave out is the hardest part of adding to the profile page.

Mike.

Kneedraggin,

Make the most of your Desert Parks pass now that you have it by staying for a couple of days at most of the places it covers, you also get to return & do a Simpson Desert crossing between now & this time next year if you wish to.