Graphite Valley - WA

This is a very rough but nonetheless - a spectacular drive
I located the intersection leading east along the river and we soon found ourselves traversing the rocky gullies of the Fingoon Range that borders the southern side of the Rudall. The track was easy to discern but twisted and turned across the many gullies, creeks and washaways that drain the area. We detoured into the bed of the Rudall trying to locate Klakan Kalkan Soak finding it dry and dusty. Back out on the track east, the surface was often purely white quartz stone and then quartz intermingled with the red sandstone, ironstone and gibber. So it was for the entire 30 odd kilometres to the graphite valley turn off. We completed the 9 kilometres south into the Connaughton Hills along an often rough and rocky track that had suffered the ravages of the tumultuous rains of 2005 and 2006. There were some interesting creek crossings and climbs up eroded hillsides. We followed it in for 9.6 kilometres, past the end of the track shown on the Hema maps until a very steep washed out section had me deciding that discretion was the better part of valour and we turned about. On the return journey, I slipped the rear drivers wheel into a deep hole, bottoming the suspension and breaking the plastic guard interior. The track east from the Graphite Valley turnoff had seen a lot less use and we often found ourselves tentatively investigating other tracks before backtracking once again.