Purposeful Meandering Around Remote WA - Week 8

Saturday started as Friday had finished, mother nature had unleashed herself overnight with howling winds and rain scrawls lashing most of Victoria, the temperature reflected the conditions and the time of year and we were grateful to be indoors. We’d soon packed up, the local tv news highlighted some the damage from the overnight winds. We headed into the centre of St Arnaud for a look around before continuing our travels across central Victoria. The coldness ensured we didn’t get out of the car too often. Occasionally we would stop to find a geocache, only to regret getting out of the car. By lunchtime we’d reached Bendigo, the warmth of the day had slightly improved and we took some time to look around. We’d been to Bendigo on a number of occasions but marvelled at the old tourist tram and old buildings which litter the Main Street. Just north of town in Huntly is one of the best pie shops we’ve found and the timing was perfect to once again feast on what they had to offer. Pushing on, we had a look through the large rural township of Shepparton before heading to Benalla for the night, where we spent another lazy night indoors.

Our penultimate day, Sunday started at slow pace as we needed to be in Beechworth for 12pm, so we spent to first couple of hours geocaching around Benalla and Wangaratta before making our way across to Beechworth. The alpine areas directly ahead of us still had blizzard warnings in place and as such there was no views of the snow capped mountains of Victoria. Just before lunch we found ourselves in Beechworth which was perfect timing to allow us to feast on the yummy pies from the famous bakery. We did a bit of sightseeing before making our way around to the Billsons Brewery which had the girls in our family delighted. Spoilt for choice and offering many flavours that aren’t in the shops yet we walked out with an ample supply of the products…. Back on the road and continuing northwards we soon crossed the border, back into NSW and the realisation that our holiday was quickly coming to an end. Heading north to Wagga we’d decided to spend our last days catching up with friends. By late afternoon we were catching up with geocaching friends for coffee and we had dinner with an SES friend who’s currently in Wagga for work.

Monday was a similar story to the previous day, we only had a few hours drive to be home but spent most of the day stopping off to catch up with friends. By lunchtime we’d made it to the SES office at Goulburn where we had lunch and shared the tales of our trip with our good friend Macca. The final leg of our journey home was uneventful and sadly our seven and half week holiday was done. We’d seen so much of remote Australia it’s hard to pick a highlight. We’ve ticked off a number of bucket list items and done it with some great friends. We truly do live in a beautiful country.   

Trip summary 

Total km’s - 17308km 

Longest distance in one day - 972km 

Shortest distance in one day - 92km 

Most expensive fuel - $3.70/ltr 

Cheapest fuel - $1.83/ltr 

Total fuel for trip - 2215ltr

Fuel cost - approx $5k

Max fuel carried when full - 187ltr

Max water carried - 120ltr drinking water 

Total number of nights - 52 

Total number of nights in swag - 44 

Number of nights under the stars (free camping) - 20 

Most expensive campsite - $73 

Number of time zones - 3 

Number of States - 6 

Number of State Corners - 3 

Remotest town visited - Punma or Wingellina

Furthest point from home - Carnarvon 

Most northern point from home - Broome 

Most Southern point from home - Penola 

Most Western point from home - Steep Point 

Best place we stayed - Karajini NP 

Worst place we stayed - Roadside quarry (eatin by midgies) 

Number of window screen chips - 3 

Number of tyres destroyed - 1 

Lowest temperature - minus 1 

Highest temperature - 38 

Number of Deserts crossed - 5 

Bucket list items completed - 5 

Number of Corrugations - 1,946,761 

Average fuel consumption - 13.7ltr/100km 

Number of flies swallowed - 6 

Vehicle damage - Battery, Tyre, Front hub, Windscreen, Solar panel, countless scratches

Purposeful Meandering Around Remote WA - Week 7

Saturday in the Simpson desert and we were reminded how cold this place can be, a cold wind howled between the dunes and with no protection from the vegetation we felt rather cold and exposed. This was day 4 of our crossing and the plan was to be in Birdsville tonight. The QAA line has marked call points starting at No:23 and descending to No:1 which are designed to radio ahead for oncoming traffic and/or to identify your location if you breakdown. With our struggling in 4WD we wondered whether we needed to use one of these as a reference point. As the day progressed the numbers came down, we progressively made it over each dune. At No:3 we had a significant creek crossing to negotiate and with recent rains it was flowing well. Garth made it across and setup as our recovery, but thankfully we made it across the water unaided but needed help up the muddy slope on the exit. Pushing on we finally reached Call point No:1 and what lay ahead was “Big Red”. This ominous 30m high sand dune has multiple tracks up it depending on your skill or vehicle capability. Given the minimal drive from the front hub we took the easiest line and were very grateful to reach the top on our first go. For the next hour we laughed and commiserated with others as they tried their best on the tougher lines, some broke parts others eventually taking an easier line. Big Red marks the end of the Simpson Desert and the last 40km into Birdsville was a pleasure to drive. We quickly setup camp in the van park and basked in our first shower in days. Our evening was spent at the famous Birdsville hotel enjoying a meal and drink.

We’d decided to have a lay-day on Sunday, which was a welcome change. A relaxing start ensued, with a cooked breakfast and no real plans for our day in Birdsville. We caught up on some washing and a few chores around the car. The most exciting thing we did was the 30min walk around the 3 streets in town and refuelling the car. Being Sunday all shops in town shut by midday, so that leaves the pub and the artesian bore for attractions. Around 3pm the rush of new travellers arrive in town and the peace was broken. Our relaxing day was much needed and great for recharging our bodies.

Monday dawned with us rolling by 8:00am. We drove the short distance to the Birdsville Bakery where we met up with Garth and Tom, we all feasted on the local delicacies for breakfast. Once on the road our plan was to travel the Birdsville track but recent rains had closed it for the past week, thankfully we were lucky the track had opened to limited vehicle access. We made our way out of town and soon realised why the track had been closed, water covered the track and surrounding areas in multiple spots. At times we’d be travelling the track at 80km/hr and all of a sudden we’d be in water up to the sills of the car. We quickly learned that best option was straight through the water, going around the outside in the soft mud was dangerous but we had a lot of fun learning the hard way. By lunch time we’d made it to Mungarianne Hotel, this was to be our intended overnight campsite but after some discussion we decided to keep going. Despite the publican telling us the road was better the further we went south, we were still faced with multiple spots where water covered the entire track. By mid-afternoon we arrived in Maree which meant we’d ticked another box of Australian tracks. Continuing south our goal for the night was the historic township of Farina. We stopped along the way to collect some firewood and just before dusk we arrived at Farina, which appeared to be a popular choice as the place packed with travellers. We struggled to find a spot but once we did, we settled in for a night around the fire with a few beverages and a warming port. With our plans for the remainder of our trip taking us in different directions this was our final night as a 2-car convoy.

Tuesday started like any other day, except Farina in winter is a very cold place. Our extremities froze, the dew covered everything and we all struggled to get going. Garth said his goodbyes early as him and Tom had a lot of ground to cover today. We took our time, doing a bit of sightseeing and stopping at the seasonal bakery in Farina for some outback baked bread. Heading southward we quickly drove into rain scrawls and howling winds with the car temp struggled to reach double digits the entire day. We had a few stops as we drove south, at Hawker we inspected the working seismograph located in the petrol station, while in Peterborough we were gripped by steam train fever. Late in the day we found ourselves in Clare, we’d had enough driving for the day so we lashed out and found a cabin for the night as the predicted subzero temps didn’t lend itself to sleeping in a swag. Ahh! the warmth of a heater and comfort of being indoors for the night.

Wednesday started slowly, the comfort of being indoors had us struggling for motivation but eventually we were packed up and on the road again. The cold weather conditions hadn’t eased and for much of the morning we were happy to drive, staying warm while in the car. We’d made our way back towards Renmark where we planned to visit another state corner. MacCabes Corner is another surveyors mismatch. I’m sure the intent was for all 3 borders (NSW/SA/VIC) to align but once again that’s not the case. Around lunchtime we arrived at the nearest parking point to the corner, we then set off on a 2hr return walk to reach our final corner location for this trip. Situated on the banks of the Murray River this tranquil spot is very different to the others we’d visited, but the magnitude of reaching our final corner in Australia was lost because the post was neglected. Once back in Renmark we spent a few dollars attempting to clean the car, the mud had got that thick on the car we were getting dirty simply getting in and out of the car….. it was a sad moment as we washed away some great memories. By nightfall we were setup in a motel ready to watch the deciding “state of origin” game. All new south welshman know how that ended and I’m sure half the motel heard us cheering a great win.

Thursday started with the morning tv shows advising of severe weather coming across the SA state in the coming 24-36hrs, while this didn’t deter us from our plans we were conscious of the pending weather. We spent much of our day driving through various towns in the Murray and Mallee regions of the state. Travelling through the Murray region we watched countless pickers in hundreds of orchards picking oranges and mandarins. A similar scenario was playing out throughout the day with the countless vineyards we drove past. We passed some very popular brand name wineries that we’ve enjoyed. By days end we’d managed to stay one step ahead of the weather but chose a comfortable option for our night in Naracoorte.

Friday sees week 7 coming to an end, we woke to rain and that was the tempo for the day. We headed out to the Naracoorte Caves hoping for something a little more than a guided tour through a cave, but we quickly reminded ourselves how spoilt we are having various roping cave systems so close to home. After a short look around we left disappointed but not surprised. With rain continuing to fall and temps in the low single digits we soon found ourselves in Victoria. The weather wasn’t any better, there was even a severe weather warning for areas near where we were driving. Around lunchtime we stumbled across the site of a story for the ages. In 1864, 3 kids went missing for 9 days. OMG! they were eventually found alive 100km from their home. We both struggled to grasp the magnitude of such an event in todays society….. Moving on we passed through the rural towns of Edenhope, Horsham and Dimboola before deciding the small town of St Arnaud was enough for today. The rain hadn’t let up and the temps remained in the single digits. It was a no-brainer that we opted for the comfort and warmth of something more than the swag for tonight.

7 weeks into our trip and the end is near.

Purposeful Meandering Around Remote WA - Week 6

Saturday was our coldest start for the trip. The desert is a cold but beautiful place in winter. Warakurna had put on an icy 0.3deg as we got out of the swag. There was ice on most things and everything we touched was painfully cold on the hands. Setting off there was an air of excitement to the day ahead, we’d made arrangements and secured permits to Surveyors General Cnr which borders WA/SA/NT. A 2hr drive off the main dirt road took us to a local community called Wingellina where we met our indigenous guide Linda. We transported her to the corner which is a few kms from her residence. Once at the Cnr she explained some of the history over the past 50 years. We grabbed some photos for our memories before dropping our guide back home and we continued our journey east. The Great Central Rd passes through various communities and a transit permit for the journey is only valid for 3 days so there’s not much time for detours. Given the Timezone changes as we crossed back into the NT we made it to Uluṟu right on sunset. We opted to skip the sunset over the rock as it’d been a big day and we still had few errands to do before calling it a night.

Sunday in Yulara was far more pleasant than the previous few mornings. We’ve decided to kill a few days as rain is once again forecast for the Simpson Desert, so we’ve decided to detour via Kings Canyon and the Larapinta Loop Rd around to Alice Springs. The weather gods must have been listening to us because as we headed out of Yulara the desert turned on a pea souper fog making the scenery impossible to see. However by the time we reached Kings Canyon (some 3hrs later) the sun was out and it was a beautiful day. We opted to do the gorge walk through the canyon before heading around to the resort for lunch. With our bellies full we continued along the extremely rough Larapinta Loop to the Finke Gorge NP and a small campground called Palm Valley. We opted to find a nice spot along the river which entailed doing some sand driving, well that didn’t go too well for us as it seems the front drive of our 4WD is broken. Alas we didn’t realise this till I was well n truly bogged in the sand. 2hrs later, thankfully Garth was able to recover us to some more firmer ground. With my pride dented we opted for a simpler spot for the night. I’m now left with some mechanical repairs to work out what’s wrong with the red wagon. Hopefully we can fix it before the Simpson desert crossing.

Monday dawned to another heavy fog blanketing the area. We packed up and made our way around to the Mereenie Loop which runs through the West MacDonnell Ranges. We made numerous stops at the various gorges and lookouts throughout the valley. We walked into a couple of the gorges where swimming was available. While the water looked inviting watching those in the water shiver uncontrollably we decided against it. By mid afternoon we’d made our way into Alice Springs, we took the opportunity to find a safe place to undertake some repairs to the front end of 4WD. An hour or so later I’d diagnosed an issue that wouldn’t be permanently fixed on the side of the road, however a temporary fix has hopefully allowed us to continue into the desert in a few days time. By days end we’d found a woolies where we restocked some fresh food, we also took the opportunity to treat ourselves to the comfort of a motel for the night.

Tuesday started with the realisation we’d just spent the night under a town curfew. Another heavy fog and cool temps blanketed the area. With food and fuel restocked we headed south out of town. The 130km/hr speed limits were tempting but for a change I acted responsibly and stuck to safer speeds. By mid-morning we reached Kulgera where we turned east towards Finke. Our first stop was Lamberts Geographically Centre of Australia, this ticked another item off our bucket list. Pressing on we were soon in Finke where we seen a few parts of town used in the desert race. Continuing towards Mt Dare, Garth took us to the remote place called Duffield, this was an old rail siding habited in the 60’s by his grandfather. Sadly only the ruins and a small section of track remained. You could see the excitement in their faces as they relived their family history. Back on the main track and with the sun setting we arrived at the Mt Dare hotel. Who would have thought to put a pub in the desert, but it works, the place was packed with travellers. We joined the hundred or so other campers as we enjoyed an outback pub meal which concluded a very long day for us.

Wednesday was another chilly morning in the desert. We packed up and were first in line for fuel as the single bowser opened. Thankfully we didn’t need much fuel @ $3:05/ltr. Heading further into central Australia we were soon at the outback oasis of Dalhousie Springs, this thermal pool bubbles out of the earth at approximately 37deg and made for a refreshing swim and change from sitting behind the wheel. As we left Dalhousie Springs you officially enter the Simpson desert, we’d put our sand flags on the cars and lowered our tyre pressures. By lunch time we’d arrived at Purni Bore, this is another artesian bore where the water comes out of the ground at almost 100deg. We had lunch here before continuing our journey over the sand dunes. With 3 routes over the Simpson we decided to take the WAA route and shortly before 3pm we’d found a great spot to camp for the night. Our first night in the Simpson desert was spent relaxing around the fire with a few liquid refreshments.

Some time very early Thursday morning I had a lightbulb moment that I should pull the front wheel hub apart again to see if I could improve on the makeshift repair I’d previously made. Well, at first light that’s what I did, only to find more broken pieces which is never good. After discussing the possibilities with everyone we decided to continue heading across the Simpson. By 9:30 the car was back together, we’d had breakfast and were all packed up. We quickly learned that crossing the Simpson desert is a slow activity, you rise and fall over each dune, you bounce and hop across each corrugation with an average of only 30km/hr. By lunchtime we’d only gone 90km. We shared our lunch spot with a very inquisitive dingo. Careful not to feed it we were soon back on the road. We passed a few vehicles and various adjoining tracks. The thing that surprised us the most was the greenery. Recent rains had freshened up the place, wildflowers bloomed everywhere and made beautiful carpets across the dunes. Late in the day we reached the large salt pan at the end of the WAA line. Given the recent weather and our 4WD issues we opted to walk the route across the salt pan and lucky we did. It appeared not many people had succeeded in crossing the pan. We erred on the side of caution and opted to turn around and return the 30km to the nearest alternative route, this made our already big day that much longer. By nightfall we’d found a suitable place to camp, all of us feeling very exhausted. There was no campfire like the previous night, we literally cooked dinner and hopped into the swag (where I am now, writing todays blog).

Friday marked the end of 6 weeks away, we’ve covered so much ground but there’s still a lot to go. Packing up we checked out the “Lone Gum Tree” before continuing our journey eastward, now on the Rig line. There seemed to be more and more irregular noises coming from the front corner of the 4WD which did nothing to soothe our fears of the hub failing while in the place that we needed it the most. The Rig line proved to be very easy, we had to detour around a wet salt pan but for the most we covered good ground, we even laughed at the moment we got into 4th gear and were doing 60km/hr. Once back on the French line the traffic increased dramatically, the desert is no longer desolate place and on a number of occasions we’d have to stop and let 6 and even 9 car convoys pass by us. The closer we got to Poppels Cnr the steeper the dunes got and with trepidation we had to engage 4-high a few times to make it over, each time the noises coming from the front got worse but we’d top the dune and the adrenaline would ease. About mid afternoon we reached our 2nd border corner for the trip, Poppels Cnr is the junction of the NT/SA/QLD borders and we were both grateful to tick off another bucket list item. Pressing on we both commented how we’d started our day in SA, we ventured 20km north into NT and by stumps today we finished in QLD.

Fingers crossed with 2 weeks left, more outback roads open up and we can get to the places we want to.

Purposeful Meandering Around Remote WA - Week 5

Our week started with us in limbo, Steep Point (Australia’s most western point) is so close but it feels so far away with the roads being closed. We packed up and started heading southwards, at 10am we had to ring ahead to secure our nights camping permit @ Eagle Bluff. We stopped at Hamelin Bay to view the Stromatolites, however the area is still in disrepair after the 2021 cyclone. Sadly we left without getting close enough to view these amazing creatures. Pressing on a bit further we stop at the turn-off to Steep Point where the “Road Closed” sign teases us more than disappoints us. Continuing towards Denham we pulled into our picturesque camp for the night, which is perched high on the sand dunes overlooking the water. Since its first in best dressed we grab a spot and setup camp before heading into Denham for a bit of sightseeing. Unfortunately the wind makes it miserable so we do most of the sightseeing from the comfort of the car. Heading back to camp we position our cars in an attempt to make a wind break, it’s not all that successful but when we can get out of the wind it’s a beautiful spot to sit and do nothing. As the sun drops below the horizon so does the temperature. The ambient temp says 18deg but with the wind chill it feels like 11deg and we find ourselves rugged up like those back home at this time of year. With the wind continuing we all agree the best place to be is in our swags, so it’s an early night for us.

Sunday started early for one of our team as they’re keen to get to Monkey Mia for the dolphin feeding session, for the rest of us it’s a regulation lazy Sunday morning. The wind has died down but there’s certainly a crispness to the morning. With another night planned for this area before roads will be opened we consider moving to more sheltered spot but after a quick recce we decide to stay at our chosen spot. By mid morning we decide to do more sightseeing and head out to Monkey Mia, “oh how this place has changed” since we were here 10 years ago. We choose not to stay long before heading back into Denham. We grab fish n chips and sit by the water when news comes in that the roads to Steep Point have re-opened early. We’re primed to be heading there tomorrow. We do a bit more sightseeing before heading back to camp, the wind has abeited making it a glorious afternoon to sit in the sun overlooking the water. The water is so inviting I wade out 500m in the shallows to explore the marine life. The setting sun over the ocean is postcard perfect and worthy of the few liquid refreshments we enjoy. With the light fading once again so does the temp, but nowhere near as chilly as the previous night or is that the port warming us from the inside? We all enjoy a relaxing night as we discuss and plan our days ahead.

Monday started rather chilly but once the sun was at a decent height we were back to wearing shorts and t-shirts, we’d packed up and were on the road by 8am. There was an air of excitement amongst us as today we’d hopefully be achieving another bucket list item. We made our way back to the Steep Point entrance and surpassed our previous furthest point west. For the next 50km we were pleased to be driving on bitumen, but it was not long before that was replaced with dirt, all be it in good condition. We stopped and paid out NP admission and continue westward. The road quickly became a lot of sand dune driving along formed trails. We made our mandatory stop at the rangers residence before continuing west. Finally we reached the end of the track and the end of the mainland Australia….. We’d made it to “Steep Point”, the most western point on the mainland. We all rejoiced and set about capturing the moment with plenty of photos. Just off the coast whales were breaching as they headed north and the beauty of a nearby natural rock arch was inspected. Back in the cars we headed to the nearby fishing spot called “The Ovens”, here a 50m cliff allows fishermen to drop a line straight down into the water. We watched for a while, alas no one caught anything as the circling sharks which were clearly visible in the water took whatever the fishermen caught. Heading back we stopped a few times to dip our feet in the Indian Ocean or check out the many blowholes that dot this area. There were so many blowholes that often you didn’t see the hole in the rocks, you only heard the rushing air escaping through a crack in the rocks. By last light our epic day had finally been completed, we’d reached the main road and opted to camp in a roadside gravel pit as we were so exhausted. We quickly started a campfire, dispersing with the regular route we grabbed a bottle of port we’d saved for this special occasion and toasted our achievements with travelling companions. As it was, tonight would be our last night with everyone together as Mike was making a beeline for home the next day. We enjoyed the remainder of our night around the fire sharing many laughs and toasts on what a great trip we’d all shared, taking a moment to reflect on our 4th vehicle who had to leave us prematurely.

Tuesday dawned at a frenetic pace, the midges were having a feast on us, we noticed them the previous night but maybe the alcohol had made us numb to them and we weren’t too bothered by them, today however was a different story. We quickly packed up and headed out to the main highway where we sought breakfast at a local roadhouse. We formally said our goodbyes to Mike before jumping in our cars, Mike would soon peel off and start heading for home. The remaining 2 vehicles headed southwards to Geraldton. We quickly checked into a van park and set about catching up on some essential chores. By mid afternoon we headed out to do a bit of sightseeing and geocaching around town. The memorial for the HMAS Sydney which overlooks the town is a stark reminder of those lost at sea. We also took the opportunity to restock some perishable food as we probably won’t see a supermarket for another 10 days or more after leaving Geraldton tomorrow. The evening wizzed by as we spent most of it tidying up within the vehicle.

Wednesday started out rather chilly, a coastal breeze and single digits ensured we quickly packed up and got into the warmth of the car, sadly we started our journey East, yep we’re heading towards home. Late yesterday we received confirmation of our permit to visit Surveyor General Cnr - WA/NT/SA as we head back across central Oz, we’re looking forward to visiting this remote spot. Today was one of those boring (more like repetitious) driving days, we covered lots of territory, the vegetation changed dramatically from lush greens of hills and trees to stained browns of desert dirt and arid bushland, we passed through a few towns that barely appear to survive. The most significant thing we seen was the countless 4 trailer Road Trains (60m long) carting minerals to Geraldton for offshore use. By mid afternoon we reached the small town of Sandstone, once a thriving gold town it barely now has a population of 100 residents. There’s not much to see in town, the pub and the post office have both closed, the General store doesn’t sell fuel anymore but come sunset lots of travellers call it home for the night as it’s halfway between somewhere and nowhere. We did take the opportunity to see the nearby London Bridge rock arch which was impressive.

Thursday started with temps hovering around 4deg, our coldest morning by far. The chilly start ensured we’d packed up quicker than normal. It was another day of repetitious scenery, the only change was the splattering of mines and mullock mountains that are dotted throughout the area. Gold and Nickel are the main minerals mined out here. Mid morning we arrived at the township of Leinster, to our surprise the town is solely supported and run by BHP. There was so much in town for the workers to do it was amazing. Pressing on, we passed through Leonora and Laverton which both dished up some passing showers and wintery conditions. Laverton is the start of the “Great Central Road” or more commonly known as the longest shortcut, it joins Laverton in WA with Winton in QLD. We opted to keep going east as the conditions in Laverton weren’t favourable for camping. Much to our surprise there were still road-trains but they were only carrying essential supplies for remote communities. Trekking down the GCR we’d outrun the showers and on dusk we found a secluded spot to call home for the night. The cold night was made much better as we sat around a campfire.

Friday (today) marks the end of 5 weeks on the road and it was one of our coldest mornings. The thermometer said 7deg with a wind chill factor of a lot less. We were grateful to see the dirt road in very good condition despite recent rains closing the road last week. With good conditions we were able to make good time and by lunch we’d arrived in Warburton where fuel prices were a measly $3:60ltr for diesel and Unleaded….. Thankfully we didn’t need any. Continuing on we both commented how outback Australia must be the biggest “used car lot” this side of Parramatta Rd, there was a car wreck in varying states of repair every kilometre sometimes more along the road. It seems that “if it breaks down, that’s where you leave it”. By late afternoon and with our clocks advanced to central time we pulled up stumps at Warakurna for the night.