2020b Solo Explore Trip (CV-19 150km Radius)
662.2 kmA 3-day short Trip within a 150km radius of home during the Covid-19 restrictions. The plan was to explore the Cooloola Coast but that didn't work out as it was still all locked up so Plan-B was to head west of Gympie and explore the area around there. Found some great views and and some nice tracks & old Mining Sites and also some old abandon dwellings during my 3 day explore. Track conditions was easy except for the heavy pin striping but that was nothing to worry about in the Defender
Karajarri Protected Area - Visitors Permit
87.4 kmThe Karajarri Protected Area Visitors Permit is for people wishing to visit and explore Mirntanymartaji and Purnturrpurnturr Country (the Port Smith and Gourdon Bay area). All visitors to these areas enter and travel at their own risk. You should ensure that you are adequately prepared.
A permit will only be issued once it has been paid for. It is valid for the vehicle, number of persons, destinations and time period indicated on the permit. The standard fees are:
$10.00 for a day permit
$15.00 for a weekend permit (includes long weekends)
$40.00 for a week permit (7 days)
$80.00 for an annual permit (starting from first date)
Please visit http://www.karajarriprotectedarea.com/Default.aspx to apply for a permit
Lyndhurst to Cameron Corner 29/10/14
432.4 kmDay 16 Alice Springs Trip
Lyndhurst Hotel campground to Cameron Corner Store. Strzelecki Track mostly fast dirt with small sections of bitumen at creek crossings etc
Geo Centre and Geosurveyors Hill 27/07/2017 12:18:51 PM
3357 kmWell..we did it too!
Vehicles:
Us: ’06 100 series TDA Toyota Landcruiser
Our follower was our 2012 Track Trailer Tvan
My brother: 2015 200 series TDA Landcruiser
Our route:
Coober Pedy..
Kulgera…
Old Andado Station…
Mac Clarke Reserve
Madigan Camps 1, 1a and 2
Colson Track
..cross country to:
Geosurveyor’s Hill
Cross country again to:
The Geographical Centre of the Simpson Desert
Then:
Cross country again (a defined track now!)
French Line
Knolls Track
Rig Road
Warburton Track
Birdsville Track
For all the detail geeks out there, I’ve put down some facts and figures for you.
Day 1
After John rested from a serious bout of “man flue”, we left Coober Pedy and headed to Kulgera
Distance: 410kms.. Fuel: 134 Litres… Price: $1.50/l 17 L/100
Tyres: F. 30lb B. 35 Tvan. 24
Our first camp was just out of Kulgera by a dry creek bed.
Bogan fleas (nasty prickles) everywhere, but good, plentiful wood.
Day 2
From Kulgera to west of Mac Clarke reserve, Via Old Andado Station.
Distance: 280km from Kulgera
Camped off the road between Old Andado and Mac Clarke Reserve
Day 3
To Mac Clarke Reserve, Madigan Camps 1, 1a &2, to The Colson Track.
40kms from the Madigan/ Colson track intersection, to our turn off to Geosurveyor’s Hill.
We photographed and passed all the obligatory abandoned fuel / oil drums shot line pegs and “points of interest”
Distance: 400km From Kulgera
There were some serious dunes which required a wide range of tyre pressures throughout the day.
We rocked, rolled, landscaped dunes, inflated and deflated our tyres all day
Tyre pressures were ranging from: F 25lb … B 32 lb …Tvan: 18
TO F 12 lb … B 17 lb … Tvan 12 lb
We only managed 60 kms that day…
Day 4 460 kms from Kulgera
We put 40 litres of fuel in the car..from our total of 60 l we were carrying in the Tvan. (keeping 20 portable litres as a reserve supply) We were following some very vague tyre impressions once we left the Colson, which disappeared on a few occasions. Overall, the 1 month old route we followed was visible enough.With some crazy dune approaches, sharp twists and turns of the faded track, we sometimes decided there was a better route up the dunes.There wasn’t any flat ground on this section of the track, so when we climbed a difficult dune, we decided it was the best spot to stay for the night!!!!We only did 32kms that day. Once again, looking at and photographing all the obligatory fuel dumps and drums…and the odd action shot of our “duning”
Not once did we get bogged, or lose traction. We picked up shovels..filled in some holes and tyre abuse on the track we were to climb, dropped our tyre pressures and got up without any trouble.
Day 5 492 kms from Kulgera
Started our tyre pressures that day at: F. 16 …B. 22…Tvan 12
Some really big dunes and a fair bit of landscaping today.We only managed 40kms that day, averaging 4km/hour.Some of the tracks we were following began to really wobble around and over the dunes, so a few better selections were taken that day again tooWe sighted the pimple in the distance from atop of a large dune and headed for the prize.Enjoying a beverage on top of Geosurveyor’s Hill and taking the obligatory photoshoot, we sighed and headed south!
Our camp was south of Geo SH
Day 6 531kms From Kulgera
Tyres: F 13 lb…R 19 lb…Tvan 12 lb
Heading south To the Geocentre today..lots of dune crossings , some W-E..a few switching back E-W. We only managed 68kms today.We thought it would be easier now that we were heading south..not really. The faint tracks were off in a different direction once we had left GSH, so we followed a bit more used track.Once again, a few routes previous travellers had taken, were a little “unusual” and not the easiest route they could have taken..so we made a couple of small side tracks. We reached the Geocentre, signed the book, looked at the tower and it’s ornaments and took the obligatory pictures……And sighed again!....We followed a now well-defined track, which ran along and top of the edge of the dunes. We made camp, where there was a flat spot AND some wood!
Day 7 599kms from Kulgera
We put in a big day today.One particularly obscure dune approach needed a serious reconsideration.With no room to position ourselves to cross this dune and no inclinations to re position the whole dune, we cleared and smoothed out another approach, which we climbed easily.This dune was more obnoxious though. It had yet another level to scale.So John did a loop on the lower level of the dune and once again, took a straighter route up the final distance.
Tyres down to: F 12…B 18…Tvan 12
Over this dune was a grove of gidgee trees, where John re- inflated the tyres a little.
By now, we were on the home run to the French Line.
My brother had headed south east (just left of the track we were following), to see if he could find a better way.At one point, we got a little “lost”, but discovered a fuel drum lying along a shot line on top of another dune. Of course..photographed it!
Eventually we both met up
Geo Centre - Birdsville, June 2015
208.1 kmThe Geographical Centre of the Simpson Desert was officially marked by the CFA 4WD Club with David & Joan Owen and Rob & Dot Correa in 1993. In 1995 David & Joan Owen, Rob & Dot Correa and Geoffrey Owen erected the tower to identify the Geo Centre. It has 2 x VW hub caps on the top and can now be seen by planes flying over. This trip was to conducted by David & Joan Owen (Aussie Tracks) with Trevor & Stephanie Owen and David & Cheryl Sidebottom to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the erecting of the tower.
Offroad Adventure Show Episode 1 Coffs Harbour
92.2 kmFollow the team from the Offroad Adventure Show through Coffs Harbour. Including the Woopi Trail, Wahoo Trig Lookout, The Keyman and a great camp at Pebbley Beach.
Hema - Old Telegraph Track North
29.0 kmHEMA CAPE YORK ATLAS & GUIDE - TRACK #11
This track requires low range and high ground clearance in addition to appropriate traction aids. Driving from the turnoff to Fruit Bat Falls, we took the Mistake Creek turnoff to the Northern Bypass Road to avoid a swollen Nolan's Brook.
This is Track #11 from our Cape York Atlas & Guide, which you can purchase online here: http://bit.ly/capeguide