Sunday 1st Sept

Arckaringa Station – Coober Pedy

We have been on the road 6 weeks and this morning the managers of the property have kindly taken us out to a great area he came across a few days before and really amazing.  We were on our way now as it is 11:00am and we still have a few hundred ks on dirt.  Into Coober Pedy at about 12:30 and decided to get a room at the Stuart Range Caravan park.  Had some lunch at Johns Pizza bar before walking around town looking at opals.  Just before sunset we made our way out to the breakaways for some pics.

Saturday 31st Aug

Old Andado – Arckaringa Station (Painted Desert)

On the way to Mt Dare Pete had some problems with his fuel so once in at Mt Dare he got a fuel filter and that fixed it.  Left Mt Dare about 11:00am on the way to Oodnadatta for a cold drink in the road house.  The road was not too bad a bit rocky we stopped into Eringa Ruins & Lindsay Creek which has good camping. Before getting to Arckaringa station stopped at the Painted Desert to take some photos could not stay long the flies, flies are still bad.

 

Friday 30th Aug

Chambers Pillars – Old Andado

Today we are on the old Ghan railway line and this time it has been graded and the road is good.  Pam & Jack left us at Bundooma Siding as they are very sick with the flu and could not continue with us.  We passed Engoordina Siding Ruins through Finke after Pete & John had a play on the race track.  Lunch after New Crown Homestead then onto Old Andado arrived there about 2:30pm we were the only ones there for sometime until some other campers turned up.  It was a very hot day and the flies nearly carried us away. Camped there the night and early morning had a bit of a storm with wind and a bit of lighting.

Thursday 29th Aug

Kings Canyon – Chambers Pillars

Pauls Birthday, Today was an early start as we will go via Earnest Giles road and not sure what it will be like.  Once on this road we had to let down tyres as it was a bit corrugated but not too bad.  We stopped in at Henbury Meteorite Created for morning tea and a look around the files are bad today.  We had to fuel at Stuart Wells before heading back 20ks to Hugh River stock route.  We had lunch under the rail line lots of gates on this track.  Arrived at Chambers Pillars at 3pm and the flies drove we mad as it was very hot.

Wednesday 28th Aug

Kings Canyon

Pete, Robin, Paul & I did the big walk so we set off around 7:00am, John came with us as he was going to do the short walk.  Pam & Jack decided they would do the short walk as Jack was not well, we took about 3 ½ hrs to do the walk and it was getting very hot.  We met the others at the Kings Canyon resort for a drink in the bar before heading back to camp.  We stopped off at some springs and some went for a short walk I went back with Jack to camp.  Sat by the pool for awhile be for the others returned.  We went and had a look around the station had an ice cream at the shop.

Tuesday 27th Aug

Ayres rock – Kings Canyon

Today the McKinley's & Bamforths left us for home and we continued on after hitting the shops to get some supplies.  We made it to Curtin springs for lunch which was good.  A nice drive to Kings Canyon which is all on tar.  The temp was climbing today and we arrived at Kings Creek camp about 3pm set up camp and looked around.

 

Monday 26th Aug

40ks before Olgers – Ayres rock

Today will be a big day as we have some walking to do the valley of the winds is the first on 7.6ks most of it in the sun very hot and took us 2 – 3hrs.  In the afternoon the boys climbed ulur which took them 2 ½ hrs it had been closed for the last 3 days and had just opened at 1:00 today.  Hung around for the sunset before heading into camp and setting up tents in the dark.

Sunday 25th Aug

Giles –

Early morning visit to the Weather station which was good they don’t usually do tours on the weekend so the guy on duty took us around while he was working great information.  Back to the roadhouse (Warakurna) before heading out, stopped at Beadell tree (blaze tree) before back tracking a little looking for a billa bong which we did not find.  Lunch in a quarry off the road. Through Docker River and Lasserter’s cave.  We camped 40ks before the Olgers for the night.

Saturday 24th Aug

 

Camp Beadell – Giles

Little Ian had left his key to the car in the tent so they had to retrieve them before we go on the road (shackle for him today).  Notabills hill was the first stop then thryptmene Bore where we saw 2 camels on top of a sand dune watching us.  At Beadell tree there was camel prints everywhere not camels.  We now turn onto Heather Hwy it was very rutted and very slow going in spots.  The great Central road into Warburton was great and 26ks to there from the Heather Hwy. Lunch at the Warburton shop before heading to Giles 229ks, several sightings of camels and passed a bike and side car poor things getting all our dust. A lot of fires off to the side of the road along the way and an abandoned caravan with Hot food tomorrow written on it.  Warakurna camp ground was very clean with a dingo walking through camp after we set up.

Friday 23rd Aug

Carnegie Station – Camp Beadell

We are now on the Gunbarrel l hwy not sure what to expect from now on it could be very bad or good.   The road was rough and corrugated in area but all up not too bad we had morning tea at Geralton Bore and signed a visitor’s book at Mt Everard.  We had lunch on a side road before heading onto Mt Beadell and have a walk up the hill there.  Camp Beadell was looking good as we decided that was far enough for the day and the camp ground was not a bad spot as the day was getting on.

Thursday 22nd Aug

 Wiluna – Carnegie Station

We had some time this mooring so we went out of town to take photos of the cars at the canning sights and after fixing all cars we got on the road by 11:00am good effort boys.  Lunch was on the side of the road at 12:30 and the road was good and we could all sit on 100ks.  Had a short stop at Mingal Pool good camp spot not 70ks to Carnegie Station.  We pulled into the station at 4:00pm and it was getting late decided to stay the night there.

Wednesday 21st Aug

Wiluna

The night was not too bad and we could have asleep into today as we had to wait for the Ian’s to make their way into town.  Little Ian had to order a leaf spring in which will arrive tomorrow, John had to get a battery and Pete a tyre which all arrive with leaf spring. So in the afternoon we had a walk around town looking at the sights and filling in time.  The night was a bit noisy as the locals took their beers home to drink and the music went nearly all night.

Tuesday 20th Aug

Pierre Springs – Wiluna

We have a big day today as we have a lot of wells to see so on the road by 7:00am.  Well 5 is the deepest well of all and good water in this well 10ft 6in.  This is where you can turn off to Granite Peak Station or head onto the rest of the wells.  Well 4b is through closed gates and Windich spring for morning tea (great spot and toilet).  Well 4A & 3A just ruins so quick stop for photos, lunch at well 3 then onto the granites where we found well 2A the road very rock and very slow. After well 2 the road was great turned off to north pool at 400pm for a look.  Good camping spot with some water and as we were coming out of here Little Ian had a problem with his car the leaf spring broke and the two Ian had to camp out there for the night and the rest of us made it into Wiluna.  We look as though we might have a noisy night with the locals

Monday 19th Aug

Well 12 – Well 6 Pierre Springs

There was good water at well 12 and it has being restored.  Not far out of camp was Lake Aerodrome drove around this for some time. Wells 11 & 10 is ruins and not much there, Well 9 had stockyards and cattle there so we had morning tea. Wells 8 & 7 is just ruins some photos and moved on.  We arrived at Pierre Springs at midday had a well earned shower and did some washing as plenty of water in the well and it was good.  Some went drove back to Inglebong Hills for a walk, while the rest of us stayed and had a rest at camp. We had scones after tea which was very nice.

Sunday 18th Aug

Durba Springs – Well 12

We decided to have a walk before heading out today and up the gorge and returned to the cars by 8:30am.  Well 17 had a walk into some aboriginal art I did not had out o this walk. Now onto Canning’s Cairn for morning tea.  Well 16 had water but it was no good, Murray Rankins Trolley was resting under a tree so we had to have some photos. We had lunch at well 15 and the country was becoming very flat and the road very corrugated. Not much left at wells 12 & 13 had a quick look and on our way.  10ks from well 13 Ian Mckinley had trouble with his car the turbo hose had split so we had to wait on the road while they fixed it to get to the next well as we were camping there the night.  It was starting to get late and we were in lead and a silly camel was on the road and we could not pass it so he was doing about 40ks per hour for about 3ks not sure how he would be the next day. We arrived at well 12 about 5:30pm this is a late day for us.

Saturday 17th Aug

Well 19 – Durba Springs

7:00am left camp this morning and headed for well 19 and then passed through tropic of Capricorn, there was a burnt out 4x4.  Headed into Onegunyah Rock hole for a look 5ks off the track.  Well 18 was next and the water was good so some topped up there water containers.  We headed out to Diebel springs and had lunch there could not see the springs as it was a walk up a lot of rocks.  We arrived in Durba Springs about 3:30pm had a look around great spot for camping.

Friday 16th Aug

Georgia Bore – Well 19 (before)

Wells 22 & 21 has no water and at well 21 Ian Mckinley had to fix a spring on his car while we had morning tea.  Well 20 were 10ks off the track and there was not much left of the ruins.  After lunch we stopped at lake disappointment for photos and admire the view.  Jill walked out on the lake with Paul and her foot slipped into a soft spot and her foot came out black. The day was getting n so we found a camp big enough for all of us on the side of the road.

 

 

Thursday 15th Aug

White Gums Bore – Georgia Bore

The sunrise was good today as there was a bit of cloud around and it felt like we might get a bit of rain.  Made our way into Cotton Creek for fuel and some supplies before head south on the canning again.   While at cotton creek we went and visited the Health and Community to get a clean toilet as the ladies in the shop told us her sister worked there and would let us use the facilities.  Now it is 11:00am so on our way to Georgia Bore and it was very hot so once there did some washing and it dried in 1hr.  Baked dinner that night as we had some good wood.

Wednesday 14th Aug

Desert Queen Baths – White Gums Bore

Up a Steep hill to a lookout before leaving the area and heading back the same way to the other side of the park. We found Tjingkulatjarra pool where we found 2 blokes camping and what a spot it was with a little billabong. We took a loop road out of the park which was very narrow and rough not much on this road.  Back to White Gums Bore to camp for the night.

Tuesday 13th Aug

Georgia Bore – Rudall NP

Just out of the bore we have a water crossing which was not too deep all through safe and sound the road was good so travelling at a good speed it took 1hr 15min to the turn off to cotton creek and then another 22ks to Rudall and it is now 9:00am

Had morning tea at a bore at 9:25am and now well into the park a heard of camels were on the road it took sometime for them to move off. Lunch on the track near Compton Pinnacle at 1:00pm. Now 10ks into Desert Queen Baths for the night.  After setting up camp McKinley found a pool to swim in, it was a bit cold to start with then I don’t think we could feel anything after awhile as it did not seem too bad. Nice spot to camp except very isolated.

Monday 12th Aug

Well 16 – Georgia Bore

As usual out of camp early and over the some dunes we saw our 1^st camel on the canning.  Stopped and looked at a lake filled with water and onto well 25 at 8:15am.  We have seen our 2^nd camel of the trip how exciting not close though.  There are lots of small lakes near well 24, we had morning tea at well 24 as it was now 9:30am . The fuel dump was just 800m off the road from well 23 check all that out and now onto Georgia Bore and we will have the whole afternoon to sit around and wait for Simpsons & Bamforths to catch up.