Bushabout - Great Central Road

Our tour started from my brothers place - Lincoln Street, Deep Dale Geraldton via Mt Magnet, Sandstone, Leinster, Leonora, Laverton, Warburton - Giles Weather Station, Docker River, Ayers Rock, Mt Connor onto Stuart Hwy and South to Port Lincoln

Key Stats & Facts = DISTANCES:

Perth to Cairns 4,615km
Perth to Laverton 954km
Cairns to Winton 941km
Winton to Uluru (Ayers Rock) 1,622km
Winton to Alice Springs 1,179km
Laverton to Uluru (Ayers Rock) 1,098km - CORRUGATIONS!!
Laverton to Alice Springs 1,541km

www.outbackway.org.au for all information relating to travel the Great Central Road

Wed 12/9/2012 Lindens - 241ks = 90 k's east Mt Magnet

Packed and breakfast before we departed – cheerio’s to all. Off at 0825hrs heading east into a stiff and gusty head wind (21LHK)

All quiet on the road with road works 5k’s before YALGOO. Camped at rest area 1230hrs.

Squid – thai holy basil and RICE!! BEAUTY!!

13/09/2013 - 90ks west Mt Magnet to 60ks west Sandstone = BIG DAY = 191K's

Quiet night no traffic to speak of. Off early 0645hrs before the wind. Mt Magnet and refuelled – BP 1.579 and Shell 1.719/ltr. Breakfast and inflate tires as no gauge or not working = PP.

Keep trucking head wind right on the nose – another 90ks glimpsed a gravel pit between the scrub just before the rest area (small) pulled in and walked back to the gravel pit - 500 mtrs .

Bugger a gate = SHUT THE BLOODY GATE MATE – Oh! well no – ‘no camping sign’ in for the night. Windsor Stn. Later the owner of the Station drove in - out dog baiting, no problem just SHUT THE GATE!!

Walking down to the gravel pit the wind was so strong
‘THE ROO POO WAS ROLLING’ along the verge!

Water pit within the gravel pit - freezing COLD! no we did not go for a swim, that was just my big toe test!

Quiet night – early to bed early to rise – 0510hrs coffee and on the road 0545hrs before the WIND – NO SUCH LUCK.

Into SANDSTONE – only the Sausage sizzle lady – Lady Di and the shire cleaner awake. Drop in for free cuppa tea and $6 for 2 snags, onion and fresh bun, snags sprinkled with French onion soup mix I reckon. Group of fellows pulled in for the dunny, a cuppa and snags – Ag guys doing ground vegetation and soils mapping for Satellite monitoring.

Classic old building complete with shade veranda

Off again for 106ks – bugger the head wind, found a good gravel pit. 0923hrs all set up by 1000hrs.

Sue’s learning to Crochet!!

Found road sweeper roller – great boot scrapper, alas too big and heavy, red claw/yabbie net, 20 ltr jerry can no caps but otherwise okay.

Chook curry – BEAUTY!!

Phone thus internet connection with high gain aerial

Sat. 15/09/2012 - Gravel Pit 41ks west Leinster to Malcolm Dam

Quiet evening no tourists and no road trains.

Dunny dump and tank of water at breakfast stop, wind up all night, dropped a little 0700 – 0800hrs.

Re-fuelled Leonora - $1.59 with .04 discount – Coles express.

On Laverton road – sign 3.5k to Malcolm Dam – quick U turn and 4 vans on the dam wall, all departed so we moved in. Talked to several folks departing - how's the Great Central road? varied - good in parts but take it slow and 30psi all okay. Docker River closed – Giles $2.30/ltr and Warburton $2.38/ltr. Plenty of good camp spots.

Best camp spot on the dam wall – behind some trees protected from the howling easterly. 184k’s for the day 21.6lhk.

Checked out the local vicinity – no FURRED GAME!

The wind dropped to ‘ZERO’ late afty = ‘BUGGER’.

Dead fish for tea, followed by apple pie and ice cream.

Sun 16/9/2012 Malcolm Dam - day off – stiff head winds, weather map indicates tail wind Monday

Early morning hike up the hill with radio mast – WA Ambulance Service – last battery changed 2000. Not in use, 1.2hrs good hike and easy climb, only one kangaroo spotted.

Cooked breakfast. Tony and Jenny from Tiaro in QLD rolled up early been down at Niagara Dam – no yabbies. Yak to them and they decide to go into town to stock and fuel up. (only 10k’s ow).

Another couple parked Nissan with a Brunswick diesel Chevy, had a chat from Carnarvon, new van on order –REDBACK 16’ 6” I think they stated. Give them some ideas, inverter / charger, diesel heater, tire guard sensors,clear view mirrors, their REGO – C 80

Walk over to folks at the tables – Folks / staff from the Leanora detention centre – Maher – Syria, Hamid – Afgan and Vinnie – Thai (domestic). The 2 blokes look after 100 kids – all under 18 from Afganistan. Contract for the detention centre now given to a commerical operator (profits) and security to Suricor again profit operations charging high fees and knocking staff wages by 20% - every one leaving. Centre will be closed by year end with offshore processing.

Mon 17/9/2012 - Malcolm Dam to 195k's west Laverton

0545hrs on the road. Tony and Jenny still in the cot. Wind still easterly and strong. Laverton – AMP card would not work for the fuel, no way to over ride for cash transactions – bugger $1.61/ltr.

B/F down the road and lower tire pressures – 30psi and 40psi rear troopy.

Comos New Berry and top up with fuel just in case more head winds - $2/ltr - $45.5lts should be good to Marla. Tony and Jenny caught us up, Jenny in for an ice cream. They departed and hoped to see them at The Pines rest area 195k’s west Laverton.

Road very corrugated and sandy in patches – 310ks for the day – 6hrs 15 min. Avg 50.3kph.

Giles (Jindalee) Breakaway

Steel ramp - too heavy plus no place to store it

Pulled up for a coffee break, Sue spotted the 'R' clip missing, and the bar within millimetres of dropping out. New 'R' clip and tie wrap the pins (all) Good to go!!

Spotted this stuck up in the sand when we pulled into The Pines - just like an inquisitive Emu I had to check it out - it was a note from Tony & Jenny - here I was in the middle of no where and the 1st thing I notice the QLD Government are after me - Bugger!!

Magic sunset to end the daylight hours!

Tue 18/09/2012 Yarla Kutjara RA - 444ks

0645hrs on the road, light rain over night didn't even settle the dust. Breakfast 0830hrs, coffee break 1030, lunch 1230hrs, much better travelling. Road very ordinary – camels, bush bustards, otherwise flat country until Warburton a few hills.

107 wrecked vehicles so far, 2 vintage caravans, 3 trailers, one semi rolled with piggy back load of drilling equipment.

ROAD TO RECOVERY SIGNS MEANS

SLOW DOWN! - HARD ROCK ROAD SURFACE!!

Government funding - GFC - all weather road with road camber, and verge camber very difficult to get away from the corrugations and hard rock

Coffee break, another treasure on the side of the road.

Road House signage

Sue's Crochet lessons continue's

Appears they were going to be away over night as an LED strip light had been placed on the corner of the van.

One vehicle rolled towing a NEWAGE van – seems they hit the brakes and jack knifed the vehicle and rolled. The van’s HITCHMASTER bent 40 – 50 degrees, and stone guard bent otherwise the van is okay. - 100k's from Warburton.

Some scrap metal here for the taking, burnt to the ground

The truck roll over - bit sleepy at the wheel it would seem!

Fortunately it appears the driver was okay with his swag not far from the over turned vehicle. The drilling rig was parked further down the road in a gravel pit, prime mover gone for recovery help is suspect - 60k's from Warburton

By pass the servo at Warburton 89ks to the next camp – spot

If we only had TELSTRA coverage out here!

Pulled over at the Rock Holes for breakfast, Checked Giles fuel price $2.30/ltr – one of the most unusual request – Group of 6 professionals flew in to visit Giles weather station and requested a TAXI – ONLY 800 mtr’s up the track.

Len Beadell cartoons are classic

Day tours at the weather station now ceased due to Gov. cut backs. The info ctr and relics including Len Beadells grader and part of the 1^st blue bird rocket on display.

Hot north westerly 42 – 40 degrees air intake temp. Good tail breeze, so kept trucking all day – 9hr 50min driving, 45.9kph average = 444km, on Scan Gauge and the vehicle speedo.

Wed 19/09/2012 - Yarla or Kutjara Camp Ground - Lasseters Cave - 274k's

No other campers during the night, how ever Brits camper on side road into camp area. 0540hrs on the road.

Onto the border the hills some what more interesting scenery = SCHAWIN MURAL CRESENT.

Into N.T. corrugations and sand – 3^rd gear only and 30kph to Docker River – by-pass the road house and community. Same all the way to Lasseters cave.

Only 240k's to Ayers Rock - Beauty

What's this going back 40k's on this road!!

All this distance and ‘NO CAMPING” = whats this ‘BULLSHIT’ – Day Rest Area ONLY.

Our camp spot a few K's down the road.

Hot north westerly up our tail all day – 18.6LHK. 247k's,

7hr 10min. drive time, avg 38.9kph

Spag. with chook curry sauce.

Thru 20/09/2013 - Lasseter Cave to Mt Conner Look out

We camped 9k’s (read between the line's), then camp areas 40 & 76, 101k’s down the road from Lasseters cave turn off give or take a few k's for suitable – camp site,

however no official rest areas.

Out station we pulled off at with water pump for breakfast

Sat. Corrd's – S25 02 354 E128 40 823 - Good water.

Out Station - abandoned!

Got to be keen!

Len Beadell marked tree a prominient ghost gum.

- can't miss it!!

The Olga's

Ah! Sue's happy back on the black stuff!!

Hard and sharp rock road – Shire upgrade – 141.5k’s 31.5kph avg, 4hr 29 min, max 47 kph – Lasseters cave to Olgas.

What a BS road, corrugation up the ying yang and no where to get off in an emergency, all weather camber. No tire damage!

BEEN THERE, DONE THAT!!

Inflate tires at the Olgas, lunch and off to Mt Conner –

Ayers Rock - climbed that in 08!

– the wind got up with the ensuing dust storm. Vegetation all burnt and is barren out there.
Good tail breeze all day = 17.4LHK, plus it was hot outside!

Yep! it's sure 'BEER O'CLOCK' great in the Troopy with the air con. only a mild 41 degrees in the van.

Mt Connor in the DUST!

Large salt lake north side of Mt Conner rest area

Fri 21/09/2012 - Mt Conner to 53k's North of Marla

Off early 0625hrs – sun just coming up, light easterly already. Erldunda Servo on the Stuart Hwy - Checked fuel price $1.98/ltr, Kulgera $1.95. Check tires and use air at servo.

Kept driving good conditions 335k’s for the day.

Passed this lad earlier all in 'BLACK' Jun - Japanese cyclist Darwin to Melbourne been on the road three weeks - loving it, except the head winds,a welcomed cold beer!

Sat. 22/09/2103 - Nth Marla #529 to Ingomar RA # 516

Jun not moving (Japanese cyclist) Northerly up early and then hit with a vengeance.

Re-fueled at Coober Pedy - $1.75 / ltr.

Ingomar RA over night 89k’s South Coober Pedy. The wind and dust did not let up until around 0200hrs.

Some interesting folks pulled in during our over night stay.

Chris from Tassy – relocating 6.5mtr fishing boat to his son in Darwin, who was driving south and meet hopefully in Alice and transfer. Had a couple of beers with Chris.

Italian tourist in a camper – 6 months touring east coast, Darwin and now heading south, we have not seen rain for months " we have got dry bones"

Two blokes from Darwin on road bikes heading home 11,000k’s tour – pushing into the hot northerly, offered cold water, which they were thankful for.

Bloody wind kept howling till 0200hrs

Mining / Oil field camp accommodation has come
a longway since my days on Barrow Island

23/09/2013 - Ingomar to Rest Area # 505

0605hrs on the road. Bloke from Serbia – loves the open spaces and filming the night sky – lucky country, wide open spaces, great fishing etc.

Cooked breakfast 130ks down the road.

Goods train – 2 loco’s and 78 wagons 1520hrs

Mon 24/09/2103 - # 505 to Port Gibbon

Off early and it’s freezing!! 102K’S to Port Augusta – re-fuelled at Shell – 136ltrs $1.48/ltr (.04 discount)

Drop by Point Lowley – magic spot, toilets, dump point, protected boat ramp, 22ks off Hwy and only 10 from Whyalla.

Westland Shopping ctr, SERIOUS LAMB BURGER's x 2

Walk around Cowell – freezing wind. Onto Port Gibbon – hwy 12ks then 6k’s to Port. 3 vans and 2 coaster, then 4 trailers heading to Mt Ive Station, 4wd group of over 200

Chook and Teresa drop in on their way back to Lincoln from ADL/QLD.

Heater on for the evening.

Soup only required for tea after the Serious Lamb Burgers!