Well we're finally off. Tomorrow 5AM.

This years expedition is home (Gippsland, Victoria) to Alice Springs in SWMBO's D2 towing a 15' Roma off road van. Leave the van in Alice then off to Mt. Dare via Old Andado Station, has to be one of the most scenic short drives in the centre. Then on to Dalhousie Springs and accross the Simpson Desert to Birdsville. From there to Maree hopefully via the inner track and Goyders Lagoon and on to Maree. Up the Oodnadatta Track and back to Alice via Lake Eyre.

That's the plan anyway.

Pick up the van in Alice and on to Katherine and Kununurra then down the Gibb River Road to pick up the Gorges and places we didn't see last year. Cut back off the GRR via Winjana Gorge and Tunnell Creek back to the bitumen and on to Old Halls Creek and the Buntine Highway. Back to the South Road and home again via Alice Springs.

Aim to be away for 8 weeks or so missing the worst of the Victorian winter. Strangely the boys (25 & 22 respectrively) aren't sad to have the house to themselves...............? Should be back early September.

Will post trip info and photo's as time and internet access allows.

Thanks to all who contributed to my queries regarding vehicle setup, bullbar, roofrack etc. I may not have followed your individual advice but I read and weighed each post carefully in making my decisions.

Deano & Kaye

Would it be fair to say that there is not a man nor woman among us who wouldn't like to be doing that trip

Although the description "trip" is not quite adequate - your trip is more an adventure.

Have a great time and keep safe .

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when you are in old andado say good day to the 2 poms looking after the place,they are members here

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May the Land Rover Gods go with you, have a great time.

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Gan Gan

Who is looking after the place now ??

Last year when we went through it was John & Elizabeth ?, they said they were about to leave and vowed they would never spend another summer there.

Had pretty good taste in vehicles though (not quite perfect) we arrived in the middle of a pretty good dust storm and they invited us all in for tea and biscuits - most welcome.




Martyn

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Have a good trip Deanoh - I'm sure you will enjoy.

That's a great photo there Bushie - almost makes me want to go and flog the Disco and buy myself a Defender.

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BM Kal

No point having a battle of wits with an unarmed person

this couple as far as i know are about to or are already there.came on a trip whilst in Darwin.Andy and Karen.I hope they know how isolated it is.
Welcome to our Around-the-World in ... Don?t know how long adventure.

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Lucky buggers....

That sounds like an awesome time ....stay safe.

Mark

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Deano, just read this post,

I used to live not far from Marree and visit there very often!!
on the way down the Birdsville you need to do these places...

1) visit Mungarannie pub, its about 1/2 way down the track,
as you get to the marree end of the road frontage watch out for the traffic light there!!......anyway inside the pub look for the m/cycle burnout marks where Johnno & Weave (the last owners) tested the strength of the bar by doing a burnout with the front wheel against the newly built bar!!..check out dents in floor from rear wheel of the harley and still some rubber on ceiling.....(there had been a good number of bundys 'used' in the bar construction!!!)

whlst there look in the carpark... there is a series landy that is "creased" in half...(well creased at the half way point anyhow!)
it was hit by an empty poly watertank from about 500m away that picked up in a storm and blew over and bounced on the landy!!!....look to the trees, the poly tank went on and bounced in and landed in there amongst the bigger gums!!! (its still stuck in there) the other truck is one of tom Kruse's mail trucks (thats Tom Kruse the legend, not tom cruise the dweeby actor bloke!)

At Mungerannie have a SPA!!...yes in the treeline is a natural, artesian spa...its a ripper and overlooks all the birdlife on the wetlands....(yes wetlands, a beautiful area and right next to the pub area!)

if history is your thing walk behind the pub and over the sandhill....the original mungeranie cemetery...
back on the road....

2) drive until you are about 50k out of Marree, you are on CLAYTON station...
this is another BIRDSVILLE TRACK station owned or run by an OLDFIELD...
Shane is a world reknowned (<--spelling?) breeder of 'Australian whaler'... horses...(sorry if i got that wrong...but me and horses dont get on so well!) Shane is pictured in the photo of the outback legendary cowboys...a copy of this one is in Marree front bar...)

At CLAYTON station (which is to your left) you will see a sign to your right (im told there is a sign now anyway!) pointing out the clayton spa and the clayton wetlands...

you can camp (for free) at the clayton spa...
the spa is a polytank about 2.5' deep and about 8' across.
it is fitted with a large ballcock valve which empties the spa into a pipe that takes the water back to the wetlands... (lot of work but very eco-friendly!!!!)

from an artesian bore water is piped across a distance so that it reaches the spa at a nice 56 degrees!... this is put into the spa by a series of smaller balcock valves that are placed about the spa at different heights...

these start cold (water in pipe has cooled) and when is almost to the desired depth youll be running on 56deg water and nice an toasty (even extra warm!)

the idea is that you sit at the tap where you want the jet at your back where its sore and use it to relax!!

This was originally set up by Shane and family (and ringers etc) so they could wash off and relax on their way home after a hard day (they stiill do a lot of work on horseback on CLAYTON station... and It became public use when people were finding it and helping themselves!! (some even told Shane to bugger off when he came in to use it whilst they were there....cheeky sods!

Shane and family set up toilets (that are now replaced with flash flushing ones!!) and a shower...the shower is s small tin shed, with shower curtain 1/2 way and wooden matt... it runs off the same pipe as the spa (eg cold until pipe emptied of standing water...then 56degs) it has a small galv tank on roof and this is for cold water storage (unless its hot up there...then its also hot water!!!!) - remember to lift up the matt (store standing up) and sweep excess water away...so its ok for the next person!)

bring your own firewood (there isnt that much along the track really) and have a camp near the spa, relax in the spa at night and watch the trillions of stars (and quite often shooting stars)...have a coffee/ beer /wine /spirit ....whatever nearby on one of the wire reels they have nearby as tables.you can reach it whilst in the spa...'heaven!!'

It can be windy and there can be flies but usually its right as rain and a great spot....also means a real short jump into Marree in the morning....

The idea is once in, slightly crack the emptying pipe open...lets water out slowly, adjust to desired 'speed', now crack open jet/s you are using and keep a flow of hot, comfy water going!!

when your finished, turn off in taps and turn on out tap!! (there are brooms there to give the spa base a quick scrub...) In the morning, set it going when you get up and cook brekky, eat, then a quick spa and off to Marree after emptying etc!!

(Just a hint!! Pack some bundy or wine in case Shane &/or his missus come over to say Gday and maybe have a spa too!...they are top people...)

also bring some dunny paper (as sometimes it runs out. especially if its busy around the station....its maintained by the oldfields (i think at their cost still) so donate in the coin/note pole outside the crappers...

Ahh just thinking about it makes me pine for it again.....!!!

if you do see the oldfields or call into Marree tell em digger (ex andamooka) says Gday!!

3) headed out of Marree?, head along until you see the station house thats been taken over by the hippes that do art (youll know what I mean when you see it!!!) now when equal with the "hover bus" (I told you they are art/hippies you will see what I mean!!) stop...

Look forward along the road and slowly turn your head to the right...as you do you will see a large mesa (flat top hill), on top of that is the famous MARREE MAN... but its verbotten to go anywhere near it...dont risk it...

further along youll pass the roxby turnoff and there are turnoffs to the:

4)right---lake eyre south lookout....

4b) in the area to your left (just past roxby turnoff) is a large fossil field with fossils including large leafed tree fossils and fish!!..but you wont find it unless you are shown where and I cannot guide you without the appropriate permission. (sorry)

5)a bit further along, to the left--- a sign and short drive to the ruins of strangways springs telegraph station...one of the original telegraph stations (still has one last original pole in the ruins area) ....

6) further along youll see fettlers camps (the 4 roomed buildings alongside the old railway line..)
pull in to your right and look at Curdimurka.... (tracks obvious)
6b) once at the "Curdi" quarters, follow track along back and youll see the
curdimurka railway bridge...its a ripper! back the way you came in...

on the oodna track again....

7) the bubbler...to your left...go and look, its interesting and all signposted nowdays...they even built a walkway thingy there so you can see without disturbing the bubbler... (we used to sit in this pool area and drink etc years ago and camp nearby.... now its 'fragile and no entry" then it wasnt cared about much just occassional visitors!! oops!!)

8) coward springs....
drive in walk about, have a spa (another one!! and different again!)
coward springs (and all these places) was an old railway siding for the ghan..it had pubs and all ther at one stage!... can camp here for a small fee....
wetlands to rear (nth) of coward springs were caused when in abt 1886 the railway sank a bore to get water for the trains...(water was traeted with sulpher (I think) to purify it for the trains etc...that is what the metal towers at these sid ings are for...) this bore pipe leaks somewhere very deep down and obviously never was fixed...hence the 'springs name for the wetland!


YOU ARE ON ANNA CREEK STATION, THE LARGEST SHEEP STATION IN THE WORLD Its another KIDMAN station...

9) william creek pub...
entering william creek watch out for the traffic lights near trev wrights place!!!
william creek & its pub is a great place to be when its a races/gymkhana or other functions weekend... to the north of the pub (other side of the airstrip) is the races setup... big sheds etc really great facility!)

The pub is a great place for a drink (and do a good meal too!) go in and spend an hour or too reading bthe walls and bits and pieces, then start on the ceiling!!,, the rear dining room has some great stuff (history etc) and has photos of the old coward springs hotel (which is long gone although I believe the william creek hotel uses the bar from the coward springs hotel!)

also there is the ruins of the first rocket tested from woomera defence range... (its a tad dented!)...the cafe/caravan park is a nice facility if its open...(subject to whether....as in whether or not its open!) lots of memorabilia in there too!

track splits here,
11)straight ahead for Coober Pedy and the stuart highway... this goes past the place with the longest place name in australia
Lake caddibarrawirracanna (known locally as lake caddi) when it fills after good rain the people from coober pedy water ski on this lake (true!)


12) right at the sign near the william creek pub and youre still on the oodna track....

*-look for a massive railway bridge, built for the ghan line, that is world famous for its construction and location (and when it was built)


*- old ruins along the way...

*- OODNADATTA!!.. check out the pink roadhouse!! try an oodna burger!

*- See the outdoor cinema and drive in!

the pink roadhouse supplied all the 44gal drum lid info signs youve been seeing with the pink tops!

from OODNA its choice time again... (talk to the locals)

left.....coober pedy via mt barry and the painted desert...
(coober has lots to do, and also has the "breakaways"...to be viewed at sunrise or preferrably at sunset with a seat, a drink and a camera (the colours change!)

right goes to;

*- mt dare station (now a national parks and wildlife station/post)
then into WITJARA national park and to DALHOUSE SPRINGS...
DALHOUSIE is an old outpost with a warm thermal pool/spring for swimming in
(does anyone pick up a theme here!???) nice camp spot...
(need a desert parks pass from NPWS, at Mt dare or oodna....worth it as it has maps etc with it....and they do spot checks on passes etc

or

*- MARLA (and the stuart highway south from the sa/nt border)
or

*- CHAMBERS PILLAR and on through finke etc...
ending up in ALICE...


years ago I stayed at the WRIGLEYS WATERHOLE, or WIGLEYS WATERHOLE just out of ALICE...great spot, arrive to pool of still water, but walk past that to a great swimming hole...with beach like sides... we set up ....err..... maybe we found a swinging rope off the tree into the water...top spot...


hope some of this helps.... I truely hope you get it!!! sorry its so long!

cheers (and lots of photos please!)

digger

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Thankyou all for your input.

Digger, I can't thank you enough for the detail. We've been to Old Andado and to Dalhousie on a previous trip but not down the Birdsville Track or to Goyders Lagoon. We'll certainly follow up on your suggestions.

Left Victoria on what has to be one of the stormiest days for a long time. Cold, wet, windy and miserable weather all the way into SA. We chose the Adelaide route this time with the van. Figured the Adelaide Hills was the lesser of two evils when compared to Horrocks Pass, though in fairness both routes are pretty good now. Hit some terrible gales just out of Keith. Kaye said to look out for the "Landy on a pole" but I was too busy trying to stay on the road and dodge debris. Eventually pulled up just out of Keith and let the worst of it pass. Met a bloke the next day whose awning was ripped off his van as he was travelling along. Spent the night at a roadside stop near Crystal Brook.

Next day through Pt. Augusta and plenty of broken trees and off up the South road.



Lake Hart just North of Port Augusta has plenty of water and looks a lot better than the pic.

Next night at Marla and on to Alice Springs arriving today at about 2 PM.

Good road all the way, SWMBO's disco going like a dream though fuel consumption will have been fairly crook punching into the weather. Today was OK though I havn't worked it out yet.



This Native Miner wasn't to be detered. This squashed sweet was in the middle of the driveway at the Marla fuel pumps.

Anyway, public hol. here in the Alice tomorrow for the Annual Show, so should be a good day. Last week Finke Races, this week the show, next week the Camel Cup theres always something happening here.

Saturday I get the bull bar fitted. Ran out of time to get it done before leaving home. After much agonising settled on the ECB aluminium bar. I'm very weight concious and although probably not as strong as steel at least it's gussetted at the ends for additional strength.

Sunday it's off to Old Andado. It's interesting to read about caretakers. When we were there two years ago there were no caretakers but a hand written sign welcoming visitors and a request to put the camping fee in a tin on the kitchen table. Kaye and I remarked at the time that it was good that people still showed trust and had faith in strangers to do the right thing.

"With the best yet to come.................."


Kaye and Deano.