Thread: Hay River track

Originally Posted by 2stroke

Plans are underway for our latest September adventure, this time the Hay River. Already have permit application forms etc, interested in pictures, fuel consumption (I recorded desert consumption on the French line last year) good camps, sights. Any info welcome thanks. Promise to take plenty of photos to put in the report.

Did this trek Nth/Sth in 2006. Some great country out there, relatively easy (only the southern dunes can be troublesome) and you should enjoy.

There once was a trip report on our journey, but has since been removed. All of our info was in this report, so dont have it anymore.

Pity that, it came up when I started the thread but I couldn't read it, search also no good. Have friends along this time, they're in a stretched 100 series dualcab, towing a camper trailer (he manufactures them) so could be interesting along the QAA and shotline?

Excellent area.

We came in from Mungerannie, opened the Rig Rd, up Knolls, across to Poppels, up to the native well and shot line, up to the lake and into the aboriginal lands for a tour. Great way to do it.

The Westprint map at the time was good but a bit vague. To nav off GPS I'd look for one of the high resolution maps.

My pics are here
www.slunnie.com - Hay River, Simpson Desert 0607

I used about 190 litres or similar and was carrying 210 litres, but I'm not economical. I used the most in the group. That trip was from Mungerannie to Jervois.

For your permits, they take time to process, I'd get them in ASAP.

Best camp site I thought was at the bore before the shot line followed by under the ghost gum at Batton Hill camp. The junction at the creek crossing to the lake was also fine.

I travelled North to South in 2007.
After leaving Batton Hill camp we took the diversion out to Lake Caroline - soft sand in Bed of Hay River was hard going. Camped just South of the crossing.

2nd day to just south of Madigan's camp 16 (fire word gets scarce further south). One of the best camp sites on Hay River is found by taking a very short diversion from Hay River track toward Madigan's camp 14 - it will be found in the trees on the right side before you get past the western edge of the Hay River (river has several channels).

3rd day beyond end of Hay River, a couple of hours before shot line. The biggest dunes on Hay River track on this leg. Many alternate tracks were misleading here - I relied on waypoints supplied by Joel Fleming.

4th day along shotline (easy going - no significant dunes), down K1, across to Peoppel's Corner, back up to QAA Line and camp off QAA line.

5th day along QAA line to Birdsville, via Eyre Creek diversion (flooded) and Big Red.

If you have Oziexplorer, I have saved track logs that may be of use.

Edit: we enjoyed the trip, but wasted a lot of time looking around the midden site but there was very little left to see back then, just a few stone flakes. I recommend you don't bother. The bush tucker trip from Batton Hill was disappointing when we did it - very little bush tucker, but ok scenery wise.

Thanks guys, a big help. Have a fair idea about fuel usage if the terrain is similar to the French line. Also have a Hema Navigator this time so with maps as well should find our way okay. Allowing 5-6 nights from Birdsville to Jervois, seems reasonable then. Not sure how the mate's Cruiser will go (towing a camper) westward on the QAA, one dune, about 4 past Big Red was a good size with the usual left right at the top challenged some drivers last year and a few people couldn't get over it. Might get a few pics towing it, like the hiluxes last year.

We drove up the Hay River Road in '08. It was a great trip. The diversion into Lake Caroline is worth it. The lake was dry when we were there, so access was easy and we were able to drive out on the lake bed. The southern dunes are fun too.

[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVHw_tc5Srk"]YouTube- Land Rover Isuzu 4BD1t 2[/nomedia]

Of the desert tracks I think this is the most enjoyable. Mrs TwoUp didn't come along on this one but this only gives me reason to return.

The Bush Tucker tour is worth while and ask Lyndsay plenty of questions and you will get the desired answers.

I used 96Ltr in my 300Tdi, but I am reasonably economical in my driving. I have a 132Ltr Long Ranger and I carried 2 Jerries as well. A Td5 130 used 15 ish litres more than me. He is a little harder in his driving.

Lake Caraline is well worth it, take care as you can break through the crusty top. Enjoy your trip. Have little vid of the driving to the North.
[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbIT1Ho0rL8"]YouTube- Hay River.mpg[/nomedia]

[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTw0WnbNFWQ"]YouTube- Hay River South.mpg[/nomedia]


We strayed East a little on the Southern part of the track (well not tracks at all), this was fantastic.

Regards,
PeterW

Did ther Hay River track with Numpty and have put in my trip notes and some photos. Hope it helps. Great spot and well worth the trip. As you can see from the notes not all things went smoothly and breakdowns in this country can happen and if not prepared can be both costly and dangerous



Day 15 Sunday 23rd July – Batton Hill


After a quick pack up and not being the last ones to finish we set off to Jervois station to fill up then we set out for baton hill camp. We stopped for morning tea and mum did her first bit of off road driving getting there.

We reached Baton Hill after lunch were we met Kevin the aboriginal caretaker who showed us where we could camp the kitchen, the bathrooms and the showers.

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We walked up a low hill near camp and had a great view of the country. Then once got settled in we started to make our pig curry that we had prepared, after hour of cooking on the fantastic stove we ate, we all devoured this curry with delight before setting to bed so we could be up for the bush tucker tour.

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Day 16 Monday 24th July – Batton Hill


Up to see a magnificent sunrise. Kevin had been down and lit the fire on the stove and the donkey hot water heaters for the showers.

We were due to do the bush tucker tour at 10 am and we assembled around the caretakers camp to meet Billy the aboriginal guide for the day. The camp consisted of two buildings, a house type affair and an open sided shed. Billy, his wife, niece and mother in law as well as Kevin lived in the open shed and a humpy alongside made of tin and old carpet.

Billy’s niece showed us some native seed necklaces which she had made and wanted $15 per necklace. Jan wanted two, Julie wanted two and Pat one. She told us she would have then ready when we returned.

We set off on the tour with another group that had just come up the Hay River. They had done it in 4 days and had an easy run with no tyre problems. Billy had us about 10 klms from camp when he had us stop to show us bush oranges and bush onions. Both were in short supply due to the dry conditions that the rea had been experiencing.

Off again and a short time later we stopped and Billy showed us bush bananas which we tried. They just tasted like orange pith. Off again and we stopped near a flat topped hill which we climbed. The view was fantastic and gave us a taste of where we were going.

Down the hill and onto some Grevilleas which we sucked and got the sugar out of, very sweet. We then went and stoped at place where the local aborigines made stone tools from sharp quartz.

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Back to camp and lunch where we waited for the afternoon tour out to Goyder’s Pillar which apparently looked great at sunset. Up some step gibber country which required me to engage low range and then onto a hill which we also limbed. We saw some rock wallabies near the summit.

Off to Goyder’s Pillar for some great photos of the Landys lined up at sunset. The pillar changed some grat shades of purple and red.

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Back to camp for a great dinner of corn and crab meat fritters and then off to bed.

Day 17 Tuesday 25 July – Hay River


Up early and pack as we were setting off into the Simpson Desert. We packed up and filled the bladder with water. I had a long last shower as it has to last a week until we reach Birdsville.

The track turned out to be in pretty good condition so we upped the pace and was able to sit in third gear most of the way. We changed the order during he day so everyone had a go at leading out of the dust.

As we were making good time we decided to go and have a look at Lake Caroline. This necessitated crossing the Hay River which is dry for 99% of the year as it was now.

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Carl led the way with Perry next followed by us. We were going well in deep sand however Carl kept slowing down near the opposite bank which in turn had Perry slowing. I had no option but to drop speed. This led to the Red Terror bogging in the sand. I had to let out the tyre pressure down to 25 psi and engage the diff locks. No worries then and the Landy jumped out of the sand.

Off to Lake Caroline which was some 11 klms away.

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On the way we saw our first camels of the trip. 4 were trotting alongside the backwash of the lake and stoped when a fair distance away to have a look back at us. We made the lake which was 99 percent dry. We snapped a few photos and as there was no wood here head back to the river, cross and camp on the other side. On the way back we saw a lone dingo who trotted away and then sat to watch us drive past.

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No problems this time as the pace was up. We soon found a good campsite. There was however , heaps of small burrs which stuck to everything. We set up camp and decided to make bread. Ours was a bit hot and burned rather badly.

Catch up on the journal around the fire and looking forward to a slow start tomorrow as we are ahead of schedule.

Day 17 Wednesday 26 July – Hay River

Up early and off again on the Hay River track. The scenery changed every few klms as you went from river country to dunes. Most of the time we were wedged between the river and the dunes so the view was somewhat restricted.

We decided to go down to the river for a look see and walk up a very high dune which was visible from the track. On the way there we saw a mob of 4 camels that were quite curious and came straight towards us. They had the wind over their backs and into our faces so they could not smell us.

We took a heap of photos as they were pretty close. We had discussed having a go at camel steaks if the opportunity to shoot a small one presented itself.

We went up to the dune and after a fairly slippery steep ascent we made the top of the dune. What a great view as we looked over the rolling dunes of the Simpson Desert. Over to the north we saw and area which appeared to be water. Around this were more camels. We walked along the top of the dune towards them and looking through Perry’s binoculars we counted 10 camels of different colours. Mostly they are brown but there were a few white and light tan ones.

Back onto the track and off along the trail. We decided to have an early night so we could cook the rest of the pork and make pasta.

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We found a better spot with less burrs and set up camp near the river. I started cooking the sauce and then sat down to have a beer or two. We had a Pommy wash out in the open behind some trees, which Jan found too most invigorating. The pasta was great and everyone had a good feed. After tea we walked over the nearest dune away from the fire and lights to look at he tars/. We saw some good shooting stars and then we went back to the fire for a tea and off to bed.

Day 17 Thursday 27 July – Hay River

Up early as per usual and after leftover pasta we packed off and hit the road with the idea of getting to Madigan Camp 14. We were in the lead and the track while still being better than expected was starting to get a bit bumpy in some spots especially on the top of a few dunes that we had to cross as they were close to the river. The river itself had started to get very narrow and after a few more klms was reduced to a stream and a few channels between the dunes.

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We met some land rover people coming over a dune as we driving next to us and they had been to the same place as we going to.

After morning tea we set out again and we were once again in the lead. Then looking down and fiddling while bumping and swerving I got a bit carsick and was reduced to sleeping through to the first big dune. We had 3 attempts then got over into the roughest part of the trip which lead to norms clutch defect which we got to camp using the tow way.
The full extent of the clutch problem with Norm’s Landy was not evident. After a conflab Norm rang Birdsville and arranged for the necessary repairs then he rang Victorian and ordered a clutch plate pressure plate and the rest of the bits and pieces required. They said they could get them there by Monday so we aimed to go to Birdsville by Sunday. This was slightly earlier then we had expected but we need to get Norm mobile. We thought that as he could still go forward in gear that he could limp along to Birdsville.



We decided to leave it on a hill so he could start easy in the morning. Dinner and an early night.

Day 18 Friday 28 July – Madigan Line



Up early for a breakfast of bacon and creamed corn and then off back along the Madigan Line to Camp 15 Norm got going in low 2nd and we were off again. A short time later however we got the call that it had gone phut completely and that no clutch means no gears means no go forward for Norm’s Landy. A quick conflab and Carl agreed to tow Norm. Straps and shackles were attached and we were off again if what slightly more slowly. The dalai and I were in front giving road conditions to the tower and the towees behind. We got back to the Hay River track near Madigan 15 and ran into a group heading North who said that the Hay River track to Peopples Corner was pretty good with only a few dunes to cross. Even though Norm has a winch and we had plenty of snatch straps, we were hesitant on crossing too many dunes.


We pushed onto the famous blaze tree at Camp 16. The tree had just about repaired itself and the blaze was almost closed over.

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There was a visitors book which we filled in and we took a heap of photos. We went up to the top of the dune and took some great shots of the desert and the live sand saw-toothing the dune.

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We had to make a decision as to what way to go, the Madigan line as was the original plan of down the Hay River track. Norm and Carl set out in the Patrol to check out the Madigan and came back a half hour later stating that while the first dune was not too bad the next one and the one after were pretty big and that it would be an effort to get Norm over.

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It was therefore decided that 1 broken vehicle was enough and that we would take the Hay River track to Birdsville via Peopples Corner. We were somewhat disappointed as the intent of the trip was to follow Madigan’s travels through to Birdsville.

The Hay River track was great and soon there were no trees and just endless sand dunes and nothing. I took the lead and just pottered along reporting road conditions to Norm and Carl. The scenery was great and the track was getting better.

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We stopped at Eagles nest for lunch and then pushed onto The Claypan. We decided to push on for another ½ hour and set up camp as were going to have another roast dinner. Pat and I went up a large dune and noticed a group of trees which looked like a good camp. We pushed on and found a small grove of Gidgee but it was not he one Pat and I saw so I said I would go ahead and see if I could find it. The track wound up a large dune and the bigger grove was visible on the other side. The track went down steeply but we decided to go down and camp as it was just off the track we needed to follow in the morning.

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We got fire going and had a pommy bath out in the open again which was very refreshing. We talked and thought we would try and make it to Peopples Corner tomorrow.


Day 19 Saturday 29th July-Winch Day near Madigan 16

Big day today. We got packed up reasonably early knowing that we had a big day ahead. Set off down what we thought was the track and it split…we think one fork going through to the border across country and the other sort of petered out. A rethink, and we decided we were going to have to go back to find the right track.

Pat & Perry and us set out back and along the way met a guy on a trailbike. He was also looking for the right track. We asked him, if he found the track, to please mark it with a big arrow in the sand. Problem was how to get Shorty back over the big dune we had come across before camping. We gave towing a go but Carl didn’t get very far before stopping. Then out came Shorty’s electric winch…big problem, Shorty’s batteries had gone flat overnight somehow.

Then out came the Brano handwinch and with mine and Carl’s vehicles as anchor points we started to winch by hand. We reckon each stroke of the handle gained us about ¾ inch, and we had to winch about 20m on a 30deg slope. Hard work but with a tagteam effort and even the women taking a turn we managed to get a good effort in.

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Perry jump started Shorty’s vehicle so he could run it in idle to try to get some charge in the battery to run the winch. After a bit, we were able to use the electric winch to pull the vehicle the last little bit. It had taken 2 hours to handwinch over but we had been ages at the first crossing, so all up about 4 ½ hours to get over the dune and 1km down the road. We stopped on the claypan for lunch and then Shorty and Carl decided to do a recce along the track to see the lay of the land. They came back with the news that the dunes were too big to even consider going that way, so we split, Carl and Julie towing Shorty and Graham back to Batton Hill and Jervois, and then maybe Shorty could get a towtruck out to Alice Springs. Pat & Perry and me Jan and Vincent set of down the Hay River Track.

The track was quite indistinct in places…even the track of the trailbike that had come through earlier in the day was getting obliterated by the wind. It was sandy and we crossed 14 dunes, some of which we had to have more than one bite at before going over. Beautiful country. We had left the claypan at about 3pm, so decided at 4pm to make camp in some Gidgee country. Another top spot. It’s pretty lonely out here…apart from the bike we have not seen another soul all day. It has been getting cloudier as the day has gone on and may yet rain. We got the fire going as soon as we could as we have camel vindaloo planned for dinner.

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Day 20 30th July- QAA line


After a calm pack up we set out to Poepples corner were be crossed onto the shot line were we went over 47 sand dunes until we stopped for morning tea near beach comber well were we put some more pressure into the tyres and set out across the K1 line to get to Poepple’s corner. On he way a camel was on the road and was running in front of us for 2-4 k’s.

The K1 line was very bumpy due to washouts but then we got through to the Simpson Desert national park and there was a huge dried lake full of salt that was just crystallising on the surface of the ground.


We took a few photos at Poepple’s corner, which is the corner between south Australia Queensland and the northern Territory. Which is where we also had lunch and set off for a couple of hour along the shot line between peoples corner and Birdsville our next major stop. I would not recommend that track for any one with weak bladders. Where we set up camp and calculated that we crossed 87 sand dunes in a day.

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Day 21 31 July – QAA line


Up early and back onto the road. We had not seen another car for over a day and we were expecting the traffic to get a little more thick the closer we got to Birdsville. We were not wrong, soon after heading out we struck the first group of nomads heading west. They told us that they were on channel 20 UHF and so we swapped over and it was not long before we were in the middle of a constant stream of nomads all talking about dunes and crossings and photo opportunities.

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The dunes were getting steeper and more chopped up and the swales had bad corrugations. We eventually made it to Big Red after crossing something like 200 dunes.

Over Big Red and into Birdsville. Onto the next section of the trip Innaminka via Walkers Crossing track