Noosafox & Tornado Dust Devil. Off tripping to WA 1st March
Submitted: Sunday, Feb 26, 2006 at 18:46
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Noosa Fox
On Wednesday the 1st March Conrad and Niza and Margaret and I head off for a little over 6 months trip to WA.
Our trip will go via Lightening Ridge, Camerons Corner, Birdsville Innamincka and then to Marree. From there we intend to visit Coober Pedy, the Pinted Desert area, and up to Delhousie springs. Not sure which way we will get to Alice Springs but want to call in at Rainbow Valley again. From Alice we will go to Kings Canyon, and down to the rock, then head West on Gret Central Road to Laverton, checking out Kalgoolie before heading down to the water at Esperence. We will have the tinny with us so may wet a line there. We then intend to go around the coast to Perth where we are booked to fly out on 2nd & 3rd June for a FIX with the grand children. In our case our 3rd is expected to arrive on 27th May.
When we return to Perth we will be heading up the coast and then into the Pilbra before headed up to Broome and then the Kimberley. We intend Visiting "Middle Lagoon" north of Broome where the fishing was good on our last visit.
In the Kimberley we will travel the Gibb River Road and Kalumburu Roads then when we get to Kunnunurra head down to Turkey Creek where we will leave the vans in safe storage while we tent it into the Bungle Bungles.
After we pick up the vans again we will travel down the Tanami Track then the Plenty Hwy back to Queensland, in time to get to the
BOG Rally at Copeton on 16th September.
We are lucky enough to have a Perth couple house sitting for us while we are away.
If you see our Blue F250 or Conrads Red Dodge RAM towing the monster (27ft BT) give us a call. We will be on UHF 18 and scanning 40.
I don't expect to be on the Internet much to check out the site while we are away as we will have too many other things to do.
Brian
Reply By: Mobi Condo - Sunday, Feb 26, 2006 at 20:59
Sunday, Feb 26, 2006 at 20:59
Hello Brian & Margaret, Conrad & Niza,
Sounds terrific, hope you have the best of trips and safely so.
Mind you, I begrudgingly mutter this between grinding, clenched, teeth; fighting back bucket loads of tears of envy and needing some medication after my tantrum is finished. Aaaargh! :-)
Do you have HF and would you like a call from time to time if you do? {anything to even be in radio contact with a trip like that - eh?} :-)
After all that - seriously have a great trip.
Cheers - Ian & Sally
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Noosa Fox - Monday, Feb 27, 2006 at 02:13
Monday, Feb 27, 2006 at 02:13
We do have a HF Radio, Just have to remember how to use it again, as we haven't used it for 18 months.
Call sign Quebec 303 Cellcall 0303
FollowupID:
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Reply By: Grumblebum & Dragon - Sunday, Feb 26, 2006 at 22:36
Sunday, Feb 26, 2006 at 22:36
Sounds just like another few days in the office for the Bt mob!! :-)
Have a great trip
Grumblebum and the Dragon
AnswerID:
568093
Reply By: Rockgoc - Monday, Feb 27, 2006 at 07:30
Monday, Feb 27, 2006 at 07:30
Brian & Margaret, Conrad & Niza, if you are in Kalgoorlie before 19th March or after 31st March, (we are in Tassie in between) please feel free to give us a call, or drop in to say g'day. I know you prefer to free camp, but because we are working here we have to stay in a park as locals, so not much chance of seeing us unless you do come to our place I'm afraid! BUT..........we'll travel to your bush camp if you like...can't miss out on an opportunity for a natter with fellow BOGGERS can we eh? Fell free to call us at home on 08 90223086 or Jan's mobile 0428 347021 or Easy's mobile 0407 980017.
Looking forward to seeing you guys, or "safe travelling" if we don't!
Cheers from Jan O & Easy
AnswerID:
568094
Reply By: Tellem Bugrem - Monday, Feb 27, 2006 at 18:22
Monday, Feb 27, 2006 at 18:22
G'day Brian, Margaret, Conrad & Niza,
Lucky Boggers! What a fantastic 6months!
Don't forget your fly vails in the Centre, particularly around Dalhousie. The Pedirka track from Hamilton to Dalhousie is a shocker, rough, sharp rocks and 30km/h max for 57km. Take your time. Road from Mt Dare to Old Andado is too narrow for BT, but you can go around via New Crown. Old Andado to Alice is apparently OK and the Old Ghan Route from Finke to Alice can be rough. Good, but basic campground at Oak Valley on the Hugh River Stock Route is a good base camp for a day trip to Chambers Pillar (Can't take a BT to the Pillar Camp Ground.). Hugh River Stock Route was good last April and leads to Stuarts Well (Good camp with Dinky the singing Dingo). We did'nt take the BT into Rainbow but could have. Conrad would find the logged off camp sites a tad difficult, if not impossible.
At Glen Helen, you can free camp at the Three Mile on the Finke River. Go 200m west of the Glen Helen Resort turn-off...little track on right just before causeway. Keep out of the soft sand in the Finke River! Otherwise you can spoil yourselves at the resort camp. Drinks are expensive, entertainment is excellent and the Chopper trip is spectacular! Good swimming in the Gorge. We used the Three Mile Camp as a base camp for Redbank, Ormiston, Ocre Pits, Serpentine and Ellery Big Hole. (5 nights)
Merini Loop is a bit rough but okay....take your time. You can get into Palm Valley camp with the BT although there is limited space to camp. Kings Canyon is worth a 3 night stop.
Don't know much about the rest of your routes but look forward to your reports as we will be tackling WA in 2007.
All the best, and safe & happy travels! See you back at Copeton.
Cheers...........Rob and Liz
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Noosa Fox - Monday, Feb 27, 2006 at 22:34
Monday, Feb 27, 2006 at 22:34
Thanks for the advice on the tracks. Have been on some of them before without the luxury of BT accomodation.
And Jan we will be in your area late April give or take a bit. We just have to make sure we are in Perth by 2nd June to make flights that we have booked to see new grand child.
Brian
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Reply By: Turist - Tuesday, Feb 28, 2006 at 03:44
Tuesday, Feb 28, 2006 at 03:44
Hi Brian.
If you intend to camp at the "resort" at Kings Canyon" then be sure to phone ahead and have them keep a motorhome site for each of you.
Conrad will never fit onto a 'normal' van site out there, they are very small.
After I told them that I had a big rig the reception directed me to a site where I could drive on via a yet to be taken vacant site.
Drove onto it OK, but the front of the F truck was up against the fence and unhitching impossible.
So a trip back to the office and they put us on a motorhome site.
With a fully kitted up van the ameneties are not a problem, thank goodness, as these were some of the dirtiest we have seen.
Dirty when we arrived and in the 3 nights we stayed they were not cleaned.
The rest of the park was in similar condition. BBQ's that didn't work or were filthy, rubbish bins overflowing etc.
We were going to have a meal in the rstaurant but the A/C didn't work and with the outside air temp at about 38º it was around 50º inside.
They just had a few backpackers working there and they didn't give a hoot.
And this is an attraction that we direct our overseas guests to!
But hey, the countryside is great, the walks terrific and the wildlife plentiful and that is what we went to see.
Bob
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Reply By: Black Cobra - Tuesday, Feb 28, 2006 at 07:40
Tuesday, Feb 28, 2006 at 07:40
Brian & Margaret.
Have a great trip through WA and hope things go well. If you are in Perth between the 25th March and the 17th April would like to have a look at you rigs.
I fly home on the 23rd March and leave again on the 17th so please give me a call on 0417984811 if you remember, ( I know its the last thing you would be thinking on a great trip like that) or give me a contact number so I can ring you to see where you are.
Cheers
Stewart
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Follow Up By: Noosa Fox - Tuesday, Feb 28, 2006 at 23:37
Tuesday, Feb 28, 2006 at 23:37
Thanks Stewart,
We are leaving home now, so won't see much on this site very often for a while.
We won't reach WA until late April at this stage.
BOB,
Thanks for the advice on Motor Home site at Kings Canyon.
Brian
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