Trip Info

Stewart,
About 55km north of Marree is Clayton water hole where there is a HOT spa tub just waiting for you to turn the tap on an enjoy. Good camping spot and flushing toilet.

We went around the East MacDonnell Ranges last year and stayed at Arltunga so that we could leave the van there and do the day trip into Ruby Gorge. Ruby gorge is well worth the trip in, but it definitely not suitable for a BT. Physically would not fit between trees around some bends. At Arltunga they said that the track between the Plenty Hwy and the northern ring road back to the Stuart Highway would not be suitable for vans so we just took the ring road back to Alice Springs. It had rained so some parts were interesting.

We went to Chambers Pillar from the Finke Track and you can tow the van up over a large hill and on to where there is a gate. We camped just inside this gate as 200 metres past the gate is the start of the sand hills and some of these would probably cause a few problems for the larger heavier vans, and as we were travelling with friends with a 27ft BT didn't try them. It is about 10 km from there into Chambers Pillar. I didn't know that there was a connecting track between Chambers Pillar and Rainbow Valley so we went into Rainbow Valley from the Stuart Highway and you will find that there is only about 200-300 metres of soft sand just before getting to Rainbow Valley where there are camp sites large enough for caravans.

The old Finke Track has some very soft sand just north of Finke and tyre pressure has to be reduced to tow a van through it. A lot of the track is narrow in places and there are lots of places to camp, especially near the old railway sidings. I think that you will find that the road between Finke and the Hwy is a good gravel road. (I didn't know it was every called the Gunbarrel)

We went through the West MacDonnel Ranges and camped at "Elery Big Hole" $6.60 NP fee, Red Bank Gorge is a bit tight for turning the van around at the end and Low Range 4WD was required. We just camped beside the road on Mereenie Loop and did a Bush Camp east of Kings Canyon before doing a day trip into Kings Canyon Gorge. There is another good camping area on Lritja Road 50 km north of the Lasseter Hwy.

You will probably have to get a Permit (if they are still required from Central Land Council) to travel between Yulara and Docker River. We showed the Uluru Check point the permit and no fees were required as we were passing through. This road varies as to when the grader has been through from good to very very bad, it was the later when we travelled it in April 2006. We stayed at the Docker River Camping area. 80 Km East of Warburton is a good camping area off to the south side of the road.

Brian

G'dy Stewart,

Here are my thoughts on part of your trip.

You could take the BT into Rainbow Valley.....best to go in around lunchtime as the road is narrow and this time is suggested to minimise the inconvenience of meeting traffic coming out. Spend a few hours and do the walk right into the valley. Then back to camp to watch the colours of the sunset. Alternatively, you could camp at Stuart's Well and be entertained by dinky, the singing dingo, then do a day/evening trip into Rainbow. Hugh River Road was good and, although the camp ground at Oak Valley is pretty basic(and a bit exy @ $16), it's a good place for leaving the van for a day trip into Chambers Pillar. Lillian and Jason will light the donkey so you'll have a hot shower when you return, Don't try to take BT into Chambers. There are a lot of Jump-ups. Can't remember the UHF channel (12?) you'll need to negotiate them without a head-on. A dune flag would also be advisable. Finke is one of those communities where everything has been trashed, there's plenty of evidence of alcohol abuse. Do youself a favour and go on to Mt Dare and Dalhousie before returning to Kulgera. Don.t forget your fly veils though.

The road from Chambers to Finke can be pretty bad. Finke to Dalhousie was fine when we travelled, as was the run back to Kulgera. I wouldn't miss the west Macdonalds and all the gorges. Good free camp at Three Mile - opposite Glen Helen Resort on the Finke River, We used this as a base camp (5 nights), and did day trips to Glen Helen (swimming, pub, entertainment, water supply and helicoptter flight.(a must). Day trips also to Redbank, Ormiston, Ochre Pits, Serpentine, and Ellery Creek.

We went around to Hermannsberg and Palm Valley via Goss Bluff before tackling the Mereenie Loop to Kings Canyon. The road wasn't as bad as some had made it out to be. Lift-um-foot and enjoy the scenery. Spend a couple of days at Kings Canyon...do the rim walk including Garden of Eden. Allow a whole day for the 6km.

Then on to Uluru and Kata Tjuta. The 11km trek throgh the Valley of the Winds is worth the effort.Haven't been on the Great Central but I know of several BT's that have.

Enjoy the journey.............Rob and Liz

Hi Stewart,
We were the ones who mentioned the camp just North of Carcory Ruins and it's a great spot....quiet and serene.

We echo the thoughts above from Brian and Rob as we did all those tracks last year in May & June.

Another nice camp on the Birdsville track is the pub at Mungerannie and the water hole there has some fabulous birdlife including 2 brolgas who appear from behind the pub in the morning and stroll over to the waterhole. The Galahs and Corellas are noisy in the late afternoon. They have a facilities block there for hot showers and flush toilets. Like new 'cos it is. Cost is $10.00 per night. Pic in my "Pictures" file here.

If you want to go through to Arltunga from the Plenty, there is a TRACK we did last year called Cattlewater Pass. This is a track not a formed graded road. We did it easily in our Landcruiser and Kimberley Kamper with only a couple of small creek crossings...dry then...however your F250 and BT will be wider in the track and make things all a bit closer to your vehicle. If you want to do that....take the turn off to the South off the Plenty to a place called MUD TANK. This turn off is by a Windmill and earth tank for water storage and is about 12k's East of Gemtree This is a great free camp and a huge fossicking area for Zircons. Mud Tank is about 10 k's down this road..... Anyway head South past Mud Tank on a good graded road and then after a while it narrows to be a 2 wheel track and part of it is through an Aboriginal Community...no permit needed if you stay on the track.

This then brings you out to the cattle properties that you head West through to get to Arltunga. See the ruins and DON"T miss the visitors centre at Arltunga....magic....check out the Miners Barrow in the middle of the floor and imagine yourself pushing that for 300k over sand dunes from Oodnadatta to Arltunga to join the "RUSH".

We did the Kimberley Kamper into Chambers Pillar and if you were very keen you could get the BT in there, but the campsites just fitted our LC & KK...so up to you and that ridge is quite steep, so low range. There is 15 little sand dunes and they're only about 6 metres high, but as Rob says it is 2 way. The sign at the gate tells everyone to use CH10 UHF and call constantly to alert any traffic...we saw none on our trip in and out. Camp Site Pic in our "Pictures" here on this site.

Good advice to do Dalhousie and MT Dare...you'll love it.....red gibber road to Dalhousie is a rough one though....take your time and no worries.

The dilema of the Meereenie Loop or Mulga Park road to Yulara would depend on how you are off for time. If you have less time left then do Mulga Park (Good easy Red Road)...tune to UHF 4 and listen to the yabber from the communites close to the border....not much else of startling interest along this road and we did it in preference to the black top to get to Yulara. However, a nice Southern view of Mt Connor was the reward at the end and a free camp at Curtain Springs....also in the campground there....some of those who only needed their 3 day pass to the Rock and Olgas for 1 day will pass on their still current pass...saves $25.00 per head.

However if time is with you do the Meereenie Loop and don't miss Palm Valley and do the big walk there.

Well, Stewart...that brought back a few memories...hope yours are just as nice.
Enjoy...
Rick & Julie

Hi Stewart

I know you are home from your trip. Its a pitty about the horse race at Birdsville, But we are expection a report on your trip now. How did everything go?

Regards
Brian