Way into the WA wilderness

[JohnM]

Day 8, Monday 10 July (cont.).

Day 5 on the CSR.

Burnt-out Landrover which has been there for some time (enough to appear on maps). It had a Holden motor conversion. Well 13. Well 14. The plaque and visitors’ book is in memory of a man from South Australia who had a heart attack and died while fulfilling a long-held dream to do the CSR.



We then came across some N-S travellers in grief with a broken trailer suspension. They were clearly very experienced and well set up, using their portable arc welder to effect repairs (although some of our people with excellent mechanical knowledge were sceptical of how good a job a low-intensity welder would do).

This occurrence exposed two dilemmas. The folks had good vehicles and lots of gear (generator, the welder!) but one wonders whether that was part of their downfall. The weight of all that stuff and towing a trailer imposes a big penalty. I certainly wouldn’t want to be dragging a trailer over those dunes.

The other dilemma is how folks from the east (they were from Balranald) who may be doing a lengthy round-Australia trip compromise for the CSR which may only be part of a much longer journey. All of our group (4 WA, 4 Vic, 1 Qld) were pretty much on a mission to do the CSR. I think that is a better way to be. I guess the other option is to store a caravan or trailer and loop back after the CSR to pick it up.



Wildflowers getting better. Peak flowering for most.



Early sighting of what was referred to as ‘holly grevillea, of which we were to see it extensively in great abundance and often in dense thickets for the rest of the journey. It certainly has holly-like leaves and flowers but a bit of digging indicates that calling Wickham’s Grevillea holly grevillea is probably not correct. There are other species in SE Australia more accurately referred to as holly grevillea.




Another very common Grevillea amongst the good plant life in the area.

 

[JohnM]

Day 8, Monday 10 July (cont.).

Day 5 on the CSR.

Well 15. New toilet. The construction of this toilet was partly sponsored by our leader’s business, so he was pretty chuffed to see it a matter of weeks after its installation. As it turned, a bit further up the track we crossed paths with some Trackcare guys heading S and they had with them a plaque to install at the Well 15 toilet to recognise the contributors.

It’s traditional in Jeremy’s tour groups that money is raised by appointing someone to ‘fine’ people for ‘misdemeanours’. One of the ladies was so keen to be the fines person that I thought she must have been a schoolteacher in an earlier life; no, worse – she had been a Landcare coordinator (just kidding). Anyway Madam Lash, as I dubbed her, did an excellent job of recording all sorts of things done wrongly, silly mistakes, misplaced items (that we then ‘auctioned’ back).

It made for a heap of fun each night over drinks around the campfire. Notionally, people were ‘fined’ (or ostensibly bought their misplaced item – mobile phone was one, a gas cylinder that fell off a roof rack when the strap holding it broke loose on a particularly rough dune was another – back at ‘auction’). At the end of the trip, though, an envelope was passed around for donations to Trackcare that the leader’s business matches. We came up with $620, so $1240 going Trackcare’s way. They do a great job voluntarily – including paying for their own fuel.



We arrived at Well 15 quite early, so plenty of time to take showers, refill water containers and go for a walk to the nearby dunes, then take in a colourful sunset.

 

[love_the_life]

Not sure about the reference to school teachers
Great photos - a lot of vegetation along the track, more than I expected.

 

[JohnM]

Day 9, Tuesday 11 July.

Day 6 on the CSR.

Well 15 to Durba Springs (75 km). Via Murray Rankin trolley, Well 16 (ruins), Durba Hills/Canning’s Cairn, past Well 17 (Killagurra Spring) (access now closed). Two nights at Durba Springs. Toilets but no well and no potable water.



While the full moon set, the cloud evident the previous evening brought a spectacular dawn. A bit of rough track and deviations to negotiate just after moving out.





More comedians. Remains of Murray Rankin’s trolley, bicycle-based cart that abandoned after an unsuccessful attempt in 1972 to walk the track from S to N (but achieved from N-S in 1976) – as noted on the map.

 

[JohnM]

Day 9, Tuesday 11 July (cont.).

Day 6 on the CSR.

A few locals. Well 16 was an oasis with plenty of zebra finches.



As we got further into sand dune country, ‘runways’ began to appear. I’ll probably have some clearer pics later but I think this will give the idea.

The main track leads up to the dune from the left of the vehicle in a sweeping bend obscured by the vegetation. To facilitate getting a run-up, a deviation goes across to the right to provide a lengthier straight section to approach the dune (the curved bit of track behind the vehicle is that deviation). In some cases, like this one, there is a rearward extension of the ‘take-off strip’ that you can back into to get even more runway length. It’s like an arrester bed in reverse.

They were very handy at times. The amusing thing was the airport analogy, whereby vehicles queued in the ‘taxiway’ at right angles to the ‘runway’, then entered it after the previous vehicle had cleared the dune (perhaps after backing up and trying again with more speed). It really did look like airport operations done by vehicles. I soon figured that 3[SUP]rd[/SUP] in low-range and floored was the optimum for the Troopy to clear the biggest, softest, most cut-up dunes.
Approaching Durba Hills.



Lunch and firewood stop and a climb to the top to take in the view from Canning’s Cairn.



Circle the wagons! A lot of flights passed over the Durba Hills/Durba Springs area in the two days there. All on a SE-NW track. Most AFFers have probably flown over the Durba Hills/Springs without realising it.



The nearby track into Durba Springs is a deviation off the CSR and was a bit rough in places.

 

[JohnM]

Day 9, Tuesday 11 July (cont.).

Day 6 on the CSR.


When spinifex burns, which is often, not much of it remains.



Then the lovely campground at Durba Springs to settle in for two nights.

 

[kermatu]

Amazing country. Thoroughly enjoying, as always, your TR. Thank you.

 

[JohnM]

Day 10, Wednesday 12 July.

Day 7 on the CSR.

No travel day at Durba Springs. A few of us went for a walk up the gorge in the morning while in the afternoon the whole group went for a walk at ground level below the breakaway to some rock art. The morning walk up the mostly dry, rocky creek bed was not strenuous but it did involve some fairly difficult climbing over large boulders to get to the upper level with its rock pools and back down again.









A quad heading SE.

 

[JohnM]

Day 10, Wednesday 12 July (Cont.).

Day 7 on the CSR.



Spinifex not burned for a long time dies in centre to form large circles.

 

[JohnM]

Day 11, Thursday 13 July.

Day 8 on the CSR.

Durba Springs to bush camp (90 km) via Diebel Hills, Well 18 (restored), Terrace Hill (Onegunyah Rockhole), cross Tropic of Capricorn, Well 19 (ruins). Overnight camp in the bush about 10 km past Well 19.



Ever onwards into the sea of sand. Hema GPS gives a very detailed map view. Entering the taxiway as the vehicle ahead has had takeoff clearance on the runway and is on its way (vehicles coming down the dune from the N would simply sweep around the bend of the main track on the right).



Burnt vegetation gives a clearer view of the taxiway/runway configuration. ‘Roketman’ Steve in his blue 80-series Landcruiser with a 6.5L Chev engine conversion has just had clearance to go, John & Maxine behind are ready to enter the runway, while I’m about to enter the taxiway.

‘Rocketman’ is away on his takeoff roll. John & Maxine spooling up.



Peak flowering. Coming along the side-track into Diebel Hills.



Diebel Hills. Beetle making tracks in the sand. Cute little guy.

 

[JohnM]

Day 11, Thursday 13 July (Cont.).

Day 8 on the CSR.

On Diebel Hills. Sand dune behind.



Well 18. Top up water. Well 18’s guardian kite circled above us for some time.



At Well 18 we cross paths with a Track Care group coming from the N. They have the plaque to install at Well 15’s new toilet that Jeremy’s business sponsored.



Onegunyah Rockhole. At least two species of wasp abundant and busy.

 

[JohnM]

Day 11, Thursday 13 July (Cont.).

Day 8 on the CSR.

Following vehicle coming down a dune. Passing a S-bound vehicle. Abundant casuarina (desert oak).



Tropic of Capricorn with sign privately placed in 1992. Hmmm, so that’s where I am. Hema GPS is far superior to this TomTom GPS in outback applications as location and track is superimposed on a proper and detailed map showing all tracks and surface features, and where the roads don’t disappear as you zoom out like a conventional GPS.

 

[JohnM]

Day 12, Friday 14 July.

Day 9 on the CSR.

Bush camp to Georgia Bore (115 km). Via Savory Creek, Lake Disappointment viewpoint, Well 21 (ruins) (skip Well 20 as it’s ruins and 9 km on a side-track), Well 22 (ruins). Overnight at Georgia Bore (toilet). Georgia Bore is not an original CSR water point; rather a relatively recent addition by mining exploration people.

Some extra explanation is pertinent here, given recent events with the numpties getting lost. Reportedly against advice from service station people at Newman they came in from there on the Talawana Track (a semi-made road that provides an ‘escape’ route from the CSR and access for the Newman fuel dump suppliers), which shares a section of the CSR from Georgia Bore, past the traditional fuel dump site, to just beyond Well 24. They were apparently heading for Darwin. Whether the bozos were intending to continue on the Talawana Track towards the NT or whether they intended to join the CSR and head N, I do not know (events would suggest they didn’t either…).

The online map I’ve been pinching snips from unfortunately does not show the details of tracks around Georgia Bore, so I have photographed my Hema map, both close-up near there and on a scale that includes Newman. You can see how chumps could easily get lost in the locality of Georgia Bore (where the woman appeared. He was found near Well 22, a little S). It’s also obvious from these that it’s really essential to have a Hema map (and Hema GPS if travelling alone).







Casuarinas recovering from fire by the look of it. Another camper trailer corpse. Line-up for Savory Creek crossing.



Savory Creek was an easy enough crossing this long after the rains - just take it easy into the deeper channel in the middle. The odd stilt lingered.

 

[JohnM]

Day 12, Friday 14 July (Cont.).

Day 9 on the CSR.

Along Savory Creek – which flows into Lake Disappointment.





Lush halophytes and oncoming traffic.



Back towards the dunes after the lake flats and on to Well 21.

 

[JohnM]

Day 12, Friday 14 July (Cont.).

Day 9 on the CSR.

Firewood… and living, reproducing wood.



More flora - and here we go again…





Ant nest, Eremophila.



Unknown plant looks plain until examined close-up. Camel tracks.

 

[JohnM]

Day 12, Friday 14 July (Cont.).

Day 9 on the CSR.

Spinifex getting thicker and taller – along with the corrugations. Well 22. There has been recent activity by Track Care erecting signs at the wells with Well no. plus traditional name.

 

[JessicaTam]

A bit of an explanation about corrugations: https://4x4.practicalmotoring.com.au/technical-explanation/how-are-corrugations-formed/

(disclaimer: the author is a friend of mine)

 

[RooFlyer]

Day 12, Friday 14 July (Cont.).


View attachment 103847

Wow! That middle pic shows gold-medal winning corrugations! :shock: I'm really surprised that the track hasn't grown wider over time through vehicles driving on the edge to avoids the bumps. Does the track ever get graded?

A bit of an explanation about corrugations: https://4x4.practicalmotoring.com.au/technical-explanation/how-are-corrugations-formed/

(disclaimer: the author is a friend of mine)

A nice read, thanks. In explaining the origins of corrugations, he might consider the effect of vehicles with differing wheel bases (lengths) and harmonics.

Except for when JohnM shanghaies me, I'm happy to say my days of long drives on corrugated roads are gone.

 

[JohnM]

Wow! That middle pic shows gold-medal winning corrugations! :shock: I'm really surprised that the track hasn't grown wider over time through vehicles driving on the edge to avoids the bumps. Does the track ever get graded?

A nice read, thanks. In explaining the origins of corrugations, he might consider the effect of vehicles with differing wheel bases (lengths) and harmonics.

Except for when JohnM shanghaies me, I'm happy to say my days of long drives on corrugated roads are gone.

Pffft... they were the kiddies' ones . As I've mentioned a couple of times, there are places where a parallel deviation a few metres to the side has happened - but quite often it's a guess as to whether to go L or R when you encounter those. Several times Jeremy in the lead would call that he thought one side was better than the other - or just say "take your pick".

I'm certain that the track is never graded - it's so far from anywhere and it's not a road under the auspices of any shire or the Main Roads Dep't that I'm aware of. Anyway, why spoil a fun thing :mrgreen:.

I also wondered about the harmonic. They certainly seem longer peak-to-peak than corrugations you see on more gravelly roads in the SW of WA, for example.

 

[love_the_life]

They might be baby ones to you, but those are pretty impressive corrugations to those of us 'city slickers'. At least when I was on the road to Warbuton (Great Central Road) it had not long been graded . Same glorious red soil though.