Anne Beadell Highway and Canning Stock Route Report

June 16 to July 10, 2006

A Walduck Jones Production

Participants       
Graeme Giles & Alex Curlis in a Patrol GU 4.2 Ltr TD                           SHN 711
Terry and Ros Jones in a Navara 2.5 Ltr TD                                        UAS 445
David Walduck & Peter Rashleigh in a Jackaroo 3 Ltr TD                     QDS 296
Trevor & Ginny Adcock in a Prado 4 Ltr V6 petrol                               TYY 315

Regrettably there were two late withdrawals - Grant & Ingrid Sabin due to Grant having severe back problems, and Milton Dickins who had work commitments.

Team Leader

Graeme Giles did an excellent job of organising the trip and procuring all of the necessary permits and visas in the first instance, and making sure that we took no wrong turns in the second instance. Many thanks to Graeme.

The Route

Friday June 16 was overcast, however all participants were full of optimism and enthusiasm as we gathered at the Bordertown Hotel that evening. The Adcocks were not there, as they left a little later and were going direct to Pt. Augusta. The meal was excellent, although a couple of people were convinced that the butter fish was the cause of upset stomachs for the next few days. It is also a very smoky hotel, so another venue would be worth trying when next staying in Bordertown.  

Day 1

We rose to a good breakfast and a clear but very cold morning. Unfortunately Graeme’s car had been vandalized overnight, one number plate torn off the car and an attempt to do the same to the other. Damage was minimized with a quick and good repair job. We fuelled up and headed for Port Augusta, staying with the scenic route that Grant had outlined for us. It was morning tea at Coonalpyn, and lunch on the side of the road at Sedan, between two lovely fields of sheep. Clare was as beautiful as ever and we stopped to appreciate the mosaic tables in the park at Yacka.

We were joined by Trevor & Ginny at the Shoreline Camping Ground in PA, and some chose to take advantage of the cabins while the hardy put up the tents.

Day 2

It had been a very cold night with a lot of ice around in the morning, but we were out of the camp at 0730 to fuel up and get on the Stuart Highway, where we enjoyed the somewhat straighter road and our first sightings of eagles. Morning tea  at Pimba, and lunch at Bon Bon, and into Coober Pedy by 1500 where we refuelled and stocked up on supplies.

It was great to turn off the Stuart and to feel dirt under us on the Tallaranga track, although the memories of corrugations came flooding back. We camped in the Tallaringa Conservation Park near Tallaringa Well.

The skies were clear, we had a great fire, and cooked our camp tucker in the dark - it was great to be out in the desert again.

Day 3

The temperature was down to –3 degrees and froze the water in the washup dishes. Some had also felt a little of the cold during the night. After the standard good breakfast we were away by 0830, signed the book at Tallaranga Well which had been left there by Connie Sue Beadell, and headed off along the Anne Beadell Highway.

We soon arrived at the Ground Zero obelisks near Emu Junction, which mark the site of the first two atomic bomb tests by the Brits in the early 50’s.

It was quite eerie exploring around the Totem 1 & Totem 2 sites, some burnt and twisted remains of the metal towers that supported the bombs, and lumps of sand fused into glass, being all the remains.

It was here that we had our first car repair job, the Jackaroo’s bull bar had a very slight altercation, but it was the corrugations that had caused a weld joint to crack and risk the whole bar falling off. Terry quickly did a farmer’s repair job with fencing wire, and with regular attention during the remainder of the trip the bar was still attached to the car when we got home - if only just!! Graeme’s Patrol had a slight leak in the fuel tank, and that needed ongoing attention, but again he got through OK.

Twenty five Kms short of Vokes Hill Corner we found another good campsite, and enjoyed a shared meal of Osso Bucco prepared by Priscilla Queen of the Dessert.

Day 4

We were really enjoying the Anne Beadell Hwy - although quite corrugated in some sections, it was very scenic, and if taken carefully it was not hard driving.  We were passing through the Maralinga region, where the track comprised sandy sections and low sand dunes, sections across claypans where there were quite a few washouts, some deep, and sections of stony outcrops. Vegetation was typical desert species, but very few wildflowers or animals.

At Vokes Hill Corner we signed another Connie Sue book, and then moved on through the Unnamed Conservation Park to a large series of salt pans named Lake Serpentine. After the usual Kodak Moments we drove across the lake, and across the border into WA. 

We set up camp 10 Kms inside the border close to a local rock hole, and Trevor and Ginny knocked up an excellent roast dinner for us all.

Once across the WA border, time changed again, so that we now had an array of timepieces amongst the group operating on three different time zones – Vic, SA and now WA. The question was which time to follow – for a few days we operated on a fourth time zone – sun time – however finally the reluctant relented and we all went to WA time.

Day 5

Today  we were up and away at 0700 WA time – 0900 Vic time – just after sunup Sun time - and visited the nearby rock hole which was little more than a stagnant festering tadpole laden pool of water in small rock hole within a shallow depression (no chance of an early morning dip), and watched as the birds came in to drink.

Onwards we travelled, the condition of the ABH steadily improving as we got further into WA. We arrived at Ilkurlka Roadhouse where we fuelled up ($1.86 / litre), had a much needed shower to freshen the pits and cracks, and had a bite to eat.

The roadhouse and facilities were rebuilt 3 years ago, and are of a very contempory design which we saw repeated elsewhere in WA. The shop had a good display of aboriginal art, which the girls each purchased a piece of.

Feeling refreshed we moved on past the plane wreck for another 150 Kms, and camped just short of Neale Junction.

Day 6

Before setting out today, we first explored the nearby area where aboriginals had reportedly laid out stones on the ground in patterns, perhaps a form of art or story telling. Methinks that these stones also reflect some later period Eurpoean re-arrangement!!

We hit the ABH again, and we were soon at Neale junction where the Connie Sue Hwy crosses the Anne Beadell Hwy, and we agreed that taking the CSH northwards to Warburton would be a great alternative route for a future trip.

 Another 120 Kms on we arrived at a small remnant of an ancient tableland, which we named Adcock’s Pillar, in honour of the finders. There we enjoyed a climb up the rocky side to the top, where we could look out over the surrounding desert. Exploring around the base of Adcock’s Pillar we found all sorts of burnt and globular rocky material, including some like bunches of grapes, which was almost certainly meteorite material. David found by far the best sample, an almost perfect large Techtite. We then moved on past Yeo Lakes Homestead and Yamarna Homestead, and the road changed from graded sand to a blacktop. Just short of Laverton we camped for the night.

Day 7

The next morning was an 0730 start, and drove straight into Laverton, which was pretty disappointing, really nothing there, and what was there was still closed. So we fuelled up again and hit the blacktop to Leonora, which is a nice little town with some lovely old buildings with lots of character. Here we said a sad farewell to Trevor & Ginny who had to get back to Melbourne, and the rest of us pushed on to Wiluna via Leinster where we restocked the larder at the BHP Biliton company store.

Wiluna was an interesting town in the middle of nowhere, which featured a large general store (Gunbarrel Groceries) an oval, a few old homes and a really run down pub. While discussing in the street where to camp – the back of the pub seemed like the only option – a woman overheard and suggested we go out to Gunbarrel Grapes. Yeah, a vinyard in the desert, what had she been smoking !!

Nonetheless we took up the challenge, and travelled east for 12 Kms along the Gunbarrel Hwy (which was in far better condition than when we later travelled the Gunbarrel Highway), and reached Gunbarrel Grapes where they grow white table grapes for the premium pre-Christmas Perth market. They also have a camping area and dongers for seasonal workers, and it was good to pitch the tents on mown green grass. And they had washing machines, where we could wash clothes that were getting rather ordinary.

There was a new intake of workers – a combination of students, backpackers and grey nomads – for the pruning which was to begin next day, and so we were able to enjoy sharing a BBQ with them and shooting some breeze with them about their travels and experiences.

Tonight’s sunset was the best for the trip.

Day 8

Excitement was now building as we approached the highpoint of our trip, the famed Canning Stock Route. What would the track be like, how would the vehicles handle it, how would we handle it – we’d heard rumours along the way of terror and torment, of suspension-destroying corrugations, of huge sand dunes with chicken runs and hook turns on top, now we would find out.

This morning we packed up early and rolled back into Wiluna where we filled up our fuel tanks and every fuel jerrycan that we had – the next fuel stop is 1100 Kms away. Terry had to buy an extra jerrycan and fill that too, because his new oilburner was proving to be just that – an oil burner!!

We headed north and soon got to the start of the CSR, a non-descript turnoff on a non-descript road, and a little yellow sign threatening all manner of danger and mandatory precaution. Who would travel this track ?

For the record, the Canning Stock Route was surveyed in the late 1890s by one Alfred Canning as a route to drove cattle nearly 1800 Kms from the Kimberleys to Wiluna, where they were slaughtered and the meat sold on the goldfields. The route has very little surface water, and so wells were dug every 20 miles or so along the route, which was the distance they could walk the cattle in a day, from which water was lifted by hand using a windlass and bucket to water the cattle. There are 68 wells along the route, most of which are now in ruin, however a number have been restored into working order by various 4WD clubs over recent years. Some restorations are faithful to the original designs, some are too modernised, one is garishly painted in Chamberlain orange and green!! One of the things to do when travelling along the CSR is to visit each of the wells. On this trip we went up as far as Well 33, and identified Well 21 as having all the necessary bits still available for Wesley 4X4 Club to carry out a restoration – but we’re not going to paint it purple and yellow!!

After taking all of the obligatory group photos at the beginning of the CSR, we cranked up and hit the track.

While not the worst track we have been on to date, there is no doubt that you have to drive carefully to successfully negotiate washouts and stony outcrops.

On this first day on the CSR we visited and photographed 3 wells, and camped that night at Well 4 also called Windich Springs. This is actually a river bed in the wet, however has a permanent spring which keeps a good water level at least in June if not all year round. We camped on the bank above the river, where there was a good profusion of three corner jacks. The walk down along the spring was beautiful, and Alex had a crack at some fishing, alas without success. It was a top spot.

Day 9

Today we drove 215 Kms, seeing 10 wells of which most were ruins with remnant ironwork laying about, and a few had been restored, some better than others. Probably the pick of the wells today was Well 6, or Pierre Springs, which  was restored to its old character, the water was clean and very drinkable, and it was all set amongst some lovely gum trees. It is also a great camping spot, however was not on our itinery this trip.

The track was now a mixture of sandy tracks and low dand dunes, some clay pans and stony outcrops, much like the ABH. However on this second day on the CSR, there was one very different feature compared to the ABH – wildflowers. There was an abundance of flowering plants and shrubs, a predominance of Grevillia spp and Solanum spp, but many others too. Even our resident horticulturalist Peter was amazed at this display in June. And as we travelled up the CSR on the following days, the wildflowers got even better.

Todays little incident was that TL Graeme/Alex and TEC Terry/Ros had arrived at Well 9, but there was not hide nor hair of David/Peter who were travelling in the middle. It was later discovered that they had somehow driven right on not seeing the other cars, not seeing the well, not seeing the cattle or cattleyards – must have been having another serious conversation about the state of Dave’s car at that stage.

We continued on to Well 13 (ruin) where we camped the night.

Day 10

At this stage of the trip we were a day ahead of schedule, and so we negotiated with TL Graeme that today was a much deserved sleep in day!! Terry cooked up a big breakfast and we were eventually away by 0930.

Today we covered a wonderful 124 Kms of sandy tracks with occasional clay pans and stony outcrops, wildflowers and camels. We had morning tea at a lookout with great views over surrounding red and rugged lands. We inspected and photographed more wells. We later followed an escarpment for many Kms, and at the end of the escarpment climbed to Canning’s Cairn at the top which recognizes the contribution of Alfred Canning.

Not much further along we arrived at what we agreed was probably the best camping spot that we had ever been to, a natural string at the base of the escarpment called Durba Springs – there was water, there was grass, there was a gorge and there were really beautiful ghost gums. A few days camping here would be great. It was out with the saw to get firewood and we had another great camp.

Day 11

Peter and David were up early and went for a walk before breakfast up the gorge to the waterfall. Despite many huge boulders, they got to the top and took in the views and the aboriginal art on the walls. The rest of the group followed soon after.

It was 1015 when we left Durba Springs to continue up the CSR. The Patrol and Jackeroo turned off to Diebel Hills (the Navara conserving fuel) but it turned out to be not worth going in.

Soon after we crossed the Tropic of Capricorn where Terry and Ros celebrated privately!

It was getting on, 1700, when we crossed Savoury Creek, that feeds into Lake Disappointment, hoping to find a camp site on the lake itself. With the troops weary our TL pushed along, and true to form he came up with a great spot on the salt of Lake Disappointment.

We gathered wood and had another great night.

Here again we saw the phenomenon of blue and pink banding in the eastern sky opposite the sunset – what causes it? This continued while travelling the Gary Hwy later.

Day 12

To lie in your tent and watch the sun rise over Lake Disappointment was magic, and to walk out onto it and take in it’s size and peacefulness was a terrific experience. Sunglasses were definitely needed. The lake is large enough to be the horizon when one looks across its greater width.

For the next 20-30 Kms we had some great views of the lake. The local Real Estate Agents were offering up chunks of the lake for sale. David applied for a job.

We were seeing more camels now, and of course there were always more wells.

We got to Georgia Bore for lunch, a chance to wash some clothes and for some the use of Graeme’s shower.

Thirty five Kms further on we came to the intersection of the Talawana Track (more memories for some!) and then set up camp at Tiwa Well 26.

Today the CSR had been narrower, with many and regular sands dunes that were getting larger – one sand dune stopped a couple of us once, and stopped one of us three times before the newby learned to drive properly!!

A new feature today was great variation in the plant species between successive interdunes – one would be predominantly Holly Grevillia, the next predominantly wattle. Also many desert oaks coming into the stand.

Day 13

Today  was a shorter day, travelling 163 klms and finishing at a very good campsite at Well 26 at 1530.

We overtook a group from Esperance (only overtake for the trip), and earlier met an oncoming contingent from the Geraldton 4x4 club.

The sand dunes decreased, and there were many stony outcrops which slowed our progress a little. Much of the desert traversed later in the day had recently been burned out, and showing only slow regeneration due to limited water.

Today was a big day for camel sightings – “They’re in plague proportions” TL was heard to mutter over the radio. “They’re pests – I hate the things.”

Later we travelled into flatter country which supported larger shrubs and trees, and called a halt at Well 31 located in a grove of very large eucalypts, which was our camp site for the night.

Day 14

Sadly this is our last day on the CSR. Leaving camp at 0745, we stopped at Well 32, then headed north through flat country covered in tall spinifex which shone brightly in the low morning sun.

The track here had the worst corrugations for the trip – continuous, relentless, bone jarring, teeth rattling, aggravating thunk thunk thunk thunk thunk for kilometre after kilometre – about 35 Kms of it. Best speed seemed to be a leisurely 15 clicks. We’d heard a few days earlier that a Tag Along group had melted 12 shocks on 7 cars along here!!

Finally we got past the corrugations, crossed the Gary Junction Hwy, and headed up to the final well for our trip. At Well 33 we were surprised and impressed to see many gold fish swimming around in the spring, and many birds coming in for water – bugies, finches, topnot pigeons.

After lunch we then drove into nearby Kunawarritji Community to fuel up ($2.80 / litre), get supplies, and for a few dollars extra enjoyed a hot shower to clean the outer man and woman.

After leaving the community we crossed the CSR for the last time, and headed south west along Jenkins Track and the Gary Hwy, which was a broad, graded, super highway compared to the CSR. This was open spinifex country dotted with thickets of grevillia and wattle, which was to be the norm for the next few days.

Late in the day we visited Veevers Meteorite Crater, which was only discovered in 1975. The crater is about 250 metres across, and is probably only 50-100 years old because much of the debris thrown up by the impact had not weathered much.

We then set up camp at Whau Whau well (which we never found), Alex built yet another fine campfire, Ros photographed a lizard, and we had another bush dinner.

Day 15

Up early, today we are heading home - but a long way to go. We were now on the Gary Hwy proper, and after a few kilometres the super highway swung left into a mining claim, and we veered right onto the worst track for the trip – gravel and sand, rough, washouts, tall spinifex in the centre of the track, deep wheel ruts in places causing some of us to grind the termite mounds, rocks and high points off the centre hump.

The spinifex had not gotten any shorter since our last visit, the Jackaroo and Navara gathering lots underneath very quickly, and had to be cleared several time each day.

We crossed back over the Tropic of Capricorn, stopped at Windy Corner and McDougall Knoll, and had lunch on the side of the road. Lots of camels in the area.

Lake Cohen was a shallow expanse of water which was quite a surprise out here, looked good enough for a swim however the mud looked thick and deep. This area also was the start of the Fauna Reserve, however not much to be seen.

Onwards to Everard Junction where Dave signed yet another visitors book but this time a month hence of the day, then on to a campsite.

 Graeme/Alex and David/Peter rolled into camp, but no Navara. Terry and Ros had dropped behind out of radio range. The new Coopers proved to be a bit soft in the walls, and one now had a lump of wood sticking out of it. Bugger.

After changing the tyre, they followed the almost invisible track in the dark, soloed over Charlie’s Knob, and got into camp late and hungry.

Day 16

After a quick walk up Mount Everard, we left camp at 0745.

Our first stop was the Len Beadell Monument on Mount Beadell along the Gunbarrel Hwy. Recently refurbished, it is a fitting monument to the man who opened up the western deserts and so gives access to these remote areas by groups such as ours. Good on ya Len.

Later in the morning we stopped at Len Beadell’s tree, complete with the original plaque.

Then a quick stop at Mt. Samuel and a bite to eat, then onto the Heather Hwy south  to the Great Central Road. The bottom half of the Heather Hwy and Great Central Road were super speedways, and so it was pedal to the metal, almost launching off crests in the road, to get to Warburton before the fuel bowsers closed at 1500.

We refuelled at Warburton, Peter shouted himself an ice cream, and then we made another 100 Km towards Giles and made camp behind a rocky outcrop and close to a bunch of hardy cyclists.

Day 17

Today we got away early and pushed on to Warakurna Roadhouse for fuel, and then it was down to Wingellina to announce ourselves and arrange a visit to Surveyor Generals Corner. The Wingellina Community was deserted as most residents were out at sorry camp, grieving the death of an older person and the suicide of a younger person.

Once again we encountered Lance, and David took charge of negotiating the fee. His argument was that since he had not received certificates of authenticity and artists history for works he’d purchased last time, and because the community was deserted, and because the art centre was closed, then Lance should waive the fee. Lance thought about this for a minute, then asked David if we’d pay now or down at the corner !! Great work David.

So, $420 later, Lance led us to SGC and gave us a rundown of the “history”, and posed for photos with us.

That done we then drove back to the Warakurna Roadhouse and set up camp, and enjoyed the communal cooking and washing facilities available. It was a noisy night with the dingoes raiding the rubbish bins for much of the night.

Day 18

This morning we visited the Giles Meteorological Station for a tour, which included the release of the 0915 weather balloon.

There were displays of meteorological instruments and equipment, however by far the best display item for the writer was The Gunbarrel Grader – an icon of the tracks and roads we’d travelled in the past 3 weeks.

We then headed for Ayres Rock, stopping at Lasseter's Cave, past The Olgas, and on to the blacktop.

We arrived at Ayers Rock around 1500, and Peter walked around the base while David and Alex had a great climb to the Cairn, and then beyond to the many smaller unofficial cairns further along. It was a great walk with the usual wonderful views.

That night we camped in the Yulara campground, which was very crowded. We had a final celebratory dinner as a team at the local pub, because tomorrow the team was breaking up and going in different directions.

Day 19

Today was yet another lovely sunny day, we had been blessed throughout with ideal weather, and at 0900 Peter and David said farewell and pointed the trusty Jackaroo for home. For them it was a long 2 day trip via the Oodnadatta Track, covering 903 Kms on the first day to William Creek, and 1605 Kms on the second day to reach home at 0215 Friday morning. The Oodnadatta track was in excellent condition with little traffic, the highlight being the Mound Springs just after William Creek.

Graeme, Alex, Terry & Ros stayed on at Yulara for 2 more days. Today they took a helicopter flight past Yulara, out to the Rock then across to The Olgas. It was great to see these Aussie icons from a different perspective, and great to just look down on to the desert and see that in a different perspective too. Later we walked around the base of the Rock, visited the Cultural Centre and stayed to watch the sunset.

Day 20

Today is our last day of sightseeing before we begin our long journey home tomorrow.

After a cooked breakfast, we headed out to The Olgas, and walked both The Valley of the Winds track and The Gorge track. This took most of the day, however these lumps of rock are spectacular in that they are a collection of very very large stones, and quite different in composition (conglomerates) compared to Ayers Rock (sandstone).

Dinner was at the Gekko Restaurant back in Yalara Resort.

Day 21 to 23

The purpose of our trip is now all done and dusted, and all that remains is to go home. Bugger.

After another cooked breakfast we packed up camp, and headed home via the Oodnadatta Track. We stopped off at Coward Springs (a must do camp spot on another trip), introduced Alex and Ros to the Pink Roadhouse, camped the first night at Algebuckina Bridge, stopped off at Lake Eyre South, and pubbed it the second night at Peterborough.

Next day we parted company at Bordertown, Graeme and Alex headed off to Melbourne while Terry and Ros headed to family at Natimuk.

Trip Rating

The writer has now been fortunate to join the club on the last 4 big trips. Which trip was the best ? – an impossible comparison, all trips have been good, none more gooder than others. But …

This was a bloody good trip!!!

Vehicle Performance Stats

Fuel Costs

Cheapest                        $1.42          Port Augusta

Most Expensive               $2.80          Kunawarritja Community

Average                          $1.67          (simple average, not weighted)

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Last modified: 31-Aug-2007.