Wednesday 6th July 2005
We finally departed on our trip (Katherine) at around midday. Talk about a change from the planned sunrise departure. With over 1200km’s to travel, I wasn’t looking forward to what laid ahead.
We made some good time down to Larrimah where we stopped and said hello again, and devoured a nice cold rum! Times haven’t changed the pub much, and thankfully it also hasn’t changed the hospitality you receive there!
With the new discovery gears fitted to my transfer case in the Defender, it may a big difference. We where now cruising at around 125km/h up the highway, and it was remarked that I was complaining if it dropped to 100km/h. We managed to get through to Renner Springs where I stopped for fuel. There came the biggest shock of the day – $1.56 per litre of diesel, bloody hell! I’m going to have to sell my kids soon I see!
Anyway headed back onto the highway, and it was headwinds followed by headwinds. It reduced our speed down to around 90km/h, and I was far from happy. We finally arrived at the Three Ways Crossroad service station around 6pm. Fuel was a better $1.45 per litre here, but still very pricey in my mind. Filled up the gas bottle and turned off towards Mt Isa.
Around 100km’s later we decided to pull over and cook some dinner. Little boys and rum being the menu, it disappeared very quickly. Whilst there though, we met up with three people that where doing the caravan/tourist traveling through the area. Originating from WA, they would choose a state each year for their travels, and see as much as possible during that time. When they planned on doing anything too hard for the caravan, they would unhook and take their four wheel drive only. Sounded like fun to me!
Hit the road again at around 8:30pm after spending around an hour and a half for dinner. Amazing how quick time flies when you’re with good company. Dodging kangaroos was the order of the night, with the relisation that they only really where around the little towns on the road as a rule. Speaking to the road-trains with the UHF radio made a workl of difference though, which made it easy for us to know where they where. It also helps in keeping yourself awake and mind ticking when you are constantly talking to someone else.
We made it to the border just after midnight, with plans still to make it to Mt Isa. Got to Cammoweal and found another shock. The highway is part gravel, part 1 lane bitumen. With speed dropped a fair bit, and a constant surveillance on the UHF and the road ahead for road-trains, we proceeded another 100km’s before I called it a night. I was just getting a tad too tired. After we rolled out the swag and set-up, the clock was showing 2:30am. And was I looking forward to a good nights sleep.
Thursday 7th July, 2005
Woke up at sunrise and had a look around. The area we had stopped the night before was sign posted as a rest area. There where a few caravans around but seemed to be around 100m further in than us. Then we realized why it was smooth and comfy where we were. We had inadvertantly the night before stopped on the current road works for the highway. We where actually camped right on top of where they where working, and noticed with some amusement that they where working on the road 250m east of us! Oops! Anyway we packed up and made our way towards Mt Isa. Arrived and fuelled up at the Shell service station. Fuel was $1.11 per litre – now that was more like it!
We continued on to the Information Centre. In all towns that we have never visited before, we like to stop at the Information Centre, as sometimes they can provide you with some very helpful information, as well as give you an insight of the surrounding area. After sticky-beaking for a while, we decided that McDonalds was in order for breakfast. With our Maccas fix, we headed off down the road for Boulia.
Apart from a few “get out of the ways†for the trucks, we had an unadventful trip down to Boulia. The road is a single lane bitumen all of the way, but with animals around and a few hills it is worth just taking your time that little bit more to be “safe rather than sorryâ€. Once we got to Boulia though it was another story. Fuel was $1.31 per litre and cheaper than the Stuart Highway – imagine that!
But the road had only recently been re-opened after the first lot of rains for the area. And it showed. Great bodies of water laid either side of the track, including in some places on the track. And the road was relatively corregated for the distance to Bedourie.
Once we arrived at Bedourie, we where starting to get concerned with the rain clouds that where forming to the north east of us.
We decided to push on for Birdsville and hope that we would beat the rain. The road was much the same as before, but you could really see the effects of the rain on this stretch.
The water was everywhere, and it really made a god backdrop to the sand dunes we where starting to see. It is amazing the difference that rain can make to a region like this. By the way, fuel at Bedourie was $1.59 per litre!
We arrived at Birdsville a little before 6pm. Checked in at the Caravan Park, said hello to Ruth and found out that all tracks where open. So far so good, the tracks are open and it hasn’t rained. Found out that Redback (Overlander Forum) had left that morning for Innamincka. Set up camp and went and had a rum at the pub.
Friday 8th July, 2005
What a wake up. It had rained slightly, was 4:00 am and we where drenched. We couldn’t have shut the swag up properly. Anyway, we decided to have a shower to warm up, and then decided to pack up our gear and make a move. It wasn’t like we where going to be able to go back to bed, and if you haven’t slept in a Defender before – it’s not pleasant. Had a look at the signs, still a nice sea of green. After all, there hadn’t been that much rain.
We followed a truck through a lot of the track until we got to the Cordillo Downs turn-off. After that it was 20km’s to the border. Welcome to SA it says, but no offence – the place is too cold compared to the NT. Continued on until we got to the ruins.
Some great pictures made, and the wife decided to make some soup. Best way to warm yourself up – let me tell you! About then it decided to pour down. Hudled up in the truck, whilst a few people near the river hudled up in their camper vans – I gotta look at one of these. The off-road trailer market seems to be booming at the moment.
A little while later the rain stops and we get out to look around. After some debating about what to do, we decide to continue on towards Innamincka. A couple of reasons for this decision. If you don’t have a HF or Satellite Phone, then you don’t know what’s going on. Also you are allowed to continue on to the next town, if they have closed a track after you have departed.
The run to Cordillo Downs was excellent. The rain had settled the dust, but because it is rock based, there was no chance of hurting the track.
From Cordillo Downs on to the turn-off to Innamincka it was a fairly easy drive. It takes some time unless you want to be shook around on the rock-based road, and the other thing to keep in mind is that this is a station track too! From the turn-off to Innamincka it was a different story.
The first part was sand based and very smooth, other than a few corregations. After that the effects of the rain where starting to show. We considered stopping and making camp, but was concerned in case more rain was coming, so decided to continue on, but do the right thing as well.
We contacted the ranger at Innamincka to let her know of our plans. Then we dropped tyre pressures down to around 24psi. This was to make life easier on the Landy, but also to minimise any track damage if at all! From there on in, we continued at a steady pace of around 3rd gear low range and plodded on into Innamincka.
This road is really one that you do not wish to be stuck on when it rains! If you have a choice, stay at the nearest town. Unfortunately though, we did notice that someone had been out there being stupid. There where marks from where they had been doing doughnuts, and also where their vehicle had been through the mud – either by not dropping their pressures, or by a heavy right foot.
After making it into Innamincka late afternoon, we realised that all roads around the town had been shut-down from early that morning. We had suspected that due to the state of the road, and the lack of traffic. We went and had a chat to the ranger who advised us on the current status, and asked us the condition of the track. We gave her an idea from what we had seen on the track that day, and also asked if she had seen any of the other guys, that being Richard, Andrew, Ferrit etc. Unfortunately no-one knew of their where-a-bouts.
The ranger made the offer for us to use the facilities there at the ranger station, and throw the swag under cover. An offer we really couldn’t refuse. With the sheets and doona soaked to the bone, we went over to the Laundromat to see if we could use the dryer. The discussion wasn’t exactly pleasant, and the basis of it was that the lady at the Laundromat had three loads to put through, she couldn’t and wouldn’t put out stuff through until morning, and we have dry clothes don’t we. When we said we needed it to sleep with tonight, we where basically told bad luck.
So a wonderful night spent sleeping in the Landy followed. And let me tell you it is bloody uncomfortable. Every three hours you would wake up freezing, start the truck and go for a drive around town until the truck was warm enough for the heater to work. Then you’d get a couple more hours.
Saturday 9th July, 2005
Morning broke, and we where frozen. I’ve never been so cold since I left Tassie quite a few years ago! The ranger came along at around 9am after we had already cooked some bacon and eggs for breaky! I’ve never been so tempted to have a rum before midday! Thankfully the ranger told my wife to use her clothes line, so we didn’t have to deal with the lady at the Laundromat again. Don’t think I would’ve been so pleasant this time!
Whilst talking to the ranger, a lady came in and mentioned about her 17month old child. She had been speaking to the RFDS, as they suspected the little one of having Croop (spelling?). Straight away the ranger told her to pack up her family and move into a house they have on the hill instead of camping. With proper heating and telephone facilities to the RFDS it would make it more comfortable for the little one and the adults.
Unfortunately the condition of the little one didn’t get any better. Moomba gas fields ended up bringing our their helicopter with an RFDS nurse aboard. It was decided that trying to drive through closed flooded roads was a risk not worth taking.
The helicopter landed in front of the Innamincka Trading Post, picking up the little one and his mother and transporting them to a doctor. Later on we learnt that the ranger is only temporary there, but from what we have seen, it would be at a loss for the area!
Before I mentioned the service from the lady at the Laundromat. Whilst there I also heard a lot of others complaining about the same service, and also by a young fella at the Innamincka Trading Post. Unfortunately I got to see that with my own two eyes whilst there, and it makes me wonder.
In defence of the Innamincka Trading Post, the older couple that are working there are lovely people, and a credit to the town. But it did make us (and certainly others) wonder if we where even welcome there. I mean it figures that tourism would bring in a lot of money through Innamincka every year. But the way a lot of people where treated you’d have to think that they where more a hindrance than customers. I’ve seen better service, and been treated better in major cities like Sydney!
That afternoon we met up with a couple touring with their two sons. The fact that they also owned a Landrover Defender probably played a part in it as well.
They where part of the Landrover Club (VIC) contingent, and along with the ACT people there as well, they where having a great time. We decided to accept their invitation to camp the night on the banks of the river. Let me tell you that a campfire and a dry swag are like heaven compared to the night before.
We spent the night talking for quite a few hours, whilst I enjoyed quite a few rums. Why the hell Roothy drinks beer when Bundaberg is local for home has me stuffed! Having good company always makes harder times a hell of a lot better, and our night was very enjoyable.