Sunday 10th July, 2005
With daybreak came the realisation that Camerons Corner wasn’t going to happen for us. I had phoned quite a few times around the areas to try and locate everyone. I also had left messages on the forum. An important lesson was learnt, in that if those traveling with you don’t have either a HF radio or a Satphone, it is next to impossible to keep track where everyone is!
Later on that morning I caught up with TCM and Simon who had arrived the day before. The road to our east was where they had come from, and everyone along there had told them it was open. Unfortunately the signs at Innamincka where all still closed. Communications need to be fixed I feel in that area, as it happened to a number of people, and the general consensus was that if they are allowed in, why aren’t we allowed out!
Spoke to Doc Evil and Richard down at Camerons Corner who had managed to get there! We made the decision that it wasn’t worth traveling down only to turn around a few hours later and do a speed run to Birdsville. It was a shame, as we where really looking forward to meeting up with everyone.
The roads where all opened up to four wheel drives under 3 tonne, but after watching the rush that followed, we decided to hold back a while. Fuel was $1.46 per litre at the Innamincka Trading Post when we filled up.
We headed off around 4pm and made it around 140km’s up the track before making camp. The campfire was excellent again, and new company is always enjoyable!
Monday 11th July, 2005
We had breakfast, packed up and departed around 9am. The change in the road conditions from when I had last seen it was remarkable. There wasn’t even a lake of water to drive around or any of the bog holes we had experienced. The run to the Cordillo Downs turn-off was fairly un-eventful other than a couple of Pajero’s towing Ultima vans that didn’t seem to want to let us pass.
We turned down towards Cordillo Downs and made it to the woolshed. Here we stopped and had a good look around. The weather a few days before had stopped us from really looking, so this was a good opportunity for us. Once the obligatory photos etc where taken we continued on towards the ruins. We had the same good weather here, and it was starting to be warm enough to enjoy – nearly!
We made some good time from the QLD border to Birdsville where we stopped and had a look around. The decision was made to stay at the caravan park for the night instead of Big Red, as we still hadn’t worked out where everyone was yet! But we’d still do a run to Big Red for the sunset and see if anyone was there.
The run for the sunset ended up being a tad late. We lost track of time whilst setting up the swag and tent, and hence left too late. But we did manage to catch up with Patrolman Pat whilst at the caravan park, who accompanied us to Big Red.
When we arrived, we found (or they heard us) Uncle Dave and Daisy who had accompanied him for the run. So we did the run onto Big Red for some photos in the dying light of the day! The rain had firmed it up that much that Simon drove up it in 2wd, and the rest of us didn’t struggle one bit. The others decided to head back to town, but it was a good opportunity for Michelle and I to catch up with Dave. So we stayed and cooked some dinner and drunk some rum.
Later on it was with a heavy heart that we climbed back into the Landy for the drive back to Birdsville. We stopped at the pub and got the guys another carton of xxxx so they didn’t run out during the crossing. Also found out that milk is nearly $3 per litre – it’s nearly cheaper to drink rum! Fuel was $1.30 per litre.
The guys had a campfire going when we got back to the Caravan Park – although the length of time spent in the toilets had a few of us wondering??? Bed was great when we finally crawled in.
Tuesday 12th July, 2005
The day started nice and early – and cold. First order of the day was to get the fire going, then go and have a shower. Came back and had a nice breakfast before packing up in order to meet Dave at 9am. We seen a Navara floating around, and knowing that we where still unable to raise Navaraman, I wandered over to ask him. As luck would have it, it was exactly who we hoped it would be! Still no word from Hefty_Merv though, so we decided to make a move out to Big Red!
TCM, Simon and Navaraman decided to stay and check out the museum and to see if the rest of the Simpson would be opened as we predicted.
I caught up with Dave who along with Daisy where already packed up to go. It was then I realized that both Dave’s 100 series and Daisy’s 80 series where both the big Toyota petrol 6’s. I was beginning to feel a tad lonely, a couple of days traveling with two Nissan’s, and now today with two Toyota’s! Up across Big Red we went and straight down into a very wet Simpson Desert.
The run across was quite easy, and very enjoyable. But speeds never got much above 20km/h. The dunes are very rutted on both sides, with probably the eastern direction the worst of the bunch. There where a few vehicles out and about, but most where heading back towards Birdsville. A point I’d like to make, is that the Channel 10 recommended UHF channel is there for a reason. We could always tell when we where coming up on someone. Whilst it may be annoying with others on the same channel, it is better than meeting someone else coming the other direction on top of a dune. It really surprised me that some tour operators deliberately ignored this advice and had everyone on Channel 12 etc. We never knew they where out there until the last second!
The drive across the line is very pleasant. You are continuosly dropping down into the northern end of Lake Eyre and then back into sand dune country. The rain had obviously made some huge differences to the area! There where flowers blooming, still large amounts of water sitting around, but as a whole most of it had already dried. We made it to the end of the K1 like, and then headed south towards the border.
Driving along the edge of the salt pan we managed to get a couple of good photos, as well as make some good time. Further to the side, the track itself was very muddy and we didn’t wish to make it any worse – so we followed the existing tracks there. We got to the start of the French Line and proceeded to the corner.
Time has definitely changed things here. I remember not that long ago when you could drive right up to the marker. Now days there is a carpark and a boardwalk to the marker, the carpark being at least 50 metres away! There is also a signboard up with information about the corner and those that placed all of this up.
We continued on for another km or so until we found a nice camping area, and I set to fixing my load a bit better in the Landy. I wasn’t happy with the movement that I had received during the day. Dave and the others including my wife organised a campfire and dinner, which was washed down with some nice cold rum – again!
Around 7pm the others caught up with us and set up for the night. Apparently they hadn’t left Birdsville until midday, so they’d had to move it a bit to catch up!
Wednesday 13th July, 2005
The next morning Dave and Daisy where the first ready to depart. Michelle and I hurried up but had to wait for Navaraman to finish up. TCM and Simon had decided to have a lazy start to the day, and where going to catch up with us. Dave and Daisy headed off around 10 minutes before we left. We never saw them again the whole trip.
One very big lesson I learnt out there that day is that the whole group has to be kept together. There can be none of this we’ll sleep in or we’ll catch up, as it never works out. You need to work and keep as a group. This is not meant to offend anyone, it is just an observation.
Back to the trip, and Tankred (Navaraman) and I had a good day. We potted along at around 20km/h which was a comfortable pace and spent the day having a good look around.
We found a couple of the original markers placed by the original French Line crew and placed them upright where possible and took details of what was inscribed on them and where they were.
Tankred got the Navara stuck on top of one of the dunes, where we also managed to snap his snatch strap. A quick change to mine and we where off again! By ¼ to 6 we still hadn’t heard or seen Dave and Daisy, so we made camp around 20km’s east of the Colson Track. We later learnt that Dave wasn’t all that far away from us!
Received a UHF transmission at around 7pm from TCM and Simon. They where about to make camp themselves before they managed to contact us! Seems that they hadn’t departed until 11:30. We spent the night with Tankred showing us some pictures of the original crew and explaining how they used to do things back then!
Thursday 14th July, 2005
The day started late once everyone had packed up and was ready to go. We didn’t depart the camp area until 10am. We headed off until a feral cat was sighted amongst the dunes. The size of it was quite huge, a comment was made about how it was thought it was a dingo from the distance due to it’s size. Another hour was lost in trying to track down and get photos of the cat along the way! It was going to be a big day.
We made it to the Colson Track just before midday and not long after pulled over for lunch, at what was called the Radar Camp Site, well according to the drum anyway!
After lunch we managed to get in some good time, arriving at Purni Bore where we arrived at around 4:30. Took some photos and had a look around and it was time to hit the road again!
The going from here proved to be very slow and tough going, very different to last time I was out here.
The water was as far as you could see, and driving through it was an experience in itself. It was like you where driving across the middle of a lake.
We got to the Spring Delta sign not long before dark. There was a track of to the right which I presumed was the bypass track. It may have been years ago, but it wasn’t anymore. Screw up by me! TCM backtracked and found the proper bypass which was sign posted properly and looked a hell of a lot better than what I had just traversed.
After the guys had checked their diffs for water ingress (I trust mine) and I had put a bit of air into my tyres for the gravel run, we headed off up the bypass track. By now darkness had come over fully and we where driving by lights. Bumps and holes etc where discovered after you drove into them, but I must admit that I set a fairly quick pace to try and make up some time!
We arrived at Dalhousie Springs around ¾ of an hour later. The place was crowded. Talk about traffic jam in the middle of nowhere! Thank goodness we where already planning on continouing through to Mt Dare! A quick stop made, the discovery that I’d broke the laptop (damn) and we where off again.
There was still a lot of water laying around in some areas. It is an experience to say the least trying to drive through water crossings in the dark with only spotties etc mounted to your bulbar. It was around then that my respect towards the competition guys grew another notch – it certainly isn’t easy.
Further up the road I was losing battery power fast. It seemed that the mud and water had finally caught up with me, and was most likely holding the brushes back in my alternator. We tried to get through to Mt Dare on the Channel 2 repeater station. Later on we found out that they where hearing us, but couldn’t reply other than a click of the mike – explaining that problem to me as well!
Closer to Mt Dare we where able to speak to them on Channel 10. Thanks again for the local advice you gave us on the water crossings right near the station entrance. Hot pies, pasties and rum never tasted so good as that night. Arrival time was around 9:30pm.
Friday 15th July 2005
Departure was already decided to be just before midday today, as some minor maintenance was required for all of the vehicles. My alternator had decided to fix itself, so it was left alone. Simon’s shock absorber had gotten a whole lot worse, and they where looking at ways to get it replaced. We said our final goodbye’s to Tankred (Navaraman) and co, and we where off.
Well to the service station anyway, where fuel was $1.65 per litre. Middle of nowhere – that’s not too bad compared to the damn Stuart Highway! Whilst there a bloke mentions that his Cruiser and trailer are bogged 200 metres up the road. We wander off to take a look and see if we can help him. We got through the water crossing area quite easily, but when we swung back onto what we thought was firmer ground, it all went bad. I realised that it was getting soft, so I tried to reverse out. About the same time the ground gave way and I sat on my chassis rails.
Dropping tyre pressures to 16psi and digging out didn’t seem to work. So we hooked the snatch strap up to Simon’s ute, and he dragged me out! We tried to work out how to get the guys cruiser and trailer out, but due to the location and the distances involved, it was decided that Mt Dare was better equipped to deal with the situation.
We continued on towards Charlotte Waters. There we came across a 10km bypass through the bush, as the main road was just a river – literally.
The only bugger was that TCM received a number of scratches on his Patrol. Continuing on to Finke was a relatively easy run barring some annoying corregations.
At Finke we took a quick look at the race track before continuing on up the Finke. I have to say quite honestly that I have never been so god damn disgusted in the amount of rubbish and waste that laid all along this track. I realize that the race has not long finished, but how hard is it to take your rubbish out, or burn it! It’s an absolute bloody disgrace, and the vandalism to the ruins is even worse. I really hope that something gets done about it soon, as it really detracts from a great area with some great history.
We stopped at a few of the Old Ghan Railway ruins, but quite honestly was not impressed. I could imagine though how hard it must have been for the crews out here, not only the ones that built the line, but also those that worked and maintained it. After driving the line along the Oodnadatta late last year, it certainly is a history buff’s heaven this track, and quite an enjoyment of my own to have finally completed it fully.
Just a quick note though – the corregations on the Finke track are amongst the worst and most dangerous I have ever seen in Australia. It is well worth keeping that in mind before packing and before deciding on whether them shock absorbers will do the trip. I know it screwed mine, and Simons where already on the way out. TCM suffered some major heat issues with his heating up to the point where you couldn’t place your hand on them. But keep in mind this is sever corregations, not like your normal annoying ones!
As sunset arrived and disappeared we decided on a couple of different things. TCM and Simon wanted to set up camp, whereas Michelle and I where eager to catch sunrise at Chambers Pillar as we had missed sunset. So we parted ways and Michelle and I continued on into the night. It took us just over an hour to get there after we discovered that this road also had water laying across it in places, couple with corregations and a hill in the middle of the track that required low range.
Talking of which, the Maxi-Drive reduction gears are absolutely fantastic. We engaged low first to head down in the wet, and I honestly believe that I called have leopard crawled faster. Amazing stuff!
Arriving at the campsite, we had dinner and retired to bed.