In the Tracks of

Featuring The , The and Sandy Blight Junction Road July - August 2013 Kaye Howells

Map showing the 6,000km of roads built by the Gunbarrel Road Construction Party and the route we took in red. Map from Len’s Biography, ‘A Lifetime in the Bush’ by Mark Sheppard

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Contents

Map of Journey Page 2

Introduction Page 4

Chapter 1 The Adventure Begins Home to Page 8

Chapter 2 Anne Beadell Highway Page 22

Chapter 3 Coolgardie Oka Repairs Page 74

Chapter 4 The Goldfields Page 90

Chapter 5 Gunbarrel Highway Page 118

Chapter 6 Sandy Blight Junction Road Page 161

Chapter 7 Page 189

Chapter 8 The Homeward Run Page 205

Postscript Page 219

Bibliography Page 221

Statistics Page 222

Appendix Page 223

Happy Camper 3

Introduction

Well here we are again; the time for this year’s trip has arrived. We didn’t have our trip last year with me going over to Great Britain with the girls in May so Dean and I were both going through withdrawals during the winter. It has been a big build up to this year’s trip. Dean decided that for better travelling in times of inclement weather we really needed a ‘bus back’ on the Oka. This he organised with friends in the trade with another fellow very happy to have our multi-cab and tray.

This all came at some expense but few other body repairs that needed to be done as well as a new paint job on it were attended to. Ian and Dean designed the body and Dean spent a lot of time designing how the interior lay out should go.

When he had done that he spent even longer than expected making it all work. He built in an area for the bed with storage underneath from the back and in doing so made allowances for pantry shelves on the outside in the pantry/kitchen area, where two lift up doors were made. Under the bed will be all Dean’s bits and pieces; spare parts, tools, oil, spare water, camping gear such as shower, buckets and chairs. Dean built a well/box type storage area next to the bed and two small wardrobes for our convenience. The door had been moved along one module so Dean built in an area for the Engel Fridge and boxed in an area for the freezer and battery and another for the porta pottie directly behind the cabin. On these we had cushions to sit when needed. Then opposite the door he made another clever cupboard for storage and small indoor kitchen area for the use of the butane gas stove.

The bedroom 4

Area behind the cabin, lounge and mini kitchen

He wired in speakers and LED lights over the bench seat and reading lamps over the bed. He also put in an outside LED light as well as strip lights in the pantry kitchen storage area and under the back storage area. To assist with the delivery of power to all this, he installed solar panels on the roof in front of the cut down roof rack (for our fire wood) to help charge the multiple batteries he had installed. He also bought and installed a ‘Codan’ high frequency radio for logging into the VKS-737 4WD radio network. This can also be used for emergencies and we also had a satellite phone. Dean even made a special bracket for the large aerial on the back of the vehicle so as not to spoil the photos I sometimes take out of the front window. He had registered our radio and received a call sign, VKS-737 mobile 1366. Dean did much research on the internet for all sorts of things. One of the convenient things he bought was a stainless steel methylated spirit two burner stove. This proved to be very successful and saved carrying gas bottles and having to connect everything. With the butane gas stove as well for boiling the cute one litre kettle he also bought, everything was well organised.

Everything took much longer than expected but the finished work was fantastic. He still has some fine tuning to do but it was all systems go for the departure date. The biggest frustration was where to put the spare tyres. When travelling remotely like we do it is wise to carry two spare tyres. One is in the carrier under the vehicle. In all our years of travel we have only had two flat tyres on the land rover due to sharp rocks. The Oka tyres are big and heavy.

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The Oka before and after

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For the moment Dean stored the second tyre in the back under the bed, taking up too much room but another system will need to be devised at a later date.

In the meantime I carried on doing all the day to day things and working nightshift and gathered bits and pieces together for the trip. I was in charge of getting permits to travel through the Woomera research area on the Anne Beadell Highway and the different aboriginal land areas in the centre of .

Between us we devised a route through the remote areas of the deserts of central Australia. As in previous trips we have done a little research on the geography and history. We had chosen to travel along more of the remote roads made by the Gunbarrel Construction Party led by Len Beadell in the 1950s for the then Weapons Research Establishment at Woomera, . This network of roads then assisted in mapping huge tracts of the Australian outback by the National Mapping team. Len Beadell was a surveyor, bushman, author and pretty well the last Australian explorer. He has written several books about his work, exploits and adventures which are very informative and humorous reading and are also of historical significance. He was a man both Dean and I admire greatly and we were keen to travel in his footsteps albeit in much much more comfort.

So first it was back along the Anne Beadell Highway from Coober Pedy across the to Laverton which we travelled west to east in 2011 then north to Wiluna and maybe travel the first six wells of the where you are not supposed to take Okas. Then we would travel from Wiluna across the via the Gunbarrel Highway to Giles Meteorological station which will include the old abandoned section of the Gunbarrel Highway. A new more direct road was built in 1977 connecting Warburton to Giles (The , which continues south west to Laverton). Then we planned to travel south to where the South Australian, and Western Australian borders meet, which is also part of the Gunbarrel Highway. This highway continues east to Mulga Park and Kulgera. Though we would be travelling west to east, the road was actually made from east to west over a period of time. We were not continuing all the way but returning to the Great Central Road where we would travel another of Len Beadell’s roads, the Sandy Blight Junction Road to the then east to Alice Springs. I worked my five shifts for the fortnight in one week to give me an extra week’s leave. We had 5 busy nights and 2 frantic ones with 5 babies one night and 4 the next all with no dramas. So having worked on Friday night I slept on Saturday morning. Dean continued working on the Oka and I cleaned up the house and got a few last minute things organised. On Sunday morning I was up early buying the perishables then spent the day packing the Oka. When it was all finished Dean couldn’t believe we had done it, and we were actually ready to leave on the scheduled day. On Saturday night I sent the kids to get pizza for tea but on Sunday night I cooked roast turkey breast. The boys had been working on Shane’s car all weekend so when tea was ready Shane and Joel took their meals and one for Erynne back to her place and left us in peace. 7

Chapter One The Adventure Begins - Home to Coober Pedy

Monday 8th July Home to Mildura 651kms

After a few last minute things we farewelled our friends Mick and Shirley and dropped off some discs of photography and journal backups for safe keeping. After refuelling at Nar Nar Goon we were on our way at 10.45am, a bit late but really a whole day earlier than we expected.

Leaving Maryknoll we drove along the dirt Moore Road to the service station on the highway in Nar Nar Goon when a little red car came towards us in the middle of the road. When she didn’t move over we noted she was looking across the paddocks and pointing to her right and veering further across the road to her right in front of us. Fortunately there were no trees on the verge here so Dean moved right over to the left with just the right hand wheels on the road. The woman finally saw us and I noticed the surprised and horrified look on her face as she corrected her vehicle, thank God. It would not have been a very good start to the holiday cleaning up a little car only 5kms from home!

We travelled the usual route along the Princes Freeway over the Bolte Bridge in Melbourne and onto the Calder Freeway heading towards Bendigo. We had a very busy week and unlike me I kept nodding off and even had a sound nap. Arriving at Marong on the outskirts of Bendigo we had a cuppa and the turkey sandwiches I had made earlier.

Melbourne Skyline from the Bolte Bridge, a complete contrast to the outback where we were heading.

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Back on the road we continued along the Calder Highway passing through the wheat and sheep district of the Mallee region that is dotted periodically with silo towns or settlements and the occasional larger town. Again I kept nodding off. Deano was tired too but I am glad he didn’t nod off! I woke to the phone rigging. It was Shane checking where the Ute was, making sure it hadn’t been stolen. Dean had parked it at the cottage around the corner. Shane also wondered what he could find for tea. I tell you the care factor was a big Zero, but I did point out a few things.

The wheat fields of the Mallee district

Sunset in the Mallee

We pulled up outside the early Australian Motor Inn at Mildura at 6.45pm where I had booked earlier this morning. We had our usual room 16 on the end with a spa but we were too tired for that tonight. There was also a spot to park the Oka out the front. Over in the restaurant we enjoyed Turkish bread for entrée and flathead tails and chips and salad. Even though there were only three couples in the restaurant tea was a while coming and I was almost nodding off again. At 9pm I made Dean skip desert so I could go to bed!

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Tuesday 9th July Mildura to Waukaringa Goldfields via Broken Hill. 515kms

Breaky came at 7.15am after we were already up and dressed. We thought it was a bit cold this morning and we noted the frost on the ground when we got on the road at 8am. Yesterday we had discussed which way we would go to Coober Pedy as there are three ways. It is boring going the same old way through Renmark, Morgan, Peterborough and Port Augusta. Not boring really but we have done it many times. We decided to go to Broken Hill and down the to Yunta then north to Lake Frome and the northern Flinders ranges. We had planned to go this way once before but rain had us changing our mind. Heading towards Wentworth we stopped at the lights on the one way bridge crossing the Murray River into . From Wentworth where the Darling River flows into the Murray River we continued north along the Silver City Highway to Broken Hill stopping at Coombah roadhouse for a break about half way and getting a $5 cup of tea! I was feeling better today and wasn’t nodding off. This drive is through some quite poor country but it was not as dry as we usually see it. Dean stopped to collect some firewood at a suitable site. We only need branches around four inches in diameter and the job is made easier with his little Stihl chain saw. It is my job to toss the wood onto the roof rack and Dean noticed the difference with the weight of the wood as he drove.

Arriving at Broken Hill we refuelled and then went to the supermarket for vegetables. Now we knew our route it was safe to do so. There are several fruit fly check points around Mildura, Renmark and Ooda Wirra, west of where we would be turning north. The shopping centre was very busy today due to the school holidays and we gamely ventured to McDonalds but took our meal back to the Oka where there was less noise. Really I’m sure McDonalds isn’t what it used to be. It seems so bland.

Indian Pacific

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From Broken Hill we travelled south west on the Barrier Highway which heads towards Adelaide. Along here the famous Indian Pacific train rocked on by as it travelled towards Broken Hill. This railway line travels from Sydney on the east coast and the Indian Ocean, via Adelaide, across the Nullarbor to the Pacific Ocean at on the west coast taking three nights and four days covering 4,352kms. (And Vice Versa).

We then turned north at Yunta the town before the fruit fly check at Oodla Wirra onto the Arkaroola Road. This was dirt/gravel road which is why we skipped going here in the rain. Time was marching on now and the light fading so we only travelled 35kms before we stopped at Waukaringa ruins to camp for the night. This was once a small settlement and the remains of the pub were still standing. It was built in 1880 to replace the corrugated iron one. It was an interesting structure made using local stone. Chimneys, the bar, kitchen and a few rooms were evident as was the cellar and store rooms. The floors and roofs have long since disappeared, the floor once being several feet above the ground. Opposite was the site of the post office and police station and on the hill over yonder was the chimney of the old mine where the locals worked. We set up camp in the lee of the building as the breeze was very cold and Dean used some of the many rocks for a fire place and set the fire. Forgetting about the South Australian time change it was now 4.30pm and the sun sinking in the west promised a nice sunset. As we pottered around the ruins Deano waved to a road train as it travelled down the road in a cloud of dust receiving a loud toot from his air horn in reply.

First things first, the cup of tea, note the truck kicking up the dust in the background 11

Dean then listened to the high frequency radio schedule at the Adelaide base and logged in. In the weeks before we left Dean had been listening in and testing the radio from time to time so the people at the base were familiar with our presence and impending outback venture. It was interesting listening to where people were, such as the Simpson Desert and Canning Stock Route. We knew most of the places so listened with interest. As I pottered around preparing tea I spotted the tail of an animal disappearing around the building so went to the other side with the camera and caught a cheeky fox peering around the corner before he wandered off into the scrub. It had a very large dark bushy tail.

The sunset was indeed magnificent and cast a golden glow on the rock wall of the old building. The sky continued to glow yellow and orange and into pink before the sun finally set for the night. It was a very cool night and the breeze swirled around the building. The fire Dean had made was lovely though and we sat down to satay chicken sticks and salad followed by sticky date pudding and custard. We did the dishes while waiting for the kettle to boil for our cuppa but went inside out of the cold to drink it. It was now 7pm and we were both ready for bed!!

Cheeky fox

Over page -Sunset Waukaringa Ruins

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Wednesday 9th July Waukaringa Ruins to Copley via Lake Frome 393kms

After we both slept well for 12 hours Dean wanted to stay in bed even a little longer! It was pretty cool this morning but there was no frost so we were up and dressed quickly. I made breakfast of cereal and toast and tea inside in our mini kitchen with the butane gas stove.

We were on the road by 9am and continued north to clear blue skies along a good dirt road recovering from rain a few weeks ago, noticeable because of the deep tyre marks. It was an interesting drive through the typical marginal South Australian sheep country. We were east of the Flinders Ranges and the country was undulating with numerous dry creek dips. There was scant traffic, just two or three groups of Victorians heading south. It was 256kms to Balancoona where we arrived at midday. This old station is the ranger headquarters of the Gammon Ranges National Park which is described as a rugged and remote park of 128 hectares in the North Flinders Ranges. Here there are many gorges, chasms, mountains and creeks with driving and walking tracks. There was some lovely scenery but today we were not stopping for adventurous walks as our destination was Lake Frome to the east.

Arkaroola Road Balancoona Station

Balancoona Station Shearing Shed

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We stopped briefly at the old homestead of Balancoona Station where accommodation is offered in the old shearing quarters and had a look at the shearing shed. The 37kms track to Lake Frome traverses a protected area which is a ‘Cultural Use Zone’ for hunting by the local Adnyamathanha Aboriginal people from 3pm til 5am. Interesting concept. Lake Frome forms part of the local Dreaming story told by the Adnyamathanha people explaining how the region's geology and species originated. According to this Dreaming story, Lake Frome was emptied of its water by the Rainbow Serpent Akurra when he ventured down Arkaroola Creek (which flows onto Lake Frome) to drink. Due to its Dreamtime significance the Adnyamathanha do not venture onto the lake's surface.

So given limited time we continued along the two wheeled track following the fence line of neighbouring Wooltana station, spotting a patch of flowering Sturt desert pea and lots of the purple tomato bush plants as well as some emus and galahs. We then travelled 3kms along the Moomba-Adelaide natural gas pipeline track and a further 13kms through more desolate looking countryside to the lake. Then it was through the dog fence, the old post and chicken wire fence and the new electrified six strand yellow posted one and over a grid rather than gates. Skirting a sand dune we followed the track along a narrow peninsula to the edge of the normally dry salt lake. I reckon there was probably water way out in the middle somewhere. This area was designated the Lake Frome Regional Reserve in 1991 due to its ‘regional geological significance’ and covers 259,615 hectares. The lake itself is 100kms long by 40kms wide and was named after Edward Charles Frome after his mapping of the area in 1843.

Sturts Desert Pea, the common black eye and rarer red eye

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Driving out to Lake Frome

Deano and our Oka Kaye making lunch on the tailgate

Kaye on Lake Frome

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Arriving at the lake I climbed onto the roof of the Oka to take some photos using the ladder that is connected to the roof rack. Then we made some delicious salad rolls and a cup of tea on the back pull down door of the Oka. I went for a short walk out onto the lake which was rather soft underfoot.

Returning to Balancoona ranger headquarters at 2.45pm we made our way along the dirt road towards Copley near the mining town of Leigh Creek on the Track. It was a very winding trip beside and between the ranges past Italowie Gap where I thought we could camp the night but it was nothing but a bare patch of dirt with an information board and a toilet. We continued to wend our way through the Gammon Ranges National Park and past the aboriginal communities if Nepabunna and Igawata. The ranges were looking interesting in the afternoon sun as we drove through a few lovely creek beds which looked like good camping sites. Almost at Copley, Jubilee Creek bed was very inviting so Deano did a U turn and followed the track I noticed.

We set up a lovely camp with Dean lighting the fire a bit close to the Oka in the creek bed. One thing we had forgotten about was rocks exploding when they get hot and while we were sitting nearby a few did just that. Fortunately they were only small. It was not so cold tonight. It was much more pleasant now we were heading north, though I did start off the day with two pairs of socks and a singlet and a warmer jacket. Deano listened to the short wave radio schedule and we heard that the Simpson Desert track at Dalhousie Springs was currently closed due to heavy rain and that the ranger had gone out looking for an alternate route around a flooded area and hadn’t yet returned. There were people waiting at either end for the track to be opened. We didn’t hear in the following nights whether the ranger had turned up but we may have missed it. We also heard that there had been a John Williamson concert at Big Red near Birdsville on the 8th July with 700 people present. That would have been interesting to be at.

Concert on Big Red. Note the water to the right of the sand dune

I found out that the concert was the end of a week-long event, The Big Red Run: either, in a 250km 6 day stage race, the Big Red Dash; a 42k marathon from Birdsville to Big Red, or the Born to Run 100km; a unique 100km desert run. 17

Funds raised from the Big Red Run will help several charities, including funding Type 1 diabetes research. Neither Dean (who is a Type 2 diabetic) nor I could run 100 metres so we would have had to pay the $100 per ticket whereas all the charity participants and the Birdsville locals could attend for free. John Williamson has also recently produced an album of new songs called ‘The Big Red’.

Our camp in Jubilee Creek

In the red gum trees around the creek bed we noted some Port Lincoln parrots, swallows, whistlers and the raucous crows. As the sun set Deano marvelled at all his lights and the kitchen set up including the methylated spirit stove. We were both happy with this new purchase and just need to work out how long the metho will last in each reservoir. Dean polished off a few cans while I cooked tea of steak and onions and salad. I felt like a glass of wine tonight as I was finally slowly unwinding. It takes a few days to get into the holiday mode.

We enjoyed our tea and Dean was in fine form after his few cans of beer and two glasses of Evans and Tate Classic dry white wine. (2011 Gold medal winner). We bought quite a bit of alcohol with us, a few bottles of wine and six different two litre Banrock Station wine casks, as well as four slabs of beer as we were going off the beaten track where alcohol could not be bought. Almost all of the aboriginal communities are ‘Dry’ areas as alcohol consumption really is a problem with them. That doesn’t mean it’s not for the white Australians either. In some places such as Fitzroy Crossing and Halls Creek in the Kimberley the limitations were instigated by the aboriginal women and this has improved the quality of the women’s and children’s family and social life and we have witnessed the change in these places.

Dean had crème caramel for dessert while I had yoghurt. The dishes were done in a trice and after a cup of tea we were pretty well done and dusted. Dean tried to ring Phil Wild who came up the Canning Stock Route with us in 2010 but got no answer. He left a ‘Wish you were here’ message. When we went to bed at 7.30pm we discovered the pillows were covered in a layer of red dust with a fine film over the doona. In the morning Dean found the drain holes on the rear windows were sucking in the dust. He covered them up with tape. We were keen to get into the red dirt areas but not to have it in bed with us. 18

Thursday 11th July Jubilee Creek Copley to Coober Pedy 489kms

This morning we were awake at sunrise before the birds had started singing. After a light breakfast we were on the road at 8.30am and discovered Copley was just 5kms away but we were delighted with our campsite. Here the road was bitumen where it continued to the little town of Lyndhurst where the dirt goes to the Moomba Gas fields and Innamincka. The road from Lyndhurst along the also turned to dirt but was in very good condition and Deano zipped along. I got out my knitting and continued with a blue and white Fair Isle jumper I was knitting for my nephew Bryn. There were a few emus in different areas and we spotted a male one with four half grown chicks.

Lake Eyre South between Marree and William creek

We arrived in Marree at 10am where we refuelled at the well-equipped general store. They had a tray of freshly baked bread rolls on the bench and I just had to have some. I also bought a new fine gauze toaster as the metho flame burns right through the other one. We had a cuppa and a piece of local fruitcake that Dean went back into the shop for. Along the Oodnadatta Track the road goes beside Lake Eyre South which does not have water very often but with all the rain over the last few years and recently there was water seen in the distance today when we stopped at the lookout area. Continuing to William Creek we stopped for lunch and relished the fresh salad rolls. While we were here a family from Adelaide pulled up in a mud spattered 4WD and Jayco Hawk camper trailer. They had been to Dalhousie Springs where rain had been dumped locally and closed the Simpson Desert Track. I don’t know where else they went but they came south after the threat of more rain. They had two boys and the younger around 12 years of age wanted to take a photo of the Oka but Dean made his day by letting him sit in the driver’s seat and have his photo taken.

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William Creek Hotel

William Creek - Coober Pedy Road

Approaching Coober Pedy from the east

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Leaving William Creek we turned left on the road to Coober Pedy (160kms) and passed Anna Creek Station Homestead to the North. This is the largest cattle station in the world but it is marginal country and has a low stock carrying capacity. We crossed the actual Anna Creek and continued between the sand dunes and beside the clay pans. The area was actually quite green and there was a bit of water lying in some of the clay pans. We then rose away from the dunes and clay pan area to plains of nothing really. There was not a tree to be seen but carpets of white and yellow wildflowers were seen at intervals and the odd group of purple ones.

When we left the creek bed this morning the sky was overcast but as we travelled north to Marree it cleared to thinning clouds with bits of blue sky. As we left William Creek and travelled along the Coober Pedy road through Anna Creek Station grey clouds gathered on the horizon and about 50kms from Coober Pedy we had a few spots of rain. Then evidence of mining loomed on the horizon as we approached the opal mining town of Coober Pedy.

Just out of town as we got closer to the Bitumen there were quite a few dugouts in the hillside with large open patio and carport areas. Arriving in town around 4pm we booked into the Opal Inn Motel and Caravan Park where we have stayed before. Dean fancied camping in the lee of the toilet block till I pointed out the family with four kids already set up there. The kids all had swags under the canopy of the caravan so I guess the parents got a bit of peace and quiet. We set up near a peppercorn tree, noticing a bloke with a very old caravan and a very new satellite dish! We cleaned more dust from the bed and Dean bought some silastic and tried again to seal the dust leaks in the back window. I meanwhile had a shower and retired to the laundry with my journal trying to catch up while the washing agitated away.

There is a Chinese restaurant in the hotel complex here, so we went there for tea deciding to have something different before we head off into the Great Victoria Desert, also it meant we didn’t have to set up the kitchen. We enjoyed sweet and sour pork and chicken and cashews with special fried rice along with a bottle of Adelaide Hills Semillon Sauvignon Blanc. Dean liked the look of a neighbour’s nut sundae so had one of those too.

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