Nephrurus
Forum Member
G'day Folks,
I got back a few days ago from a 4 state road trip. We drove many a mile on dirt throughout western NSW, SA and SWQLD. This trip culminated in the Strzlecki track, driving from Lyndhurst to Innamincka.
TO be brutally honest, we weren't overly well prepared, and learnt many lessons.
We drove from Sydney to Lake Cargelligo, then up the dirt road 200km towards Ivanhoe, camping near Round Hill NR (Mt Hope) for 2 nights. Then we headed towards Menindee and Broken Hill for a friends Engagement party.
We then headed south to Mildura, camping south of there in the Hattah-Kulkyne NP (stunning place that... ).
Then we headed across to Swan Reach (South Australia) where we stayed for a week Helping out on a friends research project catching southern hairy nosed wombats.
We then drove to Gluepot, 60km north of Waikerie. We did some birding then continued on our way to camp at Willow Springs in the Flinders Ranges next to Wilpena Pound.
We stayed there for a few days then headed north to the Gammon Ranges to stay at Arkaroola. I should note we were bush camping up til this point, and my girlfriend "cracked it" so we stayed in a room at Arkaroola for a few nights. It was great there. Plenty of rough dirt tracks. Lots of rocks to spear tyres on as well. I got a flat there. Here we realised the folly of only having one spare tyre. We also saw some yellow footed rock wallabies (a trip highlight).
After Arkaroola, we headed to Leigh Creek the Lyndhurst to get the tyre fixed. With a newish (2nd hand) tyre we started driving to Innamincka on the Strzlecki Track, some 500kms of fairly good dirt road. The first 250kms was very rocky, so we drove slowly at lower tyre pressures.
We got a flat just past Montecollina bore. Then we started a long drive to Innamincka with no spare. Luckily the remaining 250k is nice sandy clay. some of it was even recently graded.
Innamincka is dry, dusty and expensive. I recommend you not get stuck there waiting for a tyre to get fixed (we actually bought a new one there).
We drove along the Adventure Way (a fitting name i thought) to Thargomindah, and then to Currawinyah NP where we camped on the Paroo River for a few nights. We saw bourkes parrots and some other lovely species endemic to the area.
From there we drove to Bourke, then to Gundabooka NP. Gundabooka is much more lovely than i thought it would be. I highly recommend it.
After that we went to Dubbo for a night, then headed for home. I highly recommend driving back through Mudgee and Rylestone instead of doing the Dubbo-Orange-Bathurst-Lithgow route.
It was a fun and interesting trip. 6545kms all up! Also very educational!
Now... I need some new good tyres...
Pictures to come...
All the best,
-Henry
I got back a few days ago from a 4 state road trip. We drove many a mile on dirt throughout western NSW, SA and SWQLD. This trip culminated in the Strzlecki track, driving from Lyndhurst to Innamincka.
TO be brutally honest, we weren't overly well prepared, and learnt many lessons.
We drove from Sydney to Lake Cargelligo, then up the dirt road 200km towards Ivanhoe, camping near Round Hill NR (Mt Hope) for 2 nights. Then we headed towards Menindee and Broken Hill for a friends Engagement party.
We then headed south to Mildura, camping south of there in the Hattah-Kulkyne NP (stunning place that... ).
Then we headed across to Swan Reach (South Australia) where we stayed for a week Helping out on a friends research project catching southern hairy nosed wombats.
We then drove to Gluepot, 60km north of Waikerie. We did some birding then continued on our way to camp at Willow Springs in the Flinders Ranges next to Wilpena Pound.
We stayed there for a few days then headed north to the Gammon Ranges to stay at Arkaroola. I should note we were bush camping up til this point, and my girlfriend "cracked it" so we stayed in a room at Arkaroola for a few nights. It was great there. Plenty of rough dirt tracks. Lots of rocks to spear tyres on as well. I got a flat there. Here we realised the folly of only having one spare tyre. We also saw some yellow footed rock wallabies (a trip highlight).
After Arkaroola, we headed to Leigh Creek the Lyndhurst to get the tyre fixed. With a newish (2nd hand) tyre we started driving to Innamincka on the Strzlecki Track, some 500kms of fairly good dirt road. The first 250kms was very rocky, so we drove slowly at lower tyre pressures.
We got a flat just past Montecollina bore. Then we started a long drive to Innamincka with no spare. Luckily the remaining 250k is nice sandy clay. some of it was even recently graded.
Innamincka is dry, dusty and expensive. I recommend you not get stuck there waiting for a tyre to get fixed (we actually bought a new one there).
We drove along the Adventure Way (a fitting name i thought) to Thargomindah, and then to Currawinyah NP where we camped on the Paroo River for a few nights. We saw bourkes parrots and some other lovely species endemic to the area.
From there we drove to Bourke, then to Gundabooka NP. Gundabooka is much more lovely than i thought it would be. I highly recommend it.
After that we went to Dubbo for a night, then headed for home. I highly recommend driving back through Mudgee and Rylestone instead of doing the Dubbo-Orange-Bathurst-Lithgow route.
It was a fun and interesting trip. 6545kms all up! Also very educational!
Now... I need some new good tyres...
Pictures to come...
All the best,
-Henry