Graham and Chris on tour 2014 – Update #4

(Have been off the air for 2 weeks  – no radio, no TV, no politics, no polititions, no ABC, no Fairfax no traffic, just honest to goodness genuine human beings – Bliss. Added to that clear Starry nights, beautiful Sunsets/Sunrises, sensational wildlife, I think you get the picture. We are now in Boulia with mobile coverage so I can post this update)………….

We were rather keen to get on the road after our delay in Wanaaring in search of our Satellite phone. So when we were 40km down the road towards Tibooburra and discovered that the brakes on the camper were not working, “Oh sh*t” we thought “what now”. Further inspection revealed that the trailer plug had almost disintegrated so we had no blinkers, brake lights or tail lights at all on the camper including no functioning brakes. Well having once been a boy scout taught me to occasionally “be prepared”. So yes, I had a spare “7 Pin Large Round Trailer Plug”. While settling down on a stool at the rear of the car to install the new plug it wasn’t long before a Cocky from a station 60km further up the road stopped to make sure we were OK. Aaaah, country folk, always ready to lend a hand and make sure you are OK. We thanked him for stopping and told him we would be fine and off he went, content that we were able to fix our problem. So once I had rewired the new plug we were on our way, Chis taking the opportunity to make us a cuppa while I worked on the camper wiring.

Running Repairs

After a one night stay in Tibooburra we headed out for a tour of Sturt National Park and camped in the Olive Downs Camp ground that night.

Not happy with us disturbing his carrion lunch – on the way to Sturt National Park

Great camp spot that would have been a whole lot better had there not been such a cool wind. Fortunately for us the diesel space heater in our Quantum camper works a treat, so that evening we sat in cosy comfort and read.

Sturt National Park – Jump Up

Male and female Zebra Finches near our camp

The following day we made our way back to the main road (Silver City Highway – just because it is named a HIGHWAY don’t get the impression that it is much more that a dirt track) and took a route to Innamincka that we had never previously taken. While on some maps this is shown as a main route, albeit, unsealed, in reality it seems that it is seldom used by anyone other than mining/resource companies doing investigative drilling. About 40 km over the QLD border (and through the dog fence at Warri Gate),

Warri Gate – Dingo Fence; or to keep Queenslanders out of NSW maybe?

we turned off “The Highway” to take the road through Santos and Orientos stations despite the fact that none of the signage at the intersection indicated that it was the road to Innamincka.

Once we were on Orientos station the road become little more than a 2 wheel track. It seems we were the only travellers traversing Orientos, no miners, no tourists, not a sole.

C’mon let’s go Christine. Sign posts at gate to Orientos Homestead Paddock – Note Innamincka spelling.

There were no sign posts to indicate that Innamincka was in this direction only sign posts to various oil/gas drilling sites and stations. The only dodgy sign post that we came across for Innamicka was at the gate to the Orientos Station homestead paddock and that was spelled incorrectly.

Lunch on the track – Orientos Station

After leaving the Orientos property we soon came upon some mining type activity with the accompanying road upgrades for use by heavy trucks and road trains – still gravel though. Once we joined the Bulloo Development Road it was new wide bitumen for the last few kilometres before the QLD/SA border courtesy of the mining companies. A short stretch of bitumen completely out of context for the area. The only vehicles we saw on the road on our 300 km trip to Innamicka were mining employees of one sort or another. The drive was pleasant despite some heavily corrugated sections. We arrived in Innamincka mid afternoon, had a shower at the public showers, purchased a “Desert Parks Pass” for SA desert parks and headed out to one of our favourite spots to camp for a few days. Looking forward to remaining in the same spot for 3 or 4 nights on Cullyamurra Billabong followed by a few nights at Coongie Lake, one of our favourite places in Australia. Our camp at Cullyamurra was very good and there were very few other campers, certainly none that came anywhere near our isolated camp spot, so we decided to stay 4 nights.

Cullyamurra – viewed from our camp.

So after 4 relaxing nights on Cullyamurra we popped into Innamincka for some supplies and a shower, saving our own precious water and gas resources, before heading out to Coongie Lake with the intention of staying another four nights their.

These same two lovebirds kept us entertained each evening at Cullyamurra.

Arriving at Coongie we were a little dissapointed that the water level was down considerably from our previous visits but I guess it reflects the drought conditions in the Cooper Basin that are currently being experienced in QLD. Our last visit to Coongie was in 2009 and the area has subsequently experienced some severe flooding which has changed the camping areas considerably around the lake and also had an effect on the tracks over the sand hills.

Whilst looking for a good camp spot we happened to proceed over a rather large sand hill that has a somewhat severe drop off on the other side. Unfortunately we were beyond the point of no return and proceded to the bottom of the hill. “No Worries” I thought, from memory there is another exit from this area that is much easier to negotiate with a 2¼ tonne camper in tow.

“Bugger”, that track no longer exists and is grown over. Hmmmm, we wouldn’t be happy camping on this side of the sand hills for 4 days without knowing if we could get out when we decided to leave. It would sour our whole demeanour for the 4 days. So the decision was to have some lunch and tackle the sand hill on a full stomach.

While Chris prepared lunch I let down all of our tyres to 18psi in readiness for the assault on the sand hill that was constantly occupying our minds. Lunch completed and with a feeling of trepidation being shared by the two of us we assaulted the sand hill. The difficulty was that the track up the sand hill has a nasty, sharp turn half way up, which in sand is the surest way to lose inertia.

First gear, high range, and away we went.

“So what was the fuss about” we said to each other as we glided over the crest of the sand hill. “Why the dread?” The Toyota LC 76 – simply awesome. It was as if the sand hill did not exist:- “Oh What A Feeling!!”

We subsequently found a fabulous camp spot and set up camp – it was Tuesday the 10 June. The sound of the Boobook owls during the night and the water birds during the day – aaah! Sensational. The first night we had the whole lake to ourselves with two campers the following night and 3 on the third night. In all we spent 4 nights at Coongie.

On the second night it started to rain, not heavy but enough to make us concerned about what was coming. The road to Coongie gets closed at the drop of a hat and had only been opened about 4 days previously. We certainly did not want to get stuck in Coongie for a week or more we did not have enough supplies for that long (beer!!!). Besides, we have things to do and people to meet. Early next morning I grabbed the Sat Phone and Rang the SA Parks duty officer to get a weather forecast and decided that it was safe to stay. It rained off and on the whole day, very lightly and that night we had about 5 or 8 mm. On the morning of the third day the sky was clearing. Great day was had, met Malcolm and Anne Blewett from Adelaide. Had a lot in common except he is 10 years younger and still working. They were in a 100 series Land Cruiser with a T-van. Spent most of the day chatting with them. Amazing bloke who had paddled a canoe across Bass Straight. Made our little journey down the Gunbower Creek earlier this year seem a little insignificant.

The following morning we packed up and headed back to Innamincka. Topped up on a few supplies and had lunch at the pub with Mal and Anne.

Don’t whinge about city fuel prices

While buying supplies we were asked, “Were are you guys heading?” “North to Bedourie”, we said. “No your not”, was the reply, all the roads in QLD are closed. “BUGGER!!!”.
As it turned out though, the road that we needed to use, opened that afternoon (Sat 14th June) to 4WD only. So we were OK to head north the following day after an overnight stay on the “Town Common” in Innamincka. The Next day we set off up the Cordillo Downs Road and stayed that night at Cadelga Ruins, about 50 Kms short of the QLD border.