Geraldton - across the Outback Way - Alice Springs

9 April 2019 

Birthday boy

Last time we were together discussing our travels we had left the heat, flies and Kevin and Marilyn in Hamelin Pool and headed south to the complete opposite in Geraldton - no heat, no flies and no Kevin and Marilyn - although we do miss Kevin and Marilyn. Geraldton was a two day stay to clean up, stock up, cool down and celebrate my birthday. So we washed, shopped, sat outside and went to lunch at the wharf. 

Flocking cockatoos over Geraldton

Julie playing statues at HMAS Sydney Memorial

From Geraldton we are due to head east to start our long journey home across the Outback Way. What that looks like is as follows:

We may deviate from the above a little but that is the plan at this point.

11 April - we headed east for the first time in a long time and spent the night in Mount Magnet. The roads to there are excellent and very quiet. We cruised along slowly, drinking in the scenery that quickly turned from seaside green to red desert scrub. Surprisingly we climbed up over 400 metres on the way east to Mount Magnet. The further east we travelled the cloudier it got and for quite a while it tried to rain but could only spit and splatter with not enough rain to even form puddles.

Morning tea under blue skies

Lunch under cloudy skies at Yalgoo Lookout.

The old gold town of Yalgoo provided a nice lookout for us as a lunch stop. The tidy little town has a pretty little chapel/convent ruins and little signs showing where a little tent hospital once stood, other than that there is little else.

The little Chapel and Convent Ruins

We think this is the site of the old Tent Hospital

Arriving in Mount Magnet around 3:30 pm we "chose any site we liked", set up just the way we liked, and headed off to do the recommended Tourist Drive around the outskirts of town. A dirt road winds its way through the active open cut and underground gold mines that dominate the region. Yet another lookout gave us a birds eye view of the mines and the destruction they cause to the landscape. 

The graves of an unknown mother and child in the middle of nowhere demonstrates the harshness and sadness the early settlers faced. 

The highlight of the drive was the natural Amphitheatre with its very good acoustics. The whole landscape is red, raw and seriously harsh. 

The Amphitheatre

A rock formation with a cloud formation

Back to camp we drove where we enjoyed a pleasant evening under the awning listening to the light rain patter on the awning and me pattering in and out serving Julie drinks. The only sounds we could here as the sun went down was the little patter of 88 semi trailer wheels beneath tonnes and tonnes of mining equipment. This pattering continued all night reaching a crescendo at around 6:20 am when we decided to wake up.

We got up, ate up, packed up and set off around 7:30 am to fuel up and head further east through those famous towns of Sandstone, with its rainbow windmill, and not to mention Leinster, but I will because it was a very tidy little town but that's about it. 

Sandstone's Rainbow Windmill

Morning tea view from van

Lunch on the way to Leonora

Eventually we arrived in the gold mining town of Leonora with its hi-viz, blue and yellow uniformed gold mining occupants. The van park is pretty good and it served its purpose for us, that being to do a final wash, water up and set up for the trip across the Outback Way, which we start tomorrow. A quick visit to the Visitors Centre confirmed the Outback Way is still there, is 1200+ klm of dirt road and is currently open. The all important weather forecast is for storms and possible rain in the west of the region where we are currently but dry the further east we go. 

Saturday, 13 April – Leonora was a good place to fuel up and rest up before heading across the Outback Way today. There is nothing else to add other than the town is like any other gold mining town, it’s filled with yellow striped mine vehicles of all sizes, with red flags on top and yellow and blue attired workers that either stay in little dongers or their own caravans in the only caravan park in town. None of the workers seem to be enjoying themselves as they just do their washing at the end of another long nameless day while staring into their mobile phones, a window to places they would rather be, while their clothes tumble in the dryers over and over behind them.

With nothing to keep us in Leonora a second night we headed off around 8am after filling up everything we owned with diesel. We set sail to Laverton where we again topped up everything we owned with even more diesel. What is normally a simple start to get to the commencement of the Outback Way turned out to be somewhat complex as roadworks had completely blocked the roads leading to it. Trying to get around the roadworks we went back out to the main road in from Leonora, turned right onto an old road towards a lookout which would be good for morning tea and to get our bearings, because we felt like we had lost our marbles, only to find the lookout was now a gold mine site office. The road ahead was closed, because it is now a gold mine also, so we turned right onto a dirt road that hopefully might take us to the Outback Way. After several kilometres the dirt road terminated at another dirt road that, by sheer luck (actually through Julie's navigation skills), was the Outback Way – simples. 

Some light reading for vehicle occupants at the start.

We figured that if we could find our way out of Laverton to the start of the Outback Way the way we did, the remaining 1200 klm should be a breeze. After airing down all eight tyres and sealing a few vents on the van to minimise dust ingress we set off at around 11am. The 303 klm of dirt road is pretty good from Laverton to Tjukayirla. There are a few patches of bull dust, a lot of patches of corrugations and some stretches of smooth dirt road. We averaged around 65 – 70 klm for the day.

Giles Breakaway

Morning tea was held at Giles Breakaway, lunch at The Pines, and camp for the night is Nullye Soak just 10 klm short of Tjukayirla in the bush. Surprisingly only one vehicle overtook us the whole day. There are a couple of places where roadworks are happening and many places where gold mines are operating but all in all the road was very quiet for the start of Western Australia’s school holidays.

The Pines - lunch stop

The White Cross - a Point of Interest of The Outback Way

We had hoped to camp somewhere the other side of Tjukayirla after fuelling up there but fuel stations along the Great Central Road close at 3pm on Saturday and Sunday and we were too tight on fuel to get us to Warburton some 245 klm further east. Given tomorrow is Sunday we will have the same problem but that’s life on the road in remote areas. 

First night's camp at Nully Soak

Our overnight camp had Julie on sentry duty until the wee hours. Being so close to an Aboriginal Community (10klm) on a Saturday night is not ideal. A burnt out car wreck at the entrance to the camp spot is not a good advertisement either. Being there by ourselves was probably the worst part. However, we were protected by a solid wall of flies until the sun went down and after that we were all alone. The darkening skies were soon lit up by millions of stars under which we sat having a quiet drink as the heat went out of the day. 

Bedtime for flies

Next morning there was no need to get away early as the Roadhouse doesn't open until 9am. We just relaxed inside the van as to go outside was to draw the attention of millions of flies - where do they hide and what would they annoy if we weren't there?

At Tjukayirla Roadhouse we were greeted by the friendly new managers who had been there for just a week. They had moved further east from Warakurna, 470klm east along the Outback Way, to be closer to their children in Perth, just over 12 hours away (one way). We were warned not to camp at the next roadhouse, Warburton, as the community there is not good. If we did decide to camp there then we were advised to leave the car windows down  overnight save getting them smashed while the locals took whatever they wanted from inside - at least we would still have our windows. Apparently this even happens while camped behind an 8 foot high fence with razor wire on top. Also, the campground has recently been set on fire. Other than that it does have fuel and that it is pretty safe to get, but don't leave your car unattended.  All useful information.  

The road to Warburton

Heading off to Warburton with some trepidation the road continued to be pretty good if dust, corrugations, rocky surfaces,and flies are your thing. With little to see as you drive through the Gibson Desert, the roadside is littered with 100's of wrecked, burnt out car bodies to provided us with something to look at. We gave up counting them early in the piece when we'd counted 20 in half an hour as looking at corrugations was more fun.

One of the more colourful car wrecks

Oncoming semi trailers

Being our second day on the track we soon settled into the gentle rumbling of tyres rolling over the corrugations while listening to the regular pings of stones as they hit the underside of the car and caravan. Julie was suffering from eye strain as she endlessly searched for the next form of wildlife she wanted to see - wild camels. Very occasionally a vehicle would overtake us or pass us coming the other way. As a bit of interest two oncoming semi trailers were side by side as one overtook the other coming straight at us. All was okay but the dust they threw up as they past was impenetrable. 

Overtaken by a semi trailer

Morning tea was held at Paradise Camp, an abandoned road gravel pit. The flies from last night were there to greet us - always good to see old friends. Morning tea was pretty quick as were keen to get back to the corrugations, dust and dirt and to scour the horizon for camels.

Morning Tea at Camp Paradise

Lunch at lookout

All too soon we had to stop for lunch high on a lookout overlooking Warburton. A sole tree gave little respite from the 37 degree heat but that was okay as I was able to lay under the van in the shade to repair a broken zip tie holding the brake cable onto the suspension. The job was made easier as I had a lot help from our fly friends from last night and was comfortable laying on the soft rocks.

Relaxing under the caravan after lunch

All too soon we were back on the road heading down the hill to Warburton. As with all the fuel pumps along this road, they are contained in jail-like cages. The owner comes out unlocks the cage fills the car and escorts you into the shop to pay. Yes the van park was surrounded by a razor wire covered colorbond wall and yes it was burnt out. Escaping with all our windows intact, we turned east and headed towards camp for the night, short of Warakurna. 

The road ahead - a good stretch

This camp was very good as it had a bush to provide shade for the flies in the late afternoon sun, it was well off the road so the flies wouldn't be woken by any passing traffic and there were other people there too, two families in camper trailers, which was good for the flies as they had other friends to visit.

Camp night 2

The biggest surprise it that we had very weak phone reception so the flies could find out what the weather was doing. For Julie it meant that she had the night off from sentry duty. Over the road from camp were four gnamma holes vital for sustaining wandering Aboriginals tribes as they roamed this region for 1000's of years.

Gnamma Holes - one with protective cover 

After a good night's sleep we were on the road around 7:30am to travel the 60klm to Warakurna - our final fuel stop before Yulara (Uluru) (Ayers Rock). To celebrate this last fuel stop we were allowed to pay $2.40 per litre for diesel and you get flies with that too. It was around here that Julie's eye straining paid dividends as she spotted camels on the side of the road. For several kilometres we had been following their tracks along the road and finally the tracks had led to their owners.

Shortly after Warakurna the beautiful Schwerin Mural Crescent then Petermann Ranges come into view. They fill the horizon to the left and right of us and are a welcome change from the 1000klm's of desert scenery we have had for the last couple of days. Morning tea was had at a great camp spot about 800 metres off the road. 

Views of  Schwerin Mural Crescent Range & Petermann Ranges for morning tea

Keen to get back to the corrugations, dust and dirt we made our way back to the road and headed to Docker River, another no-go Community. Travellers report having their vehicles and caravans robbed while camped there as they look at Aboriginal paintings brought around the camp by locals wanting to make a sale. It is also the stretch of road where the Northern Territory Road Maintenance Authority has never been. The road deteriorates into heavy corrugations, rough sharp rocky stretches, red sandy stretches requiring 4WD, bull dust holes and the occasional short stretch of smooth clay. Out of nowhere bitumen appears, then disappears.

The end of the Great Central Road but still a 100 klm to go

We took a turnoff to visit Lasseters Cave. Lewis Lasseter said he discovered a gold reef in the area and for years Lassiters gold was searched for. Lewis couldn't remember where it was and made several attempts to find it again. In January 1931 (summer), while looking for his gold, his camels bolted and left him stranded without food. He walked 15klm to this cave where he stayed for 25 days. On the 25 January 1931 he set off to walk 140klm to Mt Olga with just 1.7litres water. He made it 55klm then died. Lesson learned: don't carry to much water in the desert, it kills you.

After getting rid of all our water we re-joined the road and were once again back into heavily corrugated sand and the like. Fresh abandoned car wrecks adorned the road once again, a mysterious fire burned in the hills to the right of us while several willy willys crossed over our car and caravan mildly sandblasting them as they did.

A Freshie

An attacking Willy Willy

What the?

All too soon bitumen filled our view out the windscreen as far as Julie's strained eyes could see. Bitumen!! One of the tyres on the caravan, I called "Grandad", had developed a slow leak so he was pumped up as were the other seven tyres for bitumen running. I went and introduced myself to the start of the bitumen as we set off towards Yulara.

Soon the spectacular Kata Tjuta (pronounced Olgas) came into view followed by Uluru (pronounced Ayers Rock). These outcrops are truly amazing even though I've now been here four times.

The local Shell Roadhouse sells really cheap fuel at just $2.11 per litre so we snapped up the bargain and headed on bitumen to a bush camp for the night about 100klm towards Alice Springs along bitumen. Again we were the only ones camped for the night at what is a very good campsite. This was a great opportunity to have a farewell party with all our fly friends that had followed us for the last three days. The party went on all afternoon until just after sunset. 

Sunset and farewell flies at our last bush camp

After such a big party it was great to sit back with a couple of drinks, look up at the brightening night sky slowly being illuminated by the Milky Way and the half moon. As the last embers of the orange sunset dissipated our new friends, the Mozzies, arrived. 

Campsite at Petermann Rest Stop (Curtain Springs East) east of Yulara - no neighbours for the night

Eventually Julie woke up after a long night on sentry duty. We had breakfast and drove the remaining 350klm to Alice Springs along a smooth bitumen road. We checked into a caravan park for three nights to top dress their lawns with red dust and fertilize their gardens with thousands of dead flies. It is also a good opportunity for me to have a break from driving and to swap "Grandad" over with one of our spares.  "Grandad's" funeral will be held when we get home.

So this seems a good place to end this Post.

All is good with the car and caravan. Nothing broken or not working which is a pleasant surprise give the 1200klm of dirt the car and caravan have just travelled. In a couple of days we head north, along bitumen, then east and south towards home.

As for the Outback Way - Great Central Road in WA then Tjukaruru Road in NT section we just finished - we are glad we have done it and it was a different way to return home compared to either the Nullarbor or over the Top End. I have to say I wouldn't do it again until it is sealed and has more reliable infrastructure and support. We drove the rest of the Outback Way from Alice Springs to Boulia via the Plenty Highway in 2017 and that was even more exciting/daunting/difficult.  To get from South East Queensland to South West, Western Australia, the Nullarbor is more interesting and less risky. Via the Top End at the moment is far too hot. 

We are both well. Julie's eye strain is going and I am no longer lying under the van.

FYI - We leave Alice Springs in a couple of days and largely plan to just drive through to home taking about 9-10 days. All current post on WikiCamps indicate the floods have increased the flies to record across the Northern Territory and northern and central Queensland. This maybe therefore be our last post of this trip unless I am inspired by the day to day driving tedium to write something.

Bye for now,

JeffnJulie

...... The Grey Gonads