Laurie Ford's Outback Australia
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Googs
Track and beyond -
Sept/October 2008
Having spent some of the winter in the USA (their summer) and
doing
some fairly quiet kayaking, Elli and I were having Outback withdrawal
symptons.
A look at the maps showed a track straight north from Ceduna, across
the
sand dunes - supposed to be very like the Simpson Desert, but quite a
bit
shorter. We haven't done a lot of desert driving so thought this would
be a good test out.
The plan was to go up Googs Track, across through Olympic Dam to
Marree,
up the Birdsville track, and back down the Strzelecki track to Cameron
Corner, and down through Menindie to Balranald and home. Incidentally I
came across this brilliant poem
by John Russell
about the Outback at Windorah Visitors Centre.
Hobart to Googs
Kingoonya to Dig Tree
Innaminka to Murray River
Alice Springs back to Hobart,
August 2007 (with young Mitchell Tappan)
Elli and her grandson Mitchell flew into Alice Springs after a
walking
trip along the Great Wall of China (with World Expeditions).
The idea
was to show Mitchell a little of the Australian Outback before he
returned
to the USA. He is no stranger to camping, having camped with us on
kayaking
trips on the coast of Maine. I'd brought along our small hiking tent
for
him to use, when we weren't staying in motels etc.
Alice to Boggy Hole
Boggy
Hole to Ayers Rock Ayers Rock
to Dalhousie
Dalhousie
to Coober Pedy
Coober Pedy to Parachilna Gorge
Parachilna
to Echuca Echuca to Tasmania
West Australia - Sept, October,
November - 2006
Our route wandered about a bit. After the Veterans Hockey
Championships
in Perth we headed out to Hyden and then up the Holland Track to
Kalgoorlie,
north to Menzies, then cross very back roads, west, to Mt Magnet,
Murchison,
and Gascoyne Junction. After that it was east to Meekathara, Sandstone,
Leinster, Lake Wells, Carnegie Station. Then west again to Wiluna, a
short
excursion up the Canning Stock Route, then south to Leonora - ready to
head off along the Anne Beadell Track (Highway?) to Coober Pedy. Every
part of the trip was a highlight, and we bought a great painting at the
Tjukurba Art Gallery at Wiluna - this is really worth visiting (in the
lovely old restored Shire Complex).
Kennedy Range.
Gassy
Dash. A few camp
spots. Some different
sights along the way. 70km of the
Canning Stock Route Anne
Beadell Highway
Some of the
roads/tracks. A
little of the Flora. A few general
pictures. Some lightning
from one of the many storms.
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