Trish Travels

Sunday, 16 September 2012

Day 3 Hay River

Day 7 - Day 3 Hay River

Wednesday, 12 September 2012

Still very overgrown and lush (scratchy to some). Not long before we found 'Camp 16' - Madigan's blazed Tree. Madigan blazed his trail in 1939 with 9 men and 19 camels. There was a Visitors book to sign!! Quite a few people had had a plaque stamped up before they did their iconic trip to leave attached to a picket at the site! The blazing on the tree had nearly grown over, but there was a photo of it taken in 1974 that was in the visitors book.

Had to move on. The scenery was starting to become more desert like, lower scrub and we were, although still heading in a generally south direction, starting to cross the dunes, instead of running parallel to them. In fact the first dune took us by surprise as the approach to it wasn't visible. A sharp turn, steep incline and very soft sand, it needed a second run at it. Turned out to be a common approach to the dunes on this section, sharp right hand bend at the base, followed by a left hand turn on the crest. Fun. Found the camels further on. Surprised to see so many, at least 25, but I suspect there could have been a few more scattered around. We were admiring them, but we're reminded they were feral, and probably not doing the native flora/fauna any good. Was a bit more challenging today to find shade for lunch, but it wasn't too hot and it was fine to shelter in the lee of the vehicles.

We made it to Beachcombers camp for the night. This was an old exploratory well from 1988. A bit too much of a 'beach' no trees, so we moved around the corner to set up. We found our first casualties on opening the fridge. It smelt of beer when I opened the medicine chest, sure enough a XXXX gold had self opened, but fortunately only one. Also a couple of cracked eggs - I had forgotten to wedge them down, so was surprised only 2 broken. However, it meant the carton was rather soggy so storage was a problem -solved it by having a large omelette for dinner :) the pumpkin had taken a beating as well, so that was next on the list to be eaten! Another social evening in the delightful company of Inara and Lange.

	Camp 16 -Madigan's Track [Map]		Madigan's Tree [Map]
	Eagle Nest [Map]		Camels on the Simpson [Map]
	Eagle [Map]		Simson Sand [Map]
	The first Dune [Map]		Simpson Flowers [Map]

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Day 2 Hay River Track

Day 6 - Day 2 Hay River Track

Tuesday, 11 September 2012

We had discovered a mutual love of the outback with our new travelling fellows and we set off to an early start, taking turns to lead. Lots more of scratchy bumpy, windy track, but it was so interesting. Average speed 25/35 km, rarely getting out of 2nd gear, but we were engrossed in the flora. Inara and Lange are from Adelaide so are more familiar with the trees and flowers. We were to discover they were very knowledgable about lots of the outback and we hungrily lapped it up. They also have a love of the Pilbara like us so every stop we found so much to talk about.

We found a suitable campsite around 3:30 at Madigan's Camp 15. Yet again we had a delightful social evening- you couldn't have asked for moe interesting and amenable traveling companions.

	Lake Caroline [Map]		Hay River Tk [Map]
	Scratchy Hay Tk [Map]		Hay Tk [Map]
	Typical Vegetation Hay Tk [Map]		Hay Tk [Map]
	More Hay Tk [Map]		This is the Simpson DESERT! [Map]

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Day 1 on The Simpson

Day 5 - Day 1 on The Simpson

Monday, 10 September 2012

Very excited to finally be on The Simo. First part of track just following a fence line. We had heard from Jol Fleming that 3 vehicles were booked to stay at Baton Hill for the night of 10th so we had thought to get ahead of them then, should we have any problems it wouldn't bee too long a wait until help came. A quick detour to check out Goyder's Pillar. Didn't stay too long as a sign on the gate had said station vehicles only! Moved on to Baton Hill. this is Lyndsay Booka's place. The elder of this part of The Simo. We had met him in Alice at Jol's place. He runs bush tucker tours from here, but we had decided at $85 pp not too do it. What if you had to taste your finds? (wichety grubs for tea anyone?) No one around so we pushed on.

We're amazed how green and overgrown the place was - a desert? Really?

After the fence line disappeared the track became very windy and bumpy. It felt as if we were driving around an obstacle course (of wattles!). Came across 3 vehicles pulled over for morno's. They were travelling north and were in fact the group Jol had told us about, ha ha, they were travelling in the opposite direction to us!! But it was good to track info and they also said there was a vehicle an hour or so ahead of us.

The Dingo Spring was very interesting. lyndsay told us it was good water so we filled up our water bottles. Decided it was hair wash time, so fetched a bucket of water, which I promptly knocked over once I was lathered up. Cries of help, please fetch more water, we're not met with haste and I was left bent over with soap in my ears and eyed, while PAV fiddled around doing other, more important stuff! This place was a natural spring, but with no aboriginals living there any more it wasn't maintained. Lyndsay and Jol were instrumental in establishing this spring to encourage dingos to return to the area who would then in turn keep the feral (foxes, rabbits, cats) down. Very inspiring set up. We had lunch (after my fresh bucket of water had been fetched) and then continued south. The track became quite scratchy, but the wattles were in flower, lots of birds - and lots of bumps and we made slow progress around all the twists and turns.

Coming to Lake Caroline we turned West to check it out. Crossed the very soft sandy bed of the Hay River and caught up with the vehicle we had heard was ahead of us. Said hello to Lange and Inara before exploring the Lake. Quite an eerie place, we drove around the perimeter on the hard mud. If we hadn't had GPS it would have been hard to find the exit off the lake! Returned to set up camp near to Lange and Inara.

We had a lovely evening with them and agreed to travel the rest of the Hay Track with them.

	Sunset near Jervois [Map]		Goyder's Pillar [Map]
	Batton Hill [Map]		Reflections [Map]
	Dingo Spring [Map]		On the Wing [Map]
	Zebra Finch [Map]		Hair Wash with Dingo Water! [Map]

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Arltunga to Jervois

Day 4 - Arltunga to Jervois

Sunday, 9 September 2012

Said goodbye to Arltunga "Hotel", such a curious place. The hotel no longer has a license, but it is hired out for group bookings,$250, not bad , would be a great place for a club night, toilets, showers, kitchen etc, all original old stuff, very characterful. We had a fellow traveller in the camp site. A 77 year old man, travelling with his dog, sleeping in his car. Wife had died 10 years ago, quite sad. He gave us half a dozen oranges from his trees back home. Said he still had half a bucketful!

We set off to find the Cattlewater Pass, hopefully a short cut to the Plenty Highway. Find it we did, not a bad track and was a 100km saving. East onto the Plenty for a while before turning north to check out Boxhole Meteor Crater. No signs, but the map showed a station in the vicinity. Only track off towards the crater took us into the station, Dneiper. Drove in to enquire,thinking there was probably a track leading out there on the far side. The place was deserted, just like the Marie Celeste! A bit strange, we drove round all the buildings, signs of life, but no life! Maybe everyone had headed off to church, or a Sunday Lunch 200km away in Alice :). I didn't want to hang around any more so after lunch we pushed off to Jervois Station, the last fuel stop before heading down the Simpson.

Had been singing Happy Birthday to Ben all day, hoping he would pick up on the vibes that his family hadn't forgotten him and I was delighted that Jervois Station had a public phone (working) so after fueling up we had a chat with the birthday boy, who was 'recovering' from the previous evening with friends and watching the Eagles -so PAV got updated on the score as well.

We camped just over the road beside the dry Marshall River Bed, listening to cows 'lowing' all night.

	Road Train, Plenty Highway, going going .... [Map]		GONE!! [Map]
	Happy Birthday Ben, pay phone, Jervois Station [Map]

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Ruby Gap to Arltunga

Day 3 - Ruby Gap to Arltunga

Saturday, 8 September 2012

Up early, no wind!! But still quite cool. Packed up breakfast, water, a few snacks and we were off. The map said, 2km to glen Annie Gorge, then another 2km to Fox's Grave. We must have walked up hundreds of gorges, but each one is unique, don't think I will ever tire of them. Had to cross to the other side first, rock hopping, then scrambling through gravel and river rocks. Gorge meandered a bit and I found it quite hard going. Eventually we got to Glen Annie, where it narrows quite a bit and there is a large water hole, suitable for swimming, if it had been warm enough. We found a way to climb up the side wall so we could get through to the other side. The mud map did say there was no marked trail! Out through the other side it opened out again, bit more sunshine, different rocks, grey not red. We soon came across the garnet colored sand. The couple we helped over the rock yesterday said they had sat and fossilized in the sand. PAV was pushing on and I was struggling to keep up. I find river rocks difficult to walk over, you are always looking for suitable rocks to step on, I get eye ache! Even with my stick I don't feel sure footed and after my slip in Kakadu last year, am not taking any chances. The river gums are awesome, so many different shapes and gnarly bits, I want to spend more time and admire, but my guide is relentless in pushing - "the posse is closing in on us". Eventually after 2 hrs of walking and several more meanders, my stomach is screaming for breakfast, and I see some larger garnet "gravel" in amongst the rocks. Just have to stop and fossick. PAV eventually returns to find me head down, bum up, digging away. I had brought my little "Baggie" and had quite a stash. PAV had walked up until he came to a fence across the gorge/riverbed, realised I wasn't behind and finally come back to see if I was alright! The posse might have got me by that stage. Eating breakfast, the two fossils both fossicking for another 10 minutes before the pressure built up and we had to race back. Finally got back to Maxxie/Djan at 12:00 - 4 hrs we had been been on the go and I reckon we had got quite a bit further up the gorge than 4km, my hips were going to tell me all about it tonight. But it had been worth it. So far on this trip I would have put Mitchell Falls up at the top of the highlights, but I think this might have beaten it. It was certainly further and a lot harder terrain - and no horrible noisy helicopters and other pesky tourists. We still had another 2hrs of driving to negotiate the 40km back to The Binns Track.

The whole area of Arltunga is now an historical reserve, gold mining relics, and PAV was up for further exploring. My hips went on strike, I figured I would see the photos anyhow.we camped at Arltunga Hotel, the pub with no beer, wine or any alcohol! Great camping spot.

	Start of Hale River, Ruby Gap [Map]		Monsters in the Gap [Map]
	Glen Annie, in Ruby Gap [Map]		Glen Annie [Map]
	Hale River, after Glen Annie [Map]		Hale River [Map]
	Garnet sands! [Map]		Old man face in tree trunk - Ent? [Map]
	Gold Assayer's Dutch (pizza) Oven [Map]

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East MacDonnell Ranges

Day 2 - East MacDonnell Ranges

Friday, 7 September 2012

Woke up at Trephina Gorge to a very windy morning. PAV couldn't find the billy!! Everything was coated with dust. PAV is paranoid about the stuff, any if any gets in his bed, heaven forbid . Had to chuckle, whilst not nice (the worst is when it is in the eyes) but there is no getting away from it out here. I will only wipe things down when I need to use it. Anyway, we got going on the gorge walk - the other side of the panorama walk, scented flower walk. The breeze kept the heat away, phew, and I had the energy to enjoy it. The photos never do things justice, you can only 'see' it, but when you are there you can 'feel' the place.

Next up a short drive away to John Dawes water holes. An easy walk to begin with up and along the top of the gorge, but then the scrambling started, quite narrow, but interesting rock formations. We eventually found some water holes and then found we had to climb up and out the other side of the gorge, just for a short while, before climbing back down to the car park. Legs holding up so far, thank goodness for The Stick.

Continuing along The Binns Track we turned off at Arltunga and headed out to Ruby Gorge. In the late 1880's someone thought they had found rubies, unfortunately, they eventually turned out to be garnets, much to their disappointment, and to 200 other prospectors who had moved in to " cash in on the find" but a short while later, gold was found in the area, and it was the usual story. It was a 40 km rough track off the main track, then a 5km stretch mostly in a dry creek bed, very soft, but also lots of large rocks to avoid. It took us a good couple of hours to get in, then helped someone to get themselves unwedged off a rock before we could set up for the night. Yea, no wind.

	Looking down into Trephina Creek [Map]		John Hayes Rock Holes [Map]
	John Haye [Map]		Bottom of John Hayes, we have to get up there? [Map]
	Into Ruby Gap [Map]

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Leaving Alice

Day 1 - Leaving Alice

Thursday, 6 September 2012

Well we finally have our beloved Maxxie back. What a long week it has been. We stayed at Stuart Caravan Pk on Larapinta just West of the town centre, but more importantly 15 minutes walk from the Isuzu workshop. Maxxie was dropped off last Tuesday to have the soopa doopa exhaust fitted and hopefully to find out what was making the grinding noise when in 4L and driving through heavy going 'stuff' ie soft sand. They eventually found the reason, after just about everything that could be removed was. Axles, diff lock, etc. (which was dismantled, during which time ARB sheared off a bolt, that then had to be ordered in!). Turned out to be a cross member, running between the 2 chassis rails. PAV remembers the front wheel dropping down a bit of a dip whilst crossing the Pentecost River. Good thing was they also found one of the shock absorbers was very worn and needed replacing - cant replace just the one though! All this time I am feeling very sick about how much all this is going to cost. Anyhow, Maxxie is back, very proud of himself, wagging his tail, so to speak.

Before leaving a quick drive up ANZAC Hill. Looking down over Alice, it is quite picturesque. We could see The Ghan at the station!

Heading south before turning Left to the East MacDonnell Ranges first up was Emily Gorge. The Dreamtime features big time in Alice, the Caterpillar the dominant character, and most of the rock art features this. The rock formation is great and these gorges are easy to access.

We followed the tourist route out to the Binns track and stopped at Trephine Gorge for the night. This is definitely a WOW place. We managed the panorama walk mid afternoon. I was very hot, and struggling, but the view down into the riverbed on one side, out over the distant hills to the north and the gorge escarpment behind us was brilliant. Heading back down the other side, I was stunned firstly by the different scents - I kept having to brush the bushes to find which ones were the scented ones, and then by the variety of flowers - I thought WA was the wildflower capital!

	View of Alice to The Gap from ANZAC Hill [Map]		Emily Gorge [Map]
	Emily Gorge [Map]		Trephina Gorge [Map]
	Windflowers Trephina Gorge [Map]		300 Yr old Ghost Gum [Map]