Discover all you need to know to experience an outback adventure holiday - four wheel driving, camping, accommodation, facilities, services, and much more.

OUR LATEST ADVENTURE
Through the Heart and Across the North of Australia

Near Mt Connor in the Northern Territory.

VIEW PAST LATEST ADVENTURES - CLICK HERE

Through the Heart and Across the North of Australia

For our travels this year we left the 4.2-litre Patrols at home and got ourselves into a new turbo diesel Pajero – a long term test vehicle for 4x4 Australia magazine, which we’ve already written up a few times for the mag.

Our journey took us along the Oodnadatta Track and the Old Ghan Line to Alice Springs (see latest Monthly Hotspot for more details), the latter track we hadn’t done for some time. Then we headed to Ayers Rock and the desert country in the NW of South Australia. This is pretty difficult country to get a permit to visit but through LOE (see www.loe.com.au) we got the privilege.

On the edge of Lake Mackay.                                                                                       Cross country in search of Warri Peak.

 

 

Passing through Giles' Vladimar Pass near Warakurna.

From Surveyor General’s Corner (the meeting spot of the borders of WA, SA and the NT) we used sandy tracks to head to Warakurna, Kintore and then Kiwirrkurra and remote Jupiter Well. North of Kiwirrkurra we travelled via the western edge of Lake Mackay, thru the Stansmore Ranges and then across country to Warri Peak – a 3-day return trip without any tracks to guide us. It was fabulous but the heavily laden vehicles got a few punctures. From there it was onto Balgo and then into more settled areas as we headed for the green of Kununurra.

Viv with the artist from the small community where this woman lives is in the very NW corner of South Australia.

 

 

Thick scrub was a problem during cross country traverse to and from Warri Peak.

 

Campsite near Mt Leisler on the Sandy Blight Road.

 

 

    

  

     
Viv and Macca at a rockhole in the Kimberley - the temp was nearly 40°C - over 100°F so the water was good!
Viv and I at the remote aboriginal settlement of Oombulgurri in the Kimberley at the front of the school building.
Viv and our friends (L to R- Macca, Bertus (from South Africa)& Karen) taking a dip in Lake Argyle in the Kimberley - the biggest man-made dam in Oz.

 

Amongst other adventures in the Kimberley this year we joined a Police and Customs patrol through some very remote Aboriginal country. It was a tough trip but gave us a good insight into what Police and Customs do on these annual patrols when they visit remote communities and check out little used airstrips and cruising yachts along the coast.

We joined a Police and Customs patrol thru some very remote country in the Kimberley - this is typical of the track.

 

 

 

 

During the patrol we met up with a Police rescue boat and cruised the remote Berkeley River checking on any cruising yachts that were there.

 

 

 

Our good friend Bertus (who we use as a guide in South Africa) with his first Aussie barramundi - it was a good feed! 

 

 

 

After a rushed trip across the Gulf we headed north from Cairns to Brooklyn, a property owned by Australian Wildlife Conservancy (see www.australianwildlife.org). We spent a few days there with the Australian Geographic Society and members before heading north to Piccaninny Plains, another AWC property, but a lot bigger and wilder.

Camp Chivaree is a turtle rescue camp set up on the west coast of Cape York north of Weipa (see http://capeyorkturtlerescue.com) and was the next spot on our list to visit. It’s a remote place to get to and demands a 20 or so km drive along the beach south of Mapoon. We only stayed a few days and had an absolute ball. You can camp there and join in the activities with the ranger surveying nesting turtles and hatchlings. It’s great!

 

 

         

Viv inspecting one of the old telegraph linesman shelters that still stands (just) on the banks of the mighty Jardine River in the far north of Cape York. It is a magic spot to camp.

Beautiful Somerset beach near the top of Cape York.

 

 

 

We then spent another couple of weeks on the Cape checking a few places out before heading south at a leisurely pace (for us) through Mareeba, Herberton and The Lynd Junction. The ‘Dinosaur Trail’ through Hughenden, Richmond and Winton prickled our curiosity and we took up the track which included the incredible Lark Quarry (see: www.dinosaurtrackways.com.au) and the Australian Age of Dinosaurs (AAOD) Museum.

If you want to experience this then Richmond has its Fossil Festival from April 29th to May 2nd 2010, (see: www.kronosauruskorner.com.au) while the AAOD runs a number of workshops and digs from its base near Winton. The next lot of digs are planned (and filling fast) for August and September 2010, (see: www.australianageofdinosaurs.com).

My what big teeth you have ... Ron on the Dinosaur Trail at Kronosaurus Corner, Richmond.

 

 

 

Most easterly desert sand dune in Australia - Welford NP, Qld.

 

 

 

 

Then it was down through central Qld and western NSW to home. The Pajero clocked up nearly 35,000km in the five and a half months we had it under our wing and it was a tough test, I’ve got to tell you. The final word on how the hard working, hard suffering Pajero went will be in an upcoming issue (in the 1st quarter of 2010, I think) of 4x4 Australia magazine.

 The Royal mail Hotel on the NSW-Qld border. 

 

 

See you in the bush.

Ron and Viv.

Return to Latest Travel LINKS page