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all you need to know to experience an outback adventure holiday - four wheel
driving, camping, accommodation, facilities, services, and much more.
TRAVELLERS UPDATE - TOURING AUSTRALIA - WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Keep a check on road and track closures and conditions by looking at the following websites:
Main Roads WA: http://www.mainroads.wa.gov.au/Pages/Welcome.aspx
Dept of Environment & Conservation: www.dec.wa.gov.au
Ningaloo Turtle Centre
As part of the programme to save turtles on the west coast of Australia the Jurabi Turtle Centre has now been opened. Situated 13km from Exmouth township it is situated between a couple of pleasant beaches and close to popular rookery for three threatened turtle species. Amongst other things they run a guided trip to view the turtles.
For more details check out: www.ningalooturtles.org.au.
Fabulous Shark Bay
Shark Bay offers some of the best 4WDriving in WA with the sandy tracks within Francois Peron National Park and out to Steep Point being extremely soft and challenging. Then there is the fabulous camping and fishing. For more information on current conditions contact the DEC office in Denham, ph: (08) 9948 1208, or visit: www.sharkbay.org.Steep Point Access
If you want to head for Steep Point - the most westerly point on the Australian mainland - and camp, the area is booked out till the end of May.
When camping you need to book a campsite and submit a completed access permit before entering the area. Campsites are often full, so submit a permit ASAP. For more details go to: www.steeppoint.com.au.
New Island National Park - Dirk Hartog Island
Most of Dirk Hartog Island is now national park. We’ve been in touch with DEC WA and they assure us that access and camping will remain the same in the foreseeable future, with even upgraded facilities at Urchin Point Camp and The Block happening soon. For access details see: www.dirkhartogisland.com.
Hut Stay in D’Entrecasteaux NP
A great new hut … a pretty fancy one at that … with a couple of rooms, large verandah, tables, toilet, paved area and outdoor fireplace is now available for hire in the D’entrecasteaux NP in south-west WA. To make a booking contact the DEC, Pemberton, ph: (08) 9776 1207, or for more information on the park check out the Dept of Environment & Conservation website:
http://www.dec.wa.gov.au/
Marion Downs Station
The remote Marion Downs station in the central Kimberley has been sold to the Australian Wildlife Conservancy (www.australianwildlife.org). This 289,000ha property adjoins the AWC’s Mornington station making a private conservation reserve of 640,000ha – one of the worlds biggest. While you can visit and stay at Mornington at their Wilderness Camp, which is a beauty, we can only hope that a similar camp will be established on the Marion property for keen four wheelers to visit.
Official Gibb River Road web site
Created by Mt Hart Wilderness Lodge, and supported by the Gibb River Road Community, this is the official web site of the Gibb River Road in the Kimberley in Western Australia. It's a great site with heaps of information.
http://www.gibbriverroad.net/index.html
Mt Hart Wilderness Lodge - Gibb River Road, Kimberley - Located in the heart of the King Leopold Range Conservation Park, on Western Australia's spectacular Gibb River Road, Mt Hart Wilderness Lodge is the ideal base for exploring the stunning outback gorge country of the West Kimberley.They are also now offering camping!!!!
http://www.mthart.com.au/
CSR Permits & Info
The National 4WD Council provides a permit system for access to places along the Canning Stock Route not covered by the public access corridor. This permit allows access to such places as Sunday Well, Durba Springs and others. It does not allow access to Savoury Creek Track, Killagurra Spring, the Calvert Ranges or others. For full details visit: www.anfwdc.asn.au/canning_stock_route.php
Durba Springs Request
Track Care WA have requested that people do not wash down their vehicles at Durba Springs on the CSR. This beautiful camping spot is in danger of being ruined by travellers washing down their vehicles with water from the spring after coming through Savory Creek. The water in Savory Creek is like brine and the salt laden mud from the creek is being transported & deposited at Durba. This will pollute the spring and eventually kill the delightful vegetation and trees. Also please keep showers well away from the springs as soap is already polluting the water supply. Track Care WA web site: www.trackcare.com.au/
Ningaloo Station
Ningaloo Station is situated beside the Ningaloo Marine Park in Western Australia and has long been a favourite camping spot along a magnificent coastline. Accordingly to the ExploreOz.com web site the Department of Environment and Conservation [formally CALM], and DPI, the Department of Planning and Infrastructure, have over the last six years been attempting to resume 48% [22,202 hec and up to 22 km inland] of Ningaloo Station, taking in all of their infrastructure including the homestead and associated buildings, shearing quarters and shed, air strip, all stock watering points, mills and pipelines and heritage listed Point Cloates lighthouse, all for the purported protection of the Ningaloo Marine Park.The DEC has, according to ExplorOz.com, informed Ningaloo Station that they intended to take over the management of all camping on the station as of the 1st of July 2008. Under DEC's proposal all camping fees would be substantially increased and payable to DEC, camping duration restricted, dogs will not be permitted, all camping will be confined to hardened areas and rules enforced as per the CALM act. Vehicle access fees would apply to campers and day travellers alike. Campers would be under the control of DEC officers and the Lefroys would still be expected to collect the fees, clean toilets and remove rubbish.
To help preserve Ningaloo Station, go to exploroz.com and search for Ningaloo Station and read about the Lefroys' fight to keep their station and the Ningaloo Station Fighting Fund which has been set up to help to employ solicitors to legally stop DEC from taking over the entire station and camping, and the development of the coast line.
www.exploroz.com/Customers/54195.125/7/2008/NINGALOO_STATION_FIGHTING_FUND.aspx
Pilbara Events
The fantastic Pilbara region has a range of terrific events happening during the year. In early July there's the Marble Bar Cup while during June & July are the Roebourne Races. The historic town of Cossack has the Cossack Art Exhibition & Awards on over July and then things really hot up with the Robe River Rodeo at Pannawonica end of Sept. For more information on dates and events, check out the excellent web site of 'Australia's Northwest' and look up the events links:
www.australiasnorthwest.com.
Track Care Info
You can find the latest track closure and opening info at Track Care WA's website, www.trackcare.com.au. It's a beauty.
Recently the Lennard Track, which is a popular 4WD route along the Collie River in the SW of the state, needs a bit more help to ensure it stays open for four wheelers to enjoy. While the local 4WD club is doing a lot of work they need some more help - contact Geoff Couper by emailing info@trackcare.com.au if you can help.
Warlu Way
Taking in most of the tourist highlights between Coral Bay in the south through the rugged red range country of the Pilbara to Karratha and then along the coast to Broome is the newly proclaimed Warlu Way. For more details check out: www.westernaustralia.com
Malleefowl Visitor Centre
The Yongergnow Australian Mallefowl Visitor Centre is located in Ongerup, about 150km north of Albany in the south west of WA. Created to support the continual existence of the malleefowl the centre offers interpretive displays, conference facilities, bushwalking trails as well as a well established malleefowl aviary. For more details, ph: (08) 9828 2325 or check out: www.yongergnow.com.au.
Eurardy Station
Located 530km north of Perth and adjoining the Kalbarri NP this property is now owned by Bush Heritage Australia. There are around a 100 species of birds and over 600 species of plants making a visit during the wildflower season fantastic. There’s homestead accommodation as well as caravan sites and camping to choose from. For more details contact the reserve managers, ph: (08) 9936 1038, web site: http://www.bushheritage.org.au/our_reserves/state_westernaustralia/reserve_eurardy/eurardy_history/
Mining Hall of Fame
When you are next in Kalgoorlie take the time to visit the well set-up Australian Prospectors and Miners Hall of Fame. Established at what was the original Hannans North mining lease, which was worked from 1893 to 1952, there’s a great tour underground as well as interactive museum galleries and art works. The Garden of Remembrance is a beauty. Check out: www.mininghall.com.
Beach Track Info
If you are heading to a beach in WA check out the website, www.bushtrax.com/. It has a lot of info, pics and GPS plots, all linked with Google Earth maps to highlight points of interest, camping areas and more.
