Whether biking, hiking, or touring by car, the historic Canning Stock Route offers a wonderful camping trip. User Susan Aldridge shares pictures from her summer camping tour, calling it "The Canning Stock Route Adventure, Part 1: Home to Hall's Creek."
CANNING STOCK ROUTE ADVENTURE
PART 1: HOME TO HALLS CREEK 3 June - 1 July 2006
3 June 2006
After a wet, cold few days leading up to our departure, we set off in sunshine, arrived in Cowra in the early afternoon and set up camp. We caught up with our travelling mates, Laurie and Kate Barber and Hugh and Annemarie Finn at the Japanese Gardens (Fig. 1).
4 June 2006
We woke the next morning to a very heavy frost - there was as much ice hanging from the roof inside our camper as there was outside and it was COLD. (Fig. 2) We set off after breakfast via Grenfell and out to West Wyalong. We stopped for lunch at Urungerie (rhymes with hungry). Lake Cargelligo (Figs 4) was very pretty. An interesting man came by, with his wife and dog riding a cart pulled by a lovely horse (Fig 5). After a chat we continued on our way to our next camp, Hillston
5 June 2006
Woke to a beautiful sunny morning, took a quick walk around the nearby lake (Fig 6) before hitting the road. Morning tea at Willandra, lunch at Ivanhoe, drink at Menindee Pub (Fig 7) and then found a great camping spot beside the Darling in Kinchega NP (Fig 8) Lovely camp, relaxing around the camp fire, yarning.
6 June 2006
Our next stop was Broken Hill, booked into the Lake View Van Park
7 June 2006
It was a nice drive today from Broken Hill, down to Yunta, with distant views of the Flinders. Laurie took us to some interesting old stone ruins of what probably was an inn(Fig 9) near a ruined gold smelter (Fig 10). We set up camp by a dry creek bed on Erudina Station. The boys soon had a fire going and before long the yummy smells of a leg of hogget sizzling in the camp oven were wafting over the camp (Fig 11).
8 June 2006
Woke to a crisp but sunny morning. Hugh had already resurrected the fire so we had warmth while we ate our breakfast. We drove through some breathtaking country on our journey to Aroona in the Flinders. Set up camp early in a lovely spot, with great views (Fig 12). Norm and I took a drive out to Bunyeroo Gorge, Razorback Lookout and back via Brachina Gorge where we spotted a couple of yellow footed rock wallabies. (Figs 13-15)
9 June 2006
We had an even frostier pack up than that at Cowra, but it was a gloriously sunny day. We headed out to Blinman where we all succumbed to a pie for a late morning tea. Set up camp at Arkaroola.
10 June 2006
Spent the day exploring the backtrack at Arkaroola. A spectacular storm blew up (Fig 16), but the scenery was just so rugged and awesome. (Fig 17)
11 June 2006
We took a track out through the Gammon Ranges, past the Bollabollana Smelter (Fig 18), through several old properties and via some very pretty country up to Lyndhurst where we called in on Talc Alf (Fig 19). We continued on past the ochre pits (Fig 20) to Maree and the Maree Pub (Fig. 21). Hugh and AnneMarie decided to take a break from the tent and stay in town, while the rest of us continued out of town down the Oodnadatta track where we set up a great bush camp. A lovely full moon rose over our camp as we relaxed around a roaring fire. (Fig 22)
12 June 2006
After Hugh and Annemarie joined us we set off past Lake Eyre South and some interesting desert sculptures (Fig 23) to the old Curdimurka Ghan Railway siding (Fig 24). Stopped by the mound springs and spent some time mesmerised by the bubbles rising in The Bubbler (Fig 25) Set up camp at the Stuart Range Van Park in Coober Pedy. Decided to stay an extra day to catch up with sleep, shopping and washing. Did a bit of sight seeing as well (Fig 26, 27)
14 June 2006
Camped 'bush' off the road between NT border on Stuart Hwy and Mt Connor. It was a lovely spot, warm sunshine, wind singing in the desert oaks, fire blazing.
15, 16 June 2006
Continued on to Yalara/Uluru past the very impressive Mt Connor (Fig 28.). After setting up camp, we headed out to watch the sun set on the Rock (Figs 29,30).
Next morning we returned to watch the sun rise (Figs 321, 32), then drove out to the Olgas (Kata Tjuta) (Figs 33-36).
17, 18 June 2006
Norm's 61st birthday. We headed over to Kings Canyon, set up camp in the rather crowded resort.
We had a camp oven bake up - Roast Pork and veges for Norm's birthday feast. Spent the next day exploring the area - Norm and I decided to walk up the floor of the canyon, since we had explored the top of it last time. (Figs 37-40). We also walked out to Kathleen Springs, which were very pretty, with ancient ferns growing beside the water. That evening there was some excitement in camp when a dingo or two paid us a visit.
19 June 2006
Our journey took us up the Ernest Giles Track past the odd camel or two (Fig 41) and into the Finke River Gorge. We found a lovely camp spot beside the Finke, just past the aptly named Boggy Hole (where Laurie got bogged in the sand!) (Figs 42-44)
20 June 2006
We continued along the Finke River Gorge to Hermansberg (Fig 45) and then on to the very pretty Palm Valley (Fig 46). After setting up camp Norm and I took a walk up the valley and around the ridge. When we got back to camp, a young butcher bird joined us and seemed to want to be part of the party around the camp fire.(Fig 47)
21 June 2006
Our first stop this morning was at the impressive Gosse Bluff (Figs 48-50) Continued up over Tylers Pass to the West MacDonnells (Fig 51) and Glen Helen where we had lunch. We set up camp by 2 mile creek in Ormiston Gorge. (Fig 52) There were lots of very agile rock wallabies in the Gorge (Fig 53).
22 June 2006
Today we continued on to Alice Springs, via Ellery Big Hole (Fig 55) and Standley Chasm (Fig 60). The plan was to stay in the Alice for a couple of days, restocking, resting, washing etc. Hugh discovered that he had taken on bad fuel back in Arkaroola, and this had finally caught up with him, so he needed to spend extra time having his engine repaired.
25 June 2006
After a couple of days Laurie and Kate and Norm and I decided to take a side trip out to Ruby Gap Gorge and arranged for Hugh to meet up with us on the road to Yuendumu. We had a lovely camp in Ruby Gap (Fig. 57)
26 June 2006
We were woken in the morning by a chorus of butcher birds, echoing around the cliffs of the gorge. We could just make out our choir sitting right up the top of the cliffs. It was beautiful.
Our journey continued on to Arltunga for morning tea and on to Aileron where we turned left and drove up the Yuendumu road for half and hour where we had arranged for Hugh to catch up with us once his repairs were completed. We found a pleasant spot to camp just off the road. There were some donkeys nearby (Fig 58) and I saw a very puzzled white cow eyeing off our camp suspiciously.
27 June 2006
We stayed in our lovely camp an extra night. Very relaxing, with lots of birds. One in particular sounded just like a mobile phone ringing. It was quite disturbing to hear a phone constantly ringing. The willy wag tails were lovely, I could hear the apostle birds, but so many other lovely sounds as well. I could not identify the chorus of musical trills and slides up and down. The wind gently blew in the Trees - so peaceful and good for the soul. We had a camp fire and camp oven roast pork for dinner. Certainly could not call this roughing it.
28 June 2006
We continued along the road, stopped at Conniston Ruins, and then on to Yuendumu where Hugh and Ann were due to catch up with us. Norm and I visited the local art group and I bought a painting. Once our convoy was reunited we set of in the direction of Halls Creek. In the afternoon we came across a deserted aboriginal settlement, Chilla Wells and decided to set up camp there. Once we had cut down the knee high grass, we found taps with running water and a functional dunny (Fig 61). We were able to set up the camp shower in one of the deserted rooms and enjoyed the luxury of a leisurely shower. It was a lovely evening with a slither of moon and beautiful watercolour sunset. As we sat around the fire, enjoying the quiet, warm evening I kept gazing over to the abandoned buildings around us, wondering what story they could tell. One building near our camper had a small child's handprint on the outside wall. I wondered why everything was deserted, where had the people gone?
29 June 2006
Our journey continued up the Tanami today. The road was pretty good until after the Granites Gold mine, then it disintegrated into corrugations, washouts and sandy bits.We found a lovely spot for lunch on a slight rise overlooking plains full of green Spinifex in flower, as well as holly grevillea, wattle, golden buttons and such like. (Figs 62-64) Long days drive. When we finally pulled up to our chosen bush camp site, we hurriedly started to set up camp and poor Norm managed to drive off the trailer before he had put down the jockey wheel. Oh well, it was soon fixed and after a glorious Tanami Sunset (Fig 65) we had a nice evening sitting around the campfire.
30 June 2006
Today we made it to Halls Creek, our staging post for the Canning Stock Route. Set up camp in the campground in town (surrounded by high fences and lockable gate). Treated ourselves to dinner out at the nearby hotel.
1 July 2006
We took the time to restock our supplies in readiness for the CSR. Explored the town, and took a drive out to Old Halls Creek, Caroline Pool and China Wall (Fig. 66) then spent the afternoon resting in camp, getting ready for the next stage of our great adventure.
More on this adventure:
Day by day diary with picture references
Photo Gallery - Figures 1 - 20
Photo Gallery - Figures 21 - 30
Photo Gallery - Figures 41 - 60
Photo Gallery - Figures 61 - 66
Photo Gallery - Figures 67 - 87
Photo Gallery - Figures 87 - 106
Photo Gallery - Figures 107 - 126
Video - Part 1 - from Halls Creek to Well 46
Video - Part 2 - from Halls Creek to Willuna
Video - Part 3 - Well 18 to Well 26 and Georgia Bore
Video - Part 4 - from Well 18 to Well 12
Video - Part 5 - from Well 12 to Windich Springs
Part 6 - Part 6 - Windich Springs to Wiluna - The last leg
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