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2012: Rob's trip via Simpson Desert to Kimberley's

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  • 2012: Rob's trip via Simpson Desert to Kimberley's

    Here's some photos and videos of our trip to the Kimberleys from Brisbane via the Simpson Desert (French Line) and Tanami Track…

    We had made some extra preparations for the desert trip with a second spare (on the roof), a 50litre water tank, an InaWise Tyre pressure monitoring system, and the Low Coolant alarm system that AJ120 used, a 2.7metre sand flag, plus tools, spares, etc.

    Turned out to be quite easy going, with tyre pressures set at 20PSI front, and 23PSI rear (hot temperatures).

    We left Birdsville at midday (long story) and after two nights camping in the dunes, arrived at Purni Bore on the third night. Next day, drove to Alice Springs...

    Starting out, on "Little Red" dune:


    QAA Line before Poeppel Corner:


    First Salt Pan crossing, before Poeppel Corner: Pity the group in front of us had a couple of trail bikes - ruined many a scene for us following...


    A reminder that Mt Dare Hotel is 375km (2 days) away:


    We went with friends who have a white GX Prado, so the following scenes show their car sometimes.

    The following videos are taken from a Drift170 HD model in-car camera which has a fairly wide angle lens, making the car look like it's going faster than it is...

    Video: QAA Line, and a Salt Pan near Poeppel Corner:
    https://vimeo.com/45827419

    Video: French Line:
    https://vimeo.com/45827418

    Video: Further along the French Line:
    https://vimeo.com/45830854

    To be continued...
    stevensr34
    Senior Member
    Last edited by stevensr34; 19-07-2012, 08:31 PM.
    Rob.
    '08 GXL V6 Manual with: O/L Bar, Cibie Oscars, Safari Snorkel, Revalved Ironman 45710 Struts & 45682 Shocks, Dobinsons & King springs, MickeyT STZs, Eaton E-locker on rear, ScanGaugeII, InaWise TPMS, and a Tvan controlled via TowPro.

  • #2
    The trick with camping in the desert is to choose somewhere near a scenic dune, so that sunrise will be spectacular.

    Dawn on a Dune:


    Further along the French Line:


    I'd driven the French Line the other direction in 1993, so it was interesting to see how much I remembered, and what had changed in the intervening 19 years. Actually, not a lot! (other than Purni Bore, whose flow has been almost stopped)

    Rig Road-French Line western intersection in 1993:


    Rig Road-French Line western intersection in 2012:


    Video: The Rig Road heading towards Purni Bore to camp:
    https://vimeo.com/45898604

    to be continued...
    stevensr34
    Senior Member
    Last edited by stevensr34; 19-07-2012, 09:03 PM.
    Rob.
    '08 GXL V6 Manual with: O/L Bar, Cibie Oscars, Safari Snorkel, Revalved Ironman 45710 Struts & 45682 Shocks, Dobinsons & King springs, MickeyT STZs, Eaton E-locker on rear, ScanGaugeII, InaWise TPMS, and a Tvan controlled via TowPro.

    Comment


    • #3
      Camels on Rig Road:


      Purni Bore in 1993:


      Purni Bore in 2012:


      Mt Dare - time to re-inflate the tyres:


      We filled the fuel tanks at Birdsville, and managed to get to Kulgera (on Stuart Hwy) before needing to refuel - total distance: 783km, consumption: 129 litres... 16.5 l/100km ... Pretty good for a V6 in sand!

      To be continued...
      stevensr34
      Senior Member
      Last edited by stevensr34; 18-07-2012, 05:25 PM.
      Rob.
      '08 GXL V6 Manual with: O/L Bar, Cibie Oscars, Safari Snorkel, Revalved Ironman 45710 Struts & 45682 Shocks, Dobinsons & King springs, MickeyT STZs, Eaton E-locker on rear, ScanGaugeII, InaWise TPMS, and a Tvan controlled via TowPro.

      Comment


      • #4
        After a long drive from Purni Bore - Dalhousie Springs - Mt Dare - Alice Springs, it was time to head onto the Tanami Road (used to be termed Tanami Track - someone must have decided it needed grading!)

        Although parts were badly corrugated (near the southern end), most was graded and in great condition.

        We set tyre pressures to 31PSI front, 33PSI rear (hot temperatures) for this surface.

        We sat between 85 and 110km/h for long periods, making the trip from Alice Springs to Halls Ck a 1 1/2 day journey, including stopping at Wolfe Ck Meteor Crater.

        We camped at Renahan's Bore, about 100 metres off the road down a side-track, near some old bits of bore equipment. Still very dusty when road-trains went by.

        Start of Tanami Road:


        Video: Tanami Road just before Renahan's Bore - sitting on 100km/h:
        https://vimeo.com/45896164

        NT/WA Border on Tanami Road - a very dusty, uninspiring place!


        Wolfe Creek Meteor Crater:


        This was another long haul without refuelling - this time 1073 km between Alice and Halls Ck, using 146 litres of fuel ... 13.6 l/100km... again, what a great engine the V6 is!

        Hall's Creek isn't particularly inspiring either, but the campground is pleasant enough, and does have grass.

        Next stop, Kununurra, and the Gibb River Road (east to west).

        Interesting sign in Kununurra:


        to be continued...
        stevensr34
        Senior Member
        Last edited by stevensr34; 18-07-2012, 09:45 PM.
        Rob.
        '08 GXL V6 Manual with: O/L Bar, Cibie Oscars, Safari Snorkel, Revalved Ironman 45710 Struts & 45682 Shocks, Dobinsons & King springs, MickeyT STZs, Eaton E-locker on rear, ScanGaugeII, InaWise TPMS, and a Tvan controlled via TowPro.

        Comment


        • #5
          Another brillant report. Keep the pics and info coming.

          Comment


          • #6
            Gibb River Road (eastern end) to El Questro. Quite corrugated, the worst we've seen so far. Quite a bit of bitumen too, however.

            Tyres were deflated again, to 31/33 PSI (hot).

            Start of Gibb River Road:


            Emma Gorge: Nice waterfall/pool, long walk in though: not for the elderly!


            Track to El Questro Gorge: Still quite wet. Another Prado owner we spoke to popped his floor bungs here, letting in water, but we were OK.


            El Questro Gorge:


            to be continued...
            stevensr34
            Senior Member
            Last edited by stevensr34; 19-07-2012, 07:43 PM.
            Rob.
            '08 GXL V6 Manual with: O/L Bar, Cibie Oscars, Safari Snorkel, Revalved Ironman 45710 Struts & 45682 Shocks, Dobinsons & King springs, MickeyT STZs, Eaton E-locker on rear, ScanGaugeII, InaWise TPMS, and a Tvan controlled via TowPro.

            Comment


            • #7
              After El Questro, we headed west over the Pentecost and Durack rivers, past Home Valley Station (excellent food/camping/pool!), and on to Drysdale River Station (basic, but has a nice beer garden under a mango tree).

              The road north from the Kalumburu turnoff to Drysdale Station (on the way to Mitchell Falls) was significantly worse than anything we've found so far. Massive corrugations from many road trains left at least two camper trailers flipped over when we were there. Passing dusty road-trains on this road was really tricky/dusty, yet they were going so slow that sitting behind them threatened to shake the entire car into pieces!

              Kimberley Sunset near Pentecost River:


              Durack River Crossing:


              Once off the "main" road to Kalumburu, and onto the national parks access road to Mitchell Falls, the conditions got better - luckily it was recently graded:

              Video: Mitchell Falls Road:
              https://vimeo.com/45960682

              Warning sign on way to Mitchell Falls:


              and a home-made version:


              To be continued.
              stevensr34
              Senior Member
              Last edited by stevensr34; 19-07-2012, 07:46 PM.
              Rob.
              '08 GXL V6 Manual with: O/L Bar, Cibie Oscars, Safari Snorkel, Revalved Ironman 45710 Struts & 45682 Shocks, Dobinsons & King springs, MickeyT STZs, Eaton E-locker on rear, ScanGaugeII, InaWise TPMS, and a Tvan controlled via TowPro.

              Comment


              • #8
                Once at Mitchell Falls campground, the sound of helicopters alerted us to the options available in getting to/from the falls...

                Big Mertens Falls, on the walking track to Mitchell Falls:


                Finally got to the main view of Mitchell Falls:


                and decided to take the helicopter back to camp ($110 per person).


                Back along the corrugations, to Drysdale River Station again, then the next day back onto the Gibb River Road and on to Manning Gorge:


                to be continued...
                stevensr34
                Senior Member
                Last edited by stevensr34; 19-07-2012, 07:48 PM.
                Rob.
                '08 GXL V6 Manual with: O/L Bar, Cibie Oscars, Safari Snorkel, Revalved Ironman 45710 Struts & 45682 Shocks, Dobinsons & King springs, MickeyT STZs, Eaton E-locker on rear, ScanGaugeII, InaWise TPMS, and a Tvan controlled via TowPro.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Video: Typical Gibb River Road conditions, near Mt Barnett:
                  https://vimeo.com/45960902

                  Next stop was Bell Gorge:


                  Later, Windjana Gorge:


                  and after Tunnel Creek, Geikie Gorge:


                  Back onto bitumen roads for a few days. Ah! the bliss! No Dust! No corrugations!

                  A few days in Broome to see the "Staircase to the Moon" event (moon-rise on a dead low tide, just after sunset) was next. Camera was not working well, so this is the best I got...


                  to be continued...
                  stevensr34
                  Senior Member
                  Last edited by stevensr34; 19-07-2012, 07:49 PM.
                  Rob.
                  '08 GXL V6 Manual with: O/L Bar, Cibie Oscars, Safari Snorkel, Revalved Ironman 45710 Struts & 45682 Shocks, Dobinsons & King springs, MickeyT STZs, Eaton E-locker on rear, ScanGaugeII, InaWise TPMS, and a Tvan controlled via TowPro.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Great story and photos. Look forward to reading more.
                    Michael and Kelly

                    [SIZE=1]1999 Prado Snowy 3.4L petrol, Ultimate Suspension 50mm lift (2013)[/SIZE][SIZE=1], BFG A/T, bull bar, winch, Twine hot water shower, home made rear drawers, Shippshape car top tent, UHF radio, tablet GPS & Navman GPS (both running OziExplorer)[/SIZE][SIZE=1], Spot 1, solar panel, second battery, inverter, Engel fridge and more[/SIZE]

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      We had many discussions during the trip on the pros/cons of leaving roads as gravel, rather than covering them in bitumen.

                      After so much dirt road travel (I estimated 3000km by the time we got to Broome) I find them acceptable ONLY if few other travellers are using them. Once the road trains arrive, and there countless other tourists, each swallowing the previous cars dust, then really the time has come to put a bitumen road in.

                      Yes I know this would open up the area to even more people, however if the original reason for NOT bitumening the road was to keep numbers down, then in many areas now, this reason is irrelevant - the tourists just come anyway.

                      When we came across sections of bitumen on the Gibb River Road, or the Tanami Road, or the road to Birdsville, we really did breathe a sigh of relief (blasphemy, I know!) - the countryside next to the road also looked so much better - i.e. not covered in dust.
                      Additionally, passing slower cars was a huge amount safer, and stopping for photos did not require a lookout for the next car, so we didn't get covered in dust when it passed.
                      Rob.
                      '08 GXL V6 Manual with: O/L Bar, Cibie Oscars, Safari Snorkel, Revalved Ironman 45710 Struts & 45682 Shocks, Dobinsons & King springs, MickeyT STZs, Eaton E-locker on rear, ScanGaugeII, InaWise TPMS, and a Tvan controlled via TowPro.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        After a few days R&R at Broome (Willie Creek Pearl Farm well worth a tour), we set off, refreshed, up to Cape Leveque.

                        The road soon deteriorated to the worst conditions we'd seen - massive sandy corrugations going right across the road, combined with big truck-sized potholes, and long bounce-inducing road patterns similar to cruising the ocean in a small boat. This went on for 100km.

                        We spotted a completely abandoned camper trailer in the middle of the road (stripped clean), and later came across a fresh accident: another camper trailer that had some mechanical failure, and managed to flip over the 100 series cruiser that was towing it - and this was on a bitumen section! No one hurt, luckily.

                        Suddenly, the dirt was gone, and a perfect smooth bitumen road replaced it. This continued the remaining 120km to the cape, through the aboriginal lands. Amazing.

                        Stayed at Kooljamin Campground a few days, with nice trees for shade, and very close to the vivid red cliffs:


                        Back to Broome, restock the fridge, and off to Fitzroy Crossing, and then over to Bungles Bungles for a few days. You really need to stay at least two full days here. The road in to the campsites was rumoured to be "rough as guts" and "takes 2-3 hours" however we must have been lucky, or used to the dirt, as it was smooth and took 1 hour!

                        Saw the "must see" sights:

                        Echidna Chasm


                        Cathedral Gorge


                        Piccaninny Creek


                        and then headed back to Kununurra, and over to Katherine and Darwin, in 2 days. Finished the trip in Darwin, and as I type this, we await the return of the Prado on a semi-trailer, saving us 4 days highway driving (I was out of holiday leave)...

                        9000km in 4 weeks, with kids aged 5 & 7... Really need longer to do it all justice, and we will return, especially to see more of central oz.

                        Hope you enjoyed the scenes!
                        stevensr34
                        Senior Member
                        Last edited by stevensr34; 19-07-2012, 08:28 PM.
                        Rob.
                        '08 GXL V6 Manual with: O/L Bar, Cibie Oscars, Safari Snorkel, Revalved Ironman 45710 Struts & 45682 Shocks, Dobinsons & King springs, MickeyT STZs, Eaton E-locker on rear, ScanGaugeII, InaWise TPMS, and a Tvan controlled via TowPro.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Rob

                          Looks like a great trip and the photos are awesome - thanks for posting.

                          Trev
                          Check out our around Aus adventure on FB at: Cummings and
                          Goings

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Excellent write up and photos Rob. Thanks for sharing!

                            Spectacular country side up that way and reminds me of a trip I went on with my folks when I was younger. Look forward to doing the same with my kids.
                            NOW FOR SALE!!! - 2004 Silver GXL 3lt 4spd Auto - ARB Bullbar, Safari Snorkel, Redarc Dual Battery System, Cooper ST MAXX, Dark Tint, IPF900XS spots, Raised Bilstein/Kings Suspension/Firestone Airbags, Autosafe Cargo Barrier, Sandgrabbers, Rola Roof Rack Stuff, Insect Screen, Dust/Wind Deflectors, Sheepskin/Black Duck Seatcovers, GME TX3510, ARB underbonnet compressor, Allied Hammer Rims, ARB UVP, [url="http://www.pradopoint.com/showthread.php?18043-Rock-sliders-steel-side-steps"]AJ Sliders[/url]

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              top trip report with some of the best photos i've seen, you certainly accomplished a fair bit in 4 weeks.
                              Blue Storm 150 GXL 4D4 PRADO and 2014 Cub Brumby Camper My rig build [url]http://www.pradopoint.com/showthread.php?25698-Derek11-s-2012-Blue-Storm-150-GXL-build-up[/url]

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