Date: September 19th 2008

 

Westprint Friday Five September 19, 2008

 Included this week are:

      ·        How to build a Donkey

·        Track Notes – Western Queensland

·        Track Notes – Grampians

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 Friday Five (plus one) 19/9/08

       1.      Camping & Tramping in Australia. Keren Flavell details campsites, walks, flora and fauna as well as phone numbers and addresses. 296pp. Normally $31.45 including post. Two copies available $23.00 including post.

2.      Discover Australia's National Parks. Ron and Viv Moon survey 700 national parks, reserves and state forests. Details of BBQ, picnic areas, campsites and walking tracks. 416pp. Now out of print. Normally $49.45 including post. One copy available at $30.00 including post. 

3.     Greater Nowheres. American Journalists Dave Finkelstein and Jack London set out for the Australian bush in pursuit of the deadly saltwater crocodile. 313pp. Normally $39.45 inc post. Two copies available at $26.00 inc post.  

4.      The Heysen Trail, Volumes 1 & 3. Terry Lavender. Volume One contains walks along a 330km section of the 1500km trail from Cape Jervis to Tanunda. 186pp. Volume 3 covers the area from Crystal Brook to Parachilna. Normally $31.45 each including post. One set $40.00 including post.  

5.       Tread Lightly. Robin Stewart. An indispensable guidebook for all travellers. This book shows how to respect and protect the places you visit while still having a wonderful holiday. 228pp. Normally $32.45 including post. Now out of print. Two copies available at $25.00 including post.  

6.      Great Australian Shearing Stories – Audio Tape. A wonderful portrait of life in the bush and in particular the shearers, their lives, their wild stories and their hard work. 78 min/ 1 cass. Normally $29.95 inc post. Now out of print. One copy available $23.00 inc post.  

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An important message.

Please note that the opinions and articles included in the Friday Five are not necessarily those of the Westprint crew. Nor do we endorse products (other than our own) listed in contributed articles. 

Friday Forum

Jo’s forum comments in green.

Border Track

·        My apologies to everyone waiting for Hari’s booklet. Hari seems to have skipped town. As soon as I receive a copy I will pass it on to everyone. Jo. 

HF Radio Club Inc.

Call Sign VKE 237

NSW General Meeting and Get Together at Kendall. Friday 26th to Monday 29th September 2008 at Kendall Showground Batar Creek Road, GPS Reading  31° 38.1’S 152° 42.2’E.

General Meeting 10.0 AM Saturday 22nd September

BBQ 6.0 PM Saturday, Meat supplied (Cost TBA). Ladies please bring a salad or dessert.

Powered site $6 per person per night. Green flat camping area and very clean amenities.

Please let Ron know if you are able to attend 0418 675 451

We invite campers, 4WDers, caravanners and motorhomers plus anybody else interested, in long range communications. Come and find out about HF radio from the people who use them constantly. 

Sounds like a great weekend, but how come only the ladies have to bring a salad or dessert? 

Cooper’s Creek 

·        Just a note for John: Matthew Flinders does not need an( ' );that was his name. It is not a 'possessive' name, so any ranges or islands named after him are all ok as just "Flinders". David  

Working on that system then, because Cooper does not have an s at the end would mean that any ranges or creeks named after him would be ok just as Cooper (as in Cooper Creek) 

·        Re John's comment about the government mapping department's decision to drop the possessive 's' from place names etc, I say good on them. Most shires around Australia, and indeed many publishers of maps and guidebooks, already drop the apostrophe anyway, so this is a logical step. However, John's example of Flinders was a bit unfortunate, because the guy's name was Matthew Flinders, not Flinder, so it should be Flinders Ranges or Flinders River, not Flinder's or Flinder, and I don't think I ever saw Flinders' or Flinders's anyway. Rob 

And that was the problem. It was Cooper’s Creek (possessive) and Flinders Ranges (no apostrophe). If Cooper’s Creek was named in the possessive the Flinders’ Ranges should have been named the same way 

·        Apropos of the removal of possessives from place names, this happened in South Australia in the 1960s.  Tom Playford was still Premier and was heard to comment that he no longer lived at Norton Summit, but at Norton Ummit.  Flinders (Ranges, River, Island etc) retains the “s” because the bloke’s name was Flinders, not Flinder.   Westprint may have to do as the government decrees, but it’s been Cooper’s Creek to me since I first swam in it in 1965. Tony 

Four Wheel Drive Victoria E-News

·        The September edition of E-News is now available on the FWD Victoria website. Website:  www.fwdvictoria.org.au

The Emu War 

Perry has sent some information typed from an old book about the Emu War of WA. Like much of our history it is now of course politically incorrect but a great story nonetheless. It is quite a long story so it will run over several weeks. Here is the first instalment. (Serventy D.L. & H.M. Whittell, 1967. Birds of Western Australia. Lamb Publications Pty Ltd, Perth) 

“……Despite the fact that it has declined in numbers in the closely settled areas, the Emu in recent years has attracted considerable attention by developing into a major pest in the northern and north-eastern Wheatbelt. When the Vermin Act was originally passed by the State Parliament in 1918 the Emu was not important enough to figure in its provisions and the bird first found its way into official records as a serious pest in 1919 when the Upper Chapman Road Board, at Nanson, sought the removal of protection for Emus on the ground that they were a menace in the cropping season owing to large mobs trampling through the paddocks and feeding on the wheat. 

Information Wanted – Training Courses 

·        I have been given a laptop with OziExplorer & Gpsinfo software (new) & would now like to use it. I am after some training / help & am hoping that somebody in the Friday Five network knows of a course etc. that is available. The southern suburbs of Adelaide (Noarlunga) would be great but am willing to travel. Trevor. 

·        Do you know of a communications training course? We live in the Eastern suburbs of Melbourne.  Lorraine 

The query from Lorraine above follows an email conversation we have been having about what is needed to be prepared for an outback trip. This pertains mostly to women but sometimes to men. Picture this: They are camped at a beautiful and remote location and have the place to themselves. He has a heart attack/accident/is unconscious. She doesn’t know how to operate the HF radio they hired as security for the trip. Nor can she tow their new large caravan. This is not a fictional situation. If you have communications equipment in your vehicle, please make sure everyone knows how to use it. 

Information Wanted - Burketown to Borroloola 

·        We are planning to drive the Savannah way next September 2009 and I am looking for where I can get information on the road conditions from Burketown Qld to Borroloola NT. We will be towing caravans. Barry  

Information wanted – Alice Springs to Sandfire Roadhouse 

·        We are thinking about going from Alice Springs to the W.A. coast coming out at Eighty Mile beach near the Sandfire Roadhouse. Has anyone travelled this route along the Kidson track or Wapet Rd through Kintore and Kunawarritji? Les 

Trip Notes – Plenty Highway 

·        Just a note about the Plenty Highway.  It was it great condition when I went through at the end of July. The Northern Terrritory (how they spell it at the NT/Qld border) has done a great job in keeping it in good repair.  Queensland, on the other hand, does not think the Donohue Highway is worth spending the money on it.  Plenty of deep bulldust all the way from the border to Boulia. Wash 

Trip Report – Western Queensland. 

·        Have just recently returned from western Queensland and thought I would provide you with an update on road conditions.

From Tibooburra to Nappa Merrie (Dig Tree) via Orientos - fair to good with minor track sections joining up with new and unmapped gas field roads; Nappa Merrie to Planet Downs - an excellent run through the jump ups and sand dunes though some largish gibbers will be encountered near the Arrabury turnoff; Haddon Corner track is good until the first dune crossing (take the right hand track over the dune - the left hand track stops nearly everyone); Planet Downs to Palparra HS - very good (roadworks near Morney); Palparra to Davenport Downs - good but with some minor to moderate bulldust holes and plenty of black soil; Davenport Downs to Hamilton Hotel ruins (east of Boulia) via Diamantina Lakes NP - good with minor bulldust holes. 

In the Boulia area: Hamilton to McKinlay - excellent track until Cannington Mine, then sealed; Boulia to Monument - very good in Boulia Shire; poor in Cloncurry Shire until you hit the sealed Osborne Mine road near Chatsworth - this section not graded since last wet season; the road between Monument and the Cloncurry-Duchess road is now sealed - no services or fuel available to the public at Monument; the Duchess-Dajarra road is mostly good with minor rocky outcrops. No fuel at Duchess; low key and very cheap caravan park at Dajarra - recommended.

West of Dajarra the Urandangi South road is good - watch for the misleading and incorrectly positioned Urandangi sign near the Linda Downs turnoff - Linda Downs road should not be taken unless you have informed a reliable person of your intentions - some German girls nearly came to grief here a few weeks ago due to the abovementioned Urandangi sign - nobody travels this road for days or weeks at a time. Signage around Urandangi is poor. Urandangi to Tobermorey is very poor with limestone outcrops and extensive bulldust holes with no side tracks - this route was being improved though; Urandangi to Camooweal sees some traffic but route is poorly signposted with long stretches of bulldust - the use of topo maps is suggested but the RACQ Central West map will get you through - do not travel at night or you will likely get lost and become a statistic. Camooweal Caves NP offers good camping. 

 Camooweal to Gregory Downs is very rocky and rough with a couple of very large and deep bulldust holes west of the Yelvertoft Road. Wills Dev. road is single lane and carries mine road train traffic; the Matilda Highway between Burke & Wills and Cloncurry is now two lanes; plenty of road train traffic between Cloncurry and the Cannington Mine south of McKinlay. Further east the Winton-Jundah road is very good but with black soil country west of Jundah - past the Lark Quarry turnoff (long sealed sections between Winton and the turnoff) you will probably see no one - let someone know you have come this way. The Jundah-Windorah road is now sealed. From Windorah the best winter rains in a decade kept us to the main highways.

The above routes were travelled in a high clearance 2WD with no problems (I have nearly 40 years experience as a dirt road driver). Conditions were dry when we went through but virtually all of these roads would be impassable in wet weather, especially the black soil sections. While many travellers tow an off-road caravan I would not currently recommend it between Boulia-Chatsworth; Urandangi-Camooweal; Camooweal-Lawn Hill turnoff south of Gregory Downs. On the whole the Bulloo, Barcoo and Boulia shire roads are well maintained, in good condition and with good signage (Urandangi area notwithstanding). Happy travelling. Ian Read 

Trip Report – Cape Byron to Steep Point 

·        We (that is, all 11 of us, in 6 vehicles....variously from Brisbane, Toowoomba and Cooroy) were doing an east-west crossing, from Cape Byron to Steep Point - and had allowed ourselves 4 weeks to do so. A mixed group, of both people and vehicles (as you would have observed ) - but with an explorer's spirit in common.

As all of us had crossed the central deserts a number of times (east to west and vice versa, inc. Madigan line, and north south on the Hay River run), our intrepid leader Andrew Morse (Global 4WD) had mapped us out a route like a great big kangaroo hop.

So, from Byron we proceeded through the forests in land from Kempsey, across to the Warrumbungles and the Lake Macquarie marshes - then through Tilpa to White Cliffs and Broken Hill. From there it was overland to the Flinders, Arkaroola and Mt Freeling station; and then to Woomera, and down Googs track to Ceduna for break, a scrub and a seafood feed. We then headed north, through Maralinga and Emu (and our thanks to the caretakers Joy and Steve, who were wonderful hosts), up the Mt Davies Road ( with all the desert holly etc, we re-named it "Mt Scratch-it Road"), through Surveyor General's Corner (talk about a maze of tracks in that part of the world !!) and thence to Giles; up the Gary Junction Road to the Junction and south down the Gary Hwy. We then traversed the Talawanna Track, followed by Newman, Karijini and Tom Price. It was then overland to the south, via Mt Augustus and Muggon Station, before heading west across to Steep Point. Fittingly, on arrival at the amazingly blue and heaving Indian Ocean, a whale breached right in front of us !

All up, 9500 kms point-to-point. Little wonder then that ( 2 vehicles aside...which drove back !), we drove down to Perth and trucked the vehicles home (Simons National Carriers....at a very reasonable price of $1800 per vehicle), and got ourselves back courtesy of Qantas.

A great trip, with many and varied climatic and terrain features - encountered snow and frost in NSW, more frost in SA, stunning days and sunsets in SA and WA , and wildflowers to die for in the west - and more bush camps than any of us had had hot breakfasts. Got more than enough material for a few new songs - and have yet to collate all the photos. Have definitely identified a couple of destinations to re-visit.

No real mechanical difficulties to speak of (the odd broken shockie, 2 fractured long range tanks on Patrols, and a couple of near misses on other gear , saved just in time ....and a fair toll on tyres). Encountered no worse than $4.00/litre (at Cotton Creek/Pangurr in WA...and cash only !), and generally diesel was more in mid-$2 range. Saw very few other travellers on the way - and most pubs agreed that traveller numbers were down. Discovered a new brew, when a leaky diesel jerry and a couple of slabs of Budweiser stubbies got together....."Diesel Bud" !! 

Trialled the HEMA GPS set-up, and found it very good and reliable - as also the Oztopo SD loaded into a couple of Garmin CSx60 hand units ( we reckoned this was probably better than HEMA product). And for those of us less technologically inclined, the HEMA map sheets were also very useful....as also of course, the Westprint maps !!

A core team is now mapping out a Brisbane-London crossing for 2011. Will keep you posted. Denis  

Grampians Track Report 

Please Note: Road conditions can change rapidly after rain.

GLENELG RIVER ROAD. The road may be slippery in places after rain particularly between Lodge Road and Serra Road and between Greens Creek Road and Boundary Road, warning signs are in place.

ASSES EARS ROAD. The Asses Ears Road has been graded and will be slippery particularly after rain, warning signs are in place.

MT ZERO ROAD. The Mt Zero Road has been graded between Heatherlie Quarry and Winfields Road, The road surface may be slippery after rain.

BOROKA LOOKOUT ROAD. Routine maintenance has been carried out on the drains ,shoulders and verges leaving some loose material on the road surface this may become slippery after rain so drivers are urged to take care.

ROSEA TRACK. Part open from Stoney Creek Rd  through to Tower Hill [4x4 only between Bundaleer and Tower Hill]

Seasonal Closures. All of the seasonally closed  4x4 tracks have been closed until around October 31st . 

Trip Report Oodnadatta/Birdsville 

·        We have checked out the trip report from Eric Oodnadatta/Birdsville & have followed it on the Hema map of SA & NT until Jervois.  After Jervois they went to Batton Hill, Hay River & then to Poeppel Corner.  There are no tracks marked on the map for this area, so we would be interested to learn how this was done – have found all the other places though. Dorothy 

The Hay River Track is shown on the Westprint Plenty Highway map ($9.50 + $3.00 post) or there is a Hay River CD (29.95 + $6.00 post) which is a dedicated CD of that particular track.
The track is 'owned' by Aboriginal Elder Lindsay Bookie and permits to use the track are administered in Alice Springs by Jol Fleming.  

Trip Notes Milmed Rock Track (Big Desert, Vic) 

·        We have made it home, unpacked the gear and wished we were still in the bush! Our trip went well with one of the highlights being our visit to Westprint. A special thank you to John for the interesting talk on locating the grave (most likely) in the middle of nowhere.  The Milmed Track has had a lot of grader work done to it and is now almost a simple drive. Certainly none of our party had any problems with any of the dunes or the track and for some, this was their first off road experience.  Bruce 

Leaking Diesel Fuel Tanks 

·        Caterpillar make products to repair tanks. Try Part no. 8T9019 for diesel tanks, Part No. 1U8118 for plastic tanks, Part No. 8T9018 for radiators. Found these on an Adventure motor cycle forum I subscribe to. Barry  

Hoons 

·        We have been travelling the outback for over 30 years and before that we lived in Coober Pedy. We have noticed the huge proliferation in 4wd's and associated gear. I think a vast number of these people get sold inappropriate equipment initially and think they can do and go anywhere. How wrong.

I have to say I am anti-club I went to a club meeting a few years ago thinking I would join - well the meeting was dominated by a guy complaining about not being able to take his military vehicles to club events and not being allowed to carry live ammunition! Then a group up the back drinking beer, constantly talked, preventing us from hearing the guest speakers - we left early. I live in the city now (more’s the pity) and if you see every day like we do mothers picking up kids around here - approximately 6 private schools - they not only need a 4WD licence but an ordinary one as well!

It seems very few people care and how often do you see some in the bush with a problem and drive right by - often in a convoy. Let's all look at what we do and what other people do - take there registration numbers and report to the police or if a Club talk to the officials when you get back. If fuel prices don't stop us the authorities will because our own colleagues are ruining the bush. What a great pity for those that do the right thing and don't think the world owes them a living. Rob 

·        Just one comment on “club hoons”, just because you see a group of 4WDs in the bush or outback doesn’t mean they are a club, my experience is that often (not always) the irresponsible groups are just a group of mates or an unofficial club who get together on trips and therefore probably haven’t had the benefit of learning the code of conduct usually preached by clubs. Sometimes they are also possibly people who have been outed by club members because of their yobo behaviour. Matt  

·        There are good people and bad people everywhere; therefore there are hoons that belong to clubs and hoons that don't. Putting every person in a particular box also doesn't cut the mustard.

I've done a couple of 4WD courses and at one stage belonged to a club as well as being part of a tag-along and each one of these pressed the need to be responsible when out in the bush. Clubs usually do a great job pulling big things out of creeks every clean-up day as well as cleaning up a site if found in a particular mess.

I find it very sad and frustrating that anyone would want to ruin what is so unique to this country - I can't tell you how many times the rubbish I have taken out of a site was 75% not mine. I even carry a plastic bag on BUSHWALKS so I can collect any rubbish found. Now that's really sad.

It is also very puzzling to me why anyone would go thousands of miles out of their way just to play their music full bore and disturb the serenity that most people crave out bush, when they can just go to a dance venue and get all the noise they want!! Humankind is very strange indeed. Unfortunately, the word "considerate" seems to have been deleted from the dictionary for some people. Linda 

I think we have now all vented our feelings on Club hoons. Like anything it is one or two people spoiling things for the majority. I would much rather publish the good things clubs are doing. Please forward your club project. In the meantime here is a list of the clubs involved in this year’s annual Ngarkat Working Bee.

Adelaide City Jeep Club, 4WD Adventurers Club, Central Hills 4WD Club, Gawler & District 4WD Club, Mitsubishi 4WD Owners Club, Murray Bridge & District 4WD Club, Overland 4WD Club, Portland 4WD Club, Riverland 4WD Club, Southern Explorers 4WD Club, Suburu 4WD Club, Summit Trax Inc, Toyota Landcruiser Club of SA. A big thank you to everyone.

Information found – How to build a Donkey 

Thank you to the many people who responded. Some information has been sent direct to Sandra. A condensed version is printed here. We have also been sent plans for how to build a donkey.  

·        Please pass the following url on to Sandra & Gary.  Thanks for a fine mag. Tony

http://www.ourterritory.com/outback/donkey.htm 

·        6 years ago we went on a 4WD Tag-along up Cape York, and on the way back down overnighted at one of the stations, where they had a donkey made from a ‘B’ sized cylinder (the one about one and a half  metres tall). Once fired up, it provided enough continuous hot water for 20 people to shower well, and do the after-dinner dishes as well, including the tour operator’s kitchen dishes and implements. The cylinder was mounted upright, so a small area to heat (fire area was about 25 cm across). For so long as the water came in the bottom (it was gravity fed from a fairly large tank) and the fire was kept up to a good, glowing bed of coals, the water just kept coming.  The Army also had water heaters of a similar principle as part of operational equipment for mobile unit camps and medical facilities. Len 

When Sandra emailed to say that she had received plans and suggestions and even found out why it is called a donkey, I had to ask…

·        According to Jim and I quote him "these rather unique contraptions share some of the worst features of their quadruped namesakes. They can be stubborn, hard to get on with and generally cantankerous. However, when induced to work by a good feed (kerosene, paper and wood)  they produce a good supply of hot water."  Thanks Sandra 

Australian Mud Map 

The photo linked here has been doing the rounds of the internet for quite some time but I have been loathe to use it because I don’t know where it came from originally, prompting this comment from Bruce

the original australian mudmap.JPG

·                Perhaps you could do a search for the photographer & location in your newsletter. That could stir up some interest for months. Bruce

Does anyone know the actual source?

Friday Funnies 

 These are entries to a competition asking for a two-line rhyme with the most romantic first line, and the least romantic  second line:
1. My darling, my lover, my beautiful wife: Marrying you has screwed up my life.
2. I see your face when I am dreaming.  That's why I always wake up screaming.
3. Kind, intelligent, loving and hot; this describes everything you are not.
5. I thought that I could love no other, that is until I met your brother.
6. Roses are red, violets are blue, sugar is sweet, and so are you. But the roses are wilting, the violets are dead, the sugar bowl's empty and so is your head.
8. I love your smile, your face, and your eyes, Damn; I'm good at telling lies!
9. My love, you take my breath away. What have you stepped in to smell this way? 
10. My feelings for you no words can tell, Except for maybe 'Go to hell.'
11. What inspired this amorous rhyme? Two parts vodka, one part lime.

WHO SAID POETRY IS BORING 

From Tony

·        "Without question, the greatest invention in the history of mankind is beer.
Oh, I grant you that the wheel was also a fine invention, but the wheel does not go
nearly as well with pizza - Dave Barry" 

·        A big mining company recently hired several cannibals. 'You are all part of our team now', said the HR manager during the welcoming briefing. 'You get all the usual benefits and you can go to the cafeteria for something to eat, but please don't eat any of the other employees'. The cannibals promised they would not.

Four weeks later their boss remarked, 'You're all working very hard, and I'm satisfied with you. However, one of our Admin girls has disappeared. Do any of you know what happened to her?' The cannibals all shook their heads indicating 'no'.

After the boss had left, the leader of the cannibals said to the others, 'which one of you idiots ate the Admin chick?' A hand rose hesitantly, to which the leader of the cannibals continued, 'You fool!!!!! For four weeks we've been eating Managers and Supervisors and no one noticed anything, but noooooo, you had to go and eat someone important!!!!

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Cheers for now,

Jo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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