Date: June 25th 2010

Westprint Friday Five June 25, 2010  

Included this week:

·         Gunbarrel Highway

·         Oombulgurri Road

·         Talawana Track

·         Burke and Wills  

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Friday Five 25.6.2010

Good News for the Friday Five. John and Jo are combining their collections so over the next few months the duplicate copies will be advertised on the FF. Also watch out for post stock take specials.

1.    Around the Boree Log. John O'Brien. This volume combines O’Brien’s two books - Around the Boree Log and The Parish of St Mel's. Affectionate and humorous verse of farming life and the life of Irish settlers in Australia - at home on the land and at the church on the hill that is the centre of their lives. $24.95 plus post. Add to Cart

2.    Wildhorse Creek Kerry McGinnis. From the bestselling author of Pieces of Blue and The Waddi Tree comes a spellbinding novel about loyalty, friendship and first love. Young Billy Martin runs from home, burying his past in the quest for a future.  He finds it in Queensland's spectacular Gulf Country, on the sprawling cattle runs. The Gulf breeds tough men, and Billy is quickly drawn to the excitement and adventure of working with the fiery cattleman and ex-con, Blake Reilly, and his daughter, Billy finds mateship, danger and romance in the Gulf, but he also finds an untamed land with a history of violence. $32.95 plus post.  Add to Cart

 

3.    Burke & Wills: from Melbourne to myth Tim Bonyhady. Catalogue of an exhibition examining the explorers' place in Australian culture and including an array of material collected and produced by the expedition and its search parties (diaries, letters and paintings, birds and plants, hair and bones, clothing, weapons, food and narcotics). Explores the transformation of the expedition through the work of Australian artists. $22.95 plus post.  Add to Cart

 

4.    The Centre Traces the geological history of central Australia along the World's oldest river, the Finke. The associated ecosystems of central Australia detailed in this book explode the myth of the 'dead heart'. Frogs, lizards, birds, termites, wildflowers, spinifex, trees, bats and spiders are just a few of the subjects covered. A photograph of a barking spider will scare most readers as it appears to jump out of the page. This book is highly recommended as a reference for all travellers into any part of central Australia. Soft cover. 175 pages. Fully indexed. $27.95 plus post. Add to Cart

 

5.    List of Nuggets in Victoria Facsimile edition of the 1912 booklet Memoirs of the Geological Survey of Victoria. Number 12. List of nuggets found in Victoria. 70pp. $22.00 plus post. Add to Cart

 

Books are allocated on a first-come first serve basis. To reserve your copy of any of the following books please email info@westprint.com.au with the title you are interested in. All emails will be answered during the following week, either with details of how to pay, or a ‘sorry, the item has already sold’ email. Where possible, postage on multiple items will be recalculated to offer you the best price.  

Postage Rates. These items will usually not be found on our website. Orders will be supplied on a ‘first come, first serve’ basis. Westprint normal postage rates are now $8.50 for one book, $11.00 for two books, $13.00 for 3 or more books. Free post applies to orders of more than $150.00. Postage rates apply to Australia only. Airmail postage rates apply to overseas orders.

 

Friday Forum

Jo’s comments are in green.  

Notes from the office. Graeme and I have returned from the 4x4 Gathering in Queensland and the map conference in Melbourne. The good news is that both events were great fun and we learned a lot. The bad news is that it is almost stocktake time so I have to do some ‘real’ work for a couple of weeks. Hope to get some information into the Friday Five soon. The photo gallery from the Gathering has been posted. The rumour is (on good authority but as yet unconfirmed) that the 2012 Gathering will be held in South Australia. More details soon. http://www.australian4x4gathering.org.au/gallery.htm

Disclaimer.

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

Burke and Wills Trip  

·         Burke and Wills – a 150th Anniversary Celebration

We are organising and leading a trip focusing on the Burke and Wills Expedition from Melbourne to Camp 119 near the Gulf. Australia’s most famous and lavishly appointed expedition left Royal Park on 20 August 1860 to cross the continent, open up pastoral land and conduct scientific research.  Organised by the Royal Society of Victoria and initially known as the Victorian Exploring Expedition, it was led by the ambitious and inexperienced Irishman Robert O’Hara Burke. Much has been written about the expedition, myths have multiplied, conjectures and criticisms made, people have searched and researched, and artifacts sold for astonishing amounts.

Our four week trip will leave from Royal Park on 21 August 2010.  Required is a high clearance, dual range 4WD vehicle, food, cooking and camping equipment suitable for bush and remote camping plus a strong interest in the Burke and Wills Expedition. The trip is approximately 5,000 kms from Melbourne to Karumba.    

While intended primarily for members of 4WD Clubs associated with Four Wheel Drive Victoria, the trip is also available to readers of Westprint Friday Five by becoming an Associate Member of FWDV (www.fwdvictoria.org.au). To register your interest, please send an e-mail to j.hasler@bigpond.net.au

John and Prue Hasler  

Recommended books and information about the Burke and Wills Expedition:

www.burkeandwills.net.au

The Dig Tree: The Story of Burke and Wills by Sarah Murgatroyd, 2002

A Successful Exploration Through the Interior of Australia by William Wills

A Journey to Cooper Creek by Hermann Beckler, edited by Stephen Jeffries, 1993

Cooper’s Creek by Alan Moorehead, 1963  

Re the books listed above. The Dig Tree is available from Westprint. As far as I know all the others are out of print. Second hand prices (when you can get copies) are below. We can help source copies if necessary.

A successful Exploration by William Wills $90-$150.There was a paperback edition of this book but I have been unable to find any details.

A Journey to Cooper Creek. $90-$200

Coopers Creek. $12 - $30

 

Trip Notes

Oombulgurri - Kalumburu  

·         In response to Garry's query regarding the Oombulgurri - Kalumburu ”road" (Carson Track) -  We looked into travelling this track a couple of years ago and concluded that the effort involved wasn't justified. We were warned that there were numerous washouts that would require a lot of track building effort. I doubt that it will have improved. The area is very remote and very seldom travelled, especially the eastern end. This is a very difficult track that should only be attempted with several capable and well prepared vehicles, and experienced and energetic people. Detailed info including photos and video may be accessed via threads 78562, 76306 and 54588 on the ExplorOz forum at http://www.exploroz.com/Forum/Default.aspx  John and Val

Gunbarrel Highway

·         Peter requested information on the condition of this road.  I live and work very close to the Old Gunbarrel and use it almost daily.  The road is in extremely good condition at the moment between the Stuart Highway and Kalka on the WA border.  Of course there are the inevitable corrugations here and there and sandy stretches, but there should be nothing to slow a decent vehicle below the 80 km/hr mark.  Don't forget though that to travel from the NT border into SA at the Mulga Park Junction will require a permit - and tourism permits are not normally granted.  (The SA section is between the Mulga Park turn off through to Kalka / Wingalena - roughly 270 km of road.)  Scruff.  

·         I travelled the Old Gunbarrel Highway early in April this year together with my mate Harry in a well-equipped Toyota Landcruiser Troopy. We approached the Gunbarrel Highway from the Great Central Road via the Hunt Oil Road, which hits the Gunbarrel some 30 km or so west of Everard Junction. We then followed the Gunbarrel Highway until the Heather Highway turn-off and continued our journey on the Old Gunbarrel Highway to Warrakurna.

 Road conditions: Road conditions vary on the Gunbarrel and Old Gunbarrel Highway. There are stretches which can be done without any difficulty, but there are also sections with extreme wash-outs, which required us to do some detours. The most severe section is the section between Heather Highway Turnoff and Jackie Junction, which is some 40 kilometres in length. The trek varies in difficulty. Quite directly after the beginning of this section we encountered the most severe wash-outs on the whole Old Gunbarrel Highway. Detour was possible, but it seemed that we were the first people travelling there after a long time, so we had to search our own way around the wash-outs by doing some reconaissance and bush-bashing. The trek becomes better after that, but you'll meet the next wash-outs just after a few more kilometres. If you take your time, it shall be no worries to travel there, provided that there haven't been any recent rain falls. It took us more than three hours to travel these 40 kilometres from Heather Highway turn off to Jackie Junction. Miraculously, we managed the bush-bashing around the wash-outs without any flat tyres, but you shall be prepared for repairing tyres - do not only carry two spare tyres, but also some spare tubes plus tyre and tube repair kit. From Jackie Junction, the next stretch of the Old Gunbarrel is part of an Aboriginal business road, which was well maintained - a good dirt highway, which was a real relief after the deep wash-outs. The stretch which comes after that is set in absolutely beautiful nature. There are lots of beautiful camp spots around stands of desert oaks. Some more wash-outs and some corrugations, but not as bad as on the rest of the Gunbarrel Highway. If you take your time and don't rush it, you will certainly get through without any mechanical trouble. Take it slowly, there are plenty of "little surprises" along the Gunbarrel and Old Gunbarrel Highway, like sudden holes in the trek. Who goes too fast will certainly regret it afterwards. We spent about one and a half days on the Old Gunbarrel Highway. Apart from the stretch named above which requires special caution, the Gunbarrel and Old Gunbarrel Highway are definite "MUST DOs" if you are as well equipped as you are. However, we did not meet many people there. I remember meeting one other party on the Gunbarrel Highway, but no-one on the Old Gunbarrel Highway. As there won't be other people to tow you out in case of mechanical trouble it is highly recommended to travel there with two vehicles. Secured long range communication is vital, but you should be fine with your satphone if it is an Iridium. We had an Iridium with us which worked perfect along the whole way. I recommend to carry a garden spray on each of your vehicles to use it as a fire extinguisher in case of a spinnifex fire under the car. Along the Gunbarrel and Old Gunbarrel there was no build-up of spinnifex under our car, but better be safe than sorry. Due to the remoteness of the area and the long travel time to the next RFDS airstrip make sure to carry an advanced first aid kit. It's also a good idea that all persons in your party take a first aid refresher course before you start

 For travelling on the Old Gunbarrel Highway, you will need a special permit from the Ngaatjatjarra Council:

http://www.ngaanyatjarraku.wa.gov.au/Aboriginal-Land-Permits.91.0.html

Trek notes for the Gunbarrel Highway can be found on www.exploroz.com:   http://www.exploroz.com/TrekNotes/WDeserts/Gunbarrel_Highway.aspx

You may also ask your question in the forum at www.exploroz.com, where you will certainly get some more feedback from other travellers. I am quite sure that other people have travelled the Old Gunbarrel Highway more recently, due to the Exploroz.com gathering at Wiluna in June.

I don't know where you are heading after the Gunbarrel Highway, but the Sandy Blight Junction Road is just beautiful and was in good condition when we travelled it in April.

Cheers from bl..dy boring Dortmund/Germany and enjoy your trip, Juergen  

Talawana Track

·         My wife and I did that one last year - we are both very experienced in desert and remote travelling (over a dozen times from Broome to east coast via the Centre using any number of rarely used tracks) but suggest this is not one to do alone. The going is soft but not difficult if keep in 4WD all the way (much softer on shortish Canning Stock Route section but even that's fine at 18 psi) - but we saw no other vehicle in three days. It's not a track on which to breakdown and we feel it too risky to do again without at least one other vehicle. Definately lots of water and Satphone territory.  We were a bit bothered by the total lack of other traffic - but not the state of Len's last made track. Collyn & Maarit.

Check out Collyn’s books at the following sites.

www.caravanandmotorhomebooks.com

www.successfulsolarbooks.com  

Booking a Caravan Park

·         My experience has been that it’s not only remote area parks that are fussy about bookings, a couple of years ago we wanted to spend the weekend fishing down the south coast of NSW and tried about 6 caravan parks. We just wanted to book 1 night (i.e. Sat night) so we could drive from Sydney on Saturday, do some fishing, stay the night and drive home Sunday. None would take a 1 night booking!  We ended up staying at a lovely bed & breakfast at Gerringong for the same price as the crummy caravan park.  I also recently contacted a Caravan Park in Oberon, interested in booking for a Saturday night, for 12 adults and 2 children in a combination of cabins – but the same thing happened, they wouldn’t take a 1 night booking, even for such a large group! What is it with a minimum of two nights for a weekend?? Last time I checked there was only 1 night in a normal weekend. Not everyone having a weekend away is on holidays – some us have to work up till 5pm Friday!  I am amazed that these small places can afford to be so picky – if we just turned up on Saturday afternoon would they turn us away??? We recently had a 4-week trip through Queensland’s Outback, staying at caravan parks all the way, and every single one was brilliant. Some we booked others we just turned up, never a problem. I think Caravan Parks are getting too “up-market” for their own good. Lauren. Sydney.  

·         It seems to me that the real issue is the supply and demand - so long as camping grounds can fill up they don't care how people arrive and to suggest as apparently some operators do in Broome that you arrive early in the morning on the off chance there is a vacancy says a lot about their interest in tourists (adventurous or otherwise). Two years ago we camped at Kununurra - the Big 4 park - and we booked ahead with no trouble and really enjoyed our stay in that park. We didn't bother going to Broome for the very reasons outlined in Friday 5 over the last few weeks. If I ever bother going to Broome the Bird Observatory sounds like the place I would stay. Glenn

Cameron’s Corner

·       Chances are that the lack of diesel fuel at Cameron’s Corner had something to do with the 50 odd land rovers on the Outback Land Rover Heritage Drive last week. We left Bourke on Monday the 31st of May, stopping at Wanaaring, Tibooburra, Cameron’s Corner, Innamincka (never seen it so green!), Noccundra, Thargominda, Hungerford and Back to Bourke on Tuesday the 7th of June. 54 cars, 85 people, 8 pubs, 9 days and 3 states.  All organised by the Land Rover Club of ACT, all thanks go out to Peter and his team for an absolutely fantastic trip.  Matt. Land Rover Owners Club of Australia (Sydney Branch) Inc.

You can always call Cameron’s Corner before you arrive. Fenn & Cheryl Miller. Ph: 08 80913872 Fax: 08 80913567. camcorner@activ8.net.au

Paper versus Digital

·         Whilst I no longer need to use a compass (yet I always have one with me) thanks to my GPS, I wouldn't dream of heading out without good paper maps, especially into remote country.  I love the fact that I can get an accurate fix on my position and place me right on the spot ON MY PAPER MAP! 

We were crossing the Simpson and, as is proper protocol, I called on the UHF to see if any traffic was coming our way.  I would call to say that I was in a blue Nissan wagon with a silver roof rack, that I was with 4 other vehicles travelling east and we were 15 kms east of Colson track on the French Line.  Pretty simple.  A bloke answered and asked where we were. "I just told you mate, 15kms east of Colson Track on the French Line".  "have you got a GPS?" he enquired.  "Yes I have, it's in the back somewhere.'  I replied.  "Well", he said, "if you get it out, give me your co-ordinates, I'll punch them into my GPS, and we'll know exactly how far apart we are."

You can't print what was said next, but suffice to say that a good (Westprint) paper map and an odometer are good enough to fix a position - after that burn an old tyre to attract the spotter plane.  What are ya gonna do when the laptop has a hissy fit? Old fashioned Pete  

Friday Funnies

 This is a quiz for people who know everything! I found out in a hurry that I didn't.  These are not trick questions. They are straight questions with straight answers
1. Name the one sport in which neither the spectators nor the participants know the score or the leader until the contest ends.
2. What famous North American landmark is constantly moving backward?
3. Of all vegetables, only two can live to produce on their own for several growing seasons. All other vegetables must be replanted every year. What are the only two perennial vegetables?  
4. What fruit has its seeds on the outside?  
5. In many liquor stores you can buy pear brandy, with a real pear inside the bottle. The pear is whole and ripe, and the bottle is genuine; it hasn't been cut in any way. How did the pear get inside the bottle?      
6. Only three words in standard English begin with the letters 'dw' and they are all common words. Name two of them.    
7. There are 14 punctuation marks in English grammar. Can you name at least half of them?  
8.  Name the only vegetable or fruit that is never sold frozen, canned, processed, cooked, or in any other form except fresh.
9. Name 6 or more things that you can wear on your feet beginning with the letter 'S.'    

 

 
Answers To Quiz:
1. The one sport in which neither the spectators nor the participants know the score or the leader until the contest ends. Boxing
2. North American landmark constantly moving backwards.   Niagara Falls  (The rim is  worn down about two and a half feet each year because of the millions of gallons of water that rush over it every minute.)
3. Only two vegetables that can live to produce on their own for several growing seasons ... Asparagus and rhubarb.
4. The fruit with its seeds on the outside. Strawberry.
5.  How did the pear get inside the brandy bottle? It grew inside the bottle. (The bottles are placed over pear buds when they are small, and are wired in place on the tree. The bottle
is left in place for the entire growing season. When the pears are ripe, they are snipped off at the stems.)
6. Three English words beginning with 'dw' Dwarf, dwell and dwindle .
7. Fourteen punctuation marks in English grammar. Period, comma, colon, semicolon, dash, hyphen, apostrophe, question mark, exclamation point, quotation marks, brackets, parenthesis, braces, and ellipses.
8. The only vegetable or fruit never sold frozen, canned, processed, cooked, or in any other form but fresh Lettuce.
9.  Six or more things you can wear on your feet beginning with 'S'   Shoes, socks, sandals, sneakers, slippers, skis, skates, snowshoes, stockings, stilts.

 

·         Sometimes too much to drink isn't enough. 

·         Heaven is Where: The Police are British, The Chefs are Italian, The Mechanics are German, The Lovers are French and it's all organized by the Swiss. 

Hell is Where: The Police are German, The Chefs are British, The Mechanics are French, The Lovers are Swiss and it's all organized by the Italians.

To all of our Faithful Friday Five readers.

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Cheers for now,

Jo

 

 

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