WA. trip to GTG 4th july 09

[mav Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close mav]

I happy to see what we can on the way there and go directly back after.

Moto may still make it to the starting line but has work commitments and can't confirm yet.

Is there any interesting spots to check out past Kalgoolie worth exploring that like caves or sand dunes?

I don't think it will take 6 days to get to Alice ,How about we get there early and go out the outer side to the Simpson desert for one night?Surprise the other group? :lol:

Just thinking aloud .

Russ

You could catch them at Chambers Pillar when they stop there for the night before they head to Ross River via Alice. Would be a nice addition I reckon to the trip.

[jeff s Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close jeff s]

Going there via Port Augusta South Australia adds approx 1200 kms , more & different sights to see

Just another idea

Cheers
Gary

The Googs track leaves from Ceduna and heads north to the trans cont railway, Tarcoola then east to the Stuart hwy. cuts out the horse shoe via port Augusta...But is 2 days. There is a quicker route that could be done, Via Lake Gairdner National park.
But they would be big driving days to arrive in time for the GTG. My guess is that route would take 6+ days. 5-6 if via Lake Gairdner.
Day 1, Perth to norseman.
Day 2, Norseman to Border.
Day 3, Border to ceduna.
Day 4, Ceduna to 1/2 of Googs.
Day 5, 1/2 of Googs to Stuart HWY Glendambo.
Day 6, Glendambo to just inside NT. (possibly around Erldunda Desert oaks resort?)
Day 7, The run into Alice & Ross River resort.
I think they are biggish days that would not leave much time to dawdle and take in the sights without the urgency of getting K's away always hanging over us.

School hols start on the friday arvo and the GTG starts on the following saturday. I could be ready to travel on the saturday morning as I have the holidays stored away and could use thurs and friday to pack and ready. But I dont know about the rest.

If the GCR is used both ways we could check out the sites around the docker river to Uluru area pretty well.
If Saturday is used for packing and those last minute things ready for a sunday morning getaway that leaves us with 6 full days to get there.

We could always have 2 groups,
1 via ceduna in a round trip.
And 1 like a yoyo, up and back the same way.???

I'm thinking we will be a YOYO

[Chippy Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Chippy]

Reckon I'm lookin' like a YOYO :shock:

Cheers
Chippy

[Mrs Fishnut Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Mrs Fishnut]

Ok it's time for me to at least publicly express my intention to be part of this trip

Fishnut may or may not be in...there is a big fish conference in Perth just before this trip that he is helping organise and he should be almost at the completion of his PhD at around this time :shock: We are trying to work out whether he can fly in or out and meet up with me for at least part of this trip. His plans won't be confirmed until much closer to the dates in 2009.

I on the otherhand, like other Ed Dept staff, will have 2 weeks school holidays available, plus I have some long service leave due to me that I can around the hols too. Bek (Rebel) has offered to be my driving companion (is that just to get away from the Chippy clan???). I expect that I will definitey need some male assistance at some stage of the trip...hmm perhaps I should insist Glenn buys that winch :lol:

I guess I should submit my leave request....

[mav Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close mav]

Ok it's time for me to at least publicly express my intention to be part of this trip

Fishnut may or may not be in...there is a big fish conference in Perth just before this trip that he is helping organise and he should be almost at the completion of his PhD at around this time :shock: We are trying to work out whether he can fly in or out and meet up with me for at least part of this trip. His plans won't be confirmed until much closer to the dates in 2009.

I on the otherhand, like other Ed Dept staff, will have 2 weeks school holidays available, plus I have some long service leave due to me that I can around the hols too. Bek (Rebel) has offered to be my driving companion (is that just to get away from the Chippy clan???). I expect that I will definitey need some male assistance at some stage of the trip...hmm perhaps I should insist Glenn buys that winch :lol:

I guess I should submit my leave request....

Excellent, I am sure there will be no end of help available so no need to worry on that account. Look forward to seeing you here and maybe Fishnut as well if only for a part of it.

[Russ WA Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Russ WA]

Well how about crossing the nulluboar and going up to Coober Pedy.
Yulara to Alice Springs is about 432km which we would need to do twice.

5 Days
Day 1 Perth to Norseman 740km
Day 2 Norseman to Eucla 704 km
Day 3 Eucla to Ceduna 497 km
Day 4 Ceduna to Coober pedy 589 km
Day 5 Coober Pedy to Alice Springs 589 km

Total 3219

[Chippy Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Chippy]

I guess I should submit my leave request....

Go ahead and do it Deb.

If you start to miss the kids while you're away we can always lend you Andre :lol: :lol: :lol:

... and we've already started to stock up on the wine ......

..... from here ... http://www.casas.com.au/

Cheers
Chippy

[leachy_9 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close leachy_9]

We'll be able to leave anytime after 5pm on June 26 but happy to go along with whatever best suits the group in terms of departure and route.

For the return trip, there is a 50/50 chance we may need to be in the Montana, USA on the August 19. If so, we'll be taking the fastest route home.

Leachy

[prado4x4 Member Find all posts View Profile Close prado4x4]

Hi all,

Sorry I haven't posted up for a while. Been away in the 4WD for 3 months and only just got home to Perth.

Anyhow, I'll be travelling over for the GTG next year, hope you don't mind another one caming along (even if it's no longer in a prado, but now a 79 series cruiser).

Back on topic - After visitng 'Mav' in Alice and checking out some of the local sights again, I drove home via the Great Central. The road has been upgraded since I last drove it (2007). The majority of the WA side is in better condition and smoother than some of the tar roads we have now. 90-100km/hr on cruise control is no problem. The 250km on the NT side is a different matter. It's a lot worse. 70-80km/hr max there.

Going by my drive back, those without much time could drive from Perth to Alice in 3 longish (but not extreme) days. ie: All daylight, but off early, few stops, etc. There are only a few things worth seeing on the road anyway (Giles weather station - dawn visit for baloon release, Lasseters Cave and Empress Springs).

Here's a suggestion if travelled both ways.

- Perth to Laverton.
- Laverton to Warakurrna/Giles
- (Giles weather station in morning), Giles to Alice.

On the return
- Yulara/Ayers Rock to "Tjuk......" (can't remember spelling). See lasseters cave on the way.
- Visit Empress Spring. "Tjuk....." and into Kal
- Kal to home

Here's where I break all the "politically correct rules". Feel free to ignore/discard this if it offends. I never bother with permits for the Great Central. Never been asked for one, and to my mind it's a gov't funded public access route, so..... Plus they want the dates of travel. Doesn't help when I often have no fixed plans, so no idea on the actual dates. I usually also bush camp en-route, appart from when stopping at Warakurrna/Giles.

PS: For those coming on the trip, it'd be a good idea to have somewhere to carry firewood (roofrack, etc). Many places you have to collect firewood before entering NP, or campgrounds, etc. Just somethign to remember. [Not everybody needs to, but some vehicles do]. A small chainsaw within the group wouldn't go amiss either.

I hope the info is of use all...............

John

[jeff s Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close jeff s]

Thanks for that.

Will check the legalities of the pass thing. I see what you mean about a gazetted road... but we'll see.

I have a 1/2 44 that we sometimes take with us, and it holds 2-3 bags of petrol station wood. Nice and handy without having a load delivered to home.
And one thing I heard about chainsaws.. NP's dont like chainsaws, but I think its the noise & fuel thing as an electric one is OK,
12Volt, inverter or gennie, electric chainsaw, (cheap $150 from bunnings)and its OK, go figure.

Jeff.

[jeff s Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close jeff s]

Just a little except from the Explore OZ site...

Permits
Part III of the AAPA Act, stipulates that transit permits are legally required for any person visiting or passing through an Aboriginal reserve unless they are of Aboriginal descent; a member of either House of Parliament of the State or of the Commonwealth; or is a person lawfully exercising a function under the AAPA Act or otherwise acting in pursuance of a duty imposed by law.

The Great Central Road actually requires 2 sets of Transit Permits because there are Aboriginal Communities on both sides of the border (NT/WA) and each state has its own Aboriginal Lands office and issues its own permits.


Ngaanyatjarra Council
For people travelling through Aboriginal Land in the Central Reserves of Western Australia to, or from the NT border to Laverton, please contact Ngaanyatjarra Council, Alice Springs on: (08) 8950 1711 or Aboriginal Lands Trust, Perth on: (08) 9235 8000
Website: Ngaanyatjarra Council (Aboriginal Corporation).
www.tjulyuru.com/lands.asp


Central Land Council (CLC)
For people travelling through Aboriginal Land in the Northern Territory to, or from the WA border to Yulara, please contact Central Land Council (CLC) in Alice Springs on: (08) 8951 6320
Website: Central Land Council - Permits.
www.clc.org.au/permits


Permit Application Process
Permits are free, however you must complete a written application form and wait for it to be stamped and returned to you with an approval stamp. It is a legal requirement that each vehicle carries the permit during travel on Aboriginal Land.

The application forms will require the names of all persons entering the land, with a nominated principal applicant who must also give their address and phone contact details. You will also be required to provide vehicle make, model, rego number and state. Note, one permit per vehicle. You will also need to describe the specific route to be taken whilst on Aboriginal land (ie. Great Central Road) and give an estimate of dates (maximum 21 days). Finally you must provide a reason for requesting access to Aboriginal Land, eg. "holiday transit en-route from Alice Springs to Perth".

Generally, the ALT can process applications in 24 to 48 hrs

[Russ WA Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Russ WA]

Well done Jeff,
What happens to tour buses then? :wink:
60 passengers.
Lots of paper work,
It's like traveling in through Europe.

Russ

[jeff s Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close jeff s]

It's like traveling in through Europe.

exactly the same..... but less french people..... :lol:

[prado4x4 Member Find all posts View Profile Close prado4x4]

Thanks for that.

NP's dont like chainsaws, but I think its the noise & fuel thing as an electric one is OK, 12Volt, inverter or gennie, electric chainsaw, (cheap $150 from bunnings)and its OK, go figure.

Jeff.

Hey Jeff,

You can't collect firewood in the NP's anyway. It's all got to be collected well outside the NP's, so no problem with the chainsaw being used in a NP (as it wouldn't be). It's more for making it easier to slice the wood up to a size easy for roofracks, etc when collecting it. Not a necessary item by any means, just one of those "nice to haves".

I've never seen/used on of the electric ones, but hey if it'll cut up good hardwood as found in the NT - similar to our jarrah in density - then that may be an easier route (with a suitable inverter as you mentioned).

John

[jeff s Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close jeff s]

Dad has an electric one.
works well, but as you mentioned hardwood I better mention that I dont know how it goes through that, just make sure the chain is nice and sharp.

That reminds me, I need to sharpen mine. helped the neighbour cut out an old tree and it was cutting a nice curve instead of a straight cut.