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Draft Plan for Extended Trip July 2010

Fri, 26/06/2009 - 19:18 — jdobbyns

This is a draft plan and itinerary for the Club's extended trip that John will lead in July 2010. It will be amended as time permits and more information and suggestions are received.

Because of the number of members who want to attend, we have split into two groups. Gerry will lead the other group with a different itinerary that continues into the Kimberly region of WA.

The starting date is Saturday, 3rd July 2010. This was chosen to suit July school holidays in NSW.

The main section of the trip will be the 2200km Binns Track from Mt Dare in SA to Timber Creek in NT. The Outback Travellers Track Guide for the Binns Track is a useful booklet for this part of the trip.

Times provided in the last column of the itineraries are approximate driving times and depend upon conditions.

The first stage is from Newcastle to the meeting place at Leigh Creek Caravan Park. Members should find their own way there or can form small convoys if they wish.

The following itinerary is just a suggestion, taking the shortest time from Newcastle to Leigh Creek.

Members with more time may prefer to leave earlier and take another route that suits them. John is intending to stay at Wilpena (via Hawker) on Sunday night and have a day trip through the Flinders Ranges, to Leigh Creek on Monday.

Suggested Route to Meeting Place at Leigh Creek Caravan Park
01 Sat 03 Hexham Denman & Gilgandra Nyngan 531km 7h:15m
02 Sun 04 Nyngan Cobar & Wilcannia Broken Hill 587km 7h:00m
The fruit fly exclusion zone is reached just before Broken Hill. It is an offense to take most fruit and vegetables into this zone. Members can replenish supplies in Broken Hill, but remember to ask for certification. Alternatively supplies of fruit and vegetables can be replenished at Leigh Creek.
03 Mon 05 Broken Hill Yunta, Orroroo & Hawker Leigh Creek 581km 7h:15m
Leigh Creek is a modern town with most facilities, including a supermarket. Leigh Creek Tavern has motel rooms and cabins, Leigh Creek Caravan Park has a range of accommodation, laundromat, barbecue and camp kitchen.

The second stage is from Leigh Creek to Mt Dare. From Leigh Creek, we will travel to Marree, then along the Oodnadatta Track with a diversion to Arckaringa in the Painted Desert and back. We leave the Oodnadatta Track 17km past Oodnadatta, and continue to Mt Dare via Dalhousie Springs (permit and fee required to go to Dalhousie Springs).

The track is along the early aboriginal trading routes, which was later used by Afghan cameleers and stock routes. The old telegraph line and Ghan railway also ran along here and many ruins give a interesting insight to our history. Numerous springs made the route possible and we can see the more significant examples at Wabma Kadarbu Mound Springs Conservation Park, Coward Springs and Dalhousie Springs.

Leigh Creek to Mount Dare
04 Tue 06 Leigh Creek Lyndhurst, Marree Coward Springs 160km 4h:30m
Points of interest en route include:

Replenish supplies of fruit and vegetables before leaving Leigh Creek.
Then take a short diversion at Lyndhurst to visit Talk Alf, and another about 5km from Lyndhurst to see the Ochre Quarries.
Coward Springs camp ground is a bush camp with toilets and showers, a museum and a 'natural spa' where visitors can soak in the revitalising artesian water which runs into a wetland.
05 Wed 07 Coward Springs William Creek Algebuckina Waterhole 215km 5h:00m
Points of interest en route include:
  • Beresford Siding
  • Strangeways Historic Site - listed on the State Heritage Register
  • William Creek
  • Algebuckina Waterhole and the railway bridge over the Neales River - the largest bridge ever built in South Australia


There is a bush campsite beside Algebuckina Waterhole.

06 Thu 08 Algebuckina Waterhole Oodnadatta Arckaringa 152km 3h:30m
The Arckaringa Hills State Heritage Area was declared on 20 December 1985, primarily for its geology and exceptional beauty. The region known as The Painted Desert is best viewed at dusk or sunrise.
Arckaringa Station is a short drive to the 2 lookouts over the Arckaringa Hills and has basic camping and cabins, toilet, shower and laundry facilities. Camping fees are $10 per vehicle and driver, plus $5 per additional adult. Cabins – double $45.00 (sleeps 3), twin $30.00 (2 beds), and single $20.00. Linen provided.
07 Fri 09 Arckaringa Oodnadatta & Hamilton Dalhousie Springs 272km 5h:45m
Points of interest en route include:
  • Oodnadatta
  • Pedirka Ruin
  • Dalhousie Ruin
  • Dalhousie Springs

The group of approximately 100 springs and mounds spread over an area of only about 70 km sq, collectively referred to as Dalhousie Springs includes Missionary Spring, Mt Jessie Spring, Earwanyera, Warrarrinna and Dalhousie Springs proper.

We will need to purchase Dalhousie Passes ($20 per vehicle, per day) at Oodnadatta.

08 Sat 10 Dalhousie Springs Mount Dare 70km 1h:15m
Mount Dare has fuel, and meals are available from the new hotel.

We will take a short break here and re-fuel before starting our Binns Track journey.
Binns Track from Mount Dare to Timber Creek
08 Sat 10 Mount Dare Old Andado 100km 2h:30m
Points of interest en route include:

Scientists believe the Finke River is the oldest river in the world. The bulldust in parts are very bad and the damage caused by oil rigs may have made it impassible with trailers. We will obtain an update at Mount Dare, and if necessary, bypass this section by diverting through New Crown.

We can camp at Old Andado, which is rather exposed, but offers basic facilities for a camping fee, or travel a little further to a bush camp in a swale between sand dunes.
09 Sun 11 Old Andado Santa Teresa Alice Springs 320km 4h:30m
Points of interest en route include:

The area between Old Andado and the Rodinga Range is on the western fringe of the Simpson Desert and the track takes us over and between some sand dunes.

We will stay 2 nights at the Alice Springs Heritage Caravan and Tourist Park, which has powered or unpowered site and all amenities. It is situated close to Alice Springs and our route from Santa Teresa and to the East MacDonnell Ranges.
From here we have optional side trips to places like Rainbow Valley and Chambers Pillar 161km (2h:35m) south of Alice Springs.
11 Tue 13 Alice Springs Todd River Station Ross River Resort 95km 2h
Points of interest en route include:

Replenish supplies in Alice Springs before heading to the East MacDonnell Ranges.
The Ross River Resort will be our base for 3 nights. The camping ground, set among tall trees, has all facilities and a licensed restaurant. Unpowered sites are $10 per person per day ($15 for power).

From here we can explore the area including day trips to:
14 Fri 16 Ross River Resort Gemtree Caravan Park 135km 3h:00m
Points of interest en route include:

Arltunga once supported around 300 people and was Central Australia's first town
Gemtree Caravan Park has powered or unpowered sites and all amenities.

15 Sat 17 Gemtree Caravan Park Derry Downs, Ammaroo Bush camp 312km 6h:30m
This will be a long day and we will need to make an early start.
16 Sun 18 Bush camp Hatches Creek Mine Ruins Old Police Station Waterhole 163km 3h:30m
This part of the trip takes us into Davenport Range National Park.
The camp site is beside Old Police Station Waterhole and has basic facilities. Fees are $3.30 per person.
17 Mon 19 Old Police Station W.H. Epenarra & Kurundi H.S. Banka Banka 360km 6h
Points of interest en route include:
  • Cloughs Bluff
  • Devil's Marbles

Replenish supplies at Tennant Creek before travelling up the Stuart Highway to Banka Banka Homestead.

Kurundi Waterhole
18 Tue 20 Banka Banka Stuart Highway Daly Waters 403km 4h 45m
Daly Waters Pub and Caravan Park.
19 Wed 21 Daly Waters Dunmarra, Buchanan Hwy Top Humbert Yard 380km 7h
.
20 Thu 22 Top Humbert Yard Bullita H.S. Limestone Gorge Timber Creek 134km 5h
The Binns Track section of the trip finishes at Timber Creek.

This is the official end of the club trip and participants can choose whichever way they want to return home. There are many alternatives taking in numerous interesting places depending on how much time you have.

John, Steve and Joan are planning to cross the Simpson Desert on their return. They will take the Buchanan and Stuart Highways to Alice Springs and the French Line and WAA Line across the Simpson Desert to Birdsville.

If Walkers Crossing Track is open, we will take it to Innamincka. Then the Bore Track to Cameron Corner.
Home in Newcastle on Sun 01 Aug.