Not much to say about this section.
Just more gravel road, neither particularly rutted or sandy or good or bad. Just there.
Bede Station looked beautiful on the edge of a large lagoon, all the fences in good nick and …
Category: 2016 Great Central Road Perth to Cairns
Day 75 25 June Aramac and Lake Galilee
A pleasant night camped in the gidgee a few kilometres east of Aramac, another town being left behind as activity concentrates on the larger centres of Longreach, Barcaldine and Winton on the Landsborough Highway further south.
Aramac is a lovely …
Day 74 24 June The Kensington Hill and a Muttaburrasaurus
A much easier ride today as the road was more trafficked and therefore more packed down and smoother, generally.
The locals here practice being hard to surprise – a couple out checking their stock passed me mid-morning with just a …
Day 73 23 June On my way again
A languid breakfast with many cups of coffee and lots of chatter before loading up the bike once more.
Left Drumlion mid-morning to take the old mail road (known as the Cullardar Road from this end but as the Beryl …
Day 68 to Day 72 18 – 22 June 2016 Rest and Recovery at Drumlion
A very welcome week of rest and eating while enjoying my the company of my brother Peter and sister in law Noni at ‘Drumlion’.
I arrived weighing 72 kg (159 pounds) and left five days later at 77 kg (170 …
Day 43 24 May Oodnadatta 0 km
Isn’t “Oodnadatta” a great name? It reeks of the outback.
Note: apparently no one has ever perished on the Oodnadatta Track for lack of water although several from Dalhousie Springs and Hamilton Downs did die trying to get to the …
Day 42 23 May Tookaninna to Oodnadatta
On the way after being checked out (discreetly) by a main roads inspector as I packed up camp. Nothing to note as the road was getting better and the weather fair.
Finally popped out at the junction of the Oodnadatta …
Day 41 22 May Pedirka bore to near Tookaninna Waterhole
A relatively easy 6 km to Hamilton Station homestead on the Hamilton Creek. The ranger at Dalhousie Springs had declared the crossing of Hamilton Creek closed because he had got bogged there but I suspect that had more to do …
Day 40 21 May Dalhousie Springs to Pedirka Siding 75 km
Had a chat to the Dalhousie Springs national parks ranger (he and his offsider in Innamincka are responsible for NPs covering over 1% of mainland Australia’s land area, he was very pleased with himself for being on the verge of …
Day 39 20 May Mt Dare to Dalhousie Springs 45 km
The stoney road improved as son as I had crossed into the national park (the NP service grades roads in the parks each year, delayed this year by the unseasonal rain) but the number of bogholes increased for the first …
Day 38 19 May Charlotte Waters to south of Mount Dare 60 km
You never know when you are well off!
Yesterday was loose sand and corrugations.
Today was loose sand and several muddy creek crossings. After several of these I worked out a system.
See flooded creek, strip panniers from bike, carry …
Day 37 18 May Finck to Charlotte Waters 60 km
Farewelled Charlie and stocked up at the Finck store – spaghetti and tuna, cake, bread and lollies. Do you see a theme here? Carbohydrates!
I really enjoyed discussing black/white relations and options with Charlie. He gave me much to think …
Day 36 17 May Lambert’s Geographical centre of Australia and Finck 60 km
A surprisingly short ride to the turnoff to the track that leads to Lambert’s Geographical Centre of Australia. The Centre is very popular with grey nomads.
As it is only 12 km in I decided to go and look. The …
Day 35 16 May Kulgera Roadhouse to Finke Gorge and another broken spoke, 105 km
Woken by departing grey nomads as usual. Guys and girls, you are retired, no need to race out of this campground only to arrive early afternoon at another, nearly identical campground.
Out of the campground about 9:30 am, found the …
Day 34 15 May Erldunda to Kulgera Roadhouse 90 km
Still getting used to having people/traffic around. People intrude on the peaceful outdoors.
Got to Erldunda no problems but disappointed at how suburban it seems after the Great Central Road roadhouses. Erldunda is all polished perspex and dust free.
Also …