lajamanu across the central desert to tenant creek

I'm still pouring over the map looking for possible ways back home to north queensland.
I'm currently working at ringer soak which is 170 km SE of halls creek.

at this stage i may be travelling up the duncan road to kununurra, then onto timber creek and then top springs. rather than heading back to dunmurra from top springs, i thought i might head SW to lajamanu then take the SE road through the central desert direct to tenant creek.

the way i see it is that the locals probably use this road fairly often so its got to be in reasonable condition. its surprising how much road works get done out in the middle of nowhere.

out on the 50 km long ringer soak road (which basically only leads into ringer soak) the halls creek council has just had a fairly big work crew with heavy machinery upgrade a section probably no more than 10km long. beats me why they chose the section they did but its like a freeway now even thought its still only dirt.

I'm going to ask around the community tomorrow what the road in question may be like. a lot of locals spend time between ringer soak and lajamanu so I guess someone ought to know. its always a bit dicey asking for this sort of advice/information from the locals as their perceptions can be poles apart from what the typical adventurer in a 4wd or on motorbike may be.

i will check in with the lajamanu and kununurra police as well but was wondering if anyone here has ever done this section?
and, has anyone here done the track between timber creek, through gregory national park and kalkarindji (wave hill)?

bernadette

That road has been impassable for a long time as far as I know. Gregory is a good ride you just need to carry plenty of fuel.

I've been talking to the locals here at ringer soak about the road from lajamanu to tenant creek. seems its graded to duck ponds at least annually. that section is used but the second section is avoided by the locals. everyone says it too "rough" and i doubt there is any traffic on it at all. the locals take the 'long way' round from lajamanu to tenant creek by the highway. I'm sorely tempted to ride it but its probably not a good idea going solo. if i had a riding buddy i would! I've still got to speak with the police and rangers for advice.

I really wanted to do that track on the way home from the OCR this year. The few people I communicated with suggested it would be very difficult with the sand being really soft and the thorns / slappy trees.

If you find out more info, please post it up

cheers

i hope i can still get others to keep read this thread as I'm still giving the track thought and would like to continue discussing my preparation.
i have yet to speak with a couple of policemen i know from kununurra (they spend their time driving around the desert regions) who may have recent and first hand knowledge.
in the meantime,
im curios to learn if any equipment other than puncture repair kits/s and spare tubes would be deemed necessary given the supposed and prevalent thorny bushes? ….as in would/do other riders carry spare tyres for this purpose?
its only 443 km by my calculations so i have enough fuel on my current setup for this. i can carry enough water as i would top up at duck ponds if needed.
what I'm lacking is topographical information on the terrain. i will be able to get a topographical map sent to me next week before i head off.
any comments???
I'm only going to do this track if i can satisfy myself i have a good chance of completing it without incident.

bernadette

if i may, what is it you do at ringer soak?

The track to the Duck Ponds, is usually quite good, being used quite frequently, usually by elders who want to get away from it all.

You will not need water before the Duck Ponds, as it is an easy run, but do not rely on getting water there, as the creek is usually dry, except in the wet, when it extends down that far. There is a bore there, but if nobody is at the outstation, there may be no diesel in the pump (unless it has been converted to solar).

The main worry from there, is not thorny bushes, rather the wattle that grows rather profusely, especially into the wheel tracks (as they are lower than the surrounding ground, and collect water).

Fires are a regular feature across the track, and the hazards associated with this is, the dead wattle burns off at ground level, leaving a nice fire hardened, pointed stick, buried just under the sand.

There is a bore, about 2 thirds across, on the RHS, about 300metres off the track (heading West to East), however, once again do not rely on this, as if the track has not been maintained it may be nonoperational (when I last saw it, it had a hand pump, there was some talk of turning it solar (as was the one at the Duck Ponds), but once again best to be self sufficient (my last information dates back to 2002).

In that country, if the track is not maintained, it disappears very quickly, and unless you are quite experienced in following the nuances of old tracks, be very careful, as you could find yourself off course and low on fuel very quickly.

Some of the traditional owners from Lajamanu go out that way hunting, and just drive off into the scrub... they know where they are going.

Providing you do get permission to use it, the store manager, and the local copper at Lajamanu will give you information, but the best info about the useability will come from the Elders in Lajamanu itself.

Also, a tip, if you do cross, when you come to the Warrego Mine, don't ride through the middle of it, turn right at the western entrance, and follow the fence around the outside perimeter.

All I can say, is good luck, but if it hasn't been graded or used ( once again, the tribal elders will know if it has) do not attempt it.

Once again, a photo of the DuckPonds, circa 1987. The track now goes around. Whilst we were trying to hand winch ourselves out, an old aboriginal, living at the outstation, sat with a big grin on his face, suggesting we were mad, and why not use the HF radio to call for help...

Bernie PLEASE strongly consider going an alternate way - there are benefits of riding solo and some downsides including passing on routes like this.

marlboroughlad,
im a remote area nurse. i am also a very adventurous woman! aside from riding my motorbike, my other outdoor pursuits include sea kayaking (solo), bush walking, offshore sailing. i even rode my pushbike around your country and region in 1983! i just like doing stuff outdoors.

pete,
i understand your concern and i do appreciate it. thank you. however i like the challenge. as i say i need to assure myself of the ground conditions before i attempt it. i still have time to talk to more people. i do most of my outdoor pursuits by myself. i wish i didnt have to go solo but i don't want to sit around always wondering just because i no longer have a husband.

GTinAUS,
thank you for the extra information. i am assuming the track is used by the locals simply based on the 'habits' of the locals around here who use a 'shortcut' from ringer soak west to wolf creek crater. that track is not even marked on any maps. I'm very capable at bushcraft and my sense of direction is just as good. i do heed your words though and its comments like yours that make me think more about what i want to do.

bernadette

If you decide to have a go pre arrange a helicopter to lift you out.

Great adventure , I did the CSR solo and it's a wonderful experience.
I look forward to the ride report.

podgeNT,
cynicism means zip all to me if you mean to be smart…
I've ridden a road bike with a broken ankle when i was 20 after i dropped it on myself. i was crying the entire time it took me to get home. i was placed in that situation by the most unique circumstances. from home i then had to drive back to my husbands location as he was on military duty in the region to pick him up so i could get medical help.

there are other moments in my most adventuresome life where i have had to extract myself from difficult situations both on land and at sea... the point being…i don't expect to get help the very first minute things go wrong.

J_B,
i need to speak with you and pick your brains if i may?!!! I will send a PM!
thanks for the support but i am still planning and have yet to satisfy myself that it will be something i can achieve (as i have said previously).

bernadette

You go girl!!, sounds like your up for it and as long as you tell someone of your plans and your capable as it sounds like you very much are, go for it!
It's good to see the real spirit of adventure is still alive, I dare say quite afew of us would make excuses why we cant tackle a ride like that.
Good luck sounds like a cracker of a ride!

Not being smart. I have been in that country and know what it is like.
I wish you good luck if you have a go, just make sure you have a backup plan.

podge
the whole point of discussing the track on here is to gain as much information as possible no matter how trivial. that way I can hope to make an informed decision on whether I tackle the track or not.
in order to have a back up plan, one must first have a plan of attack! hence all of this discussion!
anyhow thanks for the contact details via PM. I have police contacts I will be contacting.

I have driven around a number of desert areas whilst on work contracts. this includes the great sandy desert around punmu and kunuwarritji (including sections of the canning stock route and sections way off the beaten track when we had to do a search and rescue for a not lost aboriginal man who had gone walkabout). plus I have experience from working at a clinic on the gibb river road. I have contacts in Lajamanu and the CLC but i have to wait till early next week to speak to the man who will be able to answer my questions. the information I have to date is that the track is open to 4wd. however each account is out-dated and its up to date information that I desperately want.


so far as helicopter or other heavy duty backup: epirbs and at sea rescues were very much the norm well before land based rescues and SES involvement became 'mainstream'. suffice to say, a lot of people go about their adventures a lot less prepared than what I would be. im not going to risk my life on some rough, hot and dirty track. and I don't want anyone coming in to rescue me. I want the odds in my favour. so until I get as much information as I can squeeze out of anyone, I need to keep digging. it may not eventuate. at this rate im wanting to get home ASAP as ive been out here for just over 10 months now. ive just been asked if the track is a 'shortcut' to home. on paper it could be construed as this. in reality its probably quite the opposite.

bernadette

Good on you.
Too many people on this Adventure Riding site with no adventure.
You do your research, you put a plan together and you go for it.
People are quick to criticize because they think you are dumber than them.
Have a look at how many people sign up for APC rides every year because they cant do it themselves.

I really have nothing constructive to add, but I do notice on the latest Hema Maps Top End and Gulf (included in the 2014 Digital Map product), that they show they drove that track in 2013.

Their legend indicates it was :

Rough Track - Track is very rough, becoming overgrown or is difficult to follow.

Good luck and hopefully the news is good.

rider911
what does APC stand for?
all of this started simply because i thought i might take a 'shortcut' on my way back home. i didn't realise at the time the track was mostly disused.

dnrobertson
i have a hema map: great desert tracks central sheet which shows the same legend. it would be good if hema had a web site one could access for detailed information. im sure they compile much more data when out surveying the roads etc. i should check out the 4wd sites for more info.

bernadette

I contacted a friend of mine who had connections with the Lajamanu store, and his information is a couple of years old, but the track is in very poor condition, to the point of being impassable.

As far as he knows, the last crossing was about 3 years ago, and they took 2 or 3 days, and came out with mirrors and aerials ripped off, and the tyres looking like porcupines, with so many repair strings hanging out of them.

If the track has not been graded since then, forget it.

I have crossed this track about 10 times between 1986 and 2002, and unless the sand is damp, there is about 200km of 2nd gear low range 4wdriving ( I have never done it on a bike).

The wattle ranges in height from ground cover, to over 2 meters tall.

This type of wattle also has a very sticky residue on the leaves, which we found almost impossible to get off the windscreen. We found dishwashing concentrate mixed with metho and a little water, rubbed on with your hand, and then rinsed off with water worked well.

As a short cut, trust me, it is no quick shortcut. Whilst there are no sand dunes, the sand is relentless and soft.

The worst of it is from the duck ponds (Winnecke Crk.) for about 150~180 Km (sand and wattle), then it is relatively clear, mainly spinifex, but still soft sand until about 80~90km from Warrego, then its stunted eucalypts, 2 to 3 Meters tall. This is red sand/clay country. Washouts are frequent, sharp and deep, and hide in the shadows very well. We hit one in a landcruiser in 1997, reversing the front spring hangers, and tearing a hole in the sump with the front diff. A bucket to catch the oil, and a whittled piece of ironwood hammered into the hole got us back to Tennant Creek.

The Warrego Mine (if it is still operating) does not exactly welcome visitors, particularly from the Lajamanu end.

I am not trying to discourage you from attempting this crossing, but be aware, it is tough in a 4WD. On a bike it would be torture.

I doubt if you would get over in one day, it may take you up to 3 days, presuming all goes well.

However, if it has indeed been graded in the last couple of years, 1 full day, or a day and a half.

One last word. I spent 13 years driving country like this, in a 4WD, with just 2 of us in the car, setting the courses for the Wynns safari, and the Australian Safari, before satellite phones and GPS's were available, Relying solely on maps and a compass.

One thing we learned early, do not take this country for granted. It can swallow you up without a trace.

I have some photos on slides I have taken on this track, including a camp in the middle of the track, as there was no clear space off the track to camp.

If you are really interested I can find and scan them, but in reality, the country is very boring, just hundreds of kilometers of the same thing.

Good luck in your decision as whether to travel this way, and keep us informed.

Graeme (aka GT)

Warrego Mine is closed to the best of my knowledge.