In The Tracks of Len Beadell

Kaye and I try to get away at least once a year for an 'extended' trip in the Oka. Last year it was a journey through the centre following in the footsteps of Len Beadell. Kaye keeps a journal of our travels and this is the first instalment of this journal. more to come if there's interest.

I've reduced the original from Word to PDF in the interests of size so photos may suffer as a consequence. All that's left to do is see if I can upload a 3 meg file as an attachment, hmmm.............................





Deano

A good read, 21 pages with the 22nd blank, is that how it was?
Where's part 2 ? )

Well here's part2, Coober Pedy to Coolgardie via the Anne Beadell Highway, again reduced to PDF but 13 meg for this one, is this too big for a single upload ?................................I guess I'll find out.

a good read, my compliments to you both.

What a magnificent land we live in !!
thanks for the insight, please show more.

Kaye, Deano, these are great travelogs. I read them with a fond mixture of memories (we've been there!) and envy (why haven't we been there yet?). In fact we almost clashed last year around the Neale Junction area (we went down the Connie Sue from Laverton), but a bit later than you.

You certainly had more than your fair share of water to contend with (I hate mud), the same tracks that we've done have nearly always been dry and dusty (and therefore corrugated).

Did you have any difficulty getting permits for the abandoned Gunbarrel section around Jackie Junction?

Your problem with brake callipers coming adrift on rough tracks is always a worry, but there is a fairly simple mod to prevent this (which I claim no credit for, it was on our Oka when we bought it).

Drill and tap a couple of holes and bolt (Loctite) a steel strap across the calliper. Then even if/when the wedges and/or spring clips go missing, the calliper will remain in place and working. ( And a tent peg can be used to replace a lost spring ).

"Did you have any difficulty getting permits for the abandoned Gunbarrel section around Jackie Junction?"

I just went to the office in Alice with the names and rego and contact details of more than 2 vehicles and they got the permit by fax later that day and I picked it up. Needed one sat phone

As Tony says no problems if you have at least two vehicles, seem to know what you are doing and have either a satphone or HF radio.
Forgot to add that it is a very pleasant drive as not well travelled and there are a few things to see along the way.

Tony Lee wrote: "Did you have any difficulty getting permits for the abandoned Gunbarrel section around Jackie Junction?"

We had no problem getting a permit for this section although it is quite remote and the 'road' condition varies greatly. Here's a couple of examples.










As I said Kaye had no problems with permits but she does send a summary of our outback/off road experience, vehicle details, spares & tools, food & water etc as well as communications equipment (sat phones and HF). We haven't been knocked back yet.

We did come across a group of people with 4 vehicles at Surveyor Generals Corner who had been knocked back for a permit for the Old Gunbarrell Hwy. They had a BT-50 ute (no problem here), a couple of 70 series one with a large/wide over cab slide on (which would have been trashed by overhanging branches) the other Toyota would have been OK and a Mercedes ML 350 or such SUV which would have been totally trashed underneath should it have attempted the route. I think they were a bit miffed at being knocked back and were secretly considering doing it anyway. The lady in the cruiser with the slide on had no problem understanding and had an appreciation of the 'bush pinstripes' on the Oka but the couple in the Mercedes appeared a bit miffed when I advised that their (very expensive) SUV was not suitable.


Deano

ps. Thanks for the kind words and advice. Kaye puts a lot of work into her journals and it's good to see that a 'wider' audience can get to appreciate them too.

Should have part 3 soon.

Here we go Parts 3 & 4. Coolgardie, Kalgoorlie and 'The Goldfields'.




Kaye & Deano

Kay and Dean, this is great stuff, we're really enjoying this.

Dean, you've got to get yourself checked out. A man who can eat that much has got to have worms ))

I reckon lying under the Oka doing all the work gives you a good appetite.

unfortunately reading of Dean & Kaye's well written exploits takes time away from us lying under our Oka's.

On the subject of Len Beadell I did a job late last year for an elderly couple in Wembley Downs. He had a machined model of a rocket on his desk, turns out he was the liquid fuel refridgeration mechanic for the Woomera rocket program (the model was a retirement momento). He mentioned meeting Len after he came back from one of his sorties in the bush.

Margaret and I had the great pleasure of meeting Len on 2 occasions and hearing him speak.
On the first occasion we chatted afterwards about our trips into some remote areas in a Mini.
On the second occasion we met him 3 or 4 years later, he approached us with "You are the guys who went bush in a Mini".
Extraordinary character.

I always like to stop in the bush and check the theodolite accuracy of his plaque positions with a GPS. Amasing!.

Cheers,
Peter

Sandra and I had the pleasure of spending a few days camped with Len back in the late 80's, we've also been to a couple of his talks plus have all his books and video's. Also spent some time with Anne too.
They were both amazing people and Len's dogged persistence in the face of adversary is hard to imagine.

[quote="PeteFox" post=6462

...................................Dean, you've got to get yourself checked out. A man who can eat that much has got to have worms ))[/quote]

aahhh...........................such is life. According to Kayes writings my main attributes seem to be eating, sleeping and snoring , well I suppose a bloke could do worse. I'm fortunate that Kaye seems to be able to construct a 3 course meal out of a can of baked beans and a spud and appears to enjoy doing so. It would be churlish of me not to 'appreciate' the results of her labours )

Here we are a couple of years ago, doing it hard at Durba Springs




It's a tough life but I'm doing my best to hold up. )


Deano

ps. Chapter 5 is on the way.

Well here's the next 'exciting instalment.

Coolgardie to Wiluna via the Goldfields Hwy and onto Carnegie Station and Giles via the Gunbarrell / Old Gunbarrell Hwy's and the Great Central Rd and on to Surveyor Generals Corner.

Any and all comments greatly appreciated, especially identifying any 'un-named' flora !




Kaye & Deano

Kaye, Deano, another great read.

We noticed a series of numbered posts on the Anne Beadell Highway, which I discovered later were placed there by the Friends of the Great Victoria Desert to identify specfic plant species.


Their website contains photos and lists of plants and animals in that area which might help with identification.

Thanks for the link David, I'll pass it on. We've got several 'Flora' publications including 'Shrubs and Trees of the Great Victoria Desert' published by the group you mentioned.

We've become fairly proficient at identifying birds, it's the LBB's (little brown ba..... err. birds) that we find the most challenging. Plants on the other hand are much more difficult, they mightn't fly away but there are many more species than birds.

Here's the next instalment for those following our tale of 'grit and determination' and doing it hard through adversity etc. I reckon Len Beadell would be amazed at the ease and comfort available for those who follow in his footsteps.

This section covers from Surveyor Generals Corner to Alice Springs via the Sandy Blight Junction Road and Gary Junction Road and the West Macdonnell ranges.




Deano

Excellent read again Kaye, many thanks for putting it all together.
Sandra and I have been members of the Friends of the Great Victoria Desert since its inception and we also belong to a similar group Friends of the Simpson Desert. Membership is open to anyone with an interest in the areas involved and it is a really good way to visit such places in company with other members who are quite often experts in different fields involving the flora and fauna. We've had many great trips with the Friends groups over the years and quite often into parts not normally accessible to the general public doing surveys on flora and fauna.