Canning Stock Route Desert Roudabout

Expression of Interest
Hi All I have posted an expression of interest for those who wish to participate in the Canning Stock Route porting of the desert roundabout 2015.
Please contact me for an information pack that will be available from Thursday the 1st of May.

OKA TREK

This is section #3 of the Desert roundabout!!

Dean, I was just asking a couple of guys what was happening with the 2015 Canning trip but they couldn't advise me so your timing is spot on. However, I am not clear whether this is a group of Oka owners from the site getting together to do a Canning trip in 2015, or whether it is a commercial enterprise ie tag along for Oka owners. If you could clarify this, it would be appreciated. Thanks Paul.

Hi Dean, I'm a bit confused too, could you please elaborate on your proposal


Deano

Would you like an info Pack? are you interested?

If this helps it is what I sent Paul
Hi Paul,
It is a Tag along for OKA owners, the idea is to firstly get more owners into the Oka owners Group.
To enable owners who perhaps don't have the confidence in their vehicles capability to travel with people that do.
To provide the comradeship that leads to a more active social forum.
To share the best information so particularly new owners don't waste time and money chasing dead ends.
All of this I believe will raise the profile and therefore the value in the fleet so that it is well worth the money that you may spend in time and components hopefully from OKA Parts Australia.
As we are a commercial operation I would like to continue offering the fleet owners the mods, service and advice that we currently do, and as a result there will be a nominal fee but all it would be is to cover the costs of the organisation etc, so no it won't be a money making effort but a cost covering effort.
We will be providing scrutiny prior to travelling for those who want us to do it, at a cost of around $1650, not including repairs. This will be have to be completed and signed off by someone, whether it be the owner, the owners mechanic or us, either way we have a detailed inspection process that takes about 15 hrs from top to bottom.
We will provide up to 3 trip briefings that will cover the history, the methodology and logistics.
We will be attending the 4wd and adventure show and we will be advertising this trip for OKA owners that we feel will create more interest in the vehicle.
I hope that this assists and I will send an info pack on the 1st of May.

Thankyou Dean for the additional info, and yes we would like an info pack.

Deano

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Hi Dean,

The CSR trip sounds great. I would be interested in an info pack.

Regards Brian

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Hi Dean (Robinson), Thank you very much for getting back to me regarding your proposed tag along for the Canning. I did not realise it was a tag along, however, if you wish to send me an information pack, I will give it some consideration. As you know, I was under the wrong impression that it was just the site Okas so thanks again for your response.

For your info, I did not receive the private message but that is fine because you have included it on the Oka site, so many thanks again. Paul.

Hi Dean, could you please send me an info pack to
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Cheers

Please include me when sending information pacs

Hope you find this interesting

Hi Dean

from the proposal document.

...............I have calculated that over a 21 day travel period we will have at least 3 locations to
occupy 1 site for a couple of nights such as the Durba Springs, and I am open to any other suggestions .

The calculation also allows for some side trips but at a rate of 20KPH in a 5 hour travel
period we would cover around 100 kilometers per day on average.

and thanks for the opportunity to offer suggestions. Here's a few from our 2010 trip experience.

Depending where you are staging from there is a very good campsite at Stretch Lagoon (water from the lagoon/no toilets)about 20 Km South of Bililuna.



Stretch Lagoon


Another good site for a lay day is at well 46, Kuduarra, (well water OK although tannin stained/no toilets).



Well 46


Perhaps well 33 (well water OK/no toilets)or nearby Kunawaritji (mandatory fuel and reprovisioning). The operators at Kunawaritji have built a very good accommodation area for those who might want to spoil themselves with a bit of extra comfort.





Well 33, and Kunawaratji


Well 30 is good, plenty of firewood, shade etc but no usable water or toilet facilities.



Well 30


The Capricorn Roadhouse fuel dump near well 23 is pretty bleak and desolate so don't think of stopping here for its 'aesthetic appeal', 20 k's further on is Georgia Bore (not a CSR well) where the Talawana Track heads off to Newman and is an obvious choice for a lay day. Good water from the bore, long drop toilet (the knees give thanks) though little shade and no firewood.



Georgia Bore


There's a nice shady camp spot opposite Lake Disappointment, nicely shaded and elevated, but no water or toilet facilities, a very good spot for a lunch break or an over nighter. Durba Springs is the next contender and without doubt the best campsite on the journey (it's actually off the CSR) and at the time of our journey the only place you needed a permit for (as long as you stayed on the CSR). A picturesque and sheltered grassy/wooded area of about 10 acres or so. A 'mandatory' lay day here for most CSR travellers so can be quite 'busy'. No firewood here, contaminated water (camel s**t) pool but a good soak a couple of hundred yards upstream, a long drop dunny is another bonus.





Durba Springs Campground


Well 6 (Pierre Springs) is another beautiful campsite, plenty of shade, ample firewood if you're prepared to walk 100 metres or so and very good water from the restored well.



Well 6


Next and final contender is well 1, large flat treed area and the perfect spot for that 'last night' celebration. No water or toilet facilities but a million times better than camping in Wiluna, don't even think about it. We've camped here on several occasions.



Well 1


Here's a 'bush camp', near Lake Disappointment? under the Desert Oaks which are very common along the CSR.



Bush Camp


and being clever with reflections in Well 18



Reflections


Those blasted camera self timers are never long enough.......................



Lake Disappointment


OKA 413 in 'CSR mode', used approx. 350 litres of diesel for the journey and had 305/70R19.5 Bridgestone 'AT' type tyres running at 24 / 22 psi for most of the trip. Water was not a problem, some wells (watering points) are good, others caved in or polluted but certainly no problems here. 'If it looks OK, smells OK and tastes OK then it probably is OK', but we'd boil it anyway for consumption .



OKA 413


The driving itself isn't the main challenge in travelling the CSR, the biggest dune is only 25 metres or thereabouts with average dune heights of probably half that. The track is a mix of sandy, rocky, corrugated and perhaps mud and can be very slow going at times and needing good concentration which is tiring. An average of 100 Km per day is about right for a good journey though some days it will be a lot less. The greatest challenge is logistics, 1900 Km and 3 weeks being basically fully self sufficient with one fuel/food stocking point at Kunawaratji and perhaps a fuel dump near Georgia Bore.

IMO travelling as part of an organised group, such as Dean Robinson proposes, can lessen the stress levels for those unaccustomed to long distance remote travel whilst enjoying the experience of one of Australia's most iconic journeys.

We hope the above helps.


Deano & Kaye

ps. the photo's are all Kayes, the spelling mistakes are Deano's.

Deano, one other good spot on the CSR is Well 26, renovated well, good water and nice camping area.

Before (in 2007)



After (2012)







But watch out for the windlass handles, they can be dangerous if they get out of control as this fellow found. This is not a good location for a broken leg.

Here's Well 26 in 2010 with the Canning Memorial in the background.



and an excerpt from Kaye's journal.


....................................Well 26 was reconstructed in 1983 in it’s entirety with almost all of the work carried out to original specifications. It was built by a team of twenty five people. Along with the memorial this was to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the stock route. Unfortunately we did not have the privilege to see it in all its glory. Fire has destroyed this fine work and the top of the well was now rotted and unstable. The well covers were not in good condition and the water is apparently contaminated. As it was not safe we did not investigate this.

I reckon the issue here is that it doesn't take long to get from one extreme to another. A grass fire comes through and destroys the timber, a bit of rain and wind and this is what you end up with.
The overall lesson I guess is that 'last years info.' may not count for much when planning a trip.
Probably best to contact DEC for up to date info as they have long term studies on the CSR.


Deano

Interesting to read about preparations for a CSR trip. We did it with another 2 Okas in 2012. You can see photos and read our diary of the trip on rasa-travellingquil-t-ales.blogspot.com....2_08_12_archive.html . There were days that we didn't even go 100km. It is a very interesting trip and track and campsite conditions will vary from year to year. The sand dunes are very different to those of the Simpson - the sand is like powder.

Dean and Kaye Howells wrote: Here's Well 26 in 2010 with the Canning Memorial in the background.
Deano

Thanks Deano, I didn't know about the fire but that does explain why the renovation team replaced the cattle trough. Not strictly necessary now but a nice touch of authenticity.

In 2007 there had been several fires on the northern section of the CSR and many of the Desert Oaks were looking a bit sad although adult trees should recover. Still makes the CSR a magnificent trip though, ever changing, ever the same.

Thanks all for the insightful commentary, I will put this in the proposed program