Maralinga and Great Victoria Desert Trip (plus Gawler Ranges and WA’s Goldfields)
NOTE: Date changed to 25th Aug - 11th Sept
Description: The trip will travel through Gawler Ranges, staying for 3 nights at Mt Ive station. Then on to Maralinga for 2 nights to include a tour of the nuclear weapon test areas conducted by the local custodians of the area (the tour that is – not the nuclear bombs!!).
The Anne Beadell Hwy is our route across the Great Victoria Desert to Queen Victoria Spring Nature Reserve. This is a very important site in the exploration of Australia and seems to be seldom visited. The trip is expected to arrive in Kalgoorlie on 6 September and then tour some of the tourist sites of the Goldfields on a 4 night stay in the caravan park.
This trip places you within “near” distance of the more spectacular wildflower areas of WA, or close to the Eyre Hwy if you want to return promptly to Melbourne. Christine and I shall be travelling on to Perth for family visiting on the morning of 11 September.
Some important notes:
1. I have travelled the Anne Beadell with an off-road camper trailer. It did get a quite a few scratches (actually I broke a side window on the T Van when I hit a branch) but it got across.
2. This trip demands fuel for your vehicle for 1100kms. Very good calculations are required, especially if you are towing a camper trailer in true off-road conditions. The 1100 kms is a genuine distance without a safety margin so add another 20 litres to your calculation for this.
3. You will need to carry water for 5 days, preferably with a separate drinking water container for 8 days’ supply.
4. Fees will be payable at Mt Ive, Maralinga and Kalgoorlie (actually Boulder caravan park).
5. Permits to visit Maralinga will need to be booked well in advance. They have limited capacity for the tour and camping there. I would like to book these by 31 March.
Further info and briefings closer to the time - or email Alan Hawkes with any questions.
Weather: Usually comfortably warm in the desert in spring but be prepared for cool evenings.
Equipment: This trip will be suited to confident 4WDrivers with some experience. Your vehicle will need to be equipped with a UHF radio, good all terrain tyres, low range, 4WD and have reasonable clearance (at least 200mm recommended). We shall discuss remote area travel spares when we know which make of vehicles are on the trip. The vehicles will have to be in first class mechanical condition so a detailed service and check by mechanics who understand the rigours of outback travel is required.
Trip Standard: Medium but with probable lengthy stretches of bad corrugations, sand and washouts.
Fuel: This trip demands fuel for your vehicle for 1100kms (longest distance between fuel stops).
Distance: Estimated total distance 3500 Km.
Duration: 17 days
Convoy limit: 8 vehicles (increased from 6)
Meeting Arrangements: 10:00 am Saturday morning in Port Augusta.(more details later)
Trip Leaders: Alan and Christine Hawkes. email ahaw2901@yahoo.com.au mob 0419744832
