Bungle Bungles through road to the East?

Hi Paul B.
we did that track in 2014 with an off road caravan and it took us 4 hrs each way..

Great to be there but not much fun getting there.
Cheers Rob

Part of the adventure I would have thought ..unless you are in a hurry. Going there in June for a 4/5 day hike so will see if my assessment/attitude has changed (having been there 2 times before on the "goat track") .

Cheers
Greg

G'day Paul,
Was there 22 years ago & the ranger bought up the subject of "improving" the track in.
Everyone around the campfire strongly disagreed with him. Keeps out the "riff raff" I reckon.
We spent a few nights hiking into the gorges & the nights were magic until the helicopters got started in the morning. Still can't complain because we took a flight too. :-)
Cheers
Stu

Stu

I checked my track log from a couple of years ago and it backed up my memory that the track rarely runs straight for more than 100m or so!
Never mind the countless creek crossings.
Upgrading it would be an expensive proposition and not necessary at all in my view.
A late afternoon helicopter ride with the hills lit up by the setting sun will forever be one of the best things I have ever done.
Would do it again in a heartbeat.

Cheers

Rocco.

Can't disagree more. It's one of the great natural wonders of the world and it ought to be far more accessible to the ordinary joe without a high clearance four wheel drive and without the budget to charter an aircraft.

If there are riff-raff, manage them appropriately, don't make it impossible for vast licks of people to get there, remembering the people doing it toughest in Australia are those raising several kids, who seem to have everything stacked against them these days, especially the tax man. They ought to be able to take their kids to see it far more easily, as should everyone else.

People will say it's very fragile, and it is too, but so is the Grand Canyon which has millions of visitors a year, appropriately managed. In fact fragility is a constant state in the natural world, not just at the Bungles, so it should form a big part of how we manage them.

I just think it's way too big a natural attraction to keep people away from, with the worst road in the world.

Yep..... put up lots of bollards and lots of fences to keep people under control with big signs and more rules.
Maybe a moving walkway and a chair lift or two would be better for those who are lazy or can't walk would be fairer too.
Would be great then.......................?

Cheers,
Peter
OKA196 motorhome

Are you always a complete prick or is this a special effort for me? I don’t see why we shouldn’t be able to see our great world attractions without a decent road into them, like everything else has.

Effort yes- not special for you.
Bitumise the Canning and the Rig road too and we won't need 4WDs at all, think of the benefits.
Make it all easy and it looses its value.

Cheers,
Peter
OKA196 motorhome

Hi Paul,
I believe you shouldn't open every point of interest to all. As a long distance Bushwalker as well as adventure 4WD enthusiast for my whole life where is the adventure left with bitumen to every attraction?
The Ranger at the Bungles 22 years back made the comment around the campfire chat time "Why should rich people in 4wd's be the only people to see this"? Well I didn't see one single high end 4wd in the camp area!
Let me tell you that went down like a "lead balloon" with the other campers.
No adventure left in life if you develop everywhere.
Sorry strongly disagree with your thoughts on opening everything up for all. If you want to visit then you have to go to the extra effort of getting there.

Cheers
Stu

Hi Paul, my views on sealing dirt roads are usually very much quite opposite. Most times when a major outback road gets sealed, the place in question loses it's appeal to us. Uluru being the only exception that I can think off. But in this case I have to agree with tarring that road, but for different reasons.

Its rough & only quite short. Pretty much anyone in a 4x4 can drive it without having to have any 4x4 skills, or outback nouse. It's a relatively safe, short track with lots of passing traffic & a sealed Hwy not too far away. It's also in the Kimberley, so its an extremely popular destination. Unfortunately, this means that it also attracts people who, by their actions, can wreck the journey for other travellers.

We rarely get overtaken on dirt roads & in all of our travels, I can't think of another dirt road where we've been overtaken by a vehicle behind us without some sort of collaboration between us & them occurring before the overtaking manoeuvre commenced. But we had the misfortune to be on that track when a group from Qld, all driving the same brand of 4x4, with a club logo on their cars came past us, using the road as a race track. Great fun for them, but not for other road users! Especially on that road! On that same trip, we were overtaken while we were crossing water by a blue & silver D22 Navara towing a camper trailer. He didn't even slow down for the water. But karma kicked in & we waved nicely to him as we passed him about 10mins later, stuck with what appeared to be a busted axle on the trailer. Yet again, on that same road, we were passed by an old guy driving a Suzuki Sierra going like a cut cat & karma did its thing again. We passed him (waving nicely) a bit later. He'd followed in very deep wheel ruts & had bellied out, with all 4 wheels off the ground. We even passed a dad stranded in a narrow water crossing in a petrol cruiser, trying to get the electrics dry, so he could start the engine (mum & kids watching on from the bank). Just slowing down would have prevented that!

I know sealing the road won't keep bad drivers out, but it will minimise the harm that they can do to the rest of the population!

Not sure, simply because I want a better road into the Bungles, why this should be taken as also wanting the end of every other 4WD trek. To be clear, I don’t want the sealing of the Canning or the Rig road, I just think it ought to be a bit easier to get to the Bungles.

I enjoy my fourbie, getting to off the beaten track places, I especially enjoy getting away from the crowds, but I just think the Bungles are a bit special and a bit different.

I appreciate others disagree, but can we at least disagree about the specific matter at hand without all the red herrings.

"I appreciate others disagree, but can we at least disagree about the specific matter at hand without all the red herrings."
Then control the personal abuse please.

Cheers,
Peter
OKA196 motorhome.

Personal abuse? How about your totally uncalled for sarcasm which completely and maliciously misrepresented my post. Wasn’t that long ago that if you’d said something like that to someone’s face you’d have gotten a smack in the mouth. Action and reaction are equal and opposite.