Centroid 14 ...my quest continues

Submitted: Tuesday, Jun 18, 2019 at 08:03

ThreadID: 138553 Views:6861 Replies:5 FollowUps:10

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Candace S.

First, if you forgot or don't know what Centroid 14 is, here are some past threads about it:

Original announcement of Centroid 14:https://www.exploroz.com/forum/53697/centroid-14---a-new-place-to-visit

GerryP and others visited in 2008:https://www.exploroz.com/forum/62020/centroid-14---we-made-it

My 2013 request for info:https://www.exploroz.com/forum/105087/centroid-14-and-member-lewis-k-qld

In August, I will (hopefully) be passing near this on the Giles-Mulga Park road, traveling to and from Surveyor General's Corner. So of course I would like to finally visit. But I'm still unsure about the coordinates for the turnoff and the Centroid marker itself.

According to GerryP, the coordinates for the turnoff (provided in thread 62020) are S 25 15 14, E 128 33 21, AGD84 datum.

When I input those coordinates in Google Maps or Google Earth, they map to a point 500+ meters from the Giles-Mulga Park Road. At first, that wasn't surprising, since those map programs use the WGS84 datum.

However, even after converting those coordinates to WGS84 (using http://epsg.io/transform ), there is little difference: the new coordinates map to a point 500+ meters from the Giles-Mulga Park Road! Perhaps the coordinates posted in thread 62020 were simply wrong? Or maybe I'm doing something wrong, LOL.

Worse yet, the coordinates for the Centroid marker did not indicate which datum they were created with. As explained in thread 53697, Centroid 14 was calculated in 1983. So it may have been AGD66.

My 2013 inquiry regarding the datum got no answers. While GerryP stated in 2008 that "we were able to follow our GPS to the location", I don't know if he got the datum information from LewisK, or was simply lucky.

At this point, I'm unsure precisely where the turnoff or the marker itself are. This makes it difficult to request necessary permissions to visit. The "star picket" at the turnoff was placed nearly 11 years ago by GerryP and party. It may not be there anymore. Looking at satellite imagery of the area, I can't see any sign of the track that they followed to the marker. More important, who knows if the Centroid marker itself is still out there!

Are LewisK or GerryP still visiting here? Is there anyone here who communicated with them, and has any more information about this? Has anyone else visited the site since 2008?

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Reply By: Life Member - Duncan W (WA) - Tuesday, Jun 18, 2019 at 10:38

Tuesday, Jun 18, 2019 at 10:38

Hi Candice, we were meant to go there a few years ago with a mate who's been there his coordinates are:

Wpts are: The tracks in off Giles Mulga Park Rd:
T/O SW at 25' 15.167"S & 128' 34.148"E
if using 52J then 4 56 611 E & 72 06 992 N

Next T/O :
25' 16.281" S & 128' 33.150" E
using 52J then 4 54 942 E & 72 04 931N & 72 04 931N

Actual Centroid marker and plaque - 25' 17.833" S & 128' 31.967" E
or using 52J then 4 52 966 E & 72 02 059 N

Hope this helps?

cheers

Dunc

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Follow Up By: Candace S. - Tuesday, Jun 18, 2019 at 13:16

Tuesday, Jun 18, 2019 at 13:16

Dunc,

Thanks for the coordinates. I'll play around with them and see how they map.

But, what is 52J? I honestly have no idea. Googling 52J comes up with a lot of stuff that has nothing to do with mapping, LOL.

So, there are two places one can turn off from the Giles-Mulga Park Road? And two different tracks going out to the site? That's how I'm interpreting the first two sets of coordinates you provided. But I haven't mapped them out yet.

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Follow Up By: Life Member - Duncan W (WA) - Tuesday, Jun 18, 2019 at 14:43

Tuesday, Jun 18, 2019 at 14:43

Candice the way point notes provided to me stated that they had to walk and search for the tracks initially.

Guess it may be a case of suck it and see it when you are actually on the ground.

The track may be a bit more defined these days?
We will be out that way in mid July so may have a look see ourselves this time around?

Cheers

Dunc

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Follow Up By: The Explorer - Tuesday, Jun 18, 2019 at 14:45

Tuesday, Jun 18, 2019 at 14:45

Hello

52J is the UTM Zone - without it the coordinates (452966 E & 7202059 N) are meaningless as there are similar coordinates in other zones (UTM Zones in Australia go from 49 to 56).

Cheers
Greg

I sent one final shout after him to stick to the track, to which he replied “All right,” That was the last ever seen of Gibson - E Giles 23 April 1874

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Follow Up By: Candace S. - Wednesday, Jun 19, 2019 at 00:26

Wednesday, Jun 19, 2019 at 00:26

Doh re: 52J ! I don't use UTM, I stick with latitude and longitude, so I didn't even think about that.

Dunc,

Sounds like you've got more information than I have, I only know what was posted publicly in the Forum here.

If you do make it out there in July, please share an update here! I won't be in the area until August.

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Reply By: kgarn - Tuesday, Jun 18, 2019 at 14:00

Tuesday, Jun 18, 2019 at 14:00

Hi Candace,

52J refers to coordinates in the Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) Coordinate system.

UTM coordinate system

Ken

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Reply By: Life Member - Duncan W (WA) - Saturday, Jul 13, 2019 at 16:17

Saturday, Jul 13, 2019 at 16:17

Hi Candice we didn't end up going in. It was late in the day and we were a few days behind schedule so we gave it a miss. Maybe one day?

cheers

Dunc

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Follow Up By: Candace S. - Sunday, Jul 21, 2019 at 21:34

Sunday, Jul 21, 2019 at 21:34

I just thought about this and came looking for this thread. Sorry to hear you couldn't try this.

Without knowing if the marker/plaque are still there, not sure if I will give this a try.

BTW, since I will be in a hire vehicle, bush-bashing is not an option. And I'm skeptical there's much of a track to the site.

Parking along the Giles-Mulga Park Road and walking to the site is an option, but maybe risky to leave the vehicle unattended out there...

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Reply By: The Explorer - Monday, Jul 22, 2019 at 17:23

Monday, Jul 22, 2019 at 17:23

Hello - You can see most of the track to the marker on Microsoft Virtual Earth. For everyone’s benefit I have traced it in OziExplorer and produced a GPX and KML file.

I can’t see the last 300 metres or so of the track so your on your own for that section. Looks like the track splits near the end as well but looks like both options head to the same spot (I didn’t trace both options).

According to what I can see on the satellite image the turn off is actually at (WGS 84/GDA94) 25° 15’ 15.0’’ S and 128° 34’ 10.5” E – and the track heads more or less straight south west for about 6km to marker.

Centroid 14 track and waypoint file

Centroid 14 track and waypoint file for Google Earth

Cheers
Greg

I sent one final shout after him to stick to the track, to which he replied “All right,” That was the last ever seen of Gibson - E Giles 23 April 1874

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Follow Up By: Candace S. - Monday, Jul 22, 2019 at 19:14

Monday, Jul 22, 2019 at 19:14

Greg,

Thanks for your response!

I did open the KML file in Google Earth. By switching your red trace line off and on, I can very faintly see a bit of the track. But it's so obscure, I never noticed any of it before.

I'm not familiar with MS Virtual Earth. I have the impression it's something one has to pay for. If they have photos of sufficient resolution to show the track out to Centroid 14, then no surprise it's not free!

Thank you in particular for providing coordinates AND including the datum!

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Follow Up By: The Explorer - Monday, Jul 22, 2019 at 19:29

Monday, Jul 22, 2019 at 19:29

Hello

MS Virtual Earth (AKA Bing Maps) is free - like Google Earth but maybe not as good to use, function wise

MS Virtual Earth/Bing Maps

You have to turn on aerial view in top right corner (click on Road icon)

You can access MVE through OziExplorer (which you have to pay for) which is what I did so I could trace the track and place waypoints - very handy. Often more recent images and higher resolution than GE in remote areas but not always.

Cheers
Greg

I sent one final shout after him to stick to the track, to which he replied “All right,” That was the last ever seen of Gibson - E Giles 23 April 1874

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Follow Up By: Candace S. - Tuesday, Jul 23, 2019 at 22:08

Tuesday, Jul 23, 2019 at 22:08

Seeing is believing!

There definitely is a track, but as seen here the beginning may be obscured by the berm along the Giles - Mulga Park Road.

They definitely have some nice quality in Bing Maps. But indeed, it doesn't have the tools that GE has.

Thanks again, Greg!

Centroid 14 turnoff

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Follow Up By: The Explorer - Tuesday, Jul 23, 2019 at 22:37

Tuesday, Jul 23, 2019 at 22:37

No worries - all good fun

Cheers
Greg

I sent one final shout after him to stick to the track, to which he replied “All right,” That was the last ever seen of Gibson - E Giles 23 April 1874

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Reply By: Candace S. - Saturday, Aug 10, 2019 at 23:16

Saturday, Aug 10, 2019 at 23:16

Greetings from Warakurna Roadhouse CG.

Today I drove down the Giles-Mulga Park road to the beginning of the little track that runs out to Centroid 14. And I drove the first ~150 meters of the track, which was fine. But from there, the spinifex is much higher.

I didn't want to stake a tyre (it would be hard to see sticks or stumps through the grass), or set the vehicle on fire. So I turned around at that point.

Not to mention, I'm also in a hire vehicle and I definitely wasn't approved to drive that track, LOL.

I had considered parking along the Giles-Mulga Park Road and walking to the site. But I don't think it would be wise to leave a vehicle unattended there. And it's very open country...no trees to obscure the vehicle, even if I did drive in a ways.

So it doesn't look like I'll be visiting there this year, if ever!

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