Planning 1st Leg of our 2 year trip

Hi WAKO,

West of Ullaru is Kata Tjuta (the Olgas), from there, the Great Central Road.. Travelling the GCR requires two permits, but these permits will give you access to Ullaru & Kata Tjuta without having to pay the N.P Access fee.

Along the GCR is Lasserters Cave, also a short side trip to Surveyor General’s Corner, the corner where the state borders of Western Australia, Northern Territory & South Australia meet. Note, there are actually two corner posts here as the actual corner is a “dog leg”. After getting to the first corner post, you need to continue along the track for another 150m or so around a bend before you come to the second post. You will need a permit to access this area.

Back tracking from Surveyor Generals Corner is Giles Weather Station, also on the GCR, (although you may wish to visit here before going to SGC), where you will find a grader used by Len Beadell and the Gunbarrel Highway Construction Party.

These are just a few places of interest west from Ullaru.

Macca.

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G'day Wako,

Maybe from Uluru to Warburton on the Great Central Rd and on to Leonora, Leinster, Mt Magnet and Geraldton. Then just a couple of hundred up the coast turning off at the Overlander Roadhouse to Steep Point.
If you are doing a two year jaunt I expect you to be well loaded and the Madigan may be a bit much for you, especially heading west.

When you head out to Steep Point try not to go straight after the big fish comp i was there about this time last year & that first long dune was so chopped up & soft it was the worst i have ever seen it & i first went there in 1977 (12 visits) If you camp on the property (Goat farm) just before the National Park don't think you will get an early start as you can't drop the key in early to get your deposit $ back & if you stay the night out at steep point & don't get blown away you have better luck than i normally have

re "Maddigan Line o believe requires a bit more planning as permits are required??"

You need a permit for the French Line as well. Not a big deal though, I believe you can pick one up in Birdsville (we got ours last year at Mount Dare, since we were heading West to East.

From Alice to Steep Point - my suggestions based upon places which were real highlights for us & that I consider to be 'don't miss' spots as a consequence. How to join the dots is up to you. You have plenty of time & a suitable vehicle for all.

West Macdonnells & Uluru.
Boggy Hole - a lovely drive & a good place to camp.
Palm Valley
Sandy Blight Track (We missed this by going onto the Gary Junction Rd from the West Macs, but if doing it again would continue from Uluru along the GCR & then up the Sandy Blight Track to the GJR).
Karlamilyi NP (via Telfer mine is a good drive)
From Karlamilyi we went west to Newman (Go out to Kalgan Pools/River for a night or three (about 10kms north of Newman, & ? 30kms along the track).
From Newman we headed south & then took station tracks west toward the coast - these are generally excellent tracks, easy driving but remote driving - very enjoyable - Mt Augustus & Kennedy Ranges NP -> Steep Point
We didn't go right to the coast this time, instead looping back North & east to Marble Bar (via Millstream Chichester NP, & along the top side of Karaijini NP. We missed Karijini - have been before. If you haven't been - it is 110% a 'must visit'.
From Marble Bar we continued east almost to Telfer mine again, but instead continued in a loop via Carawine Gorge & the Skull Springs Road.
A place very worthy of your consideration whether taking a very roundabout route as we did, or if coming westward past Telfer toward Marble Bar is Skull Springs Road. Not only is the road itself through very pretty country, but there is the best camp we have ever had at Running Waters' (Hema map shows it). It is truly magnificent , peaceful, shady & warm spring water just a couple of steps from your camp. It also requires a high clearance vehicle to access it, which restricts visitor numbers. (We had the place totally to ourselves for 3 out of 4 nights, & only one other on the 1st night). Honestly this camp spot is worth travelling from one sife of the country to the other for just this alone! Further along Skull Springs road, Skull Springs themselves are like nothing else we've seen anywhere.

Too many wonderful spots to mention in a post like this. Check out our blog. If you click on 'Posts/Previous Posts' all theabove places get a mention. Lots of pics. Lots more places in between. Easy to spend 3months + from Alice to the west coast & not feel like you've wasted a moment.

Blog - A Nomadic Life

Running Waters - water temp just above body temp.Heaven!

My best tip for a long trip is to listen what people have to say - but make up your own mind
Remember that one person’s idea of what’s good may not be the same as yours.
Similarly, if someone says don’t go to an area, take it with a grain of salt.
I remember when I first got to the NT many years ago, I heard many people tell me to avoid Kakadu and say “Kakau - Kakadont”
If I took their advice and avoided Kakadu, I would have missed out on some of the most beautiful places and experiences around
I've had people say to not go to numerous places incl Uluru and Kings Canyon
One bloke whinged that Kings Canyon had no grass at the van park. It’s a desert!!
I can’t remember going somewhere and wishing that I had never gone there


DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH