Yandama stock route?

Submitted: Wednesday, May 25, 2005 at 20:50

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mark m (Vic)

Some info please. I am planning a trip to the Gammon/Flinders ranges in August (from Melb). In the past, I have gone up through the corner country and come back via Yunta/BH - but as I don't have as much time, I am looking at something a little shorter. I remember reading in Brian Sheedy's book "Outback on your doorstep" some time back about a track that goes west from Milparinka/Hawker Gate, in between Lakes Callabonna and Frome, onto the Gammon Ranges. I'm sure he called it the Yandama Stock Route, but my AUSLIG map shows a track called "Mount Brown Track". Has anyone used this track recently? Do you have any information on track condition and access? If it is closed for some reason, is there another route I can take i.e. come south of Lake Frome from one of the SA/NSW gate border crossings. Thanks.

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Reply By: Rick (S.A.) - Wednesday, May 25, 2005 at 21:37

Wednesday, May 25, 2005 at 21:37

Shorter may take a day or two longer.

I think you are really asking if there is access across station tracks to the Gammons, and there probably is. However, coutesy demands you ask for permission to travel those tracks, and it would be slow going. The Kidman enterprise and the Mutorroo past. Co., would, I imagine , control the access through the border gates in the latitudes you suggest.

From your post, can I assume you have previously travelled the Strz from Camerons Corner? May be this time hack down thorugh Moolawatana into the Gammons? This would be heaps quicker than your proposal - not that I dislike your siggestion, but you have qualified time as an issue.

feel free to ask for more details - (I may not be able to supply much more without digging out maps & references!!)

Cheers

Rick

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Follow Up By: mark m (Vic) - Wednesday, May 25, 2005 at 21:51

Wednesday, May 25, 2005 at 21:51

Thanks Rick, very useful. I did enjoy the (old) Strz travelling up to Innaminka from Merty Merty last time, but somehow doing 100k/hr on the new Strz coming down from Moomba takes away a bit of the what it is all about. When you say Moolawatana, is that on a different route into the Gammons from the new Strz? Anyway, thankyou for the details of those I should contact. As you say, I only want to do this if I have all the necessary approvals in place.

Thanks again
Mark

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Follow Up By: Rick (S.A.) - Wednesday, May 25, 2005 at 22:03

Wednesday, May 25, 2005 at 22:03

Yeah, Moolawtatna is on the eastern side of the Gammons.

The real Strz goes through the Cobbler Sandhill, past Montecollina bore , through Murnpeowie (called Mumpy for short ) & down through Mt Lyndhurst, into Lyndhurst itself. Then bitumen down the western side of the ranges into the Flinders. From memory, if heading south on the Strz from Merty, hook a lefty and it's an easy run down to Balcanoona. From there you can easliy access the Gammons, or travel further south into the Flinders, on the east, rather than the more tradiitional western approach.

I agree with your sentiments, it is a nice drive on the old Strz from Merty into Innamincka. I recall cooking a very nice piece of pork in the camp oven, on a coolabah fire, in that stretch. The bloody corellas were very annoying at dawn, however. Gotta go again soon for another fix.

cheers

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