camerons corner convoy

keiron · Senior Member

camerons corner convoy

Whenarewethere · Guru

keiron wrote:
I am hoping to do the trip, including some sightseeing, as part of a convoy / group.

Is your car unreliable?

86GTS · Senior Member

We've spent a fair chunk of time in those areas photographing wildlife, you might struggle with a 2WD.

It might be safer to stay on the black top, as a few of those tracks are quite challenging at times & phone reception is non-existant in some places.

A safer route would be: Cobar-Wilcannia-White Cliffs-Wilcannia-Broken Hill-Packsaddle-Tibooburra.

The Silver City Hwy is bitumen all the way from BH to Tibooburra.

The old tin mining town of Euriowie South of Packsaddle is quite interesting.

You would still see Milparinka & venture out to Cameron's Corner.

Take a tent & you can camp anywhere that you fancy.

eureowie pano (1200x355).jpg

Climbing the Barrier Ranges on foot, the white speck in the distance is our camp.

A friendly Packsaddle area local.

Screenshot 2023-01-31 at 05-29-40 (PDF) THE BYJERKERNO By Trevor Dart -.png

-- Edited by 86GTS on Tuesday 31st of January 2023 07:25:32 AM

-- Edited by 86GTS on Tuesday 31st of January 2023 07:39:17 PM

Mike Harding · Guru

It is a long time (15 years?) since I have been in that area but it is serious country and has the potential to kill you if things go badly wrong.

You are right to seek at least one other vehicle with which to travel and that should be a 4WD with appropriate tyres and rescue gear. I would not do that country alone in a 2WD.

As for the Dog Fence Track, it has been closed to public access for 10 years+, the board became concerned about fence maintenance men having head-ons with tourists. A shame as it was a damn good drive.

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You should carry:

Water, 5L per person minimum

A Personal Locator Beacon (PLB)

A 5W, vehicle mounted UHF CB kept on scan so you can see which channels the stations are using

A pair (even better two pairs) of plastic "recovery ramps" quality ones

A full set of topographic maps at 1:50,000 or better and a compass (they still work when the GPS doesn't)

A 1L bottle of Milton for water purification (read up on it first)

A thick black marker pen and some A3 paper - if bogged 2km off the main track make a notice

A tyre air compressor

A HF radio or sat phone would be good but expensive

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Keep us informed please.

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Edit:

Just one pair of recovery ramps - no point in two pairs for a 2WD :)

Also; add a spade to that list.

-- Edited by Mike Harding on Tuesday 31st of January 2023 12:49:33 PM

rgren2 · Guru

In the 70s I worked in the area, a falcon ute was the supplied vehicle, staying on main roads was easy, visiting properties wasnt difficult, getting to cattle and sheep yards wasnt a problem, just be sensible carry two spares and the required food and drinking water. If you break down, stay near your vehicle, its pretty busy out there now, you wont have to wait too long for a passerby. Just dont go exploring.

If its wet, forget it.

-- Edited by rgren2 on Tuesday 31st of January 2023 08:58:37 AM

Possum3 · Guru

Go to Library and read up on Tom Kruze en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Kruse_(mailman) to get a feel for where you intend to travel.

Add a couple of ration packs to Mike's list of essentials.

RickJ · Senior Member

In my very much younger days I went to the Corner in a Falcon ute,
I got up there and about half way back until it rained and the road became very slippery.

I eventually lost the ability to stay up on the crown of the road (that is another story) and I was lucky that a bloke with a Landcruiser ute pulled me back up onto the crown and I continued on and reached safety at the bitumen.

I think that today I would do it but with the extra security of a 4WD or AWD vehicle.

Travelling with a companion or two is a great way to see the country with the added security of a bit of support.

Enjoy your adventure.

keiron · Senior Member

It is not a question of my vehicle being reliable. It is a case of having at least 1 other vehicle travelling with us. My vehicle, by the way, is an Isuzu MU-X, 2021/2 model SUV, but not the 4wd version. 20Klms regularly serviced.

Bicyclecamper · Guru

In the early 80's we went everywhere in a raised Sigma Galant 2wd. Of the worst 3 roads you could drive in central WA, the road from Paraburdoo to Meekatharra, was the worst. Commonsense and the ability to drive rough tracks is all you really need.

-- Edited by Bicyclecamper on Tuesday 31st of January 2023 10:49:48 AM

rgren2 · Guru

20Klms regularly serviced.

Your keen.

yobarr · Guru

rgren2 wrote:
20Klms regularly serviced.

Your keen.

"You're keen". Perhaps this is why Keiron is seeking company? Late May I will be leaving Newcastle to do a similar trip, but I have no interest in motels or hotels, other than the main bar! Because I travel full-time, always towing, I change my engine oil every 10,000km, as advised. Cheers

86GTS · Senior Member

The last time that we were up at White Cliffs in 2019, the tracks from there East to Paroo-Darling NP & West to Tibooburra (Henry Roberts Rd) were bone jarring.
Punishing in the extreme, if you've got false teeth hang on to them.

Mike Harding · Guru

rgren2 wrote:
>Just dont go exploring.
That is kind of the point of an adventure holiday.

>If its wet, forget it.
Ain't that the truth! I've driven in 17 countries but the worse drive I have done was in that country one dark, cold, winter night when caught out on one of those tracks in heavy rain - 4WD? forget it! You're still not going anywhere.

DMaxer · Guru

I was out at Broken Hill during November and December just gone. The road to Tibooburra was closed on several occasions due to flooding and that road is sealed. I imagine the unsealed roads in that area around the Corner would be rough as until they get graded.

rgren2 · Guru

Mike Harding wrote:
rgren2 wrote:
>Just dont go exploring.
That is kind of the point of an adventure holiday.

>If its wet, forget it.
Ain't that the truth! I've driven in 17 countries but the worse drive I have done was in that country one dark, cold, winter night when caught out on one of those tracks in heavy rain - 4WD? forget it! You're still not going anywhere.

Dont go exploring is meant to convey the idea of not taking that barely discernible track, even in a well equipped 4x4 they can cause serious concern. Camerons Corner is an easy drive on a maintained road. Some of the tracks leading off can be farm tracks which often peter out.

shakey55 · Senior Member

Keiran

In addition to Mikes list, I would be putting a second battery in, take a decent size reliable fridge, forget hotels and motels all the way and consider a swag for each person in your vehicle. You will find (unless its changed, most outback pubs will let you camp out the back for free if youre going to drink their grog and maybe a meal, and if not free, for a small fee which will be cheaper).

A decent tow sling (and good shackles) in case bogged or stranded and the vehicle that comes along may not have one, or one long enough.

Some cryovaced meat in case stranded, a Billie to boil water, other essentials, tea, coffee, butter, bread (or similar), plates, knives, forks mugs, etc, etc. The reason I mention most things here, is that if you go this way, you need to be self sufficient.

Id consider a bit more than 5 litres of water per person.

You should be okay for fuel, but look at the distances you will be travelling, as you will use more fuel in the outback if you get onto dirt roads.

A puncture repair kit, and basic took kit.

The list can go on, but just consider worst case scenario.

You will enjoy yourself, Ive spent a fair bit of time that area with mates, when much younger.

PS: I assume you live in the Campbelltown area, so I dont live to far from you. If there are any items you dont have, I may have and can lend (with a holding bond, depending on what you need, in case of loss or damage. Send PM if you are short on items and Ill see what you want, and what i need. Im obviously feeling generous today.

Good luck with planning

-- Edited by shakey55 on Wednesday 1st of February 2023 07:16:22 AM

-- Edited by shakey55 on Wednesday 1st of February 2023 07:16:57 AM

-- Edited by shakey55 on Wednesday 1st of February 2023 07:17:28 AM

Whenarewethere · Guru

shakey55 wrote:
Id consider a bit more than 5 litres of water per person.

Agree with that. As we travel in a car only we have got our water usage down to a fine art. 2.5L per person winter, 3.0L summer. We barely waste a drop.

Our main equipment is TPMS to hopefully avoid a destroyed tyre in the first place, which has worked quite a few times. Let tyres down to suit road surface. Tyre repair kit, 3 compressors. 2 spare wheels. A few blocks to support jack.

4 sand tracks, 6m tow rope & 20m extension, shackles (never join ropes with them), spade & builders gloves (2 pairs), high vis vests, 2.4m sand flag.

We can jump start ourselves 360amp for 5 minutes or 1040amps 5 seconds (starter motor requires 238amps), solar charging if desperate.

Plenty of fuses & quite a few tools. Spare fuel.

Never had to use the sand tracks. Letting tyres down has got us out of trouble. Have used the tow rope once to pull a truck with 3 tonnes of roof tiles bogged on grass in our street at home.

bobsa · Senior Member

As others have said falcon utes do these tracks easy
I toured and worked up that way only using Falcon and Holden utes and panel vans
Just dont do it in the wet
A good drive take it steady
carry an extra spare and 2 jacks , a couple blocks of wood
and a couple 10 litre containers of water, I carry 2 in case one breaks
you will find a fair bit of traffic theses days , lots of mining and tourists vehicles about
Bob

Warren-Pat_01 · Guru

Hi Keiron,
I hope you have a good trip - all of us have since 4wds have become the vehicle of choice, become a little soft. A long departed uncle used to be a rock hound & used a 1965 HD Holden Ute to go to Agate Ck. He did say that my then LandCruiser would let him go further up the creek though.

I assume the 2wd MUX has the same clearance as the 4wd; the wheels & tyres may be different - if you have low profile tyres with 20" rims, don't go off road too far. My D-Max came with 17" rims - after much experience on the Birdsville Rd, I opted to have 16" rims fitted. Remember the additional weight that having all the spares that some say to carry can lead to break downs, getting bogged. You need to be sensible, carrying what you need to carry, to sustain life in case of breakdown, & a means of communication (mobile phones may not work out there).

When I look back at our travels as a couple with 2-3 young kids, we often wonder how we made it home. I could handle most things mechanical, electrical. I only once carried a spare water pump kit but I knew the one fitted was failing. Only once did we have a close shave with fuel - I hadn't considered the effects of a layer of sand on the road at the top end of the Strzelecki Track - got to Innaminka from Winton with the fuel gauge on the red line & had 11L on the camper trailer.

However today's cars are more complex - a bit beyond being able to be fixed with some wire, etc. One item that is essential is an adequately sized Jump Starter - I bought one from iTechworld & have used it on my car & two others. It's much better than carrying jumper leads, more versatile.

Talk to your local tyre dealer about varying your tyre pressures for different surfaces.