Birding Canning Stock Route 2010
| Accmdated: | No |
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| No.of days: | 24 |
| Ex: | Alice Springs - Alice Springs |
| Departure: | 22nd May - 14th June, 2010 |
| Price: | $5,300pp - Twin tent or swag. $5,300pp - Twin tent or swag. |
| Deposit: | $250 |
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Experience the full length of the Canning Stock Route with our highly experienced crew - Phill and Klara. Travelling in 4WD Vehicles, we will trek along the full length of the Canning Stock Route. It also includes a visit to the Semi-Permanent Camp at Newhaven Reserve. This Semi-Permanent camp will be set up for four weeks only in May/June 2010. This will be a welcome relief from the remote bush tracks that we will experience. While at Newhaven, our luxurious tents are extra spacious, including camp beds with sleeping bags and liners included. The camp includes a dining marque and has limited space.
This tour will be led by Birding Leader, Jim Valentine. Jim has led many tours with Outback Track tours.
Trip Overview
Note that this tour is a rigorous 4WD tour that has 19 days of bush camping. Persons not tolerant of outback conditions should not consider this holiday. Single tent extra $120
Details of Trip
BOOKINGS:
Can only be confirmed with the payment of $250 deposit. Final payment falls due 45 days before departure. Cheques are to be made payable to ‘Outback Track Tours Pty Ltd’. We also accept VISA, MASTERCARD. All credit card transactions over $250.00 will attract a 3% fee.
TRAVEL INSURANCE:
We strongly recommend travel insurance against loss of possessions, accident and cancellation through unforeseen circumstances. Insurance is available at the office if you require it. PLEASE NOTE: This is a camping tour. (twin share basis). If weather, road conditions or other circumstances make a change in itinerary necessary, the decision to change the route is solely that of the Tour Guide.
Included
INCLUDED IN FARE:
- Travel by air-conditioned OTT 4WD vehicle.
- All meals unless specified denoted as B – breakfast, L- lunch & D – dinner, some assistance with food preparation is required.
- All camping fees.
- All National Park entrance fees.
- All camping gear including two-person tents, foam sleep mats, tables and chairs.
- Any additional flights, cruises & side excursions are optional extras.
- Note on the itinerary, “Bush Camps” do not have facilities; “Camps” are at Caravan Parks with full facilities, National Park campsites have limited facilities.
Minimum Passengers
10
Itinerary
1: ALICE SPRINGS
All passengers make own arrangements to fly to Alice Springs to commence your trek across the Gunbarrel & Canning Stock Route. A briefing will be conducted late this afternoon before enjoying a barbeque dinner in the camp ground tonight.
Meals Included: D
2: ALICE SPRINGS - AYERS ROCK - DOCKER RIVER CAMPGROUND
After breakfast head south out of Alice, joining the Lasseter Highway heading for Ayers Rock. Travel through Uluru National Park to The Olgas (Kata Tjuta) for a photo stop of Mt. Olga Gorge and The Olgas. Join the Great Central Road and head along what is commonly termed the new Gunbarrel Highway to the WA border and beyond. Enroute stop off at Lasseter's Cave, where the exocentric miner camped after his alleged discovery of a gold reef in the area. Pass by Docker River Aboriginal community heading through the Petermann Ranges.
Meals Included: B
3: GILES - WARBURTON
A morning inspection of the Meteorological Station, where the local staff will provide us with an insight into their daily routine. See the Len Beadell grader that opened up the network of outback roads in teh 1950's and 60's including the infamous Gunbarrel Highway. Giles and the road network were so important to the rocket testing activities at Woomera and the atom bomb testing that occurred at the time. We will journey across the flat open landscape to the small settlement of Warburton. Your last shop for the next 18 days. Time to inspect the artwork and handcraft of the western aboriginal communities at the Tjirrkarli Community Centre. This afternoon continue on joining along the short but rough Heather Highway heading for the original Gunbarrel Highway
Meals Included: BLD
4: THE HEATHER HIGHWAY - GUNBARREL
The Heather Highway shows us a new dimension in corrugated roads. We will detour to Mt. Samuel on the original Gunbarrel Highway for a panoramic view of the vast outback. Photograph the Beadell tree blazed by Len during his road making expeditions across this remote outback region. We will camp at Beadell Camp, an idyllic bush camp location.
Meals Included: BLD
5: THE OLD GUNBARREL HIGHWAY - CARNEGIE
Majestic Mt. Beadell is our first stop. Mulga scrub, spinifex plains and stands of desert oaks and the sign post "Windy Corner" where the Gunbarrel and Gary Highway meet remind us of our isolation. Good water and a freshen up at a bore restored by the Geraldton Historic Society is a welcome relief before our arrival at isolated Carnegie Homestead, the last pastoral lease in WA and 1200km from Curtin Springs near Ayers Rock in the NT. Crossing the oringinal Gunbarrel Highway, a challenge of the outback, has now been conquered.
Meals Included: BLD
6: CARNEGIE STATION
A day at Carnegie Homestead is most welcome. Relax on their green lawns, read a book, do the washing, talk to station hands, clean up, whilst the crew work on the vehicles and prepare for the challenges of the Canning.
Meals Included: BLD
7: CARNEGIE - THE CANNING STOCK ROUTE
Leaving Carnegie we visit one more isolated station property, Glen Ayle Homestead, owned by the Ward family. Later we will pass the Ward Range, named in recognition of this pioneering family. We join the Canning Stock Route at Well 9 (Weld Springs). It was here that the explorer Alexander Forrest held back a native attack in 1874, his rock fort can still be seen. Inspect and photograph Wells 9, 10 and 11. Our destination is Well 12 with 20 sand dunes to cross! A dry bush camp tonight.
Meals Included: BLD
8: SAND DUNE COUNTRY
Excitement today as we experience some more sand dune country. Perhaps some difficulties as we negotiate these dunes and learn to cope with this new and interesting terrain. When Canning and his team put down these wells, from 1906, wagon convoys were stopped by these dunes and the camel teams took over. We pass the Ward Hills, inspect Wells 13 to 16 - all in various stages of decay, making us all aware of the hardship of these droving days and the well sinking team who dug holes up to 30 metres deep to find precious water. The path of Giles, the early explorer, is crossed today. Dry bush camp tonight.
Meals Included: BLD
9: THE DURBA HILLS AND SPRINGS
The beautiful Durba Hills are our back drop as the dawn comes across teh Australian Outback. Our challenge is to climb to the highest point known as Canning's Cairn. Our view is forever. Time to walk and explore, perhaps inspect some Aboriginal petroglyphs and some interesting geological formations. Our next stop is Biella Springs, a beautiful walk through a gorge to the spring and our chance to see some traditional art of the desert Aborigines. In the afternoon we will visit the Killagurra Gorge where the beautiful ghost gums, red cliffs and rock pools provide in ideal setting for a refreshing swim. The area is a registered sacred site and Aboriginal rock art can be readily seen. A short journey to Durba Springs takes us to the place that Dick Smith from National Geographic calls his 'favourite place in Australia'. Here we will camp for two nights.
Meals Included: BLD
10: DURBA SPRINGS
A free day to recharge and enjoy the beauty of this wonderful place. Wash some clothes, clean up, walk and explore, discover some Aboriginal art or just relax and fall in love with Durba
Meals Included: BLD
11: DURBA SPRINGS - LAKE DISAPPOINTMENT
Today we encounter some of our larger sand dunes, the going is tough but interesting. Well 19, the "Lonely Well" is well named and Lake Disappointment, our destination, typify the isolation that the early explorers must have experienced. We will detour to the shore of the lake, perhaps see some wild camels and bird life. Savory Creek crosses the Stock Route near Well 19 and flows into the lake. It is a salt crusted long expanse of water that can often cause difficulties to Stock Route travellers. Our camp is on a sand ridge under desert oaks and overlooking the lake which is particularly beautiful at sunset and sunrise.
Meals Included: BLD
12: LAKE DISAPPOINTMENT - THE TALAWANA TRACK
From Lake Disappointment we pass the McKay Ranges, Well 21 and 22 and onto the Talawana Track, another of Len Beadell tracks constructed in 1962. A brief stop at Shepherd's fuel depot, where fuel in drums from Newman are brought to Well 23. Pass the Windy Corner turn off and our destination is Well 26, more sand dunes, isolated wells sites and to our east the Gibson Desert, named by Giles in memory of Alfred Gibson, who perished in the region. Well 26 - Tiwa - was reconstructed in the 1980's by a party of volunteers. The windlass, whip pole, well bucket, troughing and timber work are all reproductions of the equipment used in 1908. This is a refreshing stop with plenty of water - bush shower time.
Meals Included: BLD
13: RESTORATION AND ISOLATION
We are now in the area first visited by the explorer Wells in 1896. Helen Hill, Lake Auld and Thring Rock are sighted as we continue our journey along the Canning Stock Route. Dunda Jinda, an area sacred to the local Aboriginal community surrounds Well 30. Mujingerra Cave, a limestone cave 4km south of Well 30 has a large pool of clear water at the end of a tunnel 6 metres below the ground. Well 31 is our overnight stop and is perhaps one of hte most picturesque well sites - red sands and ghost gums overlooking a vast salt lake.
Meals Included: BLD
14: FURTHER ALONG THE TRACK
This morning we will visit the alternate site for Well 31 which was put down by Snell during his Well construction survey trip in 1929, as it was reported that Well 31 had become salty. However, Canning (during his reconstruction trip) rebuilt his original well. We cross the Kidson Track, built in the 1960's to service all exploration in the Great Sandy Dersert and and escape route west of the Great Northern Highway. A refreshing bush shower by the windmill at Well 33 is an ideal way to refresh yourselves.
Meals Included: BLD
15: THE GREAT DESERT OAK FOREST
Crossing flat spinifex plains with some rocky and corrugated areas. We travel through the great desert oak woodland visiting Bungabinni, an Aboriginal waterhole, which was recently cleared by Peter Vernon of Melbourne and his team of desert explorers. It provides excellent water and is a refreshing stop. Our camp tonight is amidst the desert oaks between Wells 36 and 37.
Meals Included: BLD
16: THE HAUNTED WELL
Our first stop this morning is at the 'Haunted Well' - Well 37. See the graves of the early drovers George Shoesmith, James Thomson and their Aboriginal Stockman who were killed by Aborigines in 1911 and the grave of Jock McLernon, an oil prospector, who also suffered the same fate in 1922. Well 38 Wardabunni Rock Hole, Well 39 - only 5 metres deep and Tobin Lake are our morning stops. Near Well 40 is the grave of Michael Tobin, the well-borer who was speared during Canning's survey. Well 41, our destination today, is another recently restored site with excellent water and is an ideal spot to camp.
Meals Included: BLD
17: SAND DUNE COUNTRY
An interesting start to the day with the challenge of 30 kilometres of some of the highest sand dunes on the stock route will be encountered. Well 42, on teh edge of Guli Lake, is where Canning obtained water at 1.4 metres. Time permitting, Gravity Lake is worth a visit. Many new tracks have been opened up over the years to connect the Well sites. Our tour will visit as many sites as practical. Well 46, our camp tonight, provides excellent water. Meals Included: BLD
18: BREADEN HILLS
Our highlight today is a visit to the Breaden Hills. The impressive flat topped Southesk Tablelands and Mt Romilly provide impressive views of the surrounding countryside. Davis Carnegie, the explorer, named these tablelands after his father the Earl of Southesk. Canning chose the Breaden Hills, Breaden Tank and large natural rockholes for the cattle watering holes. Well 50, our destination, is on the edge of pastoral lease country and is an ideal site for our last bush camp on the Canning. Meals Included: BLD
19: CANNING - END OF STOCK ROUTE - TANAMI TRACK (bush camp)
The final Well on the route is on Lake Gregory Station (Balgo). Gregory Lake itself is often abundent in birdlife and can often inhibit the completion of the stock route journey, particularly if there has been summer rain in the southern Kimberley. Billiluna Homestead is passed before we join the Tanami Track. Billiluna was the assembly point for many of the mobs of cattle before they commenced their journey south along the Canning Stock Route. Journey along the Tanami Track, another famous Territory Stock Route which after 1929 provided access for the Kimberley cattle properties to drive their stock to the Alice Springs railhead. We will bush camp on the Tanami tonnight. Meals Included: BLD
20: TANAMI TRACK - NEWHAVEN
A morning journey to the Aboriginal settlement of Yuendumu before we arrive at Newhaven Station. Meals Included: BLD Accommodated: Newhaven
21: NEWHAVEN
Today we travel in to Newhaven to our luxurious semi-permanent camp. Set up at Newhaven Station for a limited time. Our luxurious tents are extra spacious, including camp beds. The camp includes a dining marque and has limited space. Accommodated: Newhaven (BLD)
22-23: NEWHAVEN
Spend the next two days exploring Newhaven Station. Our guide will lead us in our birding across the vast areas of the Station. Accommodated: Newhaven (LD)
24: NEWHAVEN - ALICE SPRINGS
After a morning of birding, we travel from Newhaven to Alice Springs. Tour will finish at Alice Springs approximately 5.00-5.30pm. For your convenience, we will organise a drop off in the City and one at Heavitree Gap Resort. A great chance for a group dinner out this evening (own expense) to reminisce on the trek of the last three and a half weeks. (BL)
