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Destinations > Canning Stock Route, Part 2
Canning Stock Route, Part 2
Issue: April 2006
Words and photos by Vic Widman
Desert Song
In the second part of this Canning Stock Route track Vic Widman tackles the beautiful but deadly Great Sandy Desert.
So far the track on the Canning has been pretty good but now it's going to be a real bumpy affair as we head into the heart of the CSR to face countless corrugations and desert hills. The track slides out of the Durba Hills and joins the CSR as it pushes on its never-ending northward journey. Twenty kilometres on from the Durba Spring track a side track to the left leads to Diebil Spring. The turn-off is signposted and it is a rough one-lane track for approximately 20km to the end of the gully where you need to walk the last 500m over large and small boulders to view the Diebil Spring at the base of a large rock face. There is camping near here too. A little way back down the track a side road leads 4km to a clearing. After spending some time here exploring retrace to the CSR and turn left towards Well 18.
Well 18 is a short distance off the track and usually has good water although I have seen it full of frogs, which may turn you off collecting water. Road conditions continue to be a single lane lined by Spinifex, which at times can be bonnet high or burnt black by recent fires. Wild flowers can be prolific making for an enjoyable drive. You will shortly cross the Tropic of Capricorn but before doing so another side track leads to Onegunyah Rockhole where a little exploring will reveal some more Aboriginal art.
A plaque marks the point where you cross the Tropic of Capricorn and from now on you should be able to say goodbye to the sub-zero mornings and enjoy much more friendly temperatures. Desert oaks have now made themselves present and their waving fern like bows sigh in the ever present breeze. There are some nice campsites under the oaks and any flat ground can make a good camp.
One of the major barriers on the Canning is Savory Creek and, although it rarely runs deep, if it is you will not progress much further than this point. The track follows the creek line for a few hundred metres before the crossing is found. If there is any water in it be aware that it is salty and may be deep. If it is deep I suggest you avoid crossing it, as having your 4WD inundated with salty water is not a good idea. (Note there is a side track to the west which leads to an alternative crossing if the usual crossing is too deep).
After you cross Savory Creek you will find a track that follows its course for some distance to its mouth where it runs into the huge expanse of Lake Disappointment, this is worth following and observing the immense lake. But be warned, the ground off the side of the narrow firm track can be a bottomless bog and you will become hopelessly stuck to the floor pan if you stray slightly off course. There are no anchor points out here for winching so stay on the firmly packed track.
The actual CSR is signposted around Lake Disappointment and there are other tracks that lead out to its shore line. It is worth following these to the edge of the lake, which at these locations will appear as a huge expanse of white salt. Don't drive on it, but walk out a hundred metres or so to experience a landscape like few others, sunglasses on a sunny day will be necessary as the reflection off the salt is blinding. There is a cleared area near the lake where you could camp and if your trip coincides with a full moon, make sure you stop here to experience a moonlit salt lake at night, a truly eerie experience.
Once you leave Lake Disappointment the country initially consists of wide dry clay pans, which you have to cross, some are up to 3km in length. But then you come back into the sand and spinifex country but there are lots of desert oaks scattered along the route making for a beautiful drive. The sand dunes present a bit of a challenge but with your tyre pressure down to 20psi you should be OK. There are great views up and down the swales between the dunes and the track meanders down these, turns abruptly to cross the dune in a rocking and rolling fashion, and then meanders back up the next swale before crossing the next sandy crest. It is obvious that if the CSR followed a more direct path you would cover much less a distance.
Your next major feature off to the left is Georgia Bore where there is plentiful water and camping nearby. This also marks an escape route for those that have found the CSR too tough. The Talawana Track leads off to your left all the way to Newman. So if you have had enough or want to explore the remote Rudall River National Park this is where you say goodbye to the Canning.
For those continuing their adventure turn right at the T-junction and follow what is also known as the Talawana Track for 21 very corrugated kilometres to Well 23 and your fuel drop. Well 23 marks the location where Capricorn Roadhouse in Newman brings fuel in for adventurous travellers along the CSR. You need to carry your own implements for opening the 44 gallon drum and pumping the fuel into your vehicle.
A further 17km of hard packed corrugated road leads to the intersection where the Talawana Track leaves the CSR and continues to the east to Windy Corner. I drove this track in 2001 and it is an equally isolated and overgrown trail that holds its own enticement, don't worry you can come back next year and explore it.
After this intersection the track suddenly turns to rock and you make a sharp climb. You get the feeling you have passed into another land and you wonder what awaits you over the crest. More sand and spinifex, the rocky section is only short lived. However, there are the occasional clay pans and some of these are quite large and may contain crazy cracked clay sections where the water that laid in puddles has long since dried up and the wet clay has baked bone-dry.
It's not long and you are back into battling soft sand dunes, in fact some of these are as tough as you have encountered and several attempts may be needed. The track will have severe corrugations on the run up the dunes and moguls spaced on opposite wheels causing the 4WD to rock violently from side to side. Make sure everything is well tied down both inside and out, I have seen side windows smashed by loose items inside the rig on these dunes.
Well 26 has good water and is easily brought to the surface, there is also a memorial here, which was established to mark the 75th anniversary of Canning's epic construction. A replica water tank carried by the camels is part of the memorial.
The Slate Range is 16km past Well 26 and although you are now travelling through rocky country once again take care, as tyre damage is possible. One of my best sunset camps was at the base of the Slate Range. We cursed the rock-hard ground that would not accept a tent peg but the cliff face above us glowed an incredible red as the sun set and made this camp a memorable one.
After Slate Range you will pass Helen Hill which provides good views from its peak and a side track to Separation Well which gained its name when Charles Wells and George Jones, members of the Calvert Expedition, separated from the main party and later perished. This is a timely reminder that this is a harsh land and does not show mercy to any ill prepared explorers, past and present.
Your next opportunity for a deviation from the CSR comes 31km beyond Well 27 with a turn-off to Thring Rock. This overgrown track leads to the base of another rocky outcrop which if climbed provides another opportunity to gaze upon the great vastness of the Gibson Desert. But for something different and in the opposite direction, down not up, you should drop into Mujingerra Cave just past Well 30. Actually, this may not be such a great idea as the cave is renowned for hoarding some rather venomous snakes and since it collapsed a few years ago access is quite difficult with a short abseil to its base.
Nothing can really prepare you for the next stretch of track to Well 33. It contains some of the worst corrugations known to man and on one journey along this horror stretch we destroyed no less than five good aftermarket shock absorbers in our party. Well 33 is located near the Aboriginal community of Kunawarritji where you can obtain fuel and some basic supplies and use their grassed camp ground for a small fee.
Just near the turn-off to the community is what some believe is the most isolated and most expensive telephone booth in Australia, do not rely on it, carry your own satellite telephone. The track off to the east is Jenkins Track and leads to the Gary Junction Road and eventually Alice Springs. It's in good condition compared to the CSR.
Our journey continues northwards on those horrible corrugations which persist across flat country until you reach Well 35. Here the desert oaks and sand dunes return and the going is much the same as before the flat plains of the previous 50km.
Well 35 has been flooded for several years now and may still be isolated, there are tracks around the flooded areas. You will be passing through magnificent forests of desert oaks but will also note many dead trees. These trees died following extensive flooding of the northern section of the Canning following a cyclone that passed over the Kimberley Region in 2001/02. It is a shame to see these stately trees that can survive such a harsh climate perishing due to too much water. It brought home to me that flooding in the Canning is a rare thing given the length of time it takes for these desert oaks to reach maturity. Death is something that is familiar to the CSR, near Well 37 are the graves of Thomson, Shoesmith, Chinaman and McLernon.
Between Well 39 and 40 you will cross the wide expanse of Lake Tobin, which is normally a dry clay pan. This provides a welcome relief from the pounding corrugations and rocking and rolling of the sand dunes and you will even see speeds up to 40kph as you glide across the clay pan bed of the lake. The crossing is nearly 3km long, but of course if there has been recent rain do not venture onto the lake bed, instead follow the deviations around its edge. Near Well 40 is the grave site of Michael Tobin who was a member of Canning's well construction party who was speared by a native during one of several confrontations that the early explorers experienced. I remembering remarking on one of my trips up the Canning that Tobin would never have expected so many people to visit what is such an isolated grave site. We placed some native flowers on his head stone and bowed our heads in respect.
Another thing you will notice when travelling the CSR is the persistent wind, it can blow for days on end only dying down after 8pm. It tends to dry the skin and combined with the hot sun, even in winter we have experienced temperatures in the mid-thirties in the northern section of the CSR, sun and wind burn is common. Pity poor Canning's crew and the drovers who spent months on end in this wretched environment.
By now you will have been on the CSR for close to 15 days if you have followed my notes, and yet there is still a long way to go. This is what makes the Canning Stock Route such an epic 4WD journey, it is relentless, harsh and unforgiving. The corrugations seem to rattle everything in the vehicle, you are constantly tightening roof racks and checking suspension components and finding your larder spread throughout your storage boxes. I have seen wheel carriers fall off, rear differentials split with fatigue, side steps rattle off and battery carriers come adrift under the bonnet. On one of our trips even the rear stub axle parted company when its nuts worked loose and sheered off. Being able to bush weld is an important feature of any CSR trip.
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There are tracks that bypass Wells 43 and 44, but if you are keen and there's been no recent rain, it's worth trying to visit all the wells. The track can be overgrown to the point of giving the side of the 4WD a real workout and broken side mirrors are common, as are UHF aerials so always carry spare aerials on any trip. After you cross Gravity Lakes you will reach a T-junction. Wells 46 and 47 are to the left and the track to the right leads to the magnificent Mt Ford. Follow the track to Mt Ford. As you approach this imposing pile of rock the horizon provides many opportunities for more photo opportunities. The climb to the top of Mt Ford is by foot but it doesn't take long and the view is worth it. There is a cairn of rocks, a trig point and various plaques at the top left by modern-day explorers.
Continue to the north for another 11km and then turn left to Well 46 where there is good camping and water at this restored well. On a previous trip we then headed north towards Well 47 but the track was severely overgrown, we pushed through 2m high scrub, had difficulty finding the track at times and were constantly stopping to clear dry spinifex from around our hot exhausts to avoid fires. This was tough going and if the track is like this when you travel it, forget about your paint work and your timetable. There is an easier route back towards Mt Ford and then north to Well 48 which bypasses Well 47 and
its undergrowth.
The next stretch of the CSR will take you to another of the outstanding landforms for which the CSR has become famous, Breadon Hills. As you approach the low lying hills on a good level track the horizon is jagged and torn by the outline of these imposing hills. The closer you get the more impressive this landscape becomes and numerous stops for photographic memories will occur. There is a track on your right that leads 4km into the heart of the Breadon Hills and it is well worth the time. The camping is limited but worth the crowding, especially to catch a blazing sunset refecting gold and orange off these massive rocky hill sides. A short walk at the end of the vehicle track will take you through rugged stony country to Breadon Pool, which usually has a small amount of water. Godfreys Tank is a little further on foot in the hills. Above Breadon Pool look for the rock overhang with the manmade rock pile, this is said to have been used by Aborigines who lay in hiding for wallabies and other small animals to come to the water for a drink. Godfreys Tank, despite its name is not a man-made structure but a natural rock pool. Explorer David Carnegie discovered this area during his 1896-97 expedition across the Gibson Desert. Joe Breaden after whom the pool and the hills are named was a member of Carnegie's party. Godfrey Massie, also a member of Carnegie's team, discovered the rock pool that now carries his name. Just imagine for a moment the hardships and difficulties that those men must have faced over 110 years ago as they tramped through the spinifex and sand of the great deserts of WA. No tracks, no maps, no idea where their next water supply would be found. You realise why a discovery of a water source like Breadon Pool and Godfrey Tank were so important.
Back on the CSR and as you leave the Breadon Hills you will pass the Twin Heads, another fascinating landform which depicts the age of the surrounding country in a way that makes you gasp. This is an ancient land that has been here since time began, or so it seems. Carnegie and his men, Breadon and Massie would have walked past those same Twin Heads and seen them just as you see them today.
Canning passed this way too and dug Well 48 just to the west of Breadon Hills. It is about a kilometre off to your left as you pass this magnificent range of hills, all that remains now is a pile of rusting drums. Canning also used the hills as a marker where he turned his stock route to the east for a short period. Well 49 is found on this eastern route and was recently restored so should have good supply of water. A short distance along this dusty, corrugated road you come to a warning sign of the dangers of travelling the CSR. It marks the northern easy accessible section of the route and it is about now that you realise that your journey up the most remote stock route in the world is coming to an end. There is a nice shaded campsite just past this notice as well. But a little further to the east you come to a track on your right which leads to Well 50. Here there are level campsites with trees providing some shade and wind protection. Well 50 is in ruin but you can follow the track beyond the well for a further 4km and then take a short walk up the dry creek bed to Culvida Soak, which may have water.
The track has improved markedly now and resembles a road again. Well 51 has a signpost naming it Weriaddo. In 2002 when we visited this well it was surrounded by water following the flooding rains of the previous wet season. In 2005 it was very dry. This marks the last of the wells sunk by Canning as the remainder of the stock route follows closely beside Lake Gregory where there are various natural soaks. There are also several side tracks which are flood bypass routes which are utilised when the Lake Gregory system is carrying water.
There is nice camping at a location known as Nyarna Lake Stretch on Sturt Creek, which flows into Lake Gregory. Permits are required to camp here, contact the Mindibungu Aboriginal community on (08) 9168 8988. The route northwards passes through some gates, always leave them as found. You will see the Aboriginal community of Bililuna off to your right where fuel is available if needed. This will be your first sign of habitation since Well 33 several days previous. Shortly after you will join the Tanami Track and your journey up the original CSR has concluded. Canning's stock route actually started from Old Halls Creek and followed a route south to the Lake Gregory water system. The Tanami Track, although unsealed is like a highway as it heads to Halls Creek, but a visit to Wolfe Creek Crater not far from Bililuna is a must-do item. There is camping permitted here also but it is short on shade. Halls Creek has all the usual food and mechanical services and Caravan Park facilities.
On reaching Halls Creek you can rest assured that you have travelled one of the toughest and longest 4WD tracks in the world. It is an achievement even in this day and age of modern 4WDs and one that in reality few persons will ever accomplish. Let me assure you though that once you have 'done' the Canning you will want to return.
FUEL REQUIREMENTS
If you take all the diversions to the scenic points and visit each of the wells then the following fuel requirements should be mandatory.
• Straight 6 and V8 petrol powered 4WDs need to be able to carry 350 litres.
• 4 and V6 petrol engines will need 300 litres.
• Diesels should carry at least 250 litres of fuel.
These figures are based on picking up 200 litres of fuel at Well 23 and are the quantities you should carry to Well 23 and from Well 23.
Fuel drops at Well 23 are arranged by contacting the Capricorn Roadhouse in Newman on (08) 9175 1535 and must be ordered and paid for 6 weeks in advance of your trip. It is delivered in 200 litre drums so you need to have the means of transferring the fuel from the drum into your fuel tank/jerry cans. Electric or rotary pumps are best for this.
Fuel is also available from the Aboriginal community at Well 33 known as Kunawarritji, phone (08) 9176 9040 (some very basic supplies and showers are also available here) Fuel needs to be ordered at least two weeks in advance but can be unreliable and it is closed on Holidays, Sundays and Saturday after midday. Basic supplies and fuel are also available from the store at Bililuna.
PERMITS
No permits are required at present to travel the Canning Stock Route but recent advice indicates that access to the Calvert Range may become restricted or subject to permit requirements, this issue is currently under consideration by local Aboriginal Communities. It would be a tragic loss if access to this unique area was restricted or worse banned.
WATER AVAILABILITY
Allow at least 80 litres per couple, this needs to include all of your drinking, washing and cooking. It is based on the fact that you should be able to replenish your water on a regular basis along the stock route from the wells. I allow five days of travel without being able to collect fresh quantities when conducting my tag-along tours up the stock route. You will become quite adept at showering in just 2 litres of water.
Water may be available at the following locations, but do not rely on it and always boil all water before use - North Pool, Well 2, White Well, Tank and Windmill (past Well 4A), Windich Springs, Wells 5, 6, 9, 12, 15, Durba Springs, Well 18, Georgia Bore, Wells 26, 33, 38 (Rock Pool), 46, Breadon Pool and Well 49.
MAPS & BOOKS
Hema Maps have excellent maps in their Great Desert Tracks series covering the entire Canning Stock Route.
A must-have book is Explore Australia by 4WD Craig Lewis and Cathy Savage. This is an excellent reference with up-to-date information, distances and GPS recordings. For a long time the bible for this area was Canning Stock Route by Ronelle and Eric Gard. It carries detailed history on the Canning, some info is a little dated these days, but it should accompany everyone who dares to venture up the Canning.
IMPORTANT NUMBERS
Royal Flying Doctors 1800 625 800
RFDS satellite phone (08) 9417 6364
Police Halls Creek (08) 9168 6000
Aboriginal Affairs (permits) (08) 9235 8000
Weather Info (08) 9263 2257
WA Road Conditions 1800 013 314
THE HAUNTED WELL
Near Well 37 are the graves of Thomson, Shoesmith, Chinaman and McLernon. This collection of grave sites led it to become known as the Haunted Well, although there is no record of any mysterious sightings of ghostly figures at this remote location. In 1911 there was a droving party driving one of the few mobs of cattle to ever actually use the stock route from Halls Creek to Wiluna. A tribe of local Aborigines attacked the drovers killing Christopher Shoesmith, James Thompson and an Aboriginal stockman known as Chinaman. The Aboriginals took exception to the cattle drinking from their native wells and destroying their good sources of water. The fourth grave, bearing the name of John McLernon, joined the other three men in 1922. McLernon was a member of an oil prospecting company who lost his life on the track about 50km to the south of Well 37.
HOW TO SEE THE CANNING
As mentioned throughout this two-part series on the mighty Canning Stock Route, this is not a place for the ill prepared. You need a top quality 4WD, you need to carry all your food and a large quantity of water, you need to carry more fuel than you ever considered necessary, you need to have good bush mechanical skills, good communications in the form of satellite telephone and/or HF radio and the resourcefulness to leave behind modern day amenities for up to three weeks. If all of this seems too difficult, this is where Great Divide Tours can help. Its guides carry all the necessary recovery equipment, communication equipment, tools and know the Outback and how to handle it. If you do not own a 4WD but would like to venture up the CSR, you can hire a 4WD from Britz 4WD hire as they have chosen Great Divide Tours as their preferred 4WD guides to lead their vehicles over the entire length of the stock route. Great Divide Tours can be contacted at www.4wd.net.au or talk to the author of this feature, Vic Widman on (02) 9913 1395.
Words and photos by Vic Widman
Desert Song
In the second part of this Canning Stock Route track Vic Widman tackles the beautiful but deadly Great Sandy Desert.
So far the track on the Canning has been pretty good but now it's going to be a real bumpy affair as we head into the heart of the CSR to face countless corrugations and desert hills. The track slides out of the Durba Hills and joins the CSR as it pushes on its never-ending northward journey. Twenty kilometres on from the Durba Spring track a side track to the left leads to Diebil Spring. The turn-off is signposted and it is a rough one-lane track for approximately 20km to the end of the gully where you need to walk the last 500m over large and small boulders to view the Diebil Spring at the base of a large rock face. There is camping near here too. A little way back down the track a side road leads 4km to a clearing. After spending some time here exploring retrace to the CSR and turn left towards Well 18.
Well 18 is a short distance off the track and usually has good water although I have seen it full of frogs, which may turn you off collecting water. Road conditions continue to be a single lane lined by Spinifex, which at times can be bonnet high or burnt black by recent fires. Wild flowers can be prolific making for an enjoyable drive. You will shortly cross the Tropic of Capricorn but before doing so another side track leads to Onegunyah Rockhole where a little exploring will reveal some more Aboriginal art.
A plaque marks the point where you cross the Tropic of Capricorn and from now on you should be able to say goodbye to the sub-zero mornings and enjoy much more friendly temperatures. Desert oaks have now made themselves present and their waving fern like bows sigh in the ever present breeze. There are some nice campsites under the oaks and any flat ground can make a good camp.
One of the major barriers on the Canning is Savory Creek and, although it rarely runs deep, if it is you will not progress much further than this point. The track follows the creek line for a few hundred metres before the crossing is found. If there is any water in it be aware that it is salty and may be deep. If it is deep I suggest you avoid crossing it, as having your 4WD inundated with salty water is not a good idea. (Note there is a side track to the west which leads to an alternative crossing if the usual crossing is too deep).
After you cross Savory Creek you will find a track that follows its course for some distance to its mouth where it runs into the huge expanse of Lake Disappointment, this is worth following and observing the immense lake. But be warned, the ground off the side of the narrow firm track can be a bottomless bog and you will become hopelessly stuck to the floor pan if you stray slightly off course. There are no anchor points out here for winching so stay on the firmly packed track.
The actual CSR is signposted around Lake Disappointment and there are other tracks that lead out to its shore line. It is worth following these to the edge of the lake, which at these locations will appear as a huge expanse of white salt. Don't drive on it, but walk out a hundred metres or so to experience a landscape like few others, sunglasses on a sunny day will be necessary as the reflection off the salt is blinding. There is a cleared area near the lake where you could camp and if your trip coincides with a full moon, make sure you stop here to experience a moonlit salt lake at night, a truly eerie experience.
Once you leave Lake Disappointment the country initially consists of wide dry clay pans, which you have to cross, some are up to 3km in length. But then you come back into the sand and spinifex country but there are lots of desert oaks scattered along the route making for a beautiful drive. The sand dunes present a bit of a challenge but with your tyre pressure down to 20psi you should be OK. There are great views up and down the swales between the dunes and the track meanders down these, turns abruptly to cross the dune in a rocking and rolling fashion, and then meanders back up the next swale before crossing the next sandy crest. It is obvious that if the CSR followed a more direct path you would cover much less a distance.
Your next major feature off to the left is Georgia Bore where there is plentiful water and camping nearby. This also marks an escape route for those that have found the CSR too tough. The Talawana Track leads off to your left all the way to Newman. So if you have had enough or want to explore the remote Rudall River National Park this is where you say goodbye to the Canning.
For those continuing their adventure turn right at the T-junction and follow what is also known as the Talawana Track for 21 very corrugated kilometres to Well 23 and your fuel drop. Well 23 marks the location where Capricorn Roadhouse in Newman brings fuel in for adventurous travellers along the CSR. You need to carry your own implements for opening the 44 gallon drum and pumping the fuel into your vehicle.
A further 17km of hard packed corrugated road leads to the intersection where the Talawana Track leaves the CSR and continues to the east to Windy Corner. I drove this track in 2001 and it is an equally isolated and overgrown trail that holds its own enticement, don't worry you can come back next year and explore it.
After this intersection the track suddenly turns to rock and you make a sharp climb. You get the feeling you have passed into another land and you wonder what awaits you over the crest. More sand and spinifex, the rocky section is only short lived. However, there are the occasional clay pans and some of these are quite large and may contain crazy cracked clay sections where the water that laid in puddles has long since dried up and the wet clay has baked bone-dry.
It's not long and you are back into battling soft sand dunes, in fact some of these are as tough as you have encountered and several attempts may be needed. The track will have severe corrugations on the run up the dunes and moguls spaced on opposite wheels causing the 4WD to rock violently from side to side. Make sure everything is well tied down both inside and out, I have seen side windows smashed by loose items inside the rig on these dunes.
Well 26 has good water and is easily brought to the surface, there is also a memorial here, which was established to mark the 75th anniversary of Canning's epic construction. A replica water tank carried by the camels is part of the memorial.
The Slate Range is 16km past Well 26 and although you are now travelling through rocky country once again take care, as tyre damage is possible. One of my best sunset camps was at the base of the Slate Range. We cursed the rock-hard ground that would not accept a tent peg but the cliff face above us glowed an incredible red as the sun set and made this camp a memorable one.
After Slate Range you will pass Helen Hill which provides good views from its peak and a side track to Separation Well which gained its name when Charles Wells and George Jones, members of the Calvert Expedition, separated from the main party and later perished. This is a timely reminder that this is a harsh land and does not show mercy to any ill prepared explorers, past and present.
Your next opportunity for a deviation from the CSR comes 31km beyond Well 27 with a turn-off to Thring Rock. This overgrown track leads to the base of another rocky outcrop which if climbed provides another opportunity to gaze upon the great vastness of the Gibson Desert. But for something different and in the opposite direction, down not up, you should drop into Mujingerra Cave just past Well 30. Actually, this may not be such a great idea as the cave is renowned for hoarding some rather venomous snakes and since it collapsed a few years ago access is quite difficult with a short abseil to its base.
Nothing can really prepare you for the next stretch of track to Well 33. It contains some of the worst corrugations known to man and on one journey along this horror stretch we destroyed no less than five good aftermarket shock absorbers in our party. Well 33 is located near the Aboriginal community of Kunawarritji where you can obtain fuel and some basic supplies and use their grassed camp ground for a small fee.
Just near the turn-off to the community is what some believe is the most isolated and most expensive telephone booth in Australia, do not rely on it, carry your own satellite telephone. The track off to the east is Jenkins Track and leads to the Gary Junction Road and eventually Alice Springs. It's in good condition compared to the CSR.
Our journey continues northwards on those horrible corrugations which persist across flat country until you reach Well 35. Here the desert oaks and sand dunes return and the going is much the same as before the flat plains of the previous 50km.
Well 35 has been flooded for several years now and may still be isolated, there are tracks around the flooded areas. You will be passing through magnificent forests of desert oaks but will also note many dead trees. These trees died following extensive flooding of the northern section of the Canning following a cyclone that passed over the Kimberley Region in 2001/02. It is a shame to see these stately trees that can survive such a harsh climate perishing due to too much water. It brought home to me that flooding in the Canning is a rare thing given the length of time it takes for these desert oaks to reach maturity. Death is something that is familiar to the CSR, near Well 37 are the graves of Thomson, Shoesmith, Chinaman and McLernon.
Between Well 39 and 40 you will cross the wide expanse of Lake Tobin, which is normally a dry clay pan. This provides a welcome relief from the pounding corrugations and rocking and rolling of the sand dunes and you will even see speeds up to 40kph as you glide across the clay pan bed of the lake. The crossing is nearly 3km long, but of course if there has been recent rain do not venture onto the lake bed, instead follow the deviations around its edge. Near Well 40 is the grave site of Michael Tobin who was a member of Canning's well construction party who was speared by a native during one of several confrontations that the early explorers experienced. I remembering remarking on one of my trips up the Canning that Tobin would never have expected so many people to visit what is such an isolated grave site. We placed some native flowers on his head stone and bowed our heads in respect.
Another thing you will notice when travelling the CSR is the persistent wind, it can blow for days on end only dying down after 8pm. It tends to dry the skin and combined with the hot sun, even in winter we have experienced temperatures in the mid-thirties in the northern section of the CSR, sun and wind burn is common. Pity poor Canning's crew and the drovers who spent months on end in this wretched environment.
By now you will have been on the CSR for close to 15 days if you have followed my notes, and yet there is still a long way to go. This is what makes the Canning Stock Route such an epic 4WD journey, it is relentless, harsh and unforgiving. The corrugations seem to rattle everything in the vehicle, you are constantly tightening roof racks and checking suspension components and finding your larder spread throughout your storage boxes. I have seen wheel carriers fall off, rear differentials split with fatigue, side steps rattle off and battery carriers come adrift under the bonnet. On one of our trips even the rear stub axle parted company when its nuts worked loose and sheered off. Being able to bush weld is an important feature of any CSR trip.
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There are tracks that bypass Wells 43 and 44, but if you are keen and there's been no recent rain, it's worth trying to visit all the wells. The track can be overgrown to the point of giving the side of the 4WD a real workout and broken side mirrors are common, as are UHF aerials so always carry spare aerials on any trip. After you cross Gravity Lakes you will reach a T-junction. Wells 46 and 47 are to the left and the track to the right leads to the magnificent Mt Ford. Follow the track to Mt Ford. As you approach this imposing pile of rock the horizon provides many opportunities for more photo opportunities. The climb to the top of Mt Ford is by foot but it doesn't take long and the view is worth it. There is a cairn of rocks, a trig point and various plaques at the top left by modern-day explorers.
Continue to the north for another 11km and then turn left to Well 46 where there is good camping and water at this restored well. On a previous trip we then headed north towards Well 47 but the track was severely overgrown, we pushed through 2m high scrub, had difficulty finding the track at times and were constantly stopping to clear dry spinifex from around our hot exhausts to avoid fires. This was tough going and if the track is like this when you travel it, forget about your paint work and your timetable. There is an easier route back towards Mt Ford and then north to Well 48 which bypasses Well 47 and
its undergrowth.
The next stretch of the CSR will take you to another of the outstanding landforms for which the CSR has become famous, Breadon Hills. As you approach the low lying hills on a good level track the horizon is jagged and torn by the outline of these imposing hills. The closer you get the more impressive this landscape becomes and numerous stops for photographic memories will occur. There is a track on your right that leads 4km into the heart of the Breadon Hills and it is well worth the time. The camping is limited but worth the crowding, especially to catch a blazing sunset refecting gold and orange off these massive rocky hill sides. A short walk at the end of the vehicle track will take you through rugged stony country to Breadon Pool, which usually has a small amount of water. Godfreys Tank is a little further on foot in the hills. Above Breadon Pool look for the rock overhang with the manmade rock pile, this is said to have been used by Aborigines who lay in hiding for wallabies and other small animals to come to the water for a drink. Godfreys Tank, despite its name is not a man-made structure but a natural rock pool. Explorer David Carnegie discovered this area during his 1896-97 expedition across the Gibson Desert. Joe Breaden after whom the pool and the hills are named was a member of Carnegie's party. Godfrey Massie, also a member of Carnegie's team, discovered the rock pool that now carries his name. Just imagine for a moment the hardships and difficulties that those men must have faced over 110 years ago as they tramped through the spinifex and sand of the great deserts of WA. No tracks, no maps, no idea where their next water supply would be found. You realise why a discovery of a water source like Breadon Pool and Godfrey Tank were so important.
Back on the CSR and as you leave the Breadon Hills you will pass the Twin Heads, another fascinating landform which depicts the age of the surrounding country in a way that makes you gasp. This is an ancient land that has been here since time began, or so it seems. Carnegie and his men, Breadon and Massie would have walked past those same Twin Heads and seen them just as you see them today.
Canning passed this way too and dug Well 48 just to the west of Breadon Hills. It is about a kilometre off to your left as you pass this magnificent range of hills, all that remains now is a pile of rusting drums. Canning also used the hills as a marker where he turned his stock route to the east for a short period. Well 49 is found on this eastern route and was recently restored so should have good supply of water. A short distance along this dusty, corrugated road you come to a warning sign of the dangers of travelling the CSR. It marks the northern easy accessible section of the route and it is about now that you realise that your journey up the most remote stock route in the world is coming to an end. There is a nice shaded campsite just past this notice as well. But a little further to the east you come to a track on your right which leads to Well 50. Here there are level campsites with trees providing some shade and wind protection. Well 50 is in ruin but you can follow the track beyond the well for a further 4km and then take a short walk up the dry creek bed to Culvida Soak, which may have water.
The track has improved markedly now and resembles a road again. Well 51 has a signpost naming it Weriaddo. In 2002 when we visited this well it was surrounded by water following the flooding rains of the previous wet season. In 2005 it was very dry. This marks the last of the wells sunk by Canning as the remainder of the stock route follows closely beside Lake Gregory where there are various natural soaks. There are also several side tracks which are flood bypass routes which are utilised when the Lake Gregory system is carrying water.
There is nice camping at a location known as Nyarna Lake Stretch on Sturt Creek, which flows into Lake Gregory. Permits are required to camp here, contact the Mindibungu Aboriginal community on (08) 9168 8988. The route northwards passes through some gates, always leave them as found. You will see the Aboriginal community of Bililuna off to your right where fuel is available if needed. This will be your first sign of habitation since Well 33 several days previous. Shortly after you will join the Tanami Track and your journey up the original CSR has concluded. Canning's stock route actually started from Old Halls Creek and followed a route south to the Lake Gregory water system. The Tanami Track, although unsealed is like a highway as it heads to Halls Creek, but a visit to Wolfe Creek Crater not far from Bililuna is a must-do item. There is camping permitted here also but it is short on shade. Halls Creek has all the usual food and mechanical services and Caravan Park facilities.
On reaching Halls Creek you can rest assured that you have travelled one of the toughest and longest 4WD tracks in the world. It is an achievement even in this day and age of modern 4WDs and one that in reality few persons will ever accomplish. Let me assure you though that once you have 'done' the Canning you will want to return.
FUEL REQUIREMENTS
If you take all the diversions to the scenic points and visit each of the wells then the following fuel requirements should be mandatory.
• Straight 6 and V8 petrol powered 4WDs need to be able to carry 350 litres.
• 4 and V6 petrol engines will need 300 litres.
• Diesels should carry at least 250 litres of fuel.
These figures are based on picking up 200 litres of fuel at Well 23 and are the quantities you should carry to Well 23 and from Well 23.
Fuel drops at Well 23 are arranged by contacting the Capricorn Roadhouse in Newman on (08) 9175 1535 and must be ordered and paid for 6 weeks in advance of your trip. It is delivered in 200 litre drums so you need to have the means of transferring the fuel from the drum into your fuel tank/jerry cans. Electric or rotary pumps are best for this.
Fuel is also available from the Aboriginal community at Well 33 known as Kunawarritji, phone (08) 9176 9040 (some very basic supplies and showers are also available here) Fuel needs to be ordered at least two weeks in advance but can be unreliable and it is closed on Holidays, Sundays and Saturday after midday. Basic supplies and fuel are also available from the store at Bililuna.
PERMITS
No permits are required at present to travel the Canning Stock Route but recent advice indicates that access to the Calvert Range may become restricted or subject to permit requirements, this issue is currently under consideration by local Aboriginal Communities. It would be a tragic loss if access to this unique area was restricted or worse banned.
WATER AVAILABILITY
Allow at least 80 litres per couple, this needs to include all of your drinking, washing and cooking. It is based on the fact that you should be able to replenish your water on a regular basis along the stock route from the wells. I allow five days of travel without being able to collect fresh quantities when conducting my tag-along tours up the stock route. You will become quite adept at showering in just 2 litres of water.
Water may be available at the following locations, but do not rely on it and always boil all water before use - North Pool, Well 2, White Well, Tank and Windmill (past Well 4A), Windich Springs, Wells 5, 6, 9, 12, 15, Durba Springs, Well 18, Georgia Bore, Wells 26, 33, 38 (Rock Pool), 46, Breadon Pool and Well 49.
MAPS & BOOKS
Hema Maps have excellent maps in their Great Desert Tracks series covering the entire Canning Stock Route.
A must-have book is Explore Australia by 4WD Craig Lewis and Cathy Savage. This is an excellent reference with up-to-date information, distances and GPS recordings. For a long time the bible for this area was Canning Stock Route by Ronelle and Eric Gard. It carries detailed history on the Canning, some info is a little dated these days, but it should accompany everyone who dares to venture up the Canning.
IMPORTANT NUMBERS
Royal Flying Doctors 1800 625 800
RFDS satellite phone (08) 9417 6364
Police Halls Creek (08) 9168 6000
Aboriginal Affairs (permits) (08) 9235 8000
Weather Info (08) 9263 2257
WA Road Conditions 1800 013 314
THE HAUNTED WELL
Near Well 37 are the graves of Thomson, Shoesmith, Chinaman and McLernon. This collection of grave sites led it to become known as the Haunted Well, although there is no record of any mysterious sightings of ghostly figures at this remote location. In 1911 there was a droving party driving one of the few mobs of cattle to ever actually use the stock route from Halls Creek to Wiluna. A tribe of local Aborigines attacked the drovers killing Christopher Shoesmith, James Thompson and an Aboriginal stockman known as Chinaman. The Aboriginals took exception to the cattle drinking from their native wells and destroying their good sources of water. The fourth grave, bearing the name of John McLernon, joined the other three men in 1922. McLernon was a member of an oil prospecting company who lost his life on the track about 50km to the south of Well 37.
HOW TO SEE THE CANNING
As mentioned throughout this two-part series on the mighty Canning Stock Route, this is not a place for the ill prepared. You need a top quality 4WD, you need to carry all your food and a large quantity of water, you need to carry more fuel than you ever considered necessary, you need to have good bush mechanical skills, good communications in the form of satellite telephone and/or HF radio and the resourcefulness to leave behind modern day amenities for up to three weeks. If all of this seems too difficult, this is where Great Divide Tours can help. Its guides carry all the necessary recovery equipment, communication equipment, tools and know the Outback and how to handle it. If you do not own a 4WD but would like to venture up the CSR, you can hire a 4WD from Britz 4WD hire as they have chosen Great Divide Tours as their preferred 4WD guides to lead their vehicles over the entire length of the stock route. Great Divide Tours can be contacted at www.4wd.net.au or talk to the author of this feature, Vic Widman on (02) 9913 1395.
