Thread: Coober Pedy-Wilpena Pound-Broken Hill

About 4 years ago we did Flinders Ranges (spent 4 to 5 days there and went as far north as Parachilna) and then back via Mungo Nat Park and Broken Hill in a fortnight but would have liked a couple more days in Broken Hill and surrounds.

Hope that helps

Easily. I did a similar loop last year:

Day 1: Drive Melb to BH
Day 2/3: Explore BH. Galleries, sculptures etc
Day 3: Drive to FR
Day 3/4: Explore FR. The pound, art sites, views, Brachina and Parachilna gorges.
Day 5/6: Drive to CP (via Lake Eyre, William Creek and Oodnadatta track). Check out the Mound Springs.
Day 6/7: Explore CP
Day 8/9: Drive to Melb.

Have fun, it's a great part of the country.

Originally Posted by Chesand

About 4 years ago we did Flinders Ranges (spent 4 to 5 days there and went as far north as Parachilna) and then back via Mungo Nat Park and Broken Hill in a fortnight but would have liked a couple more days in Broken Hill and surrounds.

Hope that helps

Originally Posted by sjm

Easily. I did a similar loop last year:

Day 1: Drive Melb to BH
Day 2/3: Explore BH. Galleries, sculptures etc
Day 3: Drive to FR
Day 3/4: Explore FR. The pound, art sites, views, Brachina and Parachilna gorges.
Day 5/6: Drive to CP (via Lake Eyre, William Creek and Oodnadatta track). Check out the Mound Springs.
Day 6/7: Explore CP
Day 8/9: Drive to Melb.

Have fun, it's a great part of the country.

Thanks for the feedback gentlemen, exactly what I was looking for.
did you drive 4WD or conventional 2WD transport, caravanning or staying in hotel/motel/cabins?

Grumpy, IF you are going to stay in the Flinders Ranges, could I suggest staying at Rawnsley Park. Nice place, pleasant Caravan Park and wonderful walks into the Pound.

Mate 10 days in any of those places isn't enough
Wen't to a mates 60th in adelaide last year stopped in Broken hill for two nights , left a week lated and didn't see it all ,
5 years ago did the Wilpena Pound, Coober Pedy and though we spent several days didn't see enough
It's a bit like doing a european trafalgar trip if its thuesday this must be belguim
If you only have 10 days then certainly you can drive to and through those places and I'm sure you will enjoy it but your origional question was

will I be able to spend enough time at each location to get the most of it?

and in my opinion the answer is no

Originally Posted by Grumpy John

Thanks for the feedback gentlemen, exactly what I was looking for.
did you drive 4WD or conventional 2WD transport, caravanning or staying in hotel/motel/cabins?

Subaru Outback which handled the gorges in Flinders Ranges and dirt roads in Mungo Nat Park very well but otherwise was not off the beaten track.

We stayed in motels - bit too old for the camping bit and like a proper bed now,
We stayed in Wilpena Pound Resort but would consider Rawnsley Park if we get back there again as we have heard good reports.

I agree with Ashore that more time would be better as the country out there becomes addictive.

Originally Posted by Grumpy John

Thanks for the feedback gentlemen, exactly what I was looking for.
did you drive 4WD or conventional 2WD transport, caravanning or staying in hotel/motel/cabins?

Conventional family sedan, no problems at all. All roads were good quality 2WD accessible, even the Oodnadatta track (although it does vary, depending on recent rain. But then again, so do the roads through the gorges in the Flinders Ranges). Stayed one night each at Rawnsley Park and Wilpena Pound in the Flinders Ranges, and a caravan park in Coober Pedy, but other than that, it was camping away from civilisation.

John
The light will be an important issue as to how long you stay at a particular spot. You would have, no doubt, seen any number of calendar photos of those areas and how good the colour of the scenery is. It would be 20years or so that we were in those places with SLR Colour slide film. We were a little disappointed with our results because the light is intense and the film had trouble coping. With you and your digital camera I'm sure you will have a ball experimenting!
Broken Hill especially is a great place to visit. Plenty of spots for "photo shoots" even down to the extensive use of corrugated iron for house fencing.

11 days is not enough time to explore those areas and unless you are a serious petrol head it's not really even enough time to drive the distance comfortably. Keep in mind that it is still likely to be seriously hot in those districts in Feb/Mar.

Unless it rains the vehicle type issue is more about ground clearance and suspension than x wheel drive. Some of the more scenic road trips around Flinders ranges involve access that needs good ground clearance not 4wd. (Can anyone else remember the old Ford TV ads spruiking the Fairlane as Wilpena Pound owners preferred vehicle well before the roads were sealed all the way?)

Is your 2wd vehicle corrugated dirt road friendly. I used to be able to cruise at the speed limit on dirt roads in my Nissan Syline wagon, but could only travel at about 5kph in my Vectra.

Grumpy J,
I grew up in Port Augusta and in those days had a significant number of relatives, from both sides of the family, in and around Quorn (believe it or not, I learnt to swim and dive in, almost outback, Quorn rather than on the beaches of PA). The Flinders was my back yard till about 10 years ago.

I concur with what others have said.
The time you have given yourself, you should be able to comfortably visit all the named places but you won't see all that they have to offer. Particularly the Flinders and Wilpena. Not even close.

BUT DO IT ANYWAY.

Better to have a taste now when you can and possibly a more considered trip later, than to miss out/put it off and never do it at all.

+++++++++

Kev Y recommended Rawnsleys Park. I've stayed there numerous times, cabins and camping. They have cabins in one area and a caravan park and a small shop a bit up the road with a couple of on site vans. Often popular long weekends etc. so book ahead. The Woolshed "restaurant" that is near the cabins, I have found is a bit hit and miss as far as times available and quality of food, depending on who they can get to cook, I suppose. All the other facilities are good or excellent.

P6140023.jpg
Chace Range seen from Rawnsleys

+++++++++
As far as cars go, when my kids were younger we went camping up to Lake Eyre in my then Magna station wagon. Went through Andamooka, Coward Springs, William Creek and camped on the shores of Lake Eyre. OK, we went in convoy with 3 4WDs, but there was never really any time that the Magna looked iffy for the places we went. And in fact a Dutch lady who couldn't go on that particular trip with our group went by herself a week later and I think she had a clapped out old Datsun 120.

4WD are nice enough but there isn't anywhere on most roads you really can't go in a normal car with a little forethought and care. 4WD will get you further from civilisation before you get into trouble
Seriously, there is a great deal of the Flinders you can see without really getting off the bitumen.

Regards
SWK

Once again, thank you all very much for you input it is greatly appreciated. It was a silly question to ask if 11 days would enough. It's obvious that you could spend at least month doing this circuit and still not see everything, let alone allowing for the different seasons.
I drive a Mazda 626, but I'll probably borrow the wifes Falcon wagon.

When I was there last year, I met a Spanish couple in the Flinders Ranges driving a Falcon station wagon (they were sleeping in the back). They travelled up the Oodnadatta track after me, and we met up again in Coober Pedy a few days later.

I've been going over my planned trip in a purely statistical point of view using Google Earth as a reference. Not allowing for side trips and sleeping/resting the total distance of the trip is 3,673K and ~43Hrs. This is going via Leigh Creek on the Ood Tk. If I go from WP to CP via Port Augusta it is 48k longer, but I save 3 1/2 hours (and less wear and tear on the car) and it's probably a less stressful, but boring, drive. The point of the trip, however, is to see and photograph some of our country's harsh (but beautiful) outback and you can't get much more outback than the Ood Trk. If I do the loop in a counter clockwise direction ie Melb, BH, WP, I can see how I'm traveling and make a decision whether to do the Ood Tk. or wus out and go via Port Augusta.

There's lots of good advice here but I fall on the side of less driving and more rubber-necking esp if shooting is your main interest. I'd drop BH and spend more time in the Flinders and on and around the Ood. Tk. BH and surrounds are well worth spending time in but ...

We've been outback four times now and the only rule re road and weather conditions, which will determine what you can do, is that there is no rule. They can change overnight.

The roadhouses post the latest bulletins from the SA govt or if you're connected see the regularly updated Desert Parks Bulletin here: Safety - Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources (DEWNR) (When the Bulletin says things like road closed or 4WD only, believe it. It will be on the ball and in any case you will be heavily fined if caught out. Those notices are also posted at town exits and at turn-offs; you won't be in any doubt).

On a good day, the Ood. Tk, and the William Ck - CP and Ood. - CP roads are like dirt highways (but with lots of gibbers on the NW parts). Expect lots of corrugations unless they've been recently graded, so bone up on dropping tyre pressures and taking spares. Recovery out there will cost you a bomb. Sign up for RACV Total Care.

...

The Ood Tk has lots of history and ruins and is a fascinating drive. There is a lot to see. The Farina ruins, Coward Springs and the Anglebuckina bridge are just a few. If you can make it to Ood township then investigate going back to Coober Pedy via The Painted Desert near Arckaringa. That's a photographer's wet dream at sunset. There's basic camping at Arckaringa Station. 2WD access can't be assumed however.

CP is a vision of a post-apocalyptic nightmare in some ways and also grist for the single eye. Take the daily tourist bus tour - well worth it. You'll learn heaps.

Some other things we've learned ...

* Driving on the dirt out there takes 100% concentration. Six hours is our limit and we do it in two hour shifts.
* Talk to the locals about conditions and possibilities.
* Hope for the best but plan for the worst.
* Likely the red-dirt country will get its hooks into you and you'll be back so it doesn't all have to be done this trip.
* Powered camp-sites are in demand and some booking ahead may be sensible, esp. at Wilpena Pound and CP.
* Google map time estimates are pretty accurate for blacktop; for the dirt ...
* Take a Telstra 'blue tick' phone. Nothing else comes close short of a PLB or Satphone.

There's a great website with track, traveller and place (inc. av daily temps) info here: ExplorOz - 4WDing, Camping & Caravanning around Australia

For the Ood. Tk and the triangle of William Ck - CP - Ood. township, an emergency beacon is useful insurance. You can borrow my Spot Messenger 2 if you want or my Satphone.

I'm sure you'll have a ball out there and I'm looking forward to the trip report