Thread: Coober Pedy-Wilpena Pound-Broken Hill

Got up at 5:30 this morning to do the Mt. Ohlssen Bagge walk and hopefully get some good sunrise shots. Described as a steep rocky incline followed by rewarding views of Wilpena Pound and the surrounding area.
Note to self: John, you're 61 years old NOT 31, take it easy.
Got just over half way up the mountain and was absolutely knackered, took some photos and headed back down. Going down was not much easier, it's a lot easier to fall down a mountain than it is to fall up a mountain. Having a the Lowepro and tripod on my back and carrying a torch didn't make things any easier either.

Some if the "rocky incline"

Ohlssen Bagge Trail 2 (Medium).jpg


View From Ohlssen Bagge Trail 05 (Medium).jpg


View From Ohlssen Bagge Trail 62 (Medium).jpg

Great country GJ.

Try and do the Bunyeroo Gorge Drive if the wagon is up to it.

Originally Posted by rsser

Great country GJ.

Try and do the Bunyeroo Gorge Drive if the wagon is up to it.

Had a crack at it yesterday coming from the Blinman end. Got about 7-8 k's in and the road was a washout and even if I could have negotiated the wash the vertical climb was too steep. I'm going to try coming in from the other (Wilpena) end tomorrow. I'm getting a bit sick of unsealed roads though as the duct tape is not holding up too well.

Wilpena end is mostly downhill. You may have better luck. But last time there we found some dips that needed negotiating but the Foz was good.

You're pushing it a bit with that setup. You got lucky with the rain on the Ood; but not the temps.

If you have time look at heading up to Arkaroola. Last stretch of dirt road is gravelled and drained. Luxury.

Took a drive out the Banyaroo gorge Track this morning. Stopped at the Banyaroo and Wilco Creek hike, figured I'd pushed my luck getting this far. Turns out i'd run out of luck as I had a massive tyre blowout somewhere along the way .

Banyaroo Valley Lookout (1) (Medium).jpg

Bunyeroo Valley 37_38_39_40_41_42_tonemapped (Medium).jpg

Yanyanna Hut 02 (Medium).jpg

Yanyanna Hut 04_5_6_7_8_9_tonemapped (Medium).jpg

Yanyanna Hut 10_1_2_3_4_5_tonemapped (Medium).jpg

Yanyanna Hut (Medium).jpg

Blowout (Medium).jpg

Don't ask what's in the plastic garbage bags .
Skeletons in the closet (Medium).jpg

Beaut shot of the dead native cypress.

Tyre's looking pretty trashed. Lucky you're nearer Hawker than William Ck.

I got home this morning just after midnight, I've got a bit of cleaning up to do in the camper and I've got to organise a new rear window for the wagon and get the dinged rim repaired. I'll post my thoughts on the trip and a few more photo's later today.

Arrived home from the trip just after midnight Tuesday morning and after being on the road for about 16 hrs was completely bushed. Spent most of yesterday cleaning the dust out of the camper and washing everything. Arranged for the back window to be repaired, and the repairman has just left, cost was $325 . Teed up a second hand rim to replaced the dinged one (cheaper than getting the damaged one re-rolled), I'll be picking it up this arvo hand getting the tyre swapped over.

I would have liked to have spent more time exploring along the Ood Tk., but the oppressive heat and dust coming in through the broken window was making things a bit uncomfortable to say the least. The same goes for Wilpena Pound, just about anything worth seeing involves traveling on some unpaved road and the dust was really becoming an issue and even though the broken window was taped up more and more glass was coming adrift. Even with the broken window, dinged rim and destroyed tyre I still had a great time and will definitely be making a return trip to Wilpena Pound. I would even consider another drive along the Ood Tk., to Coober Pedy, although this time I'd be better prepared and do it maybe in June/July when the temperatures are a bit more tolerable.

Things I've learnt: (in no particular order)
Every time you stop do a walk-a-round and look under the car and van. On more than one occasion the Anderson plug had worked loose and the hose from the water tank to the pump had been pulled off.

Before you set out secure ALL wiring and hoses up as high as possible.

Tape some core flute to the rear window.

Fit a stone guard to the A frame of the van or fit some checker plate to the van.

Fit some roof vents to help positive pressure the van to help keep out dust.

It's better to have the fridge empty when you're traveling. If you must have food and drink in the fridge store bottles vertically in a container. I lost a couple of stubbies that were laying down. The constant vibration over the unsealed roads caused them to lose their contents (very messy).

Have at least 3 rolls each of duct/gaffer/electrical tape. You may not need it, but if you do it will be worth it's weight in gold. A packet of assorted cable ties wouldn't go astray either. I found that gaffer tape holds up better in the heat than duct tape. Duct tape tends to go soft and lose adhesion DAMHIKT.

Be prepared for the 3 way fridge to have a coronary if the temperatures stay above 35 degrees for more than two days .


There's probably more but I can't think of anything just now.

A couple more pictures to finish off.

collteral damage 1.jpg

collteral damage 2.jpg


Some bones for Springwater
coober pedy - wilpena pound trip_0036.jpg


What's that Skip, you're hungry?
coober pedy - wilpena pound trip_0037.jpg

Thanks for sharing your photos and experiences. You caused me to pull out the photos of our trip to Flinders Ranges in 2008 and again in 2010 when returning from a Lake Eyre tour and relive those trips.
As I said in a earlier post, the country there is addictive and I am not surprised that you intend returning.

Great trip John. Onya for having a go.

Mid-year it can get down to zero overnight outback so your stubbies will be cold for brekky! We copped -2 near Blinman last June (but that has some altitude).

Good point about doing regular checks.

Dust: yeah, you do the best to seal things but it still gets in everywhere and leaks out months or years later.

Re Anderson plugs: funny when you buy a camper they don't tell you that these can come apart. Ours shorted on the tow bar once and fried all the electrics. You can buy clamping mounts for them. So far we've just put cable tie loops on each with a spring clip to join them.

Tyres: see if you can get some Light Truck construction in an AT tread. They're much more durable out there when the pressure is dropped. Much better traction on the gravel, less likely to get sidewall staked. We have two sets of wheels with one set just for outback as they cost more than std tyres and are a bit noisy on the blacktop.

Other repair bits might include epoxy putty, fencing wire, electrical spares for camper and car along with a multi-meter, some radiator goo, spare belts and hoses. It's not that you can't get spares outback it's just that you might have to wait a while. Bush time ain't the same as city time. Taking a salvage kit is good manners as while a passing 4by will be willing to pull you out of a bog s/he won't like getting their own kit filthy.

Well I'm surprised you haven't resolved on a 4by for the next trip (or is this under discussion? )

W.A. = Wait Awhile
N.T. = Not Today, Not Tomorrow.

PS Take a decent sized board as a jack pad, and a few smaller ones to level the camper if needed with a bulls-eye level. Make sure your car jack fits the trailer as well.

Originally Posted by grumpy john

w.a. = wait awhile
n.t. = not today, not tomorrow.

...

s.a.?

Originally Posted by Grumpy John

W.A. = Wait Awhile
N.T. = Not Today, Not Tomorrow.

I've got 6 of these .

Board.jpg