Canning Stock Route Part II
THE CANNING STOCK ROUTE Part II
Continuing on from our last article: The journey of North to South down the Canning Stock Route from Halls Creek to Wiluna in Western Australia was criticised as “doing it the hard way with anchors” (camper trailers = anchors). That is what we were told by CSR travellers at Halls Creek!
We enjoyed our stay at Halls Creek, visited China wall which is one of those phenomenal natural structures we love to photograph. White quartz rock placed in neat square blocks like a purpose built fence down the side of a hill, amazing.
Caroline Pools is a must do for free camping paradise, (15km south east HC) where time stands still while you enjoy swimming or basking at the waterhole on the banks of the winding White Elvrie River.
For our final shopping of souvenirs we called in to the Halls Creek information Centre, one of the best info centres we have been to. Bought the number plates that said “we have travelled the CSR” that was our positive attitude.
Officially the CSR starts 175km south of Halls Creek at Billiluna, an indigenous community pop 200 where we topped up fuel (23 litres).
Our camp for the night is Stretch Lagoon (see HC info centre for permits) a further 20km down the road.
Wow- Lake Stretch was paradise. The H in Holiday is relaxing on the banks of a beautiful blue spread of water in the ‘middle of nowhere’ watching the sun set. Went crazy photographing the birds and trees thriving in the lake.
The words of wisdom from ‘Charlie’ were “you will be okay if you
go slow and keep your tyre pressure low!
20kmph is our top speed with corrugations, rocky track and the first dozen or so PID’s (Piddly Insignificant Dunes), we are the Tvan Tortoises and the Cautious Conqueror. Our plan was 2000km, 21 days, average 100km per day, this was a holiday.
The country looks fantastic, tall yellow straw grass or green Spinifex as far as the eye can see. We have ticked off well 51 and counting down.
South Esk tablelands (well 48) a magnificent flat top red rocky range, one would think we were in an American cowboy wild west movie.
A dingo waits for us to take his photo at the turn-off to Breaden Pool, this is our smoko stop and explore of Godfrey Tank, a natural rocky pool on top of the range.
In the desert there is a different type of graffiti, early explorers such as David Carnegie 1896 & HS Trotman 1906, left their mark on the sandstone walls of Godfrey tank. Take a moment to reflect how tough it was for them.
The next day is the start of the challenging dunes, our tyres are down to 16f, 14r, 16t, Maxx Trax & snatch, we are over. We are not turning back we can do this!
The new name for the CSR – Corrugated Shit Road.
To be concluded....
