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GETTING INLAND
During planning, the team looked at Hema's
guidebooks and route maps. What they
showed was the gradual change from deep
coastal greens to the soft reds of the centre
near day two’s planned stop at Innamincka.
What they didn’t show was the experience
of driving the Great Dividing Range or the
suddenness and steepness of the climb
into Toowoomba. Even the best guidebook
cannot fully describe the realisation that
you are in the heart of the red centre when
Eulo approaches. Blink and you can miss the
dramatic change.
We camped at the popular Noccundra
Waterhole. At 1100km in from Brisbane, we do
not recommend doing it in a day — stop half-
way at Nindigully instead. Noccundra gave us
our first taste of the inland sunset and it did
not disappoint. The skies and sands reflected
each other like a Hallmark postcard. The
waterhole provided the right amount of cool
air but also mozzies.
Noccundra is only a few hundred
kilometres from Innamincka, itself only a half
day from Arkaroola, SA, where we were to
end day two but with one stop. Robert O’Hara
Burke’s grave is a must-see for anyone who
has read about Burke and Wills.
Just out of Innamincka, the area will raise
the hairs on your arms as you contemplate
his ill fated attempt at claiming the then
rich reward of 2000 pounds for linking the
north to the south through the centre. The
tales of the inexperience and arrogance in
the attempt makes any explorer feel a little
unnerved, as we did.FUELS WAY
Once at Innamincka we started to consider
the coming off-grid days, searching for
dwindling mobile reception (only Optus has
good coverage), filling jerry cans, eating our
last fresh pies and talking to friendly locals
around the roadhouse. What was to follow
was the Strzelecki and the Gammon Ranges.
Ignore GoogleMaps: read the Hema
guidebook and know the Strzelecki can be
done in a day. But be watchful for washouts
and culverts (which tested our suspensions)
and travel during the day as roaming
livestock is hard to spot at night.
Our concern was the fuel consumption of
the thirsty 70 Series, though trip leader Rob
had accounted for it.
The Vulkathunha-Gammon Ranges to
the north of the well-known Ikara-Flinders
Ranges are the traditional country of the
Adnyamathanha people, are steeped with
history and offer amazing sunsets.
We found ourselves near Arkaroola with
sights set on a bush camp in one of the many
gorges near the wilderness sanctuary and
caravan park. What we found was a lesson in
planning, preparation and luck.“Each of us brought
different expertise and
excitement for the challenge
but we also needed the right
gear to survive the long hot
days away from help”
TOP DOWN Rain brought stunning rainbows to the Strez; our scout vehicle for the difficult terrain