Tanami niggles

[dpetersen]

G'day guys! Made it through the Tanami today to Halls Creek, only a couple of hours to go till I get to my new job at El Questro.
The car went really well today, very happy with it.
For anyone who doesn't know me, the names Daniel, I purchased a 2003 patrol wagon about a month ago, 3L turbo diesel, 280000ks, manual.
So iv done about 4000ks since leaving Melbourne, stopped in Alice Springs for a few days and out to Kings canyon to visit some old work mates via the Mereenie loop then back via the Giles track. Only issue I had to that point was the alternator, belt and tensioner.
I filled up in Alice yesterday and stayed in Tilmouth well last night and topped up there.
I visited as many sites on the web as I could, called Yuendmu police station and both information centers (alice and halls creek) before I left and the best road report I could get was "use caution". Even the bloke at Tilmouth Well said he had no idea what the track was like. All I was told was not to take my little 6x4 tradies trailer. Anyway I thought bugger it she'll be right. I dropped my tyres to 25psi all round and 22psi on the trailer. The track itself wasn't too bad on the NT side, pretty corrugated and soft on the edges but that was expected. Plenty of signs when there were washouts ect ahead and signs showing distances to the next place. Had phone reception at Yuendamu and while passing the mine. Just a heads up, avoid Yuenduma and stay at Tilmouth. Once I got to the WA side things changed, no signs with distances or when there were hazards ahead, and there were plenty of them. Washouts and potholes most of the way. Anyways from Tilmouth well to Halls creek was about 860ks and took me about 12 hours.
As for the little issues I had;
I cracked my rear door window pretty badly, the smaller one. It hasn't blown out yet, I think the window tint is holding it in. What's a new one worth?
Only other issue, my temp gauge has played up since iv had the car, it'll be fine then shoot strait up to boiled, I tap the dash and it goes back to normal. The guy that I bought it off said it needs a new cluster but is it cheaper to just put another gauge in? The reason this bothers me is because I ran the car for the full 12 hours today without turning it off but I noticed when I pulled over that the temp seemed to rise and then cool down when I started to drive.
Apart from those two issues everything else was pretty good, can't say I'd want to do the track again in my own car but pretty stoked to have made it without doing any tyres or anything like that.
Cheers

[Getaboutabit]

G'Day Daniel
Well you made it but I would guess you didn't see much along the Tanami'
I would put in a single temp guage just for peace of mind (always nice to see
the actual temp as opposed to a sliding scale ). The Tanami is on my to do list.
By what you have said I would guess you sat on or about 80k's .
Good efort and thanks for the info

[dpetersen]

G'day getaboutabit. Yeah isn't a whole lot to see lol, plenty of cattle and a couple of mobs of emus but that was about it. One road train and four cars was the only other traffic. Will be going back to Wolfe creek in a few months to check it out, but that's the only time il go back lol. I sat on about 85-90 through most of the territory but once I got to WA was a lot slower, the last 200ks took me about three and half hours.

[threedogs]

Good effort,,,, your water temp problem could just be a faulty earth,
Im just about to fit a seperate mechanical water gauge not sure where yet.
might be above my dual pillar pod, we'll see.
Did you keep your old alternator??

[happygu]

Just wait till you've been there for a little while .... you will think the Tanami is a doddle ...

It will take a little while to get used to the slower pace of life too


Funny how everyone is different .... I love the Tanami, and worked right out in the middle there at the Tanami Gold Mine, and I think there is heaps to see - you just need to slow down and look, as we are accustomed to only thinking there is something to see if there is a major signpost

[sooty_10]

Working at el questro :) nice little bit of country there, what are you ping to be doing? I've stayed there a few long weekends when I lived in Darwin. I've done as far south as Wolfe creek on the tanami and found it to be be a fairly standard dirt road, I did come across a German couple with fencing wire wrapped all around there axle and brakes with a hire troopy/camper. Nice enough older couple, got them sorted and on their way. You'll have a great time up there. You'll see places most people don't even know about.

[dads tractor]

It can be a bit of a challenge the Tanami took a Road train of gravel out to the granites when all that was there were two atcos and the start of a workshop .Spent 8hrs welding up a dolly to get home .Went out another time to clean out a bore casing for a contractor with some jelly at Rabbit Flat when Bruce had the road house .So Daniel I reckon you have done a good job of getting through with only a smashed window as the graders are few and far between these days I believe.

[Cuppa]

dpetersen - hope you stick around on the forum, it’d be good to have a contact at Kings Canyon & El Questro for future work possibilities once we get on the road. ;)

[dads tractor]

Cuppa don't forget Kings Creek campground as well

[TPC]

I did the Tanami last year as a short cut to the Kimberleys and did not enjoy it as it was much slower going than I expected and there are limited suitable camping locations.
Probably would have liked it if I was swagging it instead of the camper trailer and had more time.
One thing that annoyed me was the amount of rubbish everyware, more than I have seen on any other track.

I recon working at El Questro would be a great job, that was one of my favorite places I stayed at through the Kimberleys.

[dpetersen]

Maintenance supervisor at Emma gorge scooty! Can't wait. Deffinatly cuppa, it's usually pretty easy to find work at resorts, iv done kings canyon resort, Wildman wilderness lodge near kakadu and now el Questro. Makes it easy to save money as you get food and rent! Only thing you have to pay for is beer and smokes!
But all in all guys very happy with the car and the trip so far!
Threedogs, no I left it at the dealer. I should have asked to keep it.

[threedogs]

Good luck with the job,,,,,, hope you have decent camera. Its one of only
a few stations that made good after beef and found tourism could turn a buck.
A GM friend of mine was helicoptered into el Questro for a 4x4 launch a few years back
Air-con marquees everywhere, awesome place, watch the crocs eh

[Cuppa]

Cuppa don't forget Kings Creek campground as well

Is that the station based one you pass on the way to the Kings Canyon resort? If so I did write to them before our last trip asking about the possibility of taking on a role as a guide for their Quad bike tours. I reckon that would be pretty good. They said to give them a hoy when we got there, but other priorities took over for us. Would still love to do something like that. IIRC that's the place who put quite a lot of effort in supporting young local indigenous kids in attending boarding schools on the east coast isn't it?

[the evil twin]

Emma Gorge eh, must remember to say G'day whenever I get up that way


Is that the station based one you pass on the way to the Kings Canyon resort? If so I did write to them before our last trip asking about the possibility of taking on a role as a guide for their Quad bike tours. I reckon that would be pretty good. They said to give them a hoy when we got there, but other priorities took over for us. Would still love to do something like that. IIRC that's the place who put quite a lot of effort in supporting young local indigenous kids in attending boarding schools on the east coast isn't it?

I've stayed at both.
Kings Creek Station is much less formal (for lack of a better word) and cheaper.
The brekkies are awesome and there are a lot of Station based activities as Cuppa mentioned.

The Resort is a much different feel with a boozer, resaurant style meals etc but still has all accomodation from van park, dorms and cabins up to humungously expensive motel suites.
Personally I would stay at Kings Creek for casual atmosphere and heaps to do or a chat around a campfire or whatever and the Resort is 15 minutes down the road if you want a boozer or flash meal.

Couldn't believe how busy they get in the season, same goes for the Canyon.
Almost as many people as Yulara and 1/2 the area.
Gotta be on anyones bucket list tho.

[Stropp]

when i was last there emma gorge was a great spot but i expect its changed in the last 23 yrs :) good luck with the job mate.

[happygu]

We loved Emma Gorge too....it would be absolutely awesome seeing all the different seasons

Hope you love it too

[dads tractor]

Is that the station based one you pass on the way to the Kings Canyon resort? If so I did write to them before our last trip asking about the possibility of taking on a role as a guide for their Quad bike tours. I reckon that would be pretty good. They said to give them a hoy when we got there, but other priorities took over for us. Would still love to do something like that. IIRC that's the place who put quite a lot of effort in supporting young local indigenous kids in attending boarding schools on the east coast isn't it? Yes Ian Conway and his wife who's name escapes me at the moment sent kids down to Adelaide to school .Ians the bloke that caught camels and broke them in and sold back to the Middle East TOP BLOKE . Ians wifes name is Lynn if my mem' is working .