We started out from Alice Springs after checking the weather forecast and road reports. The weather was to be mainly fine with scattered showers and the Tanami Rd was open to the border of NT/WA.
After 26kms or so out of Alice we turned onto the Tanami and I was doubting the weather report from the start.
The road was sealed although narrow in sections so we knew we were OK up to the roadhouse at Tilmouth Well. When we arrived at Tilmouth Well the rain was still light with dark clouds looming in the distance. Later in the night the heavens opened and we again doubted the weather reports.
We woke to having no further rain since about midnight and the ground had soaked up most of the rain except for a few puddles.
As we departed Tilmouth Well with the knowledge that the Tanami Rd was open, it wasn't long before we hit the dirt road and the rain returned in heavy showers. As we progressed along the track the rain set in and the track conditions quickly deteriorated.
We were set on making Rabbit Flat roadhouse for the night however the track conditions worsened and at one point Rabbit Flat seemed so far away.
However we persevered and arrived at Rabbit Flat late afternoon with an expectation that although fuel was not required the place would provide an overnight camp site.
A short look around was the best we could give as rain was coming, so the chap (owner of Rabbit Flat) said. In fact 'Buckets of rain' he said and in fact that was all he said except that we should camp up the road about 4kms. Quite the character, if you have met him you'll understand!
You have to be in the area to really get a sense for the place but I’ll try to paint a picture: No camping at Rabbit Flat, the owner's not interested anymore (he has his reasons), you’ve heard the horror stories (mostly myth) and you've seen an endless array of burnt out vehicles and locals roadside squatting whilst demolishing other vehicles yet to be burnt out, rain is looming and safety is a concern in the back of your mind.
We did find camp in the company of another couple who just happened to arrive at a similar time and we all woke to a beautiful sunrise, quite a surprise given it had rained most of the night.
The ground was soft under foot which raised questions regarding the track conditions.
The road ahead for us was wet and slippery with sections completely covered by water.
It rained nearly all the way to Woolfe Creek Crater except for a small patch on the WA border.
The section of road where the northern end of the Canning Stock Route CSR and the Tanami meet was extremely wet and boggy. When we had visited the southern end of the CSR (Well No.1) a month or so prior the track conditions then where dry and dusty, the contrast was staggering.
The rain varied from light to very hard and continued until we arrived at the crater where it poured and then let up for our walk to the crater rim. A quick walk with an even quicker photo and we were off. A quick whip around the vacant camping area which appeared to be a great spot in drier weather and we were back on track.
We thought all was well until the volt meter started to drop and one by one all instruments and other power-using items ceased to work. Once the voltage was under the 5-6 volt mark the engine stopped and we rolled to a stop.
A quick assessment, multi meter test and fuse check and I was sure the alternator had stop functioning.
We charged the battery but it wasn't going to hold its charge for long.
Two groups of people had stopped to offer assistance, one of which would not long after departing our location receive a flat. Trouble all round however just short of strapping the generator to the bonnet as it has a 12 volt outlet, a remark from one passerby reminded me of something that would save the day. As suggested by our auto electrician we had installed a switch which transferred direct voltage from the deep cycle battery to the crank battery. I wasn't sure how long it would last as the device was suited to a one off press in an emergency flat battery situation but we had 60kms or more to cover, it was getting dark and it was raining. With a push of the button the volt meter sprang into life, the car started and we were back on the road.
As a support the second group that had stopped to assist suggested they would follow us to ensure we made it. This provided reassurance and although further assistance was not needed we were unable to stop and thank them for their help before we parted ways due to the need to continue while things were going good.
All there was to do now was find a replacement alternator and wash the car. Well there was school for some!
By Lou: We didn’t leave Alice Springs til after lunch with nerves a bit frayed from the pack up and shopping expedition and headed towards the Tanami Road in pretty overcast conditions. We only travelled about 200kms and decided Tilmouth Roadhouse would be a good spot to camp the night. By the time we got there, we decided to lash out on a cabin just to save the misery of setting up and packing up in the rain. It was money well spent as when I went to the loo I could hear a camping couple swearing their heads off at each other, no doubt a reaction to the miserable conditions. Heading in the opposite direction were two teachers from the next town of Yuendumu who were heading to the city (Alice Springs) for the long weekend (Bank Holiday) and to get away from the madding crowd gathering for a sports carnival. They thought we were mad to continue on but we decided to see how things panned out in the morning before deciding whether we should push on or retreat to Alice Spring and take the bitumen north.
In the morning we chatted to 3 couples who had ventured down the Tanami from the north the day before and feedback of the track conditions ranged from “it was my worst nightmare” to “it’s fine if you take it slow”. Of course my radar zoomed in on the former and I was all for retreating under the expectation that surely the road would be closed, but Craig of course erred on the side of 'she’ll be right mate' so…we set off up the track. It was very wet in parts but obviously was far less intimidating without darkness and rainfall as had been the case with the other travellers. There were a few slippery and muddy patches but I don’t think they alone detracted from the experience. It was just pretty boring scenery and with the outside temperature at 15 degrees and the sky grey, it wasn’t the most upbeat of experiences.
We left Alice to head north and chase the warmer weather and it's 15 degrees? Passersby swore it had been 35 degrees in Hall's Creek yesterday. Just our luck.Toward the end of the Tanami Road, approximately 100kms short of Hall’s Creek, lies Woolfe Creek Crater.
It could have been quite impressive but we had to brace ourselves against the rain for the walk, had a quick look and a check to see we’d all seen it and within minutes we had retreated to the car. Apparently it has been immortalised in the horror flick “Woolfe Creek” but as neither Craig nor I had seen it we failed to be spooked. As Hall’s Creek loomed nearer, I was looking forward to the end of corrugations but my heart sank when Craig announced “oh no” and declared we were losing power. Of course, I said to myself, let’s have a mechanical drama at 4 ’clock in the afternoon just as light is starting to fade and we haven’t had a shower for 3 days. As Craig set to working out what to do, a car pulled up to check we were all right. “I know you!”, I said. And sure enough it was a couple, Mike and Jane, whom we had met over near Denham two months ago.
Although they couldn’t offer any direct assistance they did agree to catch up with us that night at the Hall’s Creek caravan park before heading off and coming to grief themselves with a tyre puncture. Meanwhile another car stopped to help and within an hour we were back on track. Fortunately our autoelectrician had set up a switch in the vehicle before we left home which we could use to transfer power from our deep cycle battery to the crank battery so it was with the grace of that function that we limped into Hall’s Creek.
Before we could finish setting up, a fellow named Liam came over and immediately identified from the red concrete over everything that we had just come up the Tanami.
He and his family had also done the same thing with their campertrailer and he was still quite wired from the experience. Sam played with his two sons Christopher and Luke and next day we met his wife Mandy before they headed off for Purnululu National Park. “Catch you down the track”, we hailed in unison.True to their promise we caught up with Mike and Jane in the park and had a good natter about what they’d been up to since we last met. Mike had recently undertaken a photography course so Craig picked up a few pointers for our own shots before they headed on their way.
While Craig sorted out the replacement of the alternator, Sam and I did some school.
No comments:
Post a Comment