Hi boobook and Neil, Spurred on by you "boobook", I applied on line this morning (March 31) for the Madigan permit using tab 3 on the left hand side of the CLC website page. Got an auto-generated lodgement number so at least I have a reference number to refer back to. I will now feel justified in ringing them mid next week after Easter and enquire on the progress of my application. Looks like with the Qld. Covid scare in W.A. that the SBJR trip will fade away and if I can't get the Madigan done, I will need a complete re-jigging of the planned trip. Will get back to this forum to let you know how things pan out,
Madigan Line...... Yes........ Again
- Thread starter Neil Watts
- Start date
Neil Watts
Well-Known Member
Hey mate, ideally we would like to start at Adria Downs, still not getting too excited until the CLC makes a decision.
BTW did you get permission from the owner of the property, David Brooks?
Yes, David Brook (no 's') owns the property but it is managed by Don & Judy Rayment, I had their approval for last May (our original trip) and will again e-mail them AFTER / IF I get the CLC permit. Judy is a lovely lady and you will get an affirmative response in a day or two so you can leave that detail till last. I have the phone, fax and e-mail address for them if you need them.
Ashbine
Active Member
Hey guys...can someone please confirm the following for me...I'm getting a little confused. For the Madigan Line you get your permit from the CLC for camps 1 - 17. For camps 18 - 22 you need a permit from Adria Downs station. Is this correct?
If so does anyone have the contact details for Adria Station?
Thanks again guys!!!!
If so does anyone have the contact details for Adria Station?
Thanks again guys!!!!
Neil Watts
Well-Known Member
Ashbine
Active Member
sorry lads...me again...
Is camping still available at Old Andado Station? All the contact numbers and email addresses Iisted on the website have been disconnected. The Facebook page hasn't been update since 2018 so hoping someone from the brains trust has passed through recently.
Is camping still available at Old Andado Station? All the contact numbers and email addresses Iisted on the website have been disconnected. The Facebook page hasn't been update since 2018 so hoping someone from the brains trust has passed through recently.
79 Cruiser
Member
Just a heads up in case you don't know, a mate got his permit from CLC last week. They are only allowing travel from west to east. You cannot camp on Adria Downs, must be self sufficient i.e. no waste of any kind, must be traversed on same day. Can't help with Old Andado, hav'nt been since June 2018, it was open then.
Les PK Ranger
4x4 Earth Contributer
A real shame if there is no caretaker there now, or indeed from the sounds of it the station trust / organisation has fallen away.
Reading about the interior gathering dust and things diminishing is quite sad, and it will probably only be a matter of time before things start getting pilfered / damaged.
Place is a museum, frozen in time.
I'd ask at Andado Station, they lease the Old Andado area for grazing.
They're in the book, phone 08 8956 0804.
Trying to remember the blokes name there, think it's Peter, and further, I think he's actually manager at New Crown, and THEY run both Andado and Old Andado leases. Memory fuzzy, this was 2016.
New Crown phone is 08 8956 0969, they should be able to help or direct you to Andado owners name etc.
All else failing, I'd camp out there in the old campground, south of the homestead, check facilities there, most likely not suitable to run the donkey for a shower, but I see no harm in low impact camping there overnight.
Usually pre trip we've contacted Andado to just let them know our plans, ask them about anything we should be aware of when travelling through, road / track conditions, stock movements etc.
Les PK Ranger
4x4 Earth Contributer
Good to see Old Andado website still there at least, the history page is worth a browse . . .
https://www.oldandado.com.au/life-history/
Be sure to visit Mollys grave, located just off the track about due east of the homestead, I wasn't aware of it first couple of visits.
https://www.oldandado.com.au/life-history/
Be sure to visit Mollys grave, located just off the track about due east of the homestead, I wasn't aware of it first couple of visits.
cookie64
4x4 Earth Contributer
After Camp 18 /19 it is quite an easy drive as it pretty well goes straight down the side of Eyre Creek, I spent half hour or so looking around Kuddaree Waterhole and then Annandale Ruins which was well worth the visit.
cheers
Neil Watts
Well-Known Member
Below is the letter received from Adria Downs, pretty generic reply I would say.
Hello Neil
Thank you for contacting us via email. 2020 certainly was a year with a difference. Our total rainfall was 200mm which 183mm of it was received in the first 3 months. Another 50mm so far this year may have covered parts of the track.
Please still be COVID-19 aware – We don’t have the sophisticated health care system to cope with an outbreak of COVID-19 in our remote towns.
We are organically accredited through National Association for Sustainable Agriculture Australia (NASAA 4276). To become organically accredited we cannot use any chemicals, herbicides, pesticides or hormone growth promotents. Vehicles, people and equipment can carry weed seeds, pests and diseases. So please take only photographs and leave only tracks/footprints. We appreciate your understanding of our requirements to retain our accredited organic status which is crucial to our business.
Permission to cross Adria Downs, staying on the main tracks, stopping back from stock watering points. Camps 23 & 24 are no longer accessible.
Traveling west to east our boundary is camp 19, camp 20 is near Kuddarree. From camp 22 access is south to Kings Bore, Ruwalts Bore to QAA line and then east into Birdsville via Big Red.
Thank you for providing your vehicles, regos & names of travellers and approximate dates of travel.
Hope you enjoy your trip.
Regards
Judy
Hello Neil
Thank you for contacting us via email. 2020 certainly was a year with a difference. Our total rainfall was 200mm which 183mm of it was received in the first 3 months. Another 50mm so far this year may have covered parts of the track.
Please still be COVID-19 aware – We don’t have the sophisticated health care system to cope with an outbreak of COVID-19 in our remote towns.
We are organically accredited through National Association for Sustainable Agriculture Australia (NASAA 4276). To become organically accredited we cannot use any chemicals, herbicides, pesticides or hormone growth promotents. Vehicles, people and equipment can carry weed seeds, pests and diseases. So please take only photographs and leave only tracks/footprints. We appreciate your understanding of our requirements to retain our accredited organic status which is crucial to our business.
Permission to cross Adria Downs, staying on the main tracks, stopping back from stock watering points. Camps 23 & 24 are no longer accessible.
Traveling west to east our boundary is camp 19, camp 20 is near Kuddarree. From camp 22 access is south to Kings Bore, Ruwalts Bore to QAA line and then east into Birdsville via Big Red.
Thank you for providing your vehicles, regos & names of travellers and approximate dates of travel.
Hope you enjoy your trip.
Regards
Judy
Les PK Ranger
4x4 Earth Contributer
Camp 18 was actually one of my favourites, was an easy drive to Birdsville then . . . in fact I camped at Mugerannie that day.
We did spend a bit of time at Annadale ruins too.
We did spend a bit of time at Annadale ruins too.
Hi Guys, just completed the Madigan Line in my MQ Triton (manual) last week. Left Kulgera (Stuart Highway) on Tuesday 25th May and pulled into Birdsville on Monday 31st May. Distance via Finke, Old Andado, and ALL camps was 912 kilometres for a total of 101 litres total (Full to Full). Saw a single unassisted biker and no other vehicles till we got to Big Red. East to west is the only way and camping is alllowed on Adria Downs, We camped at Camp 20 where the sign is hard to read as it has been underwater for so long.
Was dissapointed to see rev heads and yoboos taking off at breakneck speed to ascend Big red. Was so annoyed to see this so I did a standing start at the very base in Low range 2nd and went as slow as I dared under 15 knots all the way, no wheel spin, just a steady slow one-go attempt to show 'em. Heard on Ch. 10 one chappy saying it dosent matter which of the 5 youu take, you will need a long run-up......
Was dissapointed to see rev heads and yoboos taking off at breakneck speed to ascend Big red. Was so annoyed to see this so I did a standing start at the very base in Low range 2nd and went as slow as I dared under 15 knots all the way, no wheel spin, just a steady slow one-go attempt to show 'em. Heard on Ch. 10 one chappy saying it dosent matter which of the 5 youu take, you will need a long run-up......
Les PK Ranger
4x4 Earth Contributer
Sounds like you have a great week out there.
Pretty sure you meant the other way, but a great drive.
Shame to see it's no longer 'allowed' to do it E > W, and other new rules . . . even going that remote can see restrictions and bureaucracy seemingly for the sake of it.
Maybe the Geos are the last great central desert bastions left, at least crown land and no one can tell you what way to go or how to get where you're going.
Pretty sure you meant the other way, but a great drive.
Shame to see it's no longer 'allowed' to do it E > W, and other new rules . . . even going that remote can see restrictions and bureaucracy seemingly for the sake of it.
Maybe the Geos are the last great central desert bastions left, at least crown land and no one can tell you what way to go or how to get where you're going.
Hey Mini, well done on the trip, can you please elaborate on the comment about ALL camps.
Also re the fuel consumption. That was in the MQ yeah? Was it loaded very much and did you end up using around 16 PSI. Also te speed you mention up Big Red. Why are you using knots?
discomatt
Well-Known Member
Because he just sailed up
Sorry about the word knots, I was a pilot for 44 years and some things are just are hard to break. YES, it is only West to East and thats what we did, good pick-up there Les. We camped at "Old Andado", Madigan Camps 5, 7, 11+ a bit, 16 and 20 (Adria Downs) then Birdsville. Prado (Kakadu) did it on one tank (150 litres) and still had 104 kilometres range left in the tank at arrival Birdsville. My MQ (2017) diesel dual cab used exactly 101 litres exactly from FULL at Kulgera to FULL at Birdsville. The Prado fuelled with 60 litres he carried as reserve fuel so an excact consumption could not be established.
Dunes were deliberately driven slowly and the best combination was 4WD, Low range and third gear or second, traction control off on harder dunes. Tyres were 16 front and 18 rear. Load was 6 gerries of fuel between the wheel arches over the rear axle (perfect fit) for 6 jerries then a 20 litre water, a 10 litre water and a 2.5 litre water. 55 litre fridge / freezer and one extra steel wheel upright behind front pax. seat. Food and bedding - no roofrack or external load.
The front 5 or 6 dunes are easy peasy then it gets serious, after passing about 19 it is basically flat all the way to the QAA line. From there not far to Birdsville and yobbos on the radio and testing their testosterone and talking absolute $hlt as to how to tackle the dunes. As I was once a first-timer like we all were once, I did not join the banter nor critisize them on channel but leaving them to enjoy the moment and learn by their own experiences.
Consumption was better than the CSR as the CSR has more dunes and soft sand whereas the Madigan has an easy start and finish sectors which attribute to good averages all over. For a start, it is a nice country drive from Kulgera to Finke, then East to "New Crown" Old Andado, Mac Clack reserve etc. at least to Camp 5.
Dunes were deliberately driven slowly and the best combination was 4WD, Low range and third gear or second, traction control off on harder dunes. Tyres were 16 front and 18 rear. Load was 6 gerries of fuel between the wheel arches over the rear axle (perfect fit) for 6 jerries then a 20 litre water, a 10 litre water and a 2.5 litre water. 55 litre fridge / freezer and one extra steel wheel upright behind front pax. seat. Food and bedding - no roofrack or external load.
The front 5 or 6 dunes are easy peasy then it gets serious, after passing about 19 it is basically flat all the way to the QAA line. From there not far to Birdsville and yobbos on the radio and testing their testosterone and talking absolute $hlt as to how to tackle the dunes. As I was once a first-timer like we all were once, I did not join the banter nor critisize them on channel but leaving them to enjoy the moment and learn by their own experiences.
Consumption was better than the CSR as the CSR has more dunes and soft sand whereas the Madigan has an easy start and finish sectors which attribute to good averages all over. For a start, it is a nice country drive from Kulgera to Finke, then East to "New Crown" Old Andado, Mac Clack reserve etc. at least to Camp 5.