millsy
4x4 Earth Contributer
BOOKED OUT - Murray Sunset/ Big Desert August 20, 21, 22
Sorry, we now have enough cars for this trip. The people coming, or could be coming, are listed at the bottom of this post.
Would anyone be interested in a weekend through parts of the Murray Sunset and the Big Desert, including the Border Track south of Pinnaroo - the one way section.
I am proposing the weekend starts on Friday 20th August. Drive up to Glossop to camp in the Katarapko Conservation Park (or the Murray River National Park as named on Google maps) just south of Berri on Friday afternoon/evening after work.
Saturday morning across to the border a bit past Yamba, and turn into the Sunset country. Head down one of several tracks, including the Millewa South Bore Track, or the Border Track, which I know are both quite sandy and well vegetated. Eventually ending up at Pinnaroo to refuel. Then, across to the Big Billy Camp ground which is about 40km south of Murrayville on the Nhill/Murrayville Road. This is a nice clay topped road, a bit rutted here and there due to erosion. If time gets away from us there is the beautiful camp ground at Pine Hut Soak, which is just 20km south of Pinnaroo. This is one of my favourite camping spots and have used it 3 or 4 times in the last 2 years.
Sunday morning 11 km back up the Nhill/Murrayville road to the Cactus Bore track and head over to to the Scorpion Springs Conservation Park. A bit of a look at the Scorpion Springs and the Fish Ponds, and then down the Border Track. Some of my mates have done the Cactus Bore Track and reckon it was the best part of their trip. I missed out because I had to make a dash back to Pinnaroo via the highway and re-stock with the good stuff - FUIC! So I am looking forward to it this time. We might even camp at one of several nice camp grounds just off this Cactus Bore Track instead of on the hard pack clay at Big Billy. I think these would have a sand base rather than hard pack clay. There is a good lookout apparently along the Cactus Bore Track that offers great views across the Big Desert.
There are toilets at Big Billy and Pine Hut Soak camp grounds. There is also a toilet halfway down the Sunset country at the Pheeney's Campground. I will need to check out where the toilets are in the Katarapko park. Not sure if there are any, but I imagine there would be. I don't think there are toilets at the camp grounds on the Cactus Bore track, but I can make a phone call to the Ranger's Office to find out - same for the Katarapko situation.
So hopefully we can get a few cars together and have a great weekend!
The 'group' at this stage . . .
CONFIRMED STARTERS
Millsy - John ( MQ Patrol SWB )
Patrick Albrecht
Travel Bug - Scott and Sandra ( Pajero )
Chard and Lindsay ( Landcruiser 100 series )
Alien d2 - Kyle and mate, from Bacchus Marsh ( LandRover Discovery )
POSSIBLE STARTERS
Mark ( Hilux traytop )
Sorry, we now have enough cars for this trip. The people coming, or could be coming, are listed at the bottom of this post.
Would anyone be interested in a weekend through parts of the Murray Sunset and the Big Desert, including the Border Track south of Pinnaroo - the one way section.
I am proposing the weekend starts on Friday 20th August. Drive up to Glossop to camp in the Katarapko Conservation Park (or the Murray River National Park as named on Google maps) just south of Berri on Friday afternoon/evening after work.
Saturday morning across to the border a bit past Yamba, and turn into the Sunset country. Head down one of several tracks, including the Millewa South Bore Track, or the Border Track, which I know are both quite sandy and well vegetated. Eventually ending up at Pinnaroo to refuel. Then, across to the Big Billy Camp ground which is about 40km south of Murrayville on the Nhill/Murrayville Road. This is a nice clay topped road, a bit rutted here and there due to erosion. If time gets away from us there is the beautiful camp ground at Pine Hut Soak, which is just 20km south of Pinnaroo. This is one of my favourite camping spots and have used it 3 or 4 times in the last 2 years.
Sunday morning 11 km back up the Nhill/Murrayville road to the Cactus Bore track and head over to to the Scorpion Springs Conservation Park. A bit of a look at the Scorpion Springs and the Fish Ponds, and then down the Border Track. Some of my mates have done the Cactus Bore Track and reckon it was the best part of their trip. I missed out because I had to make a dash back to Pinnaroo via the highway and re-stock with the good stuff - FUIC! So I am looking forward to it this time. We might even camp at one of several nice camp grounds just off this Cactus Bore Track instead of on the hard pack clay at Big Billy. I think these would have a sand base rather than hard pack clay. There is a good lookout apparently along the Cactus Bore Track that offers great views across the Big Desert.
There are toilets at Big Billy and Pine Hut Soak camp grounds. There is also a toilet halfway down the Sunset country at the Pheeney's Campground. I will need to check out where the toilets are in the Katarapko park. Not sure if there are any, but I imagine there would be. I don't think there are toilets at the camp grounds on the Cactus Bore track, but I can make a phone call to the Ranger's Office to find out - same for the Katarapko situation.
So hopefully we can get a few cars together and have a great weekend!
The 'group' at this stage . . .
CONFIRMED STARTERS
Millsy - John ( MQ Patrol SWB )
Patrick Albrecht
Travel Bug - Scott and Sandra ( Pajero )
Chard and Lindsay ( Landcruiser 100 series )
Alien d2 - Kyle and mate, from Bacchus Marsh ( LandRover Discovery )
POSSIBLE STARTERS
Mark ( Hilux traytop )
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