Kalgoorlie to Yulara

We left Kalgoorlie on 10^th July and travelled north on the Goldfields Highway to Menzies, a 130 km backtrack, then turned off towards Laverton.    We called in to Niagara Dam, which was constructed to supply water for the railways during the gold rush days.

Niagara Dam

Mulla Mulla  (just like my placemat)

There were plenty of good campspots around the dam, but it was too early to stop for the day, so we continued on to Kookynie, a “living” ghost town.   After lunch here, it was 50 k’s of good dirt road to the highway to Laverton.    Along this section of road we passed Lake Raeside, and were pleasantly surprised by the amount of water and birdlife.    I also spied my first desert pea of the trip, and it was such a vivid colour.     Just 100 k’s then to Laverton, past nickel and cobalt mines.

Lake Raeside

 

Such delicate flowers in a barren landscape

Friday morning dawned clear and cold for the start of our adventure on the Great Central Road, also known as The Outback Way, Australia’s Longest Shortcut – the route from Laverton to Winton.   Our first day’s travel was 315 k’s which included some very challenging corrugations, and quite good dirt.   We travelled at speeds between 10 and 80 kph.     Our overnight stop was the Tjukayirla Roadhouse, which provided a very good campground and excellent showers/toilets, especially considering the remoteness of the place.  

Start of The Great Central Road

Lunch stop - Day 1

Tjukayirla Roadhouse - fuel in cages

Sunset behind, moon in front

Road conditions to Warburton on Saturday were quite good, with about 30 k’s of bitumen, which was a nice change.    We stayed at the roadhouse overnight, keeping a keen eye on the dark clouds coming in late in the afternoon.   After an early start on Sunday morning, the driver was becoming very concerned about the possibility of rain.   We made good time to Warakurna for fuel, hot coffee and chips, so decided to keep going.   

Just a few corrugations!!!!!

Lots of footprints, but only 3 camels on the road

Avenue of desert oaks

.......... and the worst section of road

The road was in good condition until the WA/NT border where it quickly deteriorated, for many kilometres past Docker River.    It had started to rain, and the idea of spending a night beside the road was not a favoured option.    A decent downpour and we could be stuck.   Luckily we met the grader driver working his way along the road, and he said we just had about 10 more k’s of bad road, then it would be good right to Yulara.    We were very pleased to come across the newly graded road as it had begun to rain quite heavily and was getting dark.

We reached the bitumen leading in to Yulara around 7 pm, and made our way to the campground.  We thought we knew our way around the camp fairly well, having stayed here twice before, but this time we were placed in the overflow area, as they were allegedly full.    It was very stressful trying to find our way up to the back of the property, through very narrow “streets” in an area we didn’t know existed.  

On Monday morning when we went to check out our allotted powered site, it was still occupied, so we stayed in the paddock – much less crowded (and $10 instead of $48 per night).   I had lost track of which states were on school holidays, but it could well have been everyone by the number of vans, tents, and children at Yulara.    The morning was very cold and overcast, but during the day the clouds cleared somewhat, so I took advantage of the lookout in the park to view Uluru near sunset.   I am glad we have seen The Rock at its best, and we did not have to stay here any longer than necessary.

Lots of room in the paddock

Uluru from the campground lookout

The Olgas in profile