Fri 3rd – Mon 6th August - Canning Stock Route

Day 19 (Fri 3/8/18)    Wiluna  -  North Pool

Instead of starting the Canning Stock Route this morning, we have to take our first forced detour due to a tyre issue.  With one of my tyres punctured and unrepairable we need to replace it.  We have found it surprising that a standard LC 200 size tyre is not available anywhere close.  Although we did manage to find that Meekatharra Corner Store have a set of Coopers that were ordered for a customer but never collected so we were in luck and only a 368km round trip to get a replacement tyre.

Now on the way to collect a replacement tyre and to really ram home the “should start an outback trip with new or near new tyres” rule…  Another puncture!

  

And with no spare we had to do a roadside patch…  Of course morning tea came out wile I was working on the repair.  Lovely Scones from the “Gunbarrel Laager Travellers Rest” camp kitchen picked up before we left this morning.

This third puncture made continuing onto the Canning Stock Route on these old tyres not good option, effectively 2 wrecked and 2 of the same vintage..  But as Meekatharra had a full set of new tyres available we decided to fit 4 new tyres onto the car, as long as we could get there with no spare and a rear tyre with two patch repairs.

But all good, new set fitted with the best of the old thrown onto the roof as a second spare until Kununurra.

Final stock up and fill up back at Wiluna and we enter the Canning Stock Route late in the afternoon and set up camp at North Pool.

  

Day 20 (Sat 4/8/18)    North Pool  -  Well 3

After an eventful few days, we planned a rest day here. Unfortunately a significant wind picked up in the morning making it very uncomfortable with blowing dust and freezing wind chill factor.  So we chose to pack up and head further up the CSR.

Driving through some very diverse countryside and visiting some of the Wells built almost 100 years ago to allow cattle to be driven from the Kimberley’s to the Southern Goldfields.

  

  

Well 2                                                                 Well 2A

 

Well 3

  

After an interesting day we treat ourselves to another roast dinner with some bread & butter pudding while sitting beside the campfire.

  

  

Travelled 109 km’s today and passed 1 other 4 car group coming the other way.

Day 21 (Sun 5/8/18)    Well 3  -  Well 5

Slow wake up this morning followed by bacon and eggs.  We don’t do too bad on the meals while we are camping.

Then onto the track and more wells and scenery.

Well 3A

  

   

   

   

Even the sand flag takes its own trip occasionally…

                    

 

Windich Springs

  

Well 5

Camping overnight at Well 5 and attempting to contact Granite Peaks Station to obtain some fuel.  This  will allow us to go all the way to Well 25 to look at the flooding without the longer diversion to Parngurr for fuel later on.

Oh! Nibbles Sunday…

Travelled 112 km’s today and passed 1 other 2 car group going the same way.

Day 22 (Mon 6/8/18)    Well 5  -  Well 12

No response from Granite Peak station regarding fuel so can’t risk driving there to find out so sticking with plan A. And the CSR scenery…

Well 6

  

  

Well 7                                                                                   Well 8

  

                                                                                   Well 9

        

  

Well 10                                                                                   Well 11

  

Lake Aerodrome

  

  

  

Camping at Well 12…

Travelled 149km’s today, arriving around 5pm and passed 3 groups (1,2,1) coming the other way.