Outback NSW "Darling River Run" Tour - April 2013

[Dave]

Hi All,

GlenD and I have been planning an an Outback - Western NSW 4WD tour following the Darling River, with side trips, for April 2013. It will involve easy driving on bitumen and good D grade dirt roads (possible C grade options). The trip is open to 4WD and AWD Jeeps, modified or stock, camper trailers are welcome and the trip is pet friendly. If you want inland river fishing, this is the trip!

Our proposed itinerary starts and finishes in Sydney;

Day 1 - Monday 15 April
Sydney to Wagga Wagga 458km
Day 2 - Tuesday 16 April
Wagga Wagga to Balranald 397km
Balranald to Penarie 27km
Day 3 - Wednesday 17 April
Penarie to Mungo National Park 130km
Sightseeing at Mungo National Park 100km

Some of us may camp at Mungo National Park
OR
Any of us that wish to can continue to Pooncarie for the night.
Mungo National Park to Pooncarie 98km

Day 4 - Thursday 18 April
Mungo National Park (OR Pooncarie) to Kinchenga National Park - Menindee Lakes 200km (OR 100km from Pooncarie)
Day 5 – Friday 19 April
Sightseeing at Kinchenga National Park - Menindee Lakes 50km
Day 6 – Saturday 20 April
Kinchenga National Park to Broken Hill 118km
Day 7 - Sunday 21 April
Sightseeing around Broken Hill
Day 8 – Monday 22 April
Broken Hill to White Cliffs 251km
Day 9 - Tuesday 23 April
White Cliffs to Wilcannia to Tilpa 222km
Day 10 – Wednesday 24 April
Tilpa to Bourke to Nyngan 316km
Day 11 – Thursday 25 April
Nyngan to Sydney 555km

TOTAL DISTANCE - 2944km

Please consider. If you would like more information, please PM me with your email address. I have a more detailed itinerary that I can email to you, and I will bring copies to the next club meeting.

Thanks,
Dave

[glend]

Good work Dave, yep, I am on the list for this trip.

There are some private station tracks that can be accessed (in Trilby and New Chum) that can make it more challenging. Expect corrugations and dust (but nothing as bad as the Cape). Of course, if it rains in the lead up to the trip or during it, the river tracks (which are really station tracks) become very muddy.

Glen

[Dave]

Thanks Glen,

The attendees list is;
GlenD
Dave
EddyG & Mick
JohnC
JamesM & Lucy
Phil & SandraR
Danny & Sharon

I haven't heard back from any of the 'maybe' list, so trip numbers finalised as above on 3 April.

Dave

[Hunno]

Put me down,
But still trying to arrange the leave.

[ick72]

we are very keen but need to work out dollars before full committment

[Dave]

we are very keen but need to work out dollars before full committment

Thanks guys, I have done a more complete itinerary, with an estimate of costs (fuel, camping and food). If you would like a copy, please PM me with your email address and I'll send it on.

Thanks,
Dave

[Hunno]

Thanks guys, I have done a more complete itinerary, with an estimate of costs (fuel, camping and food). If you would like a copy, please PM me with your email address and I'll send it on.

Thanks,
Dave
Dave???? Bags not paying for this load of washing. lol. (quote is from the more detailed trip plan with a bit of time saving cut & paste).


We will find time for washing clothes during our longer stops – Seisia and Weipa.

[Dave]

Dave???? Bags not paying for this load of washing. lol. (quote is from the more detailed trip plan with a bit of time saving cut & paste).

OOOPS! That sounds like a typo, and a heck of a detour too, guess thats what you get from cutting and pasting haha!

[Hunno]

Thought you'd like that one

[Nekked]

Please put Dani and I down as a maybe for now please.

Alex

[Dave]

Please put Dani and I down as a maybe for now please.

Alex
Done guys! If you PM me with an email address I can send you the more detailed itinerary, including my guestimate of costs if that'll help you decide :encouragement:

Hope that last Sunday went really well, sorry I didn't make it - was feeling pretty ugly so really would have brought the tone down :grey:

Dave

[Michelle]

Maybe for us too Dave :)

[Dave]

Maybe for us too Dave :)
Done, and have emailed an itinerary!

Great to hear from you!

Dave

[nevscollop]

Hey Dave, can you send me some info?

Cheers,

Nick

[gp]

Dave
The last trip was so good and well planned that I should go on this on too!
Regards John Clark

[Dave]

Hey Dave, can you send me some info?

Cheers,

Nick
Sure thing, just PM me with your email address and I'd be happy to!

Thanks,
Dave

[Dave]

Dave
The last trip was so good and well planned that I should go on this on too!
Regards John Clark

Thanks John! :smile-new:

I still had your email from last year, and have sent a copy of the itinerary, and I'll add you to the list!

Merry Christmas!!

Dave

[Dieselcon]

20212022

Hi guys I though you would like to see some pics of a spot a LOCAL showed us while we stayed at Mildura. Its on the Murray river and its a gorgeous spot. Its called psychi Pumps Coordinates are 34 15 06S ; 142 13 59E.
might worth considering as day/night spot.

[Dave]

20212022

Hi guys I though you would like to see some pics of a spot a LOCAL showed us while we stayed at Mildura. Its on the Murray river and its a gorgeous spot. Its called psychi Pumps Coordinates are 34 15 06S ; 142 13 59E.
might worth considering as day/night spot.

Thanks, looks great! I love Google maps, took me right to it - in Mildura, which isn't on the itinerary at the moment, but who knows. Could also be a great start off if we do a Mallee / Vic/SA border trip!

Hope you are having a great trip, and surviving the HEAT!!! Have been following your posts on facebook.

Dave

[glend]

Thought I would bump this up ahead of the next meeting. Only 11 weeks now till this trip.

[Dave]

Thought I would bump this up ahead of the next meeting. Only 11 weeks now till this trip.

And bumped again. Added another keen club member this evening, and am looking forward to having a chat with anyone interested at the club meeting on Wednesday. I'll bring some itineraries, and we can work out some of the camping sites / requirement for pet and camper trailer owners etc.

10 weeks till we go West!

Dave

[Dieselcon]

Thanks, looks great! I love Google maps, took me right to it - in Mildura, which isn't on the itinerary at the moment, but who knows. Could also be a great start off if we do a Mallee / Vic/SA border trip!

Hope you are having a great trip, and surviving the HEAT!!! Have been following your posts on facebook.

Dave


Mate This place was devine... definitely tag this spot for a visit at some time... The Caravan Park as you enter Nyngan from Broken Hill Side is also beautiful and on the River....These country people love there water sports..lol

Im still trying to negotiate with the Boss Leave to join you guys..

Cheers
Jose

[Dave]

Mate This place was devine... definitely tag this spot for a visit at some time... The Caravan Park as you enter Nyngan from Broken Hill Side is also beautiful and on the River....These country people love there water sports..lol

Im still trying to negotiate with the Boss Leave to join you guys..

Cheers
Jose

Thats great news, hope you can persuade "The Boss", but I'll add you to the maybe list anyway! Think that Caravan Park in Nyngan may be the one we are planning to stop at anyway - I'll check with you on Wednesday if you will be at the meeting. Will be great to catch up!

Dave

[Dave]

I handed out a few itineraries at the first Club Meeting of the year, had a chat with some interested people, and added two more people/cars to the list. We are up to 7 pretty definite vehicles and 4 maybes, a good turn out.

At the next Club Meeting I will bring Trip Register sheets, and try to get a feel about who may be bringing a pet and who won't be - which will also influence who can camp at Lake Mungo National Park, and who can't or may not want to. This is the only tricky decision we need to make, whether the keen photographers camp at Mungo with no pets, or whether we go to Pooncarrie and camp with pets on the bank of the Darling River and do a day run to Mungo.

I would like to make bookings at camp sites after the March meeting (six weeks till we head West) so I hope we can finalise numbers then as well.

As always, please PM or email me if you have any questions and I'll look forward to a bit of a chat next month.

Dave

[Negdriver]

Hey Dave. Bad news. We can't make it. Charlene just got a job and is on probation for 3 months. Plus I was hoping to have the jeep ready for your trip but turns out the rear diff needs replacing.

Not a good start to the second month of the year.

Tim tam.
Ps. Keep me in mind for the next one.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Dave]

Sorry to hear that Tam!

Having to make a slight alteration to the Itinerary. Turlee Station - the pet friendly farm stay near Mungo is for sale, so no visitors. This means that any people with pets will have to camp at Pooncarie and visit Mungo from there if they want to. We may all decide to do that, and heck, there is a pub at Pooncarie - need that discussion next month!

Dave

[ick72]

Sorry but health and wealth means we can't afford to travel that distance so we are out Even though I've fixed the kj into more touring then toy and three quarters build the trailer .. Next one I hope

[Dave]

Sorry but health and wealth means we can't afford to travel that distance so we are out Even though I've fixed the kj into more touring then toy and three quarters build the trailer .. Next one I hope

Sorry to hear that, hope everything is okay! There will be a next one!!!

Dave

[glend]

Bumping this again, just six weeks to go now. For anyone who hasn't been on a long remote camping trip like this, there is a basic trip checklist that might be useful. Dave will probably have them at the March meeting next week.

Glen

[Dave]

Yep, 6 weeks, can't wait!

Glen and I have been discussing a couple more minor 'tweaks' to the itinerary. Nothing major (see itinerary on page 1), but it will involve camping at one more pub! I'd like to discuss this at the next club meeting, so hopefully some of the interested trippers will be there. I'm also going to try and finalise the trip register so I can make bookings!

The Darling River has had some minor floor warnings out, nothing that will cause us problems, but it will mean more water in the rivers for the fishing enthusiasts. I will also bring Glens very useful trip checklist.

Dave

[Dave]

Picked up one more at the March club meeting, although unfortunately Hunno had to drop out - I left him in the maybes as he may drop in on us for a couple of days somewhere on the track! So I think we are at 7 definite vehicles, and 5 maybes!

I am emailing an updated itinerary, Glens checklist and a trip registration sheet to everyone on the list as I haven't been able to catch up with many people at club meetings (been a pretty quiet year so far). There are a couple of people on the list whose email addresses I do not have, so if you read this but didn't get my email... If anyone else is interested, please PM me with questions, and your email address so I can send info back.

Thanks,
Dave

[Maggie]

Dave, I have email addys for most members, let me know who you need
Maggie.

[Dave]

Thanks Maggie, I think I eventually found them all - although some people don't check emails...

I've heard from all of the "Definites" and I will make bookings for that many, soon. I hope I will hear back from the "Maybes".

Thanks again,
One of the many Daves!

[Dave]

Progress Report - and I have added our trip onto the new Trip Calendar, very cool, thanks Steve!

I have made what bookings I can, starting at Wagga Beach Caravan Park on 15 April, and finishing at Nyngan Riverside Caravan Park on the 24th April - and everywhere in between as per the itinerary. I have made one more minor change, we are booked at Copi Hollow Caravan Park near Menindee Lakes - recommended by Broken Hill Tourist Info. Menindee Lakes Cara Park does not answer their phone, or messages, or emails...

I've booked for 7 Jeeps, three with Camper Trailers, 11 humans and 1 dog! All unpowered tent / trailer sites, although everyone I spoke to said that anyone can upgrade to a powered site (or even a cabin in some places) on arrival.

These numbers are only for the definites on the list on page 1, I have not heard from ANY of the maybes, despite posts here and emails, since the last club meeting... Please let me know ASAP if I need to add anyone.

Thanks,
Dave

[glend]

Only three more weeks now. Still not to late to come along.

[ick72]

Have a great prep time to the trip so wish we could of made it . We are now looking at moving house also in this time frame seem I can't win a trick to join on trip

[Dave]

Two weeks from now I hope to be at Wagga Wagga Beach Caravan Park! Can't wait!!

But before then we have one more club meeting. On Wednesday I would be happy to take any last minute additions to the trip - any of the Maybe list that I haven't heard back from?

I'd also be happy to work out if anyone wants to meet up on the way out of Sydney and convoy down to Wagga.

I will have a list of contact details and directions to Wagga Beach Cara Park. If anyone has any questions about the trip, I'll see you on Wednesday night!

Dave

[Dave]

No new takers at the April Club Meeting, and still no replies from the Maybe list, so with bookings made and just a week and a half until we set off, I'm closing the trip at seven vehicles - see page 1.

Those of us at the meeting tonight were all really looking forward to heading out of town. We discussed where we could meet up on Monday, John, Eddy and I are leaving from Burwood at 9.00am, and we'll meet James at Marulan BP service station at about 11.00am. We will meet Glen and Phil at Wagga, and Danny is going to catch us up on Tuesday, or Wednesday morning.

I handed round copies of contact details and where to meet. Any problems or questions, please let me know. My contacts are in the itinerary and on the contact sheet which I will also email to the other trippers.

Counting down the days!

Dave.

[ick72]

Hope you all have a great trip sorry we can't make it along

[Dave]

Hope you all have a great trip sorry we can't make it along

Thanks, and there WILL be a next time!

[Dave]

Hi Everyone,

I think everyone has worked out where we are all meeting up, some in Sydney, some in Marulan, some in Wagga. If anyone has any last minute questions please do get in touch.

Glen has been doing some research about fuel availability. Depending on the web site that you look at, there may or MAY NOT be fuel at Pooncarie. This means that we may have to do up to 450km between fuel at Balranald and fuel at Menindee, including sightseeing at Mungo National Park. In the original itinerary I thought that the longest distance between fuel supplies would be 350km. I had suggested that everyone should bring a 20 litre Jerry Can, given Glen’s research that is a must, unless you already have 100 litres or more of onboard fuel.

Danny and Sharon will be catching the rest of us up probably on Wednesday at Mungo NP. I will leave a note with the National Park office there letting you know where we are, either on the loop track which takes a couple of hours for sightseeing and lunch, or whether we have gone on to camp. I don’t know if mobile phones will work there, but we should be on Ch 15, and I will try to leave phone messages if you haven’t found us.

Looking forward to seeing nearly everyone on Monday, four days to go!

Dave.

[Dave]

Hi All,

Tomorrow we go, well for most of us. Just heard from Glen, he and Phil & Sandra have already arrived at Wagga. They say that the beach at the caravan park is really nice, and are sitting on it having a beer while Glens dog is going for a swim. I’m just a bit jealous!

Drive safe tomorrow, looking forward to catching up with everyone on the road.

Dave

[ick72]

Be safe and enjoy

[glend]

Lovely evening here in Wagga Wagga on the banks of the Murrimbidgee river. Pesky posssums have been playing around the campsite tonight. My dog chased them off, which seems to have turned into a game for them.

[glend]

Some light overnight rain gave way to clear blue skies and a warm day. A Prado towing a camper limped into camp with transmission fluid all over the engine compartment, they boiled the fluid on the way down from Sydney. They, a family, are heading to WA, but need a transmission cooler and a service now. Hope the group from SJC coming down today don't have any problems. Just enjoying the beach today.

[SteveC]

I hope you guys enjoy your self. Sounds awesome!

[glend]

Well Dave, John C, James M, Ed, and Mick arrived about 3:30 this afternoon. John has a new popup tent and was the first of them set up. A modified red XJ arrived at the campground with a couple from the Blue Mtns who were here to visit relatives, they stopped to talk and looks like we might have some new members at the next meeting. There was a trip to the pub for dinner for the guys arriving today who didn't want to cook tonight.

[glend]

We have arrived at Penarie this evening and set up camp behind the pub. Great bush pub. Danny and Sharon rang from Wagga to say they would catch us up. Beautiful sunset and sky full of stars. Some of the group are having thr pub mixed grills tonight. No vehicle problems at all. Off to Mungo NP in the morning.

By the way it was 6C in Wagga overnight and we expect it to be colder tonight here at Penarie.

[Maggie]

Following your reports with envy Glen, keep it coming. Wishing you the best time.

Sent from my GT-S6102 using Tapatalk 2

[glend]

Danny and Sharon have arrived in Penarie around 8pm tonight, so we can all head off to Mungo together in the morning. We will be doing a daytrip through Mungo NP but I will have to head off for Pooncarie on the Darling because Toby (my dog) is not allowed in NPs. The others will either camp in Mungo or join me at Pooncarie if ther is enough daylight left to get there.

[glend]

Big day today and everyone is exhausted. Just as we were leaving Penarie Danny discovered his steering damper nuts were loose so that was fixed up. On the dirt now for the dusty run to Mungo NP, with no other traffic aside from a Grand CRD towing a big Kendron van. Stopped at Mungo Lodge for awhile then I went on to Pooncarie and the others opted to drive the park tour loop. As my dog is not allowed in NP I went on to Pooncarie to setup camp on the Darling River. The track out to the Pooncarie was a bit like the Cape Dev road, corrugations and then more, thankfully it was only about 40kms of them this time. We had a few other equipment issues today: James M lost a tyre valve while airing down in the morning, it apparently shot out into the bush, luckily I had some spare valves and that was fixed up. I lost a wheel bearing cap on the camper which was probably vibrated off by the corrugations. The campground at Pooncarie is a fantastic spot right on the rjver among the red gums. There is a lot of water in the Darling here and its really flowing fast with branches and such. I watched a couple of guys from Wagga pulling big fish in from the bank, but they turned out to be carp. Shorter day driving tomorrow up to Mindenee Lakes so we'll hang around the camp here a while in the morning then hit the dirt again.

[Dieselcon]

envy, envy .....wish I was with you guys... cant wait to see some pics....

[glend]

I believe Dave is putting photos up on his facebook page, I'll check on that. Lots of photos being taken
And this morning at Pooncarie a broken disconnect pin on Danny's JK was discovered as a legacy of yesterdays corrugations.

[glend]

We left Pooncarie about noon today and covered the 140 Kms to the Copi Hollow caravan park outside Minindee. This is a beautiful site right on the lake and we were treated to a fantastic sunset over the lake, and heaps of photos were taken, and Dave will post some soon.
The trip to Copi Hollow was another outback experience with a variety of corrugations from mild to wild, soft sand sections and bull dust. With a strong tail wind creating dust devils to drive through.

Tomorrow is a lay day and we will stay here again tomorrow night before heading on to Broken Hill. Tomorrow we'll be exploring the Minindee Lakes NP.

[SteveC]

Sounds great Glen and I enjoy reading the posts

[glend]

Off to the NP this morning and there are some dunes near the camp that can be driven as well. Danny had to tie his steering damper out of the way for today's run after it came loose again.
Best hot showers in Australia at Copi Hollow.

More corrugations through the park loop and the track out to the Weir and Burke and Wills camp loop road.
John C lost a transmission line on the TJ today spewing fluid out the back. Ed repaired the hose but John lost a lot of fluid and the tranny would not drive. Replacement fluid was donated by Ed and Dave and John picked up some extra at a Minindee servo to get him to Broken Hill. Will need to watch the TJ on the road to Broken Hill tomorrow.

[glend]

Easy stage into Broken Hill today, with Ed tailing John to look for fluid leaks. No further problems with the TJ. The afternoon was used for sightseeing, restocking of supplies and water, and fueling up for the next few days. Davd booked the group in for dinner at the Club (not the same one as on the Desert Trip- which was terrible). A group went out to see the sunset scultures on the way to the club.

[glend]

Dreary cool day with some light rain today. Five Jeeps made a day trip out to the old silver mine town of Silverton, on the way we stopped at the old Daydream mine which used to use boys as young as eight years old as it's labour force. Most took a tour, underground, which highlighted the short tunnel height the boys worked in during the 1800s. On to Silverton for lunch, which was full of bus tours and other day trippers, we had a counter lunch in the old pub served by a French backpacker. Out to the Mundi Mundi lookout as the rain eased off. Back in Broken Hill now getting ready to head off to White Cliffs early tomorrow.

[glend]

Big day's run today from Broken Hill to White Cliffs, about 250 Kms just about all on dirt of various composition. Lots of sharp large rocks, washouts, floodways and various challenges. Lots of wildlife, Dave had a collision with an Emu, one of many, that darted out from the scrub and ran right into the side of his KJ. It hit the rear quarter panel at the door and damaged the door, the rear quarter and ripped the guards and mud flap off. Feathers all over the track but it seems to have jumped up and ran off. He's going to need a body shop to fix it up and is finishing the trip without rear fender guards. I had some damage from a large rock that bounced off the camper and hit my rear door, and that's going to need a body shop as well. We arrived in White Cliffs in early afternoon and toured the opal shops, mines and town. Eddy and Mick are staying in the underground motel tonight, the rest are camping at the town campground which is full of all sorts of rigs. Tomorrow we are heading back down to Wilcannia to pick up the Darling River again and then north on the dirt again to Tilpa.

Dave should have some photos up on his Facebook page.

[SteveC]

I love your updates Glen, keep them coming

That's bad news about the emu hitting Dave's KJ. Was time of day?

As you know we are off in July to the areas around the Simpson - I'll have to be more vigilant

Keep safe guys.

[glend]

Well there was no reception last night at Tilpa so this update covers two days. First to answer SteveC's question, Dave's encounter with the Emu was late morning to noon timeframe, and there are heaps of them out here. From White Cliffs we made our way back down to Wilcannia on the Opal highway to pick up the Darling River again. We decided to take the eastern track as it runs closer to the Darlling. The section from Wilcannia to Tilpa was pretty challenging with heavy going in many sections with surfaces varying from sharp rocks to deep bull dust and talcum powder dust that meant we had to spread out over 12 kilometres to avoid the choking dust. A couple more Jeep problems on this section with Danny having a track bar come loose on a grid and John popped his transmission line again. We came across a group of people riding push bikes on the track to raise money, they would have had a very dusty trip. We found an obscure side track to a beaut spot near Tervalyn Station on the Darling for lunch and then onto the old Tilpa pub on the western bank for a beer. Kallara station was the overnight stop. Kallara is a working lamb property with a million acres, including their own airplane and airstrip. Their produce is organic lamb and the owners cooked a lamb dinner for most of the group. Today we left Kallara and tackled the northern Darling track to Bourke. More terrain variety but the beginning was very rocky then giving way to sand and deep dust. We stopped at Louth for coffee crossing back to the east side for the rest of the track to Bourke. We had lunch in Bourke and then headed south on pavement finally to Nyngan for tonights stop on the Bogun River. Eddy has had to do some work on his diffs tonight because they were leaking fluid. A bunch of the SJC guys went to the local bowling club tonight to celebrate our last night together on this trip. Tomorrow morning we head home. Photos to come and Dave has some more up on Facebook.

[SteveC]

Great reporting Glen!
BTW what's dave's facebook link?

[glend]

After a celebration dinner last night at the Bowling Club (Chinese), we packed up and left Nyngan about 9am. I believe Danny and Sharon had some 'death wobble' problems and had to stop for repairs. We became scattered as we all turned off on our preferred routes. Danny and Sharon headed for Peak Hill, I took the Golden Highway back from Dubbo, and its a great road on top the dividing range and down the Hunter Valley. Dave and John and Phil headed home via Mudgee. We ran into Anzac Day marches at Narromine. I got home about about 4:15pm.

I will move these trip updates to Word and Dave and I will edit and add some photos in coming days. James M took heaps of photos and is going to give them to Dave.

Everyone wanted to keep going and we did discuss going on to the Corner and Innamincka but there was time problems for a few and we need to leave something for next time.

The End

[glend]

Here are a few photos: (just click on them to enlarge).

Sunrise at the Homebush Hotel in Penarie (north of Balranald on the way to Mungo NP):
2121

Lined up at the Homebush Hotel leaving for Mungo

2120

Sunset at Copi Hollow (Minindee Lakes)

2122

Silverton

2123

Airing down after turning onto the track on the way to White Cliffs from Broken Hill.

2124

I will put some more up shortly

[glend]

Here is a slideshow:

http://s555.photobucket.com/user/glend1450/slideshow/Darling%20River%20Run?sort=2

[ick72]

Your link doesn't seem to work glad there wasn't any more trouble

[Dave]

It was a great trip, with a few minor repairs needed during and after as you can see in Glens great trip log!

Thanks for keeping everyone updated Glen, must get an IPad, my IPhone is fine for Facebook, but not the website.

I phoned around most people this morning and I think all got home safely. I left the last few on the M7, so was in contact until the very end. Glen missed our spectacular lunch at Mudgee Brewery yesterday - might have to organise a club trip out there for the June long weekend. We bumped into Alex and Dani up there for a wedding. Small world!

Anyway, I'll do a more detailed trip report next Wednesday, and can bring a few pix on a thumbdrive if we can get the big TVs to work. Thanks to all who came, and I hope you had a great time!

Dave.

[Wolfe]

Welcome back adventurers !!! Congrats on a well organised trip Dave.

[Dave]

Welcome back adventurers !!! Congrats on a well organised trip Dave.

Thanks! So when are you coming along on a trip/tour? Reckon you'd have had a blast too!