Canning Stock Route 1999

A Wet Canning Stock Route

This year has been wetter than last in the North of Australia, Newman had floods a few months ago, when you read up on the Canning Stock Route there are a few references to possible boggy spots to be aware of. We have decided that we should share our experience of last year as a warning for early travellers this year [2000].

We left Wiluna on Thursday 15th April [1999] for our 'Canning' adventure after having left Melbourne on 1st April. we had heard on the HF radio that Cyclone Gwenda was following Vanda so though we would let it dry out a bit. The Police at Wiluna had no information to give.

4wd.sofcom.com/4WD.html

We phoned Glen Ayle station and were warmly welcomed; Lou had graded his area of the track to well 11 but had not gone further north. It didn't take far up the track to discover we must be first this year. We did get bogged before well 15 but then it was dry after that.

On arriving at Savory Creek on Wednesday 22nd April we were amazed at the expanse of water there, flowing deep water with a black mud base; we tried 3km west and this was narrower and deeper as seen in our photo 1. We then headed further west and tried to stay on high ground between the dunes, then bogged we were, see photo 2, some of our party then walked for nearly an hour and the water just got wider. After several hours we had to admit defeat, and return. Our fuel drop of course was only about 40km the other side of the creek, furtunately we had enough fuel to get back to Glenayle Station where they were able to sell us more diesel. We then took a 2300km detour via Meekatharra, Newman and Ruddell River National Park along the Talawana track.

We back-tracked to where other vehicles heading south had become bogged in a clay pan with worse consequenses, at least we could see our limit, they just happened into it, some with a very expensive tow job from Newman.

The large detour, a couple of bogs and the many layers of mesh not preventing lots of stops for spinifex removal, the trip was very enjoyable with the rain bringing out the wild flowers along the track, the lush grass at Durba springs and plenty of water in the waterholes.

So if you are thinking of heading to the "Canning" early in the season, remember Savory Creek starts around the Newman area and flows to Lake Dissappointment, and the area North around Well 51 it could be very wet
- Kaye & Graeme Hogben [3/'00]

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