Tuesday 18th April
Madura-Loongana Track (Aboriginal Business Road) and the
Anne Beadell Highway, 172 km east of
Neale Junction, or 165 km west of the S.A./ W.A. border or 120 km north of the Tjuntjuntjarra Aboriginal Community.
GPS: S 28.20.964 E 127.31.036
![Begoinning the days activities with a refuel.]()
Begoinning the days activities with a refuel.
A late morning start of 8.30 a.m. I suppose after such a long day yesterday, it was only fair. After breakfast, I filled the tank with 80 litres of diesel and we stowed the dew sodden tent and equipment and hit the track. The first highlight was the
Serpentine Lakes only a short distance east of the border. His large saltpan had a bit of water in it at its Northern end but the rest was relatively dry. It was a crossing of several kilometres so I’d hate to be attempting it after or during a solid bout of rain. Again, a chalice for notes from those who pass had been left at the lake side in the form of a jar attached to a post by a wire hook
![The SA/WA border]()
The SA/WA border
wrapped round it’s lid. There were several years worth of names there so I added ours before heading on. It was a short trot to the border which we reached at 11.00 a.m. (Od 39474 GPS E28.30.513 S 128.54.492). Only 9 km fro the border the local aboriginal people had erected a
campsite for travellers with a shelter,
water tank and fire
places. We were still waiting anxiously for the road to improve but it continued to wind and twist through the sand and scrub for another 50 km before showing some signs of actually becoming a track that one would be more familiar with of Len Beadell’s. Strait stretches of road (still only 2 wheel tracks though) occasionally swinging thru and across dunes.
![Border Beadell Plaque.]()
Border Beadell Plaque.
On reaching the roadhouse it was already 3.30 p.m. (SA Time) so we opted to stop and have a shower at the
campsite. I realised to that we were out of water in the trailer and the
camp spot had a rain
water tank which I made numerous trips to with the kettle to put at least 20 litres in our tank (still had the water in the container in the trailer though, 20 litres.)
![View over the serpantine Lakes]()
View over the serpantine Lakes
It was quite warm and muggy with more than a few flies about. I got a fire going in the hot water service for Amanda and then had a shower myself. It was great to feel hot water in abundance.
The lights of
our camp attracted the most incredible array of insects and beetles, moths etc. Huge red and yellow beetles that made an angry buzzing sound if you picked them up. I’d never seen such a diverse range of insects in one spot.
![A thorny local]()
A thorny local
It was in the end, an early night .
![A touch ov civilisation at Ilkurlka]()
A touch ov civilisation at Ilkurlka
![Sunset at Madura Laguna Track]()
Sunset at Madura Laguna Track