MUST READ: You are strongly encouraged to read the following articles prepared by the knowledge experts at ExplorOz for your safety and preparation before undertaking any published ExplorOz Trek -
Outback Safety,
Outback Driving Tips,
Outback Communications, and
Vehicle Setup for the Outback.
TIP | Please refer to Road Reports published by the local shire and/or main roads for the area you intend to visit. Road/Track conditions can change significantly after weather events. Travellers must be responsible for their own research on current conditions and track suitability. |
Spinifex Warning
The country through which the track passes had received good rains over the last few years (2004) and there was a lot of new growth. The spinifex was green with long seed stalks. Most of the stalks had long heads and were
well above the bonnet of our Land Rover and the seeds were very prolific. You need to provide some sort of protection across the full front of the vehicle to avoid, as far as possible, spinifex seeds clogging your radiator. It is highly advisable to continually
check underneath your vehicle for spinifex caught around the exhaust pipe and any other hot areas of your vehicle, as a spinifex fire can be disastrous. Powder type fire extinguishers are of little use for spinifex fires as the resin retains sufficient heat to relight a fire that has been snuffed out by the powder. Carry a 5 litre pressurised garden spray filled with water and with a long wand for such events. There are the remains of a burnt-out Nissan on the track as evidence that spinifex fires can be disastrous. Beware of overheating.
Remote Desert Country
Temperatures can rise to 50°C in summer and it has been known to rise to 60°C. Travel during summer is not recommended. This is remote desert country, so be fully self-sufficient. Keep in mind that this is not a
well travelled route and there are absolutely no facilities for travellers, not even stations or aboriginal communities.
Your vehicle will need to be extensively prepared for remote area travel, with all fuel, water, food and vehicle repair equipment and spare parts. All travellers must be totally self-sufficient and should read the 4WDriving Topic for related articles and checklists for vehicle setup and driver awareness. High clearance vehicles recommended, and depending on the season, a spinifex blind is highly recommended.
We advise that you refer to the latest information and advice about outback communications in the Communications Topic. For any dune driving you should fly a dune flag from the front of your vehicle to avoid head on collisions on dune tops. Additionally, the lead vehicle in any direction should periodically make calls on Channel 10 from the top of large dunes on the
UHF radio to advise oncoming traffic of your position.
Fuel - note that unleaded fuels have long been unavailable in the region in an attempt to combat petrol sniffing issues in nearby Aboriginal communities. Recently, a new fuel from BP called Opal Unleaded, has been introduced to better serve travellers interests, whilst combating petrol sniffing problems. BP Opal Unleaded is available at
Warburton,
Warakurna Roadhouse, and Docker River.
Permits
None for this track - See Gunbarrel Highway & Great Central Road treknotes.
Fuel Usage
No fuel is available on the Hunt Oil Road. Nearest fuel locations are Warburton, Tjukayirla Roadhouse, Carnegie Station & Laverton.
Diesel | ULP | LPG |
---|
4cyl 0 litres | 4cyl 0 litres | 4cyl 0 litres |
6cyl 0 litres | 6cyl 0 litres | 6cyl 0 litres |
8cyl 0 litres | 8cyl 0 litres | |
Usage is averaged from recorded data (* specific to this trek) and calculated based on trek distance.
Best Time To Visit
Closest Climatic Station
Warburton Airfield
Distance from Trek Mid Point 142.42km E
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
---|
Mean Max. °C | 38.0 | 36.5 | 33.9 | 29.3 | 24.3 | 20.7 | 20.7 | 23.1 | 27.9 | 31.6 | 34.3 | 36.6 |
Mean Min. °C | 22.9 | 22.1 | 19.9 | 15.1 | 10.4 | 6.4 | 5.7 | 7.1 | 11.2 | 15.5 | 18.5 | 21.3 |
Mean Rain mm | 28.5 | 36.7 | 31.4 | 18.0 | 15.4 | 17.9 | 12.9 | 9.8 | 5.7 | 14.8 | 24.7 | 31.5 |
Best time to travel Ok time to travel Travel NOT recommended