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Gary Junction Road - Trip Planning


Chris

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Together with two other vans we are planning a trip on the Gary Junction Road in about June this year. The trip is heading out from Alice Springs and travelling West to Marble Bar. If anyone has done this trip in the recent past it would be good to have your impressions of the trip and of the road. I do know road conditions can change from day to day depending on traffic and weather....

At this stage it is our intent to camp out in the West MacDonnells and go up to Papunyah via the Haasts Bluff track. Has anyone done that small track before? I have been told it is suitable for an offroader of Kedron capability.

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I just did a google on the Gary Junction Road and there is a trip report by Seth and Vicki, it could be some interesting reading for you. They did the trip in 2011, not that long ago.

Cheers

Merv

Yes, I have read that trip report, and a very good one too.

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  • 5 months later...

Hi Chris


Just wondering if you have travelled the GJR as you had planed in June and if so can you offer any advise as we are planning on doing the trip June 2016


Warm Regards


John


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Hi John and Tina.

We did indeed travel the GJR as discussed above on this topic. I had forgotten that I had put a request for information on this section of the forum.... I had put a trip report over in the Owners private section and normally do not place trip reports in the more public section. But I absolutely should place the report here in recognition that this is where I asked for advice! So thank you for the timely reminder.

We travelled on the track from 3 to 9 June.

Stage 2 June 2015.pdf

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Thanks Colin. It is always good to have feedback on reports....

I thought it was more scenic than the GCR but Lesley says she found that track the more scenic and interesting. I particularly liked the access to water at Jupiter Well and Well 33 and of course Carawine Gorge at the Western end was icing on the cake.

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John and Tina, if you want, Incan send you my planning document. It details phone nos of communities, distances between them and suggested camping spots. It was prepared for each of us travelling together to plan better for the trip. Tell me how you want me to email it to you, if you think it will be useful.

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I am putting the document here, and then others can use it if they wish.



The document contains phone numbers for communities, where fuel is available and suggested camp sites.




GARY JUNCTION ROAD FINALdoc.pdf

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Great John. Someone else also wanted a copy somI have put it in both sections of the forum.

What we had planned originally back in 2013 was to travel from Alice to Leonora, WA on the Great Central Road, and then head north to Marble Bar and back East on the Gary Junction Road. That return route didn't eventuate and so we did it this time instead. What will your route be?

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Hi Chris we look like going to Kings Canyon then follow the Mereenie Loop and work our way up to Gary Junction Road. At the opposite end of the trip we will probably do the Skull Springs Road and cover Carawine Gorge, Carawine Rock Hole and Running Waters Waterhole. Of course this may change when we sit down and finalise out trip with our travelling partners.


Warm Regards John


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John, the Mereenie Loop is pretty much the way we approached the Great Central Road two years ago. What you would do in essence is follow the Mereenie Loop from Watarrka (Kings Canyon) to the start of the GJR, South East of Papunya, then head up to that community and onwards. Stay a night or three at Redbank Gorge which is very near the start of the GJR proper, as the ridgetop camp is breathtaking. The Running Waters (or Eel Poolw as not possible on this trip for us as the road was so badly washed out you couldn't get all the way there in a vehicle. The last cyclone did real damage.

But the road South from Carrawine on the Skull Springs Road was breathtakingly beautiful. It took five hours to get the 170 kms from Carrawine to Nullagine but so very pretty. Just lots of dips that required slowing down, otherwise in OK condition, and nothing a Kedron can't handle.

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