Sandy Blight Junction and the Tjukaruru Road

28 April 2012

April 24th

Cold cold night, and around 5AM I think I heard camels around the tent. I love the outback, nothing but the sound of wildlife and the empty spaces around you.
From the Gary Junction Road we enter the Sandy Blight Junction Road, which starts from Walungurru (aka Kintore) to Kaltukatjara (aka Docker River).

We stop at Walungurru to refuel, and shop for fresh vegies. The community homes about 350 people, most of which are Aboriginees. Maybe we should explain what an “Aboriginal Community” is. Well, basically it’s a town. Some of these are partially run by a team of “white fellas”, they usually manage or even own the local store (which also sells fuel), and help the Art Center (almost every community has an Art Center). Most of the time you also find a Police station, and a school.

In some communities, no “white fella” lives there, so the place is very depressing. But in all cases, the “black fellas” up there are a friendly bunch, not at all aggressive as most city folks tend to think. Yes there is violence, and yes, a lot of the “black fellas” drink or sniff petrol or glue (actually, any spirit, glue, nail polish or petrol is forbidden. BP has even developed the “Opal Fuel” which is just like normal unleaded, expect it does not give brain damage when sniffed).

So, my advice : go to the outback, and go to the communities, it looks dreadful and frightening but the locals are very friendly.

End of the speech.

Back on the road, after the ultimate luxury : an ice-cold Magnum Classic in the desert, beat that !

Finally some challenging roads, with sand dunes, rocky sections, riverbeds (dry) and pebbles, at last some “adventure”. I was starting to think the whole detour had been pointless. Now we can have fun. YAY !
Tyres down to 30psi, max speed 60kmh, average 30kmh.

The road has been opened in 1960 by a bloke named Len Beadell, who’s famous for exploring and opening most of the western outback roads, usually suffering starvation, dehydration and some more funky diseases. The Sandy Blight was actually named after an eye infection he had at the time. Great sense of humor.

We pass the Tropic of Capricorn, but north to south this time (last time was on my way up to Monkey Mia I think). We pass a lot of camels on the track, which adds to the sense of remoteness. And of course, the best of the best in the desert, any desert from my experience, is the sunset. It really beats the ocean sunset by far !

Distance today: 123km, total: 14449km.
PS : the tent is really on its way out. I need a new one, hopefully this one will last until Indonesia.

April 25th

It’s a lot of fun to drive on these sand dunes, we stop a few times for some cool videos and photos. The scenery has a lot to show for as well : dunes, hills, flat valleys, narrow valleys, I’m sure Len Beadell had fun opening this one.

The further south we get, the fewer camels and the colder the weather. Well, not cold cold by any standards but still cold enough to wind the windows up.

Along the track, we see countless burned and overturned cars. It’s a wonder why anyone in their right mind would ever attempt to drive this on a sedan or a hatchback. There’s even a bus. Silly people.

Oh yeah, best bread so far 🙂

Distance today: 135km, total: 14584km.

April 26th.

Still, along the way, a bunch of Aboriginal People stop us to use our tyre wrench, and decide afterwards three out of six nuts is enough to hold a tyre… Okay fellows, safe journey…

Since Yulara is only 160km away, we decide to push on. It’s back to civilization, caravan parks, tourist resorts, cars, a lot of cars in comparison to the last month out there. And we’re so far south that the jeans, jumpers, socks and closed shoes are back. Damn it’s cold !

To end our journey through the “Western Outback” we’re greeted by a spectacular sight : sunset on the Kata Tjuta then further down the road, Uluru, in all its beauty.

Distance today: 325km, total: 14909km.