Central Australia trip questions
I've flown over a bit of Oz in the last 35 years! It is just a huge fascinating country, and I feel enormously privelaged to get a good look at it.
Below is the "snail trail" of the Forktailed Dr Killer for 2007.
As the original post was about a trip to Central Oz - here's a few thoughts.
1) There are places in the north of SA that look interesting - others in here will know more.
2) Coober Pedy - fascinating pimple on the butt of Oz
3) Lake Eyre - worth a look, especially if there is water going into it.
4) Birdsville and the Channel Country - ya gotta go there at least once for a look
5) Alice Springs - must visit. Across the Simpson Desert from Birdsville to Alice is a must do - once.
6) Ayres Rock - long way from anywhere but well worth the trip. I am hard to impress but "The Rock" is impressive. Horrendously expensive! Consider doing it as a day trip from Alice and get a hire car.
7) Tennant Ck - good for fuel and not much else
8) Tanami Desert - fascinating. Keep your eye out for the recently discovered Lake Forktailed Doctor Killer.
9) "Dig Tree" - on my list of "to do's" before I kark it.
Pilotolatino - suggest you stick to the latte scene!
Dr
PS: DF, make sure your mate from the US is well prepared for such a trip. While I have great faith in a well maintained lightie, if you go down in parts of Oz you are in real strife unless well prepared. I carry lots of water, emergency rations, fire making gear, warm clothing, 2 x EPIRBS, strobe light, sat phone.
Below is the "snail trail" of the Forktailed Dr Killer for 2007.
As the original post was about a trip to Central Oz - here's a few thoughts.
1) There are places in the north of SA that look interesting - others in here will know more.
2) Coober Pedy - fascinating pimple on the butt of Oz
3) Lake Eyre - worth a look, especially if there is water going into it.
4) Birdsville and the Channel Country - ya gotta go there at least once for a look
5) Alice Springs - must visit. Across the Simpson Desert from Birdsville to Alice is a must do - once.
6) Ayres Rock - long way from anywhere but well worth the trip. I am hard to impress but "The Rock" is impressive. Horrendously expensive! Consider doing it as a day trip from Alice and get a hire car.
7) Tennant Ck - good for fuel and not much else
8) Tanami Desert - fascinating. Keep your eye out for the recently discovered Lake Forktailed Doctor Killer.
9) "Dig Tree" - on my list of "to do's" before I kark it.
Pilotolatino - suggest you stick to the latte scene!
Dr
PS: DF, make sure your mate from the US is well prepared for such a trip. While I have great faith in a well maintained lightie, if you go down in parts of Oz you are in real strife unless well prepared. I carry lots of water, emergency rations, fire making gear, warm clothing, 2 x EPIRBS, strobe light, sat phone.
Last edited by ForkTailedDrKiller; 13th Jan 2008 at 06:37.
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Alice Springs
Posts: 1,744
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Outback Australia
Some years ago I bought a Cherokee six from Melbourne, and had to fly it back to Alice Springs. A young CPL holder had been looking for a job to get experience so I told him he could come along on the flight.
He flew it from Stawell to Mildura and he commented that flying "the outback" was not so hard. The next leg was to Liegh Creek, and he handled that OK. It was a hot (40 degree) summer day, with 8/8ths blue sky, and the aeroplane baked in the sun as we ate our lunch in the little terminal building. Taxi ing and takeoff was hot and unpleasant (normal) and the aeroplane did not want to climb. It was hot and turbulent. He continued to coax it (normal) and finally got to around 7000 feet where it was cooler. This was a long leg to Alice Springs. All was OK so I went to sleep for a while. When I awoke he immediately said "we are fuel critical. Where can we go for fuel?" There was nowhere, so I looked at the power and mixture settings, and the nav numbers, and we continued. We landed at Alice Springs with two hours fuel remaining. He then completed the paperwork thoroughly and correctly, took his gear and went.
I never saw him again. I don't think he wanted that job flying the outback any more.
He flew it from Stawell to Mildura and he commented that flying "the outback" was not so hard. The next leg was to Liegh Creek, and he handled that OK. It was a hot (40 degree) summer day, with 8/8ths blue sky, and the aeroplane baked in the sun as we ate our lunch in the little terminal building. Taxi ing and takeoff was hot and unpleasant (normal) and the aeroplane did not want to climb. It was hot and turbulent. He continued to coax it (normal) and finally got to around 7000 feet where it was cooler. This was a long leg to Alice Springs. All was OK so I went to sleep for a while. When I awoke he immediately said "we are fuel critical. Where can we go for fuel?" There was nowhere, so I looked at the power and mixture settings, and the nav numbers, and we continued. We landed at Alice Springs with two hours fuel remaining. He then completed the paperwork thoroughly and correctly, took his gear and went.
I never saw him again. I don't think he wanted that job flying the outback any more.
Thread Starter
PS: DF, make sure your mate from the US is well prepared for such a trip. While I have great faith in a well maintained lightie, if you go down in parts of Oz you are in real strife unless well prepared. I carry lots of water, emergency rations, fire making gear, warm clothing, 2 x EPIRBS, strobe light, sat phone.
DF.
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Straya
Posts: 179
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Dalhousie Springs, Old Andado, Curtin Springs, Kings Creek. From there to the Kimberly, back across the Top End, inc Kakadu, and back down via Mataranka and then across to Central Q.
Leight Creek (is Rose still there? I watched her drag a PA-31 with her arm around the prop because it wasn't close enough to the fuel pump. Nice lady, wouldn't want to piss her off)
And get his creeks in order too, eh Pete?
Seasonally Adjusted
Pilotolatino, I'm a little confused...on the RFDS thread you write...
And then on this thread you write...
Hope you don't end up at Central Section.
sure the miners/doctors/nurses earn maybe more than a driver...but, are they sitting at the pointy end looking out at that amazing scenery?
There's a whole lot of nothing in the middle of Oz. You'll be doing long legs with jacksh*t to see.
Don't forget Mungerannie! Beer, hot springs and plenty of laughs. Nice long, wide runway and even a concrete run-up pad!
I used to like Mungeranie, if you could time it right you could send all kinds of vehicles off the road and into the bush by making them think you were about to land on that road they were driving on.
For the tourist pilots who can navigate - If you can handle the bumps and heat, fly about 1000' - 1500' agl, see a lot more that way.
Note, 500' agl is legal min, but you may be doing a bit of unwanted cattle mustering in places.
Note, 500' agl is legal min, but you may be doing a bit of unwanted cattle mustering in places.
Pilotolatino,
There were a few more than 8 people living in Leigh Creek when I was there yesterday, and how's it so hard to find. Damn place sticks out like the proverbials
There were a few more than 8 people living in Leigh Creek when I was there yesterday, and how's it so hard to find. Damn place sticks out like the proverbials
Man Bilong Balus long PNG
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Back in Japan, flying the Glider Tug, eating great Japanese food, looking at lovely Japanese Ladies and continuing the neverending search for a bad bottle of Red.
Posts: 2,984
Received 111 Likes
on
64 Posts
if you could time it right you could send all kinds of vehicles off the road and into the bush by making them think you were about to land on that road they were driving on.
It's still the same strip Peter. About four years ago it had a lot of work done on it making it longer, a bit wider and a larger parking area.
Anu updates to Mungerannie for a trip there in a couple of weeks.
I heard from the locals it is a bit "rough".
I wonder what their definition of rough is and how it compares to mine?
Anyone been there in the last couple of weeks?
I heard from the locals it is a bit "rough".
I wonder what their definition of rough is and how it compares to mine?
Anyone been there in the last couple of weeks?
FTDK. I haven't been to Tennant Creek, but I know Coober Pedy well. If you think CP is unattractive, you clearly haven't been to Andamooka or worse still Pimba.
Before this is sidetracked to a worst towns thread, Arkaroola is great and so is William Creek. Depending on where the guy starts, I wouldn't bother going as far North as Tennant Creek. There are heaps of really good, intersting places to go with less sitting in a PA28 in between. Its really easy for guys overseas to grossly underestimate the distances. And the task of flying over desert is a big adjustment for someone used to flying over populated areas. Wirraminna & Mt Ive stations have accomodation & station airstrips. Tibboburra is interesting (staying at the Family Hotel). If he ends up at Coober Pedy, I thinks its redeeming feature is Tom & Mary's Greek Tavern.
In between all of this is the Grand Hotel at Mildura if you want a break somewhere nice.
I agree that Curtin Springs is a great place to stop if your going to the rock, but I personally would go on an easier, shorter more relaxed flight to places where light aircraft offer a real advantage & take a kero burner to Alice.
Before this is sidetracked to a worst towns thread, Arkaroola is great and so is William Creek. Depending on where the guy starts, I wouldn't bother going as far North as Tennant Creek. There are heaps of really good, intersting places to go with less sitting in a PA28 in between. Its really easy for guys overseas to grossly underestimate the distances. And the task of flying over desert is a big adjustment for someone used to flying over populated areas. Wirraminna & Mt Ive stations have accomodation & station airstrips. Tibboburra is interesting (staying at the Family Hotel). If he ends up at Coober Pedy, I thinks its redeeming feature is Tom & Mary's Greek Tavern.
In between all of this is the Grand Hotel at Mildura if you want a break somewhere nice.
I agree that Curtin Springs is a great place to stop if your going to the rock, but I personally would go on an easier, shorter more relaxed flight to places where light aircraft offer a real advantage & take a kero burner to Alice.
Guest
Posts: n/a
Originally Posted by ForkTailedDrKiller
1) There are places in the north of SA that look interesting - others in here will know more.
It's still the same strip Peter. About four years ago it had a lot of work done on it making it longer, a bit wider and a larger parking area.
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Adelaide, South Australia
Posts: 394
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Some of the Outback places I've flown into AND visit a second time...........
Coober Pedy, Kings Creek Station, Rawnsley Park, Emma Gorge, El Questro, Jabiru, Drysdale River, Mt Hart Station, Broome, and best of all - Adeles Grove in FNQ .
The Kimberlies is my favorite destination.
Uluru is interesting but accommodation is a Rip-off IMHO
Coober Pedy, Kings Creek Station, Rawnsley Park, Emma Gorge, El Questro, Jabiru, Drysdale River, Mt Hart Station, Broome, and best of all - Adeles Grove in FNQ .
The Kimberlies is my favorite destination.
Uluru is interesting but accommodation is a Rip-off IMHO
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: in the classroom of life
Age: 55
Posts: 6,864
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
Second that about Adels Grove!
Little Jab driver owns the joint! A must do if you are up that way! And a walk/paddle up the creek "Lawn Hill Gorge" is an absolute must.
Jabaless
Little Jab driver owns the joint! A must do if you are up that way! And a walk/paddle up the creek "Lawn Hill Gorge" is an absolute must.
Jabaless