Rudall River National Park

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22 May 2015 10:26 #1 by Dean and Kaye Howells
Dean and Kaye Howells created the topic: Rudall River National Park
Kaye and I visited Rudall River NP in 2011. We entered from the Telfer mine road after travelling across the Gary Junction Road from Alice Springs and crossing the Canning Stock Route at Kunawaratji near Well 33. The NP is approx. 500 Km east of Newman (on a very good mining road) and borders the western edge of the CSR.

Rudall River National Park is Australia's second largest NP next to Kakadu but most people don't know of its existence. National Parks were VERY strange about this NP, they most definitely didn't want anyone going there to the point of misleading and inaccurate info on their web site and quite annoyed that the Newman tourist centre were handing out accurate mud maps of the area which they vowed to put a stop to. There was no signposting whatsoever around or within the NP except for one RR NP -> sign that the Telfer people had put up at their gatehouse to stop tourists asking them the way. When contacted in late September 2011 the RR NP ranger who resides in Karratha said that he hadn't been out there 'this year'. And I guess unlikely to as it was now too hot to comfortably do so.

All very strange. Hopefully NP's attitude has improved since this time.

Also worth noting is that the Cotton Creek store was charging an exorbitant $4 per litre (so I was told) for diesel when, for example, Ilkirka (much more remote) was charging $3.20. 'Opportunistic' at the very best. Goodness knows what they charge today.

This attached PDF is the excerpt from Kayes journal at the time (2011).


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File Name: Chapter3Ru...Park.pdf
File Size:7,153 KB



Read and (hopefully) enjoy :)

Deano
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22 May 2015 11:14 #2 by dandj
dandj replied the topic: Rudall River National Park
Thanks Deano and Kaye that will be be very useful.

This was the most useful sign we found in the Rudall River NP when we were there in 2007:

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22 May 2015 15:05 - 22 May 2015 15:07 #3 by Peter_n_Margaret
Peter_n_Margaret replied the topic: Rudall River National Park
We drove through in 2005 with #196.
A couple of pics here (mostly of the GJR)....
s246.photobucket.com/user/Peter_n_Margar...ry%20Junction%20Road
At that time it was necessary to go through the Telfer security gate, but I think they diverted the road since, or shifted the gate.

Cheers, Peter.
OKA196 tinyurl.com/OKA196xtMotorhome
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Last Edit: 22 May 2015 15:07 by Peter_n_Margaret.
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22 May 2015 15:05 #4 by Peter and Sandra OKA 374
Peter and Sandra OKA 374 replied the topic: Rudall River National Park
Yes a great spot, we camped at Desert Queen Baths for 4 or 5 days and did walks up and down the valleys and hills. Relatively easy walking as the camel pads usually chose the easiest and smoothest path. Didn't see a soul until the 5th day which was good as we discovered the Humvee's batteries had been flattened by the fridge due to bugger all solar in the overcast weather so they could give us a jumpstart.

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24 May 2015 12:13 #5 by Richard and Beverly House
Richard and Beverly House replied the topic: Rudall River National Park
A great spot and an interesting drive in up that ancient glacial valley, driving over some terminal moraines. Did you go to Hanging Rock?

Richard and Beverly House Oka 080

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24 May 2015 15:21 #6 by Peter and Sandra OKA 374
Peter and Sandra OKA 374 replied the topic: Rudall River National Park
Yes we did, when we were there it was very dry as they hadn't had much of a wet and even the DQB were very low with many waterholes that are usually semi permanent completely dry.
there had also been a fire through a lot of it and the camping area at DQB was just rocks with very little greenery, some of the ghost gums fell over at night when the breeze sprung up. Made for easy walking as there was little scrub but travellers reckoned the track in was very pinstripy! The desert foliage is tough enough without the fires hardening the tips, didn't worry the flat camo paint on the Humvee though.

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24 May 2015 21:55 #7 by Hedgie
Hedgie replied the topic: Rudall River National Park
We have been there twice, the first time in 2005. The second time we came across Peter and Margaret on the way in. Really enjoyed the area and it was different each time. Attached are a couple of images. The last image is at the start of the track into DQB. These are just a few that were handy at the moment.







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25 May 2015 04:33 #8 by Peter and Sandra OKA 374
Peter and Sandra OKA 374 replied the topic: Rudall River National Park
I've seen pics like yours when it was lush and wet, nothing like our visit when there was no water in the creek at all and the actual DQB pool was well down. Still a fantastic place to visit.

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25 May 2015 09:34 #9 by Richard and Beverly House
Richard and Beverly House replied the topic: Rudall River National Park
Hanging Rock Rudall River National Park 2004 a long way off the the main drag, but worth the trip.

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