On the North Road heading north from Wiluna wie discussed how to Continue our trip. Since we normally intended to drive the Canning Stock Route (CSR) from Wiluna to Kunawaritji and then leave und he CSR via the Telfer Mine Road with a side-trip to Rudal River National Park, we now had a different idea: to visit the
Rudal River National Park first, then try the CSR from Well 23 to Kunawaritji and decide whether continuing on the track up to Halls Creek or leaving on the Telfer Mine Road. To save 70 km, we turned into the track to Jigalong after filling up our tank at Kumarina Roadhouse and campend along this track. On the way, Daniela phoned the surprised head officer….of Jigalong (which tourist wanted to go to Jigalong??) WHO have us the permit without any problem. 40 km before Jigalong, we found ourselves on a deserted and overgrown track which surprisingly corresponded exactly to the track on the HEMA-map. At the turn-off to a bigger, regularly travelled route we read a hand-wrtten sign in the …mirrow: „Road closed“ – the track had been moved a few hundred meters. Via Jigalong and Walgun we came into the recently graded Talawana-Track. After another 170km we could turn into the sandy stony track towards the Rudal River National Park. This Park is situated in one of the most remote regions of the country – wie had it for ourselves and could witness a wonderful sunset.

Since everything was ok up to now, we dared on the the 26.4. to continue towards the Canning Stock Route. The track was better than expected, we even met the grader on it and arrived already shortly after noon at Georgia Bore. With good bore water brought up with the hand pump we showered (with our solar shower, that is a water bag connetcted to a shower had and functioning by gravity) and washed dishes to save our drinking water. In the evening the Easter-Bilby (australian easter-rabbit…) visited our kids and the next day we started the adventure CSR and drove as the first car of this year from well to well.

At the beginning of the last century they drilled altogether 51 wells for the cattle driven from the north into the gold mining towns in the south. Close to well 23, the first official CSR-Well we passed, is the fuel depot of the track (overall distance 1700km). We knew from the Capricorne-Roadhouse, that they have not done yet any fuel drop this year and we read from people in the internet who stocked up on remaining fuel. We also were lucky ro find several barrels with diesel and took the chance. We filled up our tank and all the empty jerry cans (100 l) and Procedere with 190 l of diesel for the remaining 900km.

The condition of the track was better than we read in many reports, the corrugations were filled up with blown sand. After cooling down with the water from well 26 we reached well 28 that day. From well 24, the famous dune crossings started, but with the right tyre pressure we never had a real problem.

Next we were heading to the intersection of the Telfer Mine Road (Wapet Road) and the Jenkins Track close to Kunawaritji where normally we would have had to fuel up (1 liter Diesel 3,40 $) – which was no longer necessary after our free refill. We also would have had the possibility to leave the CSR here via the Telfer Mine Road. The planend overnighter at well 33 was not possible since the well overflooded the campground and the track. A local man from Kunawaritji created us a detour to get back to the CSR. We were now heading to well 35 and had made the decision to drive the CSR up to Halls Creek!

The next day we continued on the track and after well 39, we reached on of the crux of the track:Lake Tobin. If the lake was already dry??? Luckily, it was and Daniela could enjoy a smooth track over a dry salt pan. We even saw camels and a dingo.

At well 41, we relaxed after an uncountable number of curves and dunes. At night, we heard dingos howling next to our tent and were happy to have a roof top tent..The advantage of being the first vehicle on the track were less corrugations, the disadvantage was that we had to clear it from fallen branches, trees (3x with the saw). Some termite tribes who bulit their homes directly on the track during the rainy seaon were carefully displaced with their complete termite mound.

The second last day, we made it to Breadon Hills (between well 47 and 48) and, too early, we were happy about the easy ride. The next morning, we first discovered a flat tyre which had to be changed. What followed, was the most difficult and demanding section of the track: it looked nice on the map with only a few creek crossings, but deep washouts made our life difficult. Several times, we had to create new detours and find back onto the track afterwards. It took a long time to get to well 49 where the track improved. Now the question was, if it was possible to cross Lake Gregory. After a few hundreds meters towards the lake on a track which became more and more overgrown, we turned round and took the western bypass which was in a good condition. We even found some fresh tyre prints – meaning that another car passed through in this year! Civilisation! Shortly before our last night on the track, we met another cat driving into the CSR from the north.

We passed the last horrible night with an enourmous amount of mosquitoes, rain and humid heat at the normally beautiful Stretch Lagoon. At least, we could use the lagoon to localize the hole in the second damaged tyre of our journey. Unfortunately, it was on the side where one of the many branches on the track had punched through.

On the way to Halls Creek, we visited the Wolfe Meteor Crater, the Second largest Meteor crater in the world with a diameter of 5km. In Halls Creek, we could fill up again our gas bottle – it got empty on the CSR and we had to cook with our dirty fuel stoves for the rest of the time. And on the camp site, all of us had a shower.
Since they had no suitable replacement for our punched tyre and they could not repair it, wie continued our trip on the tarred road to Broome. We made a stop-over in Fitzroy Crossing where we hikes through the beautiful Geikie Gorge and enjoyed the nice campsite at Fitzroy River Resort with a pool.

In Broome, first we organizes a new second hand tyre and stocked up on food for the next days. We staid for five days on Cable Beach Caravan Park. The climate in the city was difficult to bear for everyone: during the day we had up to 40°C – sweat was dropping down even when not moving. In the uncomfortable, sleeping-lacking nights it only cooled down very little and the humidity raised up to 90%. Apart from the city center, we visited the Malcolm Douglas Wildlife Park, did a camel ride with the kids at Cable Beach and visited the museum. On the campsite, many travellers were waiting for the Gibb River Road to open. Here, we met again family Buchmann and the children were happy about the company.

On friday 08.04., we continued to Cape Leveque where we staid on the pearl farm in Cygnet Bay, and learnt a lot about culturing oysters and pearls. On the way back, we spent one night in Middle Lagoon directly on the cliff above the ocean where we could watch the gigantic tidal differences of 11m.

After stocking up food supplies for the next 10 days and replacing tyre number 3 (a piece of the profile was torn out)( wie fuelled up (190 l) and headed towards Derby.
There, we visited the famous Prison Tree and made it on the Gibb River Road up to Poultons Pool. The next day, we drove through the former Devonian Reef to Tunnel Creek where the river has caved the mountain on a distance of 750m and you can wade through the water when the water level is low enough- a wonderful adventure for the kids. We staid for two nights at the Windjana Gorge campground. Only the first part of the hiking trail through the gorge had been used in this season , afterwards we had to beat us through the jungle. We alsp saw the first freshwater crocodiles here.

Unfortunately, the King Leopold National Park was still completely closed – on our way to the East, we visited Adcock-Gorge, Galvans-Gorge and Barnett-River Gorge before spending the night at Hann River.
Since most accomodation and most of the side roads (also those to Kalumburu und Mitchell Plateau) were still closed, in the afternoon, we reached the Pentcoste-River which had to be crossed. Like all the river crossings on this road, it was not a problem at a water level of 40cm – there was relatively few rain in the last wet season.

We camped at the shore of the river. The next day we went on to El Questro, a beautiful resort with good hikes – on the 17.04. we walked through the El Questro-Gorge where wie could refreseh at Halfway Pool. On the way back we saw a tree snake and a young Black-headed python. The day after, we started early, visited Zeebedee-Springs and hiked through the Amilia-Gorge. Luckily, we had climbing belts for the kids as there were some exposed rocks requiring scrambling. But the reward was a nice natural pool with a 32m waterfall to cool down – what do you want more? The last day on the Gibb River Road we walked into Emma-Gorge, where we swam in a pool fed by a 65m waterfall. Pool badeten. After spotting a large olive python, nobody dared to approach the waterfall anymore.

The same afternoon, drove on the recently graded road into Purnululu National Park to the Bungle Bungles. On the 20.04., we explored the southern part with its bungles-like rock heads on a hike. We hiked into the Cathedral-Gorge, where we discovered on of the most poisonous snakes, a King Brown. At the Picanniny-Creek-Lookout we had a good view onto the impressive rock formations. The 21.4., wie first walked through the Mini Palm Gorge (named after the Livistona-Palmen in the upper part of the gorge ) and afterwards Echidna Chasm Gorge. This crack is impressing, in some places you really have to squeeze through the100m-walls. In both gorges, Markus took advantage of the acoustics with a reveberant sound of 5 seconds to play in several voices with the alphorn – for the surprise and joy of the other visitors.

After the Bungle Bungle, we continued to Wyndham and enjoyed te die 5 Flüsse am Five-River-Lookout before heading on to Parry Creek Farm and the day after to Kununurra.