Author Topic: Maralinga and the Old Eyre Highway 2020 (Read 1426 times)

Terry · « **on:** October 15, 2019, 08:46:11 PM »

Hi,

I have started planning my next little Moke adventure for 2020 with a visit to Maralinga to see what naughty things they got up to and then a drive along the Old Eyre Highway to the SA/WA border. Other highlights maybe Gawler Ranges and some parts of the Eyre Peninsular if time permits. The expected departure date will be either the last or second last weekend in April 2020 which is after Easter and this will in part be determined by the availability of bookings for the Maralinga tour.

There will be around 2-3 days of slow un-maintained dirt roads and another couple of days of reasonable dirt roads with mostly bush camping and the occasional stop over with a shower when I can start to smell the people travelling behind me. Time wise it will be at least a 9-10 day minimum effort from Melbourne and more likely will be a 14 day trip if people are available for that long.

The Maralinga tour involves handing over $235 each, includes permits and camping fee, to drive out there on Tuesday, stay overnight, do a tour all day Wednesday, stay a second night and leave Thursday when I am hoping we will be able to travel a different way out to the way we went in. This will also involve having enough fuel for around 600km of travel. They start taking bookings in November so I would like to know how many people I need to book for so I can get the dates we want.

I have a 3 or 4 Mokes from our regular group pencilled in already with room for a few more and of course it is Mokes only.

Terry

Peter_n_Margaret · « **Reply #1 on:** October 15, 2019, 11:32:56 PM »

We have not done the Maralinga tour, but I have never heard of anyone who was disappointed.
Last year we drove to Ooldea from Colona (it is bitumen most of the way), then into the GVD for a couple of weeks and returned via Watson to Disappointment Cave and then along the Old Eyre Highway past Yalata and back to the bitumen.
We asked for and received a permit to transit Yalata country by email.
Mokes will have no difficulty with any of that route.
The last time I travelled further west on the Old Eyre Highway, I was 9 years old and it was the only choice.

Cheers,
Peter

Terry · « **Reply #2 on:** October 16, 2019, 11:30:08 AM »

Hi,

Watson and Discovery Cave are on my list for the return leg from Maralinga.

Some of us did a bit of the OEH around Koonalda in 2013 and that trip started me thinking about trying to do the full length of it.

Terry

Peter_n_Margaret · « **Reply #3 on:** October 19, 2019, 10:11:22 AM »

An article on Maralinga in the ABC news on line today.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-10-19/maralinga-living-and-working-at-nuclear-test-range/11603496
Cheers,
Peter

Terry · « **Reply #4 on:** November 07, 2019, 07:20:47 PM »

Hi,

I just got the dates for the Maralinga Tours today and they have improved things with two tours most weeks rather than just one on Wednesday which might suit our plans a bit better.
https://maralingatours.com.au/bookings/

If I can book a Tuesday Tour then that puts us a day earlier, rather than waiting around, and might mean those with only a week to spare could get back to work by Monday/Tuesday if they had too. At the moment the choices for departure dates are (ex Melbourne) 18th or 25th April or at a pinch 1st May, all are a Saturday.

We can get a discount on a group booking so I am going to start calling people that have let me know they are interested to get some numbers and firm up the departure date. If you are interested in attending let me know so I can add you to the subatomic list of people attending.

Terry

Terry · « **Reply #5 on:** November 09, 2019, 09:31:44 PM »

Hi,

For the sub atomic list of adventurers we have so far

Terry & Graham
Peter
Graeme & Colette
Vicki and Alan
Dave - Moke 71
Dave -Chippy Dave
Robbie

Terry

Peter_n_Margaret · « **Reply #6 on:** March 03, 2020, 05:37:26 PM »

What is the proposed Maralinga tour date?
Cheers,
Peter

Terry · « **Reply #7 on:** March 04, 2020, 01:08:58 PM »

Hi,

Our tour date is Tuesday the 21st April so we have to be at the gate by Monday afternoon.

Terry

Coxy · « **Reply #8 on:** March 05, 2020, 06:21:17 PM »

Great news everyone my personal Chef/bottle washer has got time off work so I can leave the can opener at home. Ha!

So Colette's just got home from work and she is locked in for the trip so I better get the Camper Trailer ready.

Do I need to organise a Sat phone?

Peter · « **Reply #9 on:** March 05, 2020, 07:28:00 PM »

Coxy
Sat Phone under control

Peter

Terry · « **Reply #10 on:** March 07, 2020, 09:34:23 PM »

Hi,

With the last of tickets taken up and the permits etc in place this is the approximate route of our little journey to Maralinga and drive along the old Eyre Hwy. Approximate because we leave the bitumen between Nundaroo and head up east of the Yalata community but I couldn't tell Google that.

Terry

Peter · « **Reply #11 on:** March 08, 2020, 05:02:51 PM »

Terry
May be a good idea to send all of the subatomic group a PM with how much we owe you for the tickets and permits. I know I would like to clear that up before we head off.

Cheers
Peter

Terry · « **Reply #12 on:** March 08, 2020, 08:46:25 PM »

Hi,

you can PM me your rego for your Moke that you are taking and then I can finalise the details on the tickets/permits and then you can pay directly I hope. $200 per person.

Terry

Peter · « **Reply #13 on:** March 08, 2020, 09:29:27 PM »

Terry

If only I could remember the rego of the Moke.
I will send it to you when I bet home later this week currently in Brisy.

Peter

Moke 71 · « **Reply #14 on:** March 09, 2020, 08:51:12 PM »

Cheers terry, I’ll hand over some of my hard earned.

I am planning on taking Thomas and his rego is Moke 79.

Last Sunday I got my finger squashed between the Landcruiser and a trailer load of fire wood so have had a week off from the shed And working on Thomas. Getting the stitches out tomorrow.

Warning may offend if you scroll further

Have got some new parts arriving this week so hopefully I can get cracking on thomas. Ball joints need replacement, new set of shocks and trailing arm pins have a bit of slight movement and fitting a new indicator stalk as I am sick of holding the stalk when the lights are on to stop the high beam coming on. I am hoping to get the radiator cleaned out and if all goes well will send him off for a tune up.

CB radio was playing up on last trip but that seems to be fine now. Thomas' spotlights foot switch got a clean on the weekend so hopefully that’s fine now.

Have spent the last two days modifying the spare wheel mount which has turned out well. I am modifying it so I can open the back window and get access through there. I am hoping to be able to have the back window propped open when I drive, just like a Sandman. I thought I had the hinge worked out and spent a few hours making them, but not happy with them so working on stage II.

Got a a couple of other little things I liked to do just to make things a little more organised in the inside but see how we go

Cheers dave