Sat, 19th May, 2018 Well 33 CSR to Well 38 CSR, WA (exploring CSR)

7am 11.7 degrees, clear sky and still windy.

Packed up then went over with Phil and Kylie to check out the Army trucks. Very interesting – Mercedes Benz chassis and engine with Australian made cabins etc, only $330,000 each. The chaps and one lady (medico) were still finishing their breakfast but made time to chat with us. Steve of course checked out the vehicles – he wants a second axle under ours!

We said our farewells to Phil and Kylie. They are heading to Newman to pay the towing company – will hear how much later and get their vehicle checked over. We told them to check out Carawine Gorge and Running Waters on their way there. Kylie is keen to detect as their did a bit in Victoria so we might see them again somewhere.

We drove into Kunawaritji Community to fill up with diesel. This one will hurt, $3.40/litre and we need a full load. The chap was very chatty – he and his wife have been here 4 years. He said that all the fuel and food for this community and Punmu comes across from Alice Springs via the Gary Junction Highway. He was a singer and did some gigs around Cairns. Kylie had warned us that he might sing us a song or too but he had to attend to something so after filling us up he whizzed off in his 4wheeler.

We went back around to the shop to pay our bill – ouch. Very neat and tidy. The community housing is behind a gate stating locals only. The locals were in buying all kinds of interesting items (all sugar based) which if they really wanted to help themselves they would make sure those things were banned from the shop. Then into a visitor accommodation area to fill up with water. There were some other travellers there from Sth Aust who had just come across the Gary Junction Track. They were using the facilities to have a shower and do their washing in the laundry. They are heading up north on the CSR too. They were the first group through last year on the southern section from here in May and it was very wet then too.

I wandered over to the medical centre where there were heaps of signs cutting back on sugar etc.

As we drove out they were lining up to get fuel – glad we got here early as the other chap with his camper had just driven in too. Steve went to give them a toot and the horn wouldn’t work. Back to Well 33 and onto the Canning Stock Route again heading north-east.

We were warned about the corrugations. Yes they are bad but we have had worst on the Cape York bypass road. Took a video. Interesting there aren’t as many bypass tracks on this section compared to the south section.

Turned off to find Well 34. Crossed a wide open plain and then narrow sandy track for 5km windy our way around the end of the sand ridge. Back up along it till the two ridges become close together. Across a salt flat area to the ruins of Well 34.

While I put the kettle on he investigated the horn – the wire had broken and the horn was just hanging there. Well we don’t really need one out here.

Facing the track is the new name.

Through the bushes to the well is a sign with the old name spelling. I wonder why they haven’t removed the old signs!! Did our Well photos. Someone has beaten Steve to it and dug out the well a bit to bring up a bit of water for the birds.

Well 34 – Nibil (17 feet, 5.2m)

Reconditioned by Snell but now in ruins.

Back to the main track bumping along over more corrugations. A few more longer bypasses which are nearly as bad as the main track. (You should see my notes!)

There was even a bypass to bypass the bypass opposite Kidson Bluff area. Got Steve to stop so I could take a photo.

Kidson Bluff

This bluff was named in 1956 by surveyor Veevers after Mr Kidson, a member of the Carnegie Institute in Washington who carried out a magnetic survey along the CSR as part of a worldwide project.

Met the Callowa Track which we went on for 4kms to Well 35. On my map it meets Gary Junction Road to the south-east. The Gary Junction Road was another built by Len Beadell’s Gunbarrel Road Construction Party. It was built between Aug-Sept & Oct-Nov 1960. Work was interrupted when the grader broke down and had to be towed to Giles by the bulldozer.

Callowa Track

This track was built by Len Beadell about 1963. It is part of a series of tracks linking Alice Springs with the Coast between Broome and Port Hedland. It was built for the Dept of National Mapping. The track to the west of Well 35 is now overgrown.

Found the new sign for the well then through the bushes we found the pipe from the historical society but the trees were low so couldn’t get in to see if there was any water in it.

Well 35 – Minjoo (16 feet, 4.9m)

This was the last well repaired by Snell. The Geraldton Historical Society put the plastic casing down this well. Water is very poor quality.

The track continued on from here, up and down low sand ridges then through a flat area of desert oaks. More small ridges, some gums and then more desert oaks. Soft sandy track. I videoed a climb and some of the oaks.

Desert Oaks

The Desert Oak (Casuarina decaisneana) is a statuesque tree often seen in areas west of the Simpson Desert through to the Gibson Desert and as far west as the CSR. This forest is one of the biggest and best to be seen along the CSR. The Desert Oak grows from seeds contained within a hard cone and in its first stage grows to a height of about 6 metres and looks like a straight, slender pine tree. As the tree matures it develops a strong straight trunk and large weeping branches. It is believed that many of the larger trees may be more than 500 years old.

Slow going over the sand ridges as they are not smooth so just slow first gear to crawl over the holes. Steve thinks those hire 4WDs we saw the other day may have caused the holes.

Stopped to check out a native well. We could see that the hire group had camped here but we couldn’t find any sign of the native well.

Bungabinni Native Well

Canning sank a well at Bungabinni but decided against its use because of a slow recovery rate. In 1987 Peter Vernon, accompanied by Alfred Canning’s grandson and two great grandsons relocated Bungabinni. Two years later a group, again led by Peter Vernon, rebuilt the well and scraped access tracks between Wells 35 and 36.

Further along we came to a sign. The right hand track is overgrown as I imagine everyone would want to use the original CSR track.

Through more desert oaks. Videoed a very bumpy sand ridge climb. Steve definitely thinks the digouts are from those hire 4WDs with too much pressure in their tyres and just putting their foot into it rather than a slow climb over the ridge. He is figuring out ways to avoid them after trying to go up slowly and not making it. Now he tries going up on the side and middle of the track for as long as he can. Once on top it is all good.

Burnt area with new regrowth.

Back to spinifex and bushes and more woopsy sand ridges – another video.

Paperbarks appear as we arrive at Well 36 for lunch. Still windy so parked under a paperbark trying to keep the kitchen side away from the wind which blows up all the dust.

This one is now Kilkil and originally it was Wanda. Now how can a linguist say that was written wrong from how it was said!!

Well 36 – Wanda (18 feet, 5.5m)

Poison Bush (Gastrolobium grandiflorum) occurs at various places along the CSR. Canning had to clear it from this site while he was surveying the route. Most explorers of the western deserts had problems with their horses and camels dying after eating poison bush. Drovers were aware of this problem so usually sent someone ahead of the mob to burn areas where poison bush was known to grow. Eileen Lanagan, the only woman to travel the Canning as part of a droving team, clearly remembers scouting ahead of the mob to burn poison bush. Eileen and George Lanagan brought cattle down the Canning in 1940.

It has been refurbished some time ago but the pully block has been removed from the frame so you can only use a bucket. Doesn’t smell too good. Obviously the water needs to be used regularly to keep the water ok.

On the track again and heading east. More bumpy sand ridges, they are getting higher too. More video.

Further along Steve checked out a Suzuki motorbike. He fixed up the suspension so it is all good to go again!

We crawled along the edge of a low sand ridge and up on top and ran along it for quite a while in the soft sand – video. We were avoiding the basins of paperbarks which probably could be wet at times.

Sand ridges are closer together here. Slow crawling along the side then over to the other side and crawl some more. Very bumpy track. Stopped on a ridge top and got some firewood then continued the bumpy track crawling towards Well 37 along the side and on top of the low sand ridges.

One had two exits so Steve took the left one then swung around and went up the other one. He said he wanted to go south-north then north-south then south-north again. He didn’t tell me he was going to do it so I didn’t video it. When I complained he said “do you want me to do it again!” I think I have enough videos of going over the sand ridges and these were easy ones.

Through some flat country with limestone rocks and more desert oaks. Past a nice cleared area under the trees which would me a good camp spot. Further on to open ground and the ruins of Well 37. Still has water in it and there are lots of finches around enjoying it.

Well 37 – Libral (16 feet, 4.8m)

Canning sank this well close to a native soak, finding excellent water. Tourists call this the Haunted Well (because of the murders here) although it is doubtful that it was ever called that by the drovers.

An old sign points the way to the graves.

Murder of Shoesmith, Thompson and Chinaman

In January 1911, George Shoesmith, James Thompson, Fred Terone and a half-caste Aborigine called Chinaman started their drive from Flora Valley with 150 bullocks. This was to be the first drive down the CSR. Within a few weeks Terone returned to Halls Creek suffering from conjunctivitis. Tom Cole, following some months later with another mob, found Thompson’s horse partly eaten at Well 45. By the time they reached Well 38 it was obvious from the number of cattle wandering the track that something drastic had happened so Cole camped his cattle and rode ahead. As Cole approached Well 37 he saw the remains of the drovers’ plant scattered over a wide area and found Thompson and Chinaman, who appeared to have been killed while they slept. The body of Shoesmith was found some distance away and it appeared as if he was killed while on watch. The attack probably took place on the evening of April 24, 1911. Their bodies were found by Tom Cole on June 30.

I wandered up for a look while Steve checked over the truck. One for Shoesmith and Thompson and the other for Chinaman.

I couldn’t find McLernon’s. Might be over under one of those oaks. The wind going through the oaks certainly does make it sound spooky here and more so a night.

Murder of McLernon

John McLernon was in an oil exploration party which was based at Well 37 in 1922. McLernon was killed by Aborigines while he slept in a camp some distance to the east. Two other men fought off the attack and brought McLernon’s body back to Well 37 where they buried it at the base of a desert oak.

Looking back to the truck and the well.

Change of direction now to the north so back to straight over some medium sized sand ridges again. Still with lots of bumpy bits so we had to crawl over them carefully so not to bounce the truck around too much. Another video. Photo as we crested it – following camel hoofprints now, was a dingo for quite a while.

Down to the open plain then up again. Ridges are getting further apart again. Up and down in first or second gear in high range seems to do it and getting out of the main ruts to start with so you can keep a bit of speed to get over the softer sand at the top.

Ridges then get smaller and closer together again. On the Hema it should a mark ‘Rock Art’ but all we could see was sand. Then we crested another ridge and on the other side some rocks appeared out of the sand ridge. On my Canning Map it is called Wandurba Rock. There was a cave which has a hole through it.

Wandurba Rock

Some faint Aboriginal paintings can be seen inside a small cave thought to have been used as a shelter.

No old ‘art’ just someone leaving their mark.

Climbed up, past the hole that goes into the cave and onto the top to enjoy the view.

As we were halfway up the ridge we had no run off for the rest of the ridge and boy was it bumpy. Probably the worst yet and I didn’t have the camera ready.

Though high shrubs again.

The straight sections between the ridges are quite corrugated. I videoed the next two ridges. The shadows are making it harder to see the holes in the track as we climb up the ridges.

Over some more whoopy climbs (more videos) – more ironstone rocks appearing and gravel. In and out of little gullies. An old bike frame beside another metal sign put in by the CSR Road Construction Company on 10^th January, 1990 shows the way to Well 37, closely following the original CSR track.

Peter Vernon’s track

This track between Well 37 and 38 was built in 1990 by pulling a steel scraper loaded with about one tonne of sand behind a Toyota Troopie coupled to a 4WD converted Holden taxi. Peter said that with tyre pressures down to 7psi they could pull the scraper anywhere.

As the sun was going down we pulled into Well/Water 38 as it was actually a creek.

Water 38 – Wardabunni

Canning’s party blasted a large hole in the bed of the creek but it was difficult to persuade cattle to drink at this water. Names of some members of Canning’s party as well as some of the drovers can be seen on the rock face above the pool. Grooves can be found where Aborigines sharpened spears on the rock.

If they wanted to change the names why didn’t they take the old ones away!! These signs and some of the old troughing are up on the high ridge above the creek.

The galahs weren’t happy about our arrival but have settled back into their tree in the creek.

We walked down to the creek to find the water.

Lots of holes in the rocks and in the walls of the higher edge on the other side.

Will investigate more tomorrow. The wind is still blowing hard so we parked to give us the best protection for the night as there is nowhere up on the high ground to get away from the wind.

Lovely sunset colours.

Today’s section of the CSR we have covered.

The wind settled so we had a lovely shower by the fire. Can’t get better than this.

A dingo had a howl for a bit.

Lovely dinner then a few games of Skipbo with the fire keeping us warm. I saw something come out of the grass and it was the dingo coming to say hello – might be used to someone feeding him. Steve shooed him away and he went off reluctantly.

We pulled the sides down of the truck to keep the cold breeze out.