Border Track
Trip – Sept. 2006
Steve
and Kathleen didn’t have to wait long at the meeting point where the Border
Track meets the
The
first nights camp was East of the Border at a campsite
named Shearers Hut where there is a house with a flushing toilet and a shower
block that can be rented through Parks Victoria for a small cost. However,
there was a drop toilet available for campers.
Sunday
morning came and everyone was up and ready to move around 9 am, so back to the
border track.
At
Pheeny’s track we turned East
to check out some remote area camping sites and decided to have lunch at one 30
odd minutes east from the Border track. After lunch, we turned back to wards
the border and headed South down the Millewa South
Bore Track where we were to find a more sandy track
that although not a real challenge was more interesting.
Once
back on the Border Track, the track became very narrow and with the old fence on
one side of us, care had to be taken as not to stake a tyre
or scratch the side of our cars with the old rusted star posts that once must
have held the fence up straight. We found our way into Pinnaroo
and as it was windy and over cast, we took shelter in a rotunda at a park for
lunch.
After
refueling our bellies we headed off, and picked up the Border Track just East
of Pinnaroo, as usual traversing the larger sand
dunes created a challenge where a few members experimented with tyre pressures and gears.
There were the usual time out for photos at the Trigg point and the sand
dunes.
We
were to set up camp just in time before the heavens opened up, well at least
most of us did. Lance had just got the fly over the main dome section of his tent when it all came
down along with the wind. But with a few extra hands it was made waterproof
with the inside remaining dry. Thirty minutes later the sun was shining
again!
After
a few drinks around a great camp fire all retired for the night only to wake
Sunday morning with ice on every thing from a cold night. But the sun was
shinning so we were to have another lovely day. After tackling some more sand
dunes and confirming our position with Lance’s GPS that had the co-ordinates of
Red Bluff, (the nights intended campsite) we continued past what looked liked
the turn off to the Bluff, but who was going to argue with a GPS as it said we
had another ten km’s to go. Fifteen minutes latter and another sand dune and
then the beginning of the clay pans we decided not to trust the GPS any more,
well at least the programmer. We all turned around and were setting up camp at
Red Bluff with in 30 minutes or so.
Day
4 – the last - came
much too soon and after breaking camp, we headed off for the drive out and back
to civilization.
Click on the pic
below for some pics of the trip!
Words by Steve Westbury.