Mt Dare to New Andado road is closed indefinitely.

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KevinE

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I read the above today. Apparently the bulldust is very bad up there at the moment. We were leaving for there later in the week, so currently trying to work out plan B.
 
I wonder how many 4x4ers will ignore the signs and drive around them.

They did manage to reopen the Bridle Track after the rockfall, although that's a lot closer to large population centres than Mt Dare - but fingers crossed!
 
I think you'd have to have a few screws loose to go up that road whilst its closed, but I reckon you're right, some morons may ignore the signs. That could be fatal out there!

Glad they've re-opened the Bridle Track :)

Bulldust is a bit different, they need a lot of rain to fall on it before they can sort out the current mess. The pictures I've seen show very deep wheel ruts.

Still can't put a plan B together yet! :(
 
We were up there in Sept/Oct & the info I received (and posted) was wrong. There was no signage to say that the road was closed at either end of it (Binns Track Mt. Dare to Andado), but it really should have been closed.

We went up about 20km's or so along the Binns Track & the bulldust was nuts. Did a U turn & went up through Hamilton Station & Eringa waterhole instead.

Also, some absolute genius has moved signage around where the road intersects with the Aboriginal land & the Binns Track. Whoever did it removed the sign from where it should be & taken it about 15km's up a dead end road & re-planted it, which wouldn't be a problem in a less remote area, but could very easily be deadly out there.
 
Can think of one "road" between Mt. Dare and Dalhousie Springs that should be closed indefinitely lol.
 
I see that revival of this old thread has someone asking elsewhere if this road is actually open or not (a bit strange really). I couldn't say whether it's open or not now, but it was in Oct 19. Even if it is open, not sure if it would be lawful to travel on it now due to Covid19 restrictions, as the track crosses the SA/NT border.
 

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Because it's in such atrocious condition and there is another perfectly good road that does the same thing. Although this isn't obvious to non locals. Last heard the people at Mt Dare were thinking of closing it themselves, as it causes a few car breakages.
 
It's very rocky, especially at the Mt Dare end, but it always has been.

I think the alternative road that you're thinking of is the road out from Mt Dare to Dalhousie through Bloods Creek? That one was every bit as rough as the more direct one when we went through there last year.

There is a third option out though Charlotte Waters/Eringa/Hamilton/Pedirka & it's still a bit rough, but not near as rough as the other two. But it's about 200km's longer. I went that way in 2012 when we had my IL's in the car with us.

Can't see how Mt Dare could close the direct road even if they wanted to. It's in the NP.
 
No problems Kevin, I must have imagined it.

This was a little different to a "rough road", certainly when I was there. For the majority of it I was at idle in 1st gear. In the (8,900 kms) of last trip through the desert country it's the only road I would baulk at travelling again (maybe one other short but avoidable track in Cameron Corner area). The people at Mt Dare often close roads in the area afaik. Not only to protect the roads, but because they also have to go out and help people when they brake down. They were the ones who told me this road is best avoided (a little late of course).
 
ps. Don't get me wrong, normally I travel through areas that are a lot rougher and more difficult than what you'll find out in the desert. A 4wd is useful but probably isn't really a necessity for general touring out that way anyway (unless it rains or your going across areas like the Simpson). As it's more about endurance/large distances and remoteness out that way, the mentioned track was a stand out.

They also seem given to different convention in their place names out that way. I can understand that the designation "Creek" might be apparent on the rare occasion it rains, but anything beginning with "Mt." seems to require lots of imagination, perhaps it refers to an area where there was a mountain in another geological epoch. Even when there is a change in elevation, it doesn't seem much, they could probably go with the "Flinders Hillocks" and be more accurate lol.
 
Yeah, actually I just did mainly because I was wondering how we could view the same road so differently lol. The advice was that this particular road has been getting regular maintenance for a couple of years now, and as a result is in good condition (local rainfalls have a large bearing on this apparently). It was maintained a few weeks ago and as a verbatim quote "it's nothing like the road it was a few years back".

So maybe it depends when you're there, but when I was there I would go as far as to say it is up there with the worst roads I have ever driven.
 
No problems Kevin, I must have imagined it.

This was a little different to a "rough road", certainly when I was there. For the majority of it I was at idle in 1st gear. In the (8,900 kms) of last trip through the desert country it's the only road I would baulk at travelling again (maybe one other short but avoidable track in Cameron Corner area). The people at Mt Dare often close roads in the area afaik. Not only to protect the roads, but because they also have to go out and help people when they brake down. They were the ones who told me this road is best avoided (a little late of course).

Don't get me wrong either Horatius, It's very rocky though there. Yes, low gear, low range through there! That's why I tried Bloods Creek this last time. In the end the Bloods Creek Rd was corrugated like crazy & the direct road was rocky. 5-10KMH on either road would be as fast as I'd go through there

Kudos to you for doing it mate!
 
Yeah, actually I just did mainly because I was wondering how we could view the same road so differently lol. The advice was that this particular road has been getting regular maintenance for a couple of years now, and as a result is in good condition (local rainfalls have a large bearing on this apparently). It was maintained a few weeks ago and as a verbatim quote "it's nothing like the road it was a few years back".

So maybe it depends when you're there, but when I was there I would go as far as to say it is up there with the worst roads I have ever driven.

They are the worst roads I've ever driven. But, I'd like them to stay open for future travelers to be able to experience what you & I have!
 
A phone call (08 8670 7835) to the Mt Dare hotel will give you a sure answer

I did notice that you were given that advice elsewhere.

Maybe you could even drive out there & report back on what you find, like Horatius & I have both done?
 
Yeah, actually I just did mainly because I was wondering how we could view the same road so differently lol. The advice was that this particular road has been getting regular maintenance for a couple of years now, and as a result is in good condition (local rainfalls have a large bearing on this apparently). It was maintained a few weeks ago and as a verbatim quote "it's nothing like the road it was a few years back".

So maybe it depends when you're there, but when I was there I would go as far as to say it is up there with the worst roads I have ever driven.
After travelling for the last 17 years around the country with various modes of vehicles and camping the one big thing you do notice is the different interpretations of road conditions.
The cape road at the time we did it about 2003 was ok if taken carefully but then we drove on the telegraph track which was slower but better on the vehicle and came down through Pawmpuraaw and Kowanyama which also was easier except for the bull dust.
The Gibb river road was no drama if you went steady, but the savannah way from Mataranka across to Chilagoe was pretty rough with IMHO the roughest bit corrugation wise in the Limmen National park from Normanton to Chillagoe was washed out more but easy if taken steady, mind you we were in an Isuzu NPS300 towing a van.
Still got to do a lot of desert tracks which is what the d22 is for, got sidetracked for 8 years towing/sailing and living in a 26' trailer sailer around the coasts so now back to more basic inland travel before they plant me in one place.
The one part of any of the vehicles we used that got the least use was the 4wd and trust me we did do plenty of supposedly 4wd tracks in fact went out of our way to find every remote road, track or river we could but then we hunted foxes in the 70's right through western NSW in all weather conditions in utes and even wagons eg HT Holdens and XL falcons with just winter treads on the rear.
Sometimes you need to listen to advice about how bad some tracks/roads are and then ask questions to suss out the credibility of the person giving the advice also find out the amount of traffic and ask those coming the opposite direction what they encountered, we carried a HF radio for a few years until we sold the boat but might consider getting another now.
 
After travelling for the last 17 years around the country with various modes of vehicles and camping the one big thing you do notice is the different interpretations of road conditions.
The cape road at the time we did it about 2003 was ok if taken carefully but then we drove on the telegraph track which was slower but better on the vehicle and came down through Pawmpuraaw and Kowanyama which also was easier except for the bull dust.
The Gibb river road was no drama if you went steady, but the savannah way from Mataranka across to Chilagoe was pretty rough with IMHO the roughest bit corrugation wise in the Limmen National park from Normanton to Chillagoe was washed out more but easy if taken steady, mind you we were in an Isuzu NPS300 towing a van.
Still got to do a lot of desert tracks which is what the d22 is for, got sidetracked for 8 years towing/sailing and living in a 26' trailer sailer around the coasts so now back to more basic inland travel before they plant me in one place.
The one part of any of the vehicles we used that got the least use was the 4wd and trust me we did do plenty of supposedly 4wd tracks in fact went out of our way to find every remote road, track or river we could but then we hunted foxes in the 70's right through western NSW in all weather conditions in utes and even wagons eg HT Holdens and XL falcons with just winter treads on the rear.
Sometimes you need to listen to advice about how bad some tracks/roads are and then ask questions to suss out the credibility of the person giving the advice also find out the amount of traffic and ask those coming the opposite direction what they encountered, we carried a HF radio for a few years until we sold the boat but might consider getting another now.

Have to agree, it depends on who is giving the description of the road most of the time. Had a traveler going the opposite way ask us at the rest stop with a flushing toilet on the Birdsville Track what was ahead of them? When we told them "all good", they told us to get prepared for some horrible road ahead of us, as it was in their opinion, awful. I hate to think how they coped after we saw them, as the road just got better & better towards Marree!

Also agree about the Gibb River Road. It's a very well maintained, long gravel road these days. Very scenic of course, but not difficult. Also have to agree about Limmen NP, the roads were horrible when we went through there.

I hear what you're saying about most of the 4x4 tracks, especially the "must do" tracks, they're not too difficult. There are some horrible roads through western NSW though! Anywhere around Wanaaring is pretty ordinary, with the exception of the new tar road from Bourke. The Silver City Hwy from Broken Hill to Tibooburra was rough as guts before they sealed it as well.

Around Mt Dare is a bit different lol. When we were camped there last Oct, a very seasoned traveler drove in & camped next to us - minus his off road van. The recovery guys brought is van & dirt bike in later. The corrugations had torn his tow hitch in two. The flat metal bit was completely ripped off. This was a guy that knew his stuff.

I think that the D22 will serve you well, it has us.
 
LOL like I said we hunted from the VIC border to the QLD border and from Newel hwy to the SA border from the early 70's to the mid 80's when the roads were nothing like they are today especially when wet and in winter using 2wd and winter treads although did have land rovers (series 2) and cruisers before the fur trade shut down, from the Vic border to Wanaaring/Hungerford area on a long weekend to be home for work and getting max 6 hr's sleep from Thursday night till Monday night but big money.
One of the biggest problems is people not driving to suit the conditions, on the Gibb river road we had a bloke go past us towing a boat then we passed him two times while he changed tyres and again on the Kalumbaroo turnoff where he was working on another, three days later he pulled in beside us at Honeymoon bay whinging about how bad the roads were and how many tyres (5) he had wrecked, I don't think I had a puncture for the whole trip (25k) that year over 5 months and tyres weren't new when we started.
Struck a bloke at Karrajini NP same trip and noticed he had a sugar glider suspension on his trailer (new back then), as I had just built our trailer with leaves enquired how his independent suspension was going, boy it was a tale of woes over 10k, after listening for a while I asked how fast he drove he said 110kph on the same roads but not the Gibb, he was told the trailer was unbreakable?
Re the D22 I really like them because they are high and light with plenty of grunt (for me) not keen on common rail but still not as much bs as the other 4wd's on the market, got three here and making two selling one and all the best/wanted bits on the keeper project, even got a spare set of muddies for hunting and AT's for the rest.
Seen an awful lot of wrecked vehicles over our travels and most just plain silly mistakes, when we went up the Cape I found the best entertainment was to get to a crossing early and set up camp, then sit back with a beer and watch the fun, bit like a boat ramp only better they tell me it should be nearly all bitumen now? Cooktown was still dirt then.
 
Tracks around my way are constantly changing and conditions are dependant on recent weather and or maintenance. Advice on tracks can be a very “general guide” only, not something to rely on. It mightn’t be as relevant in the desert but still relevant to an extent.

Normally I do lots of steep mountainous terrain with water crossings, and tracks into valleys and rivers or creeks (often for fossicking). As an example recently on one steep little track that was comfortable one week, it changed so much it took about 3 hrs to do one 500 mts section the next week and you wouldn’t go in there now without a winch.

Seems 4wders decided to have some fun in the recent rain/snow which can be a trap for people when they’re told “so and so track is easy” by someone who was there last season. I have helped recover people from such situations before.

Trailers are already banned in some of the areas I get to, but I wouldn’t be disappointed if they limited tyres to 33” either. There are already plenty of well known tracks around that are left in bad condition for those with huge lifts, lockers and 35”+ tyres to rut out and have fun winching and snatching each other out of lol.

The more iconic and well used tracks are usually not as bad as their reputation. Though I wouldn’t take them too lightly, especially in places like the high country. The steepness alone already puts stress on things and it doesn’t take much of an obstacle to make things difficult, especially with a little 4 cyl diesel heavily loaded with camping gear and supplies. Desert roads like Oodnadatta and Birdsville are probably manageable with a sedan, but still you’re a long way from anywhere if something does go wrong. I was warned that the Strzelecki and Old Strzelecki were in terrible condition and to be very careful, though apart from occasional bulldust holes, I found were excellent. I talked to one fella who just towed his caravan along the Strzelecki and seemed surprised when I asked if the road was rough lol.

At Mt Dare they were preparing to recover someone while I was there. The people must have got themselves out of difficulty though, as there was no one stuck when I drove through the region. As to the particular road “oh, that f#% road, been meaning to close it for a while” says it all (to divert people travelling from the desert around it). Though I don’t know what the diversion was like (didn’t take it), only the advice given and as this was a while back now, road conditions change. So maybe closed “indefinitely” is overdoing it, but I have no problem with it if tracks get bad enough, if there is an alternative, and until they can be repaired at least.
 

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