Lake Eyre and Cooper Creek

[Bosshog]

Next morning we get to Dalhousie and take a swim in the spring – a must do! Whilst swimming the Dalhousie rangers tell us we MUST leave immediately or we’d be stuck for four days. We pack our cars quickly and leave for Mt Dare – with the rangers following us out. We passed a stock standard (manual) D40 from Tasmania on our way out – they and their travel companions decide to sit the weather out at Dalhousie (we thought food and cold beer was a better option for sitting out the rain).

On the way back my alternator packs a sad, the 80 series develops a bad noise from the front left CV joint and we battle back through water and mud in near dark. A white D40 also arrived at Mt Dare in limp mode. They’d unsuccessfully tried to cross the Simo but the DPF needed to do a burn and as they couldn’t get it to 80kph it shut down and went into limp mode. We reset the ECU and she was right as rain (I also told them they should have locked in low range and revved it hard for several ks to complete a burn). I was now feeling pleased that I had my DPF removed!!
Next morning the desert is closed until further notice, which suited us as car repairs were needed. So we took a lay day.

 

[Bosshog]

Following day we made a successful attempt to get into the Simo. We now appreciated why the desert was closed. Water stretched for kilometres at Freeth Junction and our pace slowed to under 10 kph.

We pushed on into the desert but our paced slowed right down and we covered only 83 kms in nine hours! We camped up short of our intended destination. Next day we drove past the Long Gum and then onto Poeppel Corner and the dreaded lakes!!!!!!!!

 

[Bosshog]

By chance we came across the Tasmanian D40 again at an intersection

We pushed on into worst mud I have ever seen with several of us getting bogged (including me) in muddy lakes. It took 2 hours to travel 3 kms.

 

[Bosshog]

We got to Lake Poeppel but decided the bypass was the only option arriving at the Corner well after lunch.

We then pushed on into QLD camping up on the most Eastern dune before you leave the Park. Lots more mud on the way. But did not get bogged!!

 

[Bosshog]

Next Day we set out for Birdsville with several cars in ‘distress’. My D40’s tub and cab had been rubbing through the desert so both now need to be repaired (I’ll start a separate thread on that one).
We crossed Eyre Creek without too many problems and arrived into Birdsville mid afternoon after summiting Big Red.

Fuel consumption for my D40 was 21.2 litres / 100 kms from Mt Dare to Birdsville.

 

[Bosshog]

Next morning several vehicles needed urgent temporary repairs to get them back to Adelaide so we didn’t leave Birdsville until after lunch. We were attempting to get to the Cooper Creek Ferry. But the mud and water thwarted us and we rolled into Mungerannie well after dark. 300kms in six hours. No photo unfortunately as it was late in the day and we were just wanting to get into camp, but the mighty D40 snatched a 100 series out of a deep mud hole.

Finally the day arrived when we thought we could make Adelaide in a single drive. We started early getting to the Ferry by 9am.

 

[Bosshog]

We headed for Marree with two major creek crossings before us. The deepest was Frome Creek which nearly consumed the D40.

But we did make it back into Marree and limped into Adelaide last night.
We travelled 3857 kms and averaged 50kph.

 

[raywise]

OH.MY.LORD!!!!

What an absolute adventure, some of those photos are priceless.! I can't get over the warnings from the ranger, leave NOW or you're stuck here. Crazy stuff.

Thanks for sharing all those, again, they are unbelievable.

 

[Old.Tony]

Gus, that is awesome, glad you're back safe and sound too. Great pics, thanks heaps for sharing them with us!

 

[KraftyPg]

Geez aren't those D40 salons useless in the mud, bet you wish you had a D22 with all that mud around Gus

 

[jayk]

great stuff gus, appreciate the pics too.

 

[nathan96]

At least you got across the desert.

I got back last Saturday from wat was going to be an epic trip involving
(a) Flinders rangers and strez track
(b) Birdsville races
(c) Desert crossing (French line east to west)

BUT

(a) Strez closed so we had to leave the ranges to head up the Birdsville tk because the strez tk was still closed.
(b) Birdsville Races cancelled.
(c) Desert crossing cancelled (rd out to desert from Birdsville closed)

Not to worry, I've already booked A/L for next year for attempt 2

btw or route home and out of Birdsville was Bedourie - Windorah - Charleville - Bourke - broken hill - Adelaide

 

[Firestorm]

that looked like it was a crazy trip! what an adventure glad everyone made it home safe and sound. great photos too

 

[ljacko78]

awesome trip mate!!! thanks for sharing

 

[WoodyD40]

Absolutely fantastic write up and pics there bosshog

i'll have to read it all again b4 i do the trip next april (fingers crossed)

 

[Bosshog]

Thanks Guys for the replies with special mention to Krafty

I have lots more amazing pics. If you are interested I can post them.

The desert took its toll on my D40...

•Full car detailing to get the mud off

•NO front brakes (I mean zero!!) and bugger all rear brakes (10% left)

•Front bash plate completed stuffed and needs replacing - but it saved my radiator so it did its job.

•Steering pump suspect - I think I'll need a new one

•Lower bushes on the front suspension stuffed

•Panel damage from the cab and tub rubbing

•Panel damage from the annex letting go in the wind at Glendambo and hitting the rear quarter

•Panel damage from the camp chairs being flung into the drivers door in the wind at Glendambo

•One tyre side wall badly damaged but still inflated – thank god for LT tyres!

•Alternator not working properly – NOTE it is the viscous coupling that does not like mud for those who want to venture into mud with their D40s. Steam cleaning the engine bay fix this.

•Odd noise from waste gate on the turbo – not sure what’s wrong (if anything) but there is a different noise and it stops if you remove the vacuum hose. Any ideas?

•Even though I had breathers I am replacing all fluids and filters next week

•Check out the air filter – yes that was water!!!

I did well though; the Troopie ('99) and the Zook (3 mths old) were badly hurt and retired at Pt Augusta unable to go any further.

For those intending to do this trip take spare consumables of everything. Most importantly filters, belts, oil, diff oil, trans fluid, etc etc and BRAKE PADS!!!!! I had everything but brake pads and it cost me dearly in $$$$.

That said it was a just the most amazing experience to see the desert in flood. A truly life time experience which I'll remember well after I have forgotten the cost of repairing my Nav.

JUST AMAZING!!

Gus

 

[Killswitch]

I recon I saw your group at the bottom of the borefield on my way to work at about 1700hrs on the 3rd, (was this you?) remember saying to my mate “there not going to get far”
BHP close that road even if it gets two drops of rain………..

I was planning only to go as far as the coopers, but when I heard that Frome creek was running around 1m with more rain on the way, better to plain for another day.

The peas haven’t be out around the Roxby area for a few years…..after living and working up there for well over 20yrs I don’t think I’ve ever seen them as wide spared as they are now.

Love the pics...Good to hear your bus got you home…

 

[Bosshog]

I recon I saw your group at the bottom of the borefield on my way to work at about 1700hrs on the 3rd, (was this you?) remember saying to my mate “there not going to get far”
BHP close that road even if it gets two drops of rain………..

That was us!

 

[Bosshog]

Simo Video of the Nav

Hi all

A short video of the Nav in mud. The exhaust note as you will hear is not too bad. 3" from the turbo back.

Oh and after 15 mins of rocking the ute I did extract myself out of that mud at the end of footage!

http://s739.photobucket.com/albums/xx34/angusd/?action=view&current=TheNavintheSimo2.mp4

 

[WoodyD40]

I like the video Gus ...