Lake Albacutya & Big Desert trip

[Chris_M Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Chris_M]

Hi All

First post here.
Just back from 4 days in the north west of Victoria.
Camped on the east side of lake Albactya with good basic facilities (long drop & water)
Great sights and driving around the lake and got good info from the local DSE guys.
Then up to Wyperfield Nat park and camped at Snow Drift. Again good camping. Kids had heaps of fun on the sand dune.
Next day went via the pink lakes to the Big Dersert wilderness area. Across the top of the park and into south australia.
Camped at the Pines.
Then drove down the border track. We ended up as the front group of about 17 other vehicles in two parties. No passing along this track.
Great sand driving and some good sandhills to climb.
We spotted a mallee fowl nesting near Red Bluff which is know a rare sight in that area.

Very different country as we travelled along and we are planning a return trip as soon as I can get 4 days. Will probably go a little higher into the Sunset Country but will wait till it dries out a bit as the sections along the Murray river are still under water.

Cheers

Chris

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

Sounds like a good trip. Snowdrift is a great place for the kids, and even the big kids. Did you drop into the Lodge in Wyperfield
? this place is unbelievable, absolutely blew me away when we stopped in. Sunset South of the highway would be alright at the moment, the northern section (Lindsay island) has been closed for some time. Apart from the high river making access difficult to impossible, Parks Victoria closed this section before the high river due to the bridges leading in needing repairs.

I am heading down the border track in a couple of weeks time, anymore details on where the Mallee fowl nest is located?

Cheers Andrew

[Chris_M Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Chris_M]

Hi Andrew

The next is just before the Red Bluff turnoff, its quite large and the area around it has been well cleared by the bird.
The parks guy we spoke to told us about it. He said there are very few mallee fowl left in the park, the foxes have got most of them.
He also told us about a true wild dog that has been seen in the Albactya area. He said its not a dingo or domestic dog but a true wild dog. DNA test have been done to prove its not related to the dingo/domestic dog. He has onlt seen it once in 8 years but you might be lucky.
The camping areas are all in good shape but you will need to bring firewood.

Cheers
Chris

[ozwapet2 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close ozwapet2]

I love Wyperfeld, such a magic, unique place, we try to get up there every few years - were there last in September 2010.
Where's your pics ?
It'll be looking great with all the rain they've had.

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

Heres a couple of pics for you Wayne from when we went six weeks ago, definately looking great, the grass on Wirregren plain was nearly 2 feet tall.



We were meant to camp at Yellow gums but the track in was under water and one of our group got bogged trying to get through. It's been a long time since the park has seen rain like last summer.

Cheers Andrew

[yowie Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close yowie]

Hi All

First post here.
Just back from 4 days in the north west of Victoria.
Camped on the east side of lake Albactya with good basic facilities (long drop & water)
Great sights and driving around the lake and got good info from the local DSE guys.
Then up to Wyperfield Nat park and camped at Snow Drift. Again good camping. Kids had heaps of fun on the sand dune.
Next day went via the pink lakes to the Big Dersert wilderness area. Across the top of the park and into south australia.
Camped at the Pines.
Then drove down the border track. We ended up as the front group of about 17 other vehicles in two parties. No passing along this track.
Great sand driving and some good sandhills to climb.
We spotted a mallee fowl nesting near Red Bluff which is know a rare sight in that area.

Very different country as we travelled along and we are planning a return trip as soon as I can get 4 days. Will probably go a little higher into the Sunset Country but will wait till it dries out a bit as the sections along the Murray river are still under water.

Cheers

Chris

Chris,

The places you mentioned, are they suitable for an off-road van during dry weather times, or is it too sandy to get a van through at any time?

Yowie.

[ozwapet2 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close ozwapet2]

Chris,

The places you mentioned, are they suitable for an off-road van during dry weather times, or is it too sandy to get a van through at any time?

Yowie.

Yowie, in case Chris doesn't come back for a while here's my thoughts on it.
You'd be OK with your off road van in quite a few of the tracks in Wyperfeld.
If you came in from the Underbool in the North you could get to Snowdrift and the Casuarina camps OK. Maybe a bit of depth on Gunners track just as you enter the park.
Going down the North South track to Wonga Camp could be tricky - sand's always pretty deep through there.
Depends how "off road" your van is I guess.
But you could go round on the seal to Wonga Camp and base camp there, do the Chinamens and Milmed Rock tracks in the car.

[Chris_M Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Chris_M]

Hi Yowie

Wayne's advice is on the mark. You need good clearance on these sand tracks and low type pressure. The Rodeo ute had the most problems in the soft stuff and needed a couple of tows.

Here are some pics of the trip starting at Lake Albacutya.

[Chris_M Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Chris_M]

And some more into the Big Desert area. You really need at least 2 vehicles if traveling through here.

[Chris_M Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Chris_M]

And the last few photos.

[Schaffer Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Schaffer]

Chris, those last three look very much like the Border Track. Tried to drive into and out of the first pit in that last photo there (not the one you guys are checking the depth of). As I said tried.

Big Desert looks good. Did you get to Milmead Rock (sorry but probably got the name wrong).

[Chris_M Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Chris_M]

Hi Nick
Yes its the Border Track and the pits are rather deep! We looked but didn't try, no point in getting stuck on the way home.
Big Desert is great fun, good hills to climb over, get stuck in and generally have fun.
I haven't been into that area for over 30 years when I was a Jackaroo on a cattle farm in the big desert. All very different now, the only way we could get around then was by horse. Almost no 4x4 vehicles apart from the land rover then and the farms only vehicle was a dodge fargo ute.

[Chris_M Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Chris_M]

We didn't get to Milmead rock but we plan to go back again as soon as we can. So much to see in this area.

[yowie Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close yowie]

Chris and Wayne,

Thank you for the info. and photos, looks like a good place to visit. My van is a Goldstream with high clearance, however, it is over 2 t. I would not be keen to go there one vehicle only with that sand. Might have to try with the tent only.

Dave.

[ozwapet2 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close ozwapet2]

Big Desert looks good. Did you get to Milmead Rock (sorry but probably got the name wrong).

I think it's MILMED. Been there a couple of times the rock is an awesome thing - like Victoria's Ayers Rock ! ;-)