Trip report- Googs track, SA August 11

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

Hi all
Ok have returned from the awesome Googs track, out of Ceduna (heading north) or Tarcoola (heading south).

First night we spent at Acraman creek conservation park, around 50km south of Ceduna- great park, good camping, and nice beach-

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we then fueled up, and headed on in

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We traveled it south to north, which we are lead to believe is the preferred way- however, we did run into (not literally) two parties heading south.

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

It is a great track, 300+ sand dunes, which I believe have been likened to Simpson crossed with the Canning- way cool



The track is narrow, and some dune are quite steep, and as such travel is slow, but hey why rush

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

We had our tires to 25, and never had an issue in movements- even provide the snatch strap a few times for others



The track is quite chopped up, and in spots we bounced a massive amount (broke our fridge slide!) and have some massive scratches down the length of the car, but hey, it was well worth it!
Great wildlife, and wildflowers-
Mollach horridus

Sturts desert pea

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

The dunes are nice, bit loose but still nice


But great camp spots-
googs lake

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

So overall, I say do it-

Just expect some serious bumps, corrugations, and some nice scratches down your car-

But the Prado dominated it- once or twice we hit the dunes a little slow, and others would have bogged- but with some nice acceleration, easy out.


Just turn your traction control off, and lock the center diff- and don't forget the sand flag and UHF- channel 10 or 18- I suggest scan, there is some form of confusion. ( office says 18, as do guides, signs say 10!)

we are definite for this one again!!

Cheers

Brett

[kav Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close kav]

great stuff good to see all these great pics and trip reports coming in. thanks for sharing brett and yeah just do it

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

Hey Brett how many nights did you spend on the track?

[Boomslang Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Boomslang]

Wow, this brings back memories. Definately one of my favourate tracks and special to me as it was our first serious epic outback trip. We towed a camper trailer and had to give it a bit to get over some of the dunes. Great stuff. Can't wait to do it again.

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

We spent two nights on the track- but next time I think we will have three- more time to explore the dunes etc-

I think it would be achievable in one, two is nice and relaxing, but three would be great-

I think this trip will be a special one for us too, first time the Prado has been used for what we intended, and we were impressed. Have done desert trips last few years in hire 4WDs, but this was our proper 'first'

It really is a cool track

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

Thanks for the info and your writeup with the great photo's. Googs has been on my want to do list for ages but time is definitely not on my side :evil: grrrrrrr You could whip through it on a weekend with a couple of long drives Fri and Monday, but i don't really want to do it that way just for the sake of doing it. The country is just too beautiful to drive straight through. Like they say.... you've got to stop and smell the roses Anyway thanks again, whinge/rant/jealousy over

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

Ha, we did race over (drove to Acraman creek Thursday) and managed to get home again Sunday night- but very late.

It was a rush, and is a shame to race thru- was worth it, but would have been much better to take our time. We just concentrated on the track, and took our time on that. Once we got to Tarcoola, we just headed straight home.

The other car in the party is still over somewhere near there, they are retired, and think they still plan 3 more days of enjoying the area-

Next time, we will take 7 days for the trip, not 4.

[iantz Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close iantz]

Hey Brett

Great to see a report on this track mate. Looks like some beautiful country out that way. A few of us have been considering doing the track over October long weekend, leaving Thursday and returning Monday. That would give three nights on the track so a bit more time to get out the Childara Rock Holes etc.

Did anyone in your group have a camper in tow? We would probably be taking one if we went.

Ian.

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

Hey Brett

Great to see a report on this track mate. Looks like some beautiful country out that way. A few of us have been considering doing the track over October long weekend, leaving Thursday and returning Monday. That would give three nights on the track so a bit more time to get out the Childara Rock Holes etc.

Did anyone in your group have a camper in tow? We would probably be taking one if we went.

Ian.

Hahaha
Doctor Z, I knew you would get the itch. Looks like it may be on again?

[iantz Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close iantz]

Hahaha
Doctor Z, I knew you would get the itch. Looks like it may be on again?

Oh - I just thought the itch was something I contracted in town during my youth

Seriously though, I would love this to be on. It's already over 3 months since my last trip and I am getting very depressed Three more rounds of soccer and then I'm a free man!

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

We did see some campers; they were struggling up a dune, round 15km south of Mt Finke- they had taken ~2-3 hours to get there, and were finding it tough.

I dont know much about campers, so cannot tell you if they were good ones or not, but they were looking stressed when we talked to them!


It is a great track, could be quite warm for you in October- we had a nice 25 each day, but the nights were freezing- had ice on the tent each morning.

Have been told that the rock holes track are ROUGH- which after seeing who bad the main track was, could be interesting. But next trip we think we will side track to Jellabinna rocks. But if you dont try, you will never know!

Just go!!