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Yamaha Canning Stock Route Dirt Bike Expedition - 1974
The aircrew spent a night with the riders at a old mining exploration strip we found while enfoute to Well 24 feom Mount Newman.
We radioed the riders of the location of this strip near present day Cotton Creek Community, landed and waited for them, lighting a fire so that they could see the direction from the smoke.
The fire nearly got out of control and got very close to the aircraft, and there was some very anxious moments.
The bikes arrived about 3 hours later. They spent the night with us and enjoyed some beers before setting off next morning.
The aircrew remained another night here, saving us the 1 1/2 return flight to Newman.
Yamaha Canning Stock Route Dirt Bike Expedition - 1974
We spent a lot of time preparing the bikes for the heavy loads they were required to carry.
Fuel and water were obviously the heaviest and most critical for the success of the expedition and the survival of the riders.
Yamaha Canning Stock Route Dirt Bike Expedition - 1974
The aircrew in the early part of the expedition had time to fill in as the day's flying was under 4 hours.
An interesting afternoon filling in time exploring this plant was had by the aircrew.
Yamaha Canning Stock Route Dirt Bike Expedition - 1974
John with the 16mm movie camera, pillion behind Andy.
The 16mm camera travelled on the bikes until Lake Disappointment, and I filmed a lot more from the air on the Northern portion of the route.
Although none of us knew a great deal about movie making, the resultant short film when professionally edited turned out quite well.
It was played to thousands who visited the display about the Expedition at the Royal Show that year. The film and along with some other Super 8 stuff has been now copied to DVD. Unheard of in those days!
Yamaha Canning Stock Route Dirt Bike Expedition - 1974
We stayed overnight at Biliiuna Station and enjoyed the great hospitality of the owners.
They regaled us with stories of failed walking attempts.
Yamaha Canning Stock Route Dirt Bike Expedition - 1974
The Expedition was sponsored by Ken George Yamaha to prove the new Ag175 bikes were up the task of droving and surviving in the outback.
Yamaha Canning Stock Route Dirt Bike Expedition - 1974
A surprise meeting of a school teacher on a push bike near Durbur Hills. He was given water and that was the last we heard of him, however it is believed her returned back down the stock route to Glenayle Station.
Yamaha Canning Stock Route Dirt Bike Expedition - 1974
A constant companion for the riders for 18 days.
This was the cut line the riders commenced walking towards the Ray Geophysical Camp near Well 45 when they ran out of fuel.
Yamaha Canning Stock Route Dirt Bike Expedition - 1974
A day was spent trailing various configuration of tying equipment on the bikes, and a trial run up the stock route for about 30 mile was made the day before departure to check radios and loading on the bikes.
Yamaha Canning Stock Route Dirt Bike Expedition - 1974
The bikes about to leave Wiluna for the long ride ahead.
Wherever we went the locals were very skeptical about the expeditions with comments like, "They will be dead before they reach Lake Disappointment."
They didn't know of our resourcefulness, but there was a very difficult task ahead!
Yamaha Canning Stock Route Dirt Bike Expedition - 1974
There are a surprising number of low ranges on an near the length of the Stock Route, although few are marked or are visible on most maps.
Yamaha Canning Stock Route Dirt Bike Expedition - 1974
The riders couldn't believe that someone would be silly enough to try to walk the route, but it has since been successfully done.
Yamaha Canning Stock Route Dirt Bike Expedition - 1974
Andy fell off and received quite a severe burn on his leg earlier in the Expedition. He later required skin grafts for it to heal.
Canning Stock Route Dirt Bike Expedition - 1972
We took a 16mm Professional Movie Camera with us to record the feat, and also for promotional purposes for our sponsors.
John is enjoying a good rise "pillion" trying to film live shots.
Surprisingly given that none of us had any experience in film making the promotional video that was made is quite impressive.
Yamaha Canning Stock Route Dirt Bike Expedition - 1974
Myself and John (sitting on wing) very much relieved at the end of the expedition at Halls Creek.
Yamaha Canning Stock Route Dirt Bike Expedition - 1974
Yet another failed walking attempt. This time by Murray Rankin. The trolley is still on the stock route today.
Yamaha Canning Stock Route Dirt Bike Expedition - 1974
The aircrew spent nearly 8 days flying out of Mount Newman on supply drops to the bikes when in the central part of the stock route. We became very familiar with the landmarks in that area.
"Queen of the Desert Baths" are probably in this area.
Yamaha Canning Stock Route Dirt Bike Expedition - 1974
The rider's spent 3 days here before setting out on foot. Heavy cloud still hanging in the sky, that prevented search aircraft from flying, beside the fact that all dirt airstrips within hundreds of miles were closed because of soft surfaces caused by the rain.
Yamaha Canning Stock Route Dirt Bike Expedition - 1974
Probably near Well 40. The clouds were the first sign of the four days of torrential rain that was to follow and add many difficulties.
Yamaha Canning Stock Route Dirt Bike Expedition - 1974
Fresh bike tracks on the salt lakes that traverse or were adjacent the Stock Route were very visible from the air.
The aircrew would often sight these and know that he riders were further ahead.
The bikes are visible in the photo, and the riders took a lot of photos on that ground at the same time, including movie footage of the aircraft making the supply drop. Some of those photos are in this series.
Yamaha Canning Stock Route Dirt Bike Expedition - 1974
It seemed like a Sunday Drive from this point on.
Yamaha Canning Stock Route Dirt Bike Expedition - 1974
I would have been a hard slog trying to pull one of these things for 1600 km even on a bitumen road.
One of the 60 litre fuel drums in the background showing signs of scorching as it was no longer required and served as a handy wind break for the camp fire next to it.
After a shower and cleanup at Halls Creek it was good to know the riders were only a couple of hours away.
F1000_033
The Diamantina-Tour Crew who took us on an amazing journey from Alice Springs, on the Canning Stock Route (CSR), through the Tanami Desert, the Great Sandy Desert, the Little Sandy Desert, the Gibson Desert, the Gunbarrel Highway, and back to Alice Springs.
The 'Canning Stock Route' (CSR) is one of the most remote and isolated Stock Routes in the world.
It is about 1 800 km long and runs from Wiluna in the South to Halls Creek in the Kimberley Region.
Some people drive from South to North, others from North to South.
The approach to the sand dunes is easier coming from the North and it causes less damage to the track.
The CSR passes through the Great Sandy Desert, the Gibson Desert and the Little Sandy Desert.
These deserts are made up of sand dunes (lots of them!) spinifex, other vegetation, salt lakes and salt rivers.
The scenery is spectacular.
It is wonderful to experience the isolation and solitude of these desert areas. (really 'arid regions' in Australia).
Temperatures in the cooler months can drop to below zero during the night, with days pleasantly mild to warm.
'Travel season' is between April to September.
Travellers need to be very well prepared and able to deal with break-downs and emergencies themselves. To the people who asked me about emergency break-down services: "No, NRMA, RACV and other motoring organisation will not come out and help you with flat tires, broken axles, other car problems, running out of fuel, food, water or medical supplies."
The CSR is a great 4WD adventure for the well-prepared traveller.
The remoteness of the area must not be underestimated!
Nontheless, a young adventurer did the CSR on a bicycle as part of a "10 Deserts Solo Cycle Epic".
Die Diamantina Crew, die uns auf eine unvergessliche Reise von Alice Springs ueber die Canning Stock Route, durch die Tanami Wueste, die Grosse Sandwueste, die Kleine Sandwueste, der Gunbarrel Highway, und zurueck nach Alice Springs fuehrte.
Yamaha Canning Stock Route Dirt Bike Expedition - 1974
The quick dash across the Lake, and the promise of a smooth ride was not to be.
Having ridden through the hardest parts of the stock route over the thousands of sand hills the expedition couldn't imagine trying to drag one of these trolleys over the sand hills. It would have been impossible for the bikes to even tow one over. No wonder the guy gave up not far south of Bililuna
Yamaha Canning Stock Route Dirt Bike Expedition - 1974
Both in the air and on the ground. There were no GPS's in those days, and good map reading was the difference between life and death.
Yamaha Canning Stock Route Dirt Bike Expedition - 1974
The riders in good spirits and making good progress on about day 3.
F1040_023_Kurukanti (Calvert-Ranges)
Accidental double exposure. This is a very special site to the Martu people. I found it quite mysterious and hence like the effect of this double exposure showing the area around the sign and aboriginal rock art from another part of the site.
The sign reads: "Area under remote camera surveillance."
The Calvert ranges are in the Little Sandy Desert, in the middle of nowhere, about 40km off the remote Canning Stock Route and about 1'100km NE of Perth, in Western Australia.
This area has now been closed off to tourists due to the need to protect the sensitive area, which is of cultural significance to the Martu People. The remoteness of this site did not allow for appropriate management to eliminate damage to cultural sites, removal of artefacts, damage to trees and everything else that comes with increasing numbers of tourists to sites where there are no facilities.
From the Western Desert Lands and Aboriginal Corporation (WDLAC):
WDLAC, on behalf of the Martu people, ask that travelers along the Canning Stock Route and other 4WD travelers respect their wishes, and hilp in the effort to protect this special area. They ask that travelers show their support by not visiting the Calvert Ranges util further notice, and by not using tracks the the Calvert Ranges area.
If travelers should pass through and not see the Calvert track closed off on the side of the Canning Stock Route, it is because signs and barriers are being organised, and not because the road is open. We request travelers to respect Martu wishes and remain on the Canning Stock Route track.
April 2010.