Cathu to Gunyarra - May 2008
Miserable weather greeted us as we met at Conningsby for a weekend along the track. We shivered in a light drizzle waiting for the inevitable latecomers. Our fearless leader Andrew advised that the track hadn’t been driven since the big rains in February, so with a heightened sense of anticipation we headed off. Despite the drizzle, the first bit of gravel on the Gunyarra turnoff was very dusty, no doubt the reason why a friendly local declined to wave at us. After a quick check in at the property owner, we carried on, stopping near a small dam and mob of cows for smoko. A couple of friendly nags came looking for a tit bit, conning a few bikkies out of us. Megan and Dayna fed a crust to the white one.
Then it was up the big gravel range. We met a cruiser ute with horse float coming down – he waited at a slightly wider bit for us to pass. Some obvious recent dozer work had been done, including diverting around a huge rock which had fallen over in the wet. We passed another homestead where Andrew again touched base with the property owner and then carried on to our camp on a vast sandy river bed. Neil decided to take a shortcut up a loose sand bank to get to his campsite and got dry bogged up to the axles. Fortunately a nearby tree provided anchorage to winch forward and out. It didn’t take long for tents and awnings to get set up, and as it was a bit cool and overcast, a small stack of timber was gathered and set alight. It remained overcast with a bit of drizzle from time to time. This didn’t deter the intrepid fire watchers, including Tracey who used newspaper to keep her legs dry. Natalie said that the street kids used newspaper like that to sleep in. Maria showed us a clever way to store Scotch in a popper bottle. The arvo sped by, some wandered off for a stroll and found dingo prints up at the ford. Ian had his customary Nanna nap. The creek had a nice flow up, but no real obvious waterhole for swimming, not that the weather was warm enough.
After a break to put the nosebags on, all gathered back at the fire and the usual frivolity occurred. Stories were told of the escapades that some got up to during and after the awards night. We were told about dogs howling in unison with Kelvin. Ted and Nev were in fine form, consuming a box of lady’s handbag as well as a plethora of beers. Mick played a couple of dirty ditties on his phone and blue toothed them to a couple of other phones. Yes, modern technology in the outback. Bruce brought out his didge and played a couple of melodies. Yes, ancient technology in the outback. Then early to bed it was, as we knew a Big Day was ahead of us.
We awoke in the dawn fog to hear the local dingo howling down at the creek crossing. Fires were stoked up and brekky cooked. Nothing like bacon and eggs cooked over an open fire with the remainder of last night’s camp oven stew. Andrew got us moving at 9.30 sharp – on to the business end of the trip. A lot of the country through here is decomposed granite (deco) which scours nicely in rainy weather. Well it didn’t take long to find a series of washouts on a steep incline. Andrew got through without a drama, but Bruce took a slightly wrong line, doing the two wheel 4WD dance. A couple of goes later and a direction from AT and he was through, but we decided a bit of road building was required. Most got through OK, but Mick took the same wrong line as Bruce, getting his left front wheel really, really high in the air. Wendy was so excited that she let rip a fearful scream. On reversing, the car was doin’ the 4WD rock, with Mick dabbing the brakes to reduce the motion. We got everyone up and it was no turning back.
Washouts and steep inclines beckoned. Creative road building was the order of the day, judiciously filling in between ruts to allow a wheel to travel over. It was about here that Sandra said over the two-way, “What a way to spend your wedding anniversary.” Well, none of us could actually think of a better way, had it been our anniversary. Andrew had brought along a very handy tool – a full sized mattock. This proved invaluable in the hole filling we had to do during the day.
We came up to a narrow cutting with a steep drop off to one side and plenty washouts. All helped to fill in lots of ruts and then it was one-at-a-time-slow with guidance by Ian and Kelvin on the two-way. Part of the road collapsed under Kelvin who had to winch to get out. A different part collapsed under Ian who also used his winch to extricate himself.
On another big washout we did some road building, but Andrew missed the line and dropped both rear wheels into large holes, ending up being held up by his rear bar. Another winch recovery forward and out was the go. The rest managed to get through under slow guidance.
A short sharp gully crossing needed partial filling in so that bull bar and rear bar could clear. Bruce christened his relatively new rear bar here, commenting that had his standard plastic bumpers been on they would have suffered a fair bit of damage. Another gully a short while later need a bit of shovelling, but wheels were still in the air.
The last major hurdle included a huge rocky scour hole, further long and deep deco washouts, a steep incline with a large tree stump to negotiate, then a final steep deco pinch with big washouts. We looked to see if we could construct a bypass track, but this would have taken more work than fixing the existing track. We got to work and filled in with selective road building, picking the easiest and safest route. Andrew got through as far as the stump and had to winch out to keep going. Bruce drove through all the way to the top (the only vehicle with no winch) followed by Derek in the Prado, getting both front wheels off the ground on more than one occasion. Various others drove and/or winched through.
Andrew and Bruce kept driving, clearing trees and filling in a small washed out gully to keep ahead of the pack. Eventually we got to the State Forest track, pumped up our tyres and headed back. It was dusk by the time we got to the bitumen and dark by the time we got home. All were very weary but had had a fulfilling day – thanks to leaders Andrew and Sandra who won’t be in Mackay next year as they will be on their big round trip.
By Bruce Wolsey