Oommbulgarri track in a Canter

[idiogenic]

Hey all, thought you might like to know we did the Oombi track in our Canter recently.

The 4wding wasn't nearly as hard as the guys from 4WD 247 make it look (as per usual). The Canter did it all with ease. Water crossings weren't too deep in July.

The track is extremely tight in places though, we got some pretty extreme pinstriping. We're a SWB and 2150 wide with a taper at the top of our body that follows the cab line fairly closely, I wouldn't want to be any bigger in there.

Other than pinstriping, damage was minor - a UHF antenna, trim piece from the passenger window, a superficial gouge out of one tyre sidewall. That's it.

Fuel - 270L got us comfortably from Home Valley Station all the way back to Kununurra.
Water - plenty on the track but you'll need a purifier.

Got a few barra too:

Barra fishing in northern Australia comes with unique risks...

www.youtube.com

 

[Peter_n_Margaret]

Good job!
We drove Home Valley to Oombulgurri in the OKA in 2007 in the company with 2 Landcruisers.
There was more water in the Durack than you had and the Toyotas struggled on the big slippery rocks and I had to tow one across.
Fabulous country. Please post some more pics.
I have a few short YouTubes if you want to see them.
Cheers,
Peter
OKA196 motorhome

 

[Peter_n_Margaret]

I think there was a lot less traffic on this track in 2007 than there is now, although it is still rarely used.
In the 2 years before we drove this section, I think only 2 or 3 other vehicles went through and every year it would be different after the wet season.
The southern section was 85km and it took us almost 3 days. Navigation was quite a challenge in some areas to find the track.



The rocks were impossibly slippery and I eventually winched him across with the OKA. The 80 Series made it unassisted using diff locks.



Cheers,
Peter
OKA196 motorhome

 

[geoffff]

Wow, that is some impressive leaning in the "07 OKA 196, A Carson Track jump up" video!

 

[idiogenic]

Thanks Peter, must have been quite the trip. What was the community like back then? The story of it's closure is interesting, albeit a bit sad.

I made a very quick compilation of some of the best drone shots I got:

 

[Peter_n_Margaret]

We were there to do some research on nonverbal language in association with a major university and were welcomed into the community. Notwithstanding, it had taken over a year to organise permissions.
We did gather that there was an alcohol problem, but we were not affected by that.


The 80 series was petrol, and we were not sure it had enough fuel to get through and we inspected the next jump-up and reckoned it would take us 3 days or more to repair wet season track damage enough to get up it, so the decision was made to go back by barge.
Margaret and I had spent a week exploring Carson Station as far east as Oomari and including the King George Falls, in 2006, but we missed the bit in the middle, unfortunately.

The Kimberley is the most spectacular part of Australia and the most difficult to see, the first challenge being to get the permissions.

Cheers,
Peter
OKA196 motorhome

 

[Peter_n_Margaret]

Wow, that is some impressive leaning in the "07 OKA 196, A Carson Track jump up" video!

Just for geoffff.



Cheers,
Peter
OKA196 motorhome

 

[geoffff]

Impressive! Reminds me I want to find a way to measure my van's rollover angle someday.