I’ve just finished one of Australia’s great 4wd adventures. The Oombulgurri Track.
It’s long, challenging, and has everything. If you want a real 4wd adventure, among some of the most beautiful country in the world, this is the one for you.
So what are the important things to know:
- There’s around 720k between fuel stops, and that was with us cutting out some of the track due to oncoming rain. If you do the whole track there is more. I fuelled up in Kununurra at the beginning of the trip and at Drysdale Station at the end. You can get fuel at Kalumburu, but only Wednesday and Saturday mornings.
- Food and fuel in Kununurra is very reasonably priced, and fresh food is very fresh. It’s a great place to stock up.
- Carry enough fuel for double your normal fuel economy. So if you usually use 16l/100k, plan on 32l/100k. Have extra just in case.
- We were recommended to carry 40l of water per person, which we did. But we never got through even half of that when we had opportunities to refill water at some beautiful clear creeks. If you don’t have a compressor and filter to pump water, take some water purifying tablets. The water is crystal clear and flowing, but there is algae at the bottom which can get stirred up with people in the water. Better to be safe, you don’t want to get a stomach bug out there in the middle of nowhere.
- As the first ones through we were opening up a lot of the track. We lost the track a couple of times, and at times were driving through the new growth, literally. Knocking it down the in the middle of the track, branches scraping all around the car. After getting slapped in the face by branches a couple of times I had to review my open window policy.
Even without doing that, the track is narrow in parts and lined by trees and shrubs, with branches that will scrape down the side and top of your car. If you’re at all precious about your paintwork, this is definitely not the trip for you.
- The concentration, determination, and fear in some of this driving means two drivers to share the load is a good idea. I still went to bed exhausted a couple of nights. With somebody else sharing the driving you get to enjoy more of the scenery. When you’re driving you’re often concentrating so hard you don’t have time to look around you.
You will really enjoy those rest days.
- It’s slow going a lot of the time. At times the speedo barely registered. Expect to get stuck at points, or if not you, somebody else in the group will so patience is key.
- There’s a lot of fishing opportunities along the way. Good opportunities. For big barra. There was barra cooked over the campfire most nights, and even some mornings. But beware of crocodiles. This is still croc country.
- There are some beautiful, safe, swimming spots along the way. But don’t swim anywhere unless you are told it’s safe to do so. By somebody who knows. I repeat – this is still croc country.
- Given the unpredictability of the weather, and whether cars might break down, it’s probably best not to book a flight or anything to link up exactly with the end of the trip. Or at least make it changeable. We had to cut our trip short because of incoming rain. If we didn’t get out in time we could have been in there a lot longer.
- Check, double check, and recheck your equipment. You don’t want anything to stop working while you’re out there
- By all means watch the adventure shows about the Oombi, but don’t take them too seriously. Remember – they are making television, and driving carefully doesn’t make good TV. I found some of the things they showed as being really difficult were in fact relatively easy, and vice versa.
- The Kimberley is rocky country. Very rocky. Round boulders that move when you drive on them and take your car sliding with them. Sharp rock inclines and declines. There is a lot of rock, but also black soil which can quickly turn to sticky mud, long grass, sand, dust, mud, creek crossings, and everything else you can think of. It’s fabulous!
Would I do it again? In a heartbeat. So what would I do differently next time?
- Carry flour to make damper and cakes for the group. I stopped carrying flour because I just don’t eat enough bread to make it worthwhile, but with travelling in a group we did share camp food. I’m pretty good with a camp oven and love baking. Ditto carrying at least one packet cake mix. If you’re not into baking carry something that can be shared or traded.
- I’d like to say relax and enjoy the driving more, but it is pretty intense and I think I’d be just as nervous the second time.
- Do more bird watching. The birds out there are seriously magnificent. The kingfishers were absolutely stunning!
- I’d probably try not to drop my phone out of the helicopter. That was a bit inconvenient and earned me the CASA air safety award at the end of the trip.
