Great Central Highway

From Lake Ballard we continued to Menzies which was well kept but pretty much closed up as nothing seemed to open on Monday. We did score a loaf of bread albeit super white which has zero fibre and feels like eating something sweet and gloopy but made a change from wraps. There were heaps of trucks passing thru carrying explosives to the mines further north. Drove North to Lenora and Laverton which are both mining and Aboriginal communities so pretty tough, rough and mean looking places. Not helped by the surrounding country side being completely decimated by mining. We briefly thought about staying at Laverton as it was getting late but looked very unappealing. Instead drove out the first 50km of the GCH (great Central Highway) to Giles breakaway where we camped overlooking the scenic breakaway and had the place to ourselves. It was a bitterly, cold windy night just above zero so didn't take long to move on the next morning. The road has been freshly sealed to this point. 

The GCH is known as the longest shortcut in Australia and it runs 1131km straight across the Great Victorian and Gibson deserts from WA into Yulara in the NT. There are a few Aboriginal communities on the road but they are closed due to covid concerns at the moment which is understandable. 

The road was in great condition. The first day we did 650kms in about 7hrs with many sections as good as bitumen, some sealed sections and just a few bits with corrugations. Didn't stop much as our permit only allowed us 30m off the road (another covid rule). The scenery was quite varied and improved as we went further East. So many colours, flowers, sand dunes and trees! Camped at an Aboriginal provided free camp at a lovely quiet mesa just 50km before Warakuna. Once again had the place to ourselves. Beautiful night sky despite a bright moon and saw a huge shooting star. Very spectacular. Not so cold either and no breeze so more pleasant night for sitting around on our last night in WA. 

The GCH is infamous for abandoned cars. Allegedly there are over 350. We even saw one just parked on the right hand side 'Lane'. Doors opened, rocks under the axles and tires removed! We saw a few locals drive past in some very thrashed looking vehicles so I'm sure there'll be more on that total soon! We didn't see very many other cars at all, maybe one caravan, a couple of folks towing trailers, a few road trains and graders and 1 Subaru (there's always a Subaru out bush!) so really isolated. 

Next day continued to the border with the scenery improving all the way. Many spectacular and beautiful ranges. Beautiful white river and ghost gums too added to the amazing desert scenery. Passed the start of the Gunbarrel hwy, Sandy Blight junction road and Ann Beadell road all the result of the endeavours of Len Beadell in the 60s. We'll have to come back another time for those thou. Across the border (no checks on passes either way), passed Docker river settlement and then the road deteriorated considerably with about 100km of sandy, potholed corrugations intermixed with 150km of freshly sealed bitumen which brings you into Yulara (of the famous Ayers Rock aka Uluru). Stopped at Lasseters cave where he spent his last few days dying of thirst and starvation back at the turn of the 20th century. He was an infamous gold explorer who claimed to have found a huge reef of gold but then couldn't find it again. Many have since tried and failed (himself included) to find the elusive reef. 

The scenery was just amazing on the route especially around the border and on the NT side. We were particularly blown away by the flora. So many flowers on show with plenty grevilleas and desert oaks stealing the limelight. Countless spinifex clad sand dunes, flashes of flocks of budgies, lizards everywhere but we didn't see one camel much to the dismay of the kids as we made a deal to have icecreams when we saw one. Not sure the dead one or the fake one at Ayers Rock resort counts. 

Towards the end we got views of Kata Tjuta (aka Olgas) and then Uluru (Ayers Rock) which are just simply mind blowing. Booked into the Ayers Rock resort on a nice grassy campsite with good facilities (and they'd want to be considering the price!!). Was very good to get a shower and cleanup after so many days and nights out bush.. Think everyone else near us was happy too!

Great journey, highly recommend and don't need fancy 4WD gear to tackle this. I'm sure it'll be all sealed in another few years. Progress?

#END