First surveyed in 1906 by Albert
Canning, the Canning Stock Route was established
to allow the pioneer cattlemen
of the very isolated Kimberly region of North West
Australia get their cattle to the
meat hungry south, particularly the new gold rush
area around Kalgoolie.
It was a most challenging overland
adventure across four of Australia's most remote
and dry deserts.
Well 1a, known as North Pool is a pretty
water hole just out of Wiluna. Wells 2 to 4 were closed due to Lake
Nabberu flooding. We cut through Granite Peaks station ($10 toll) to reach
Well
5.
Well 6, Known as Pierre Springs, is a
superb campsite, good water and trees, the well was reconditioned in 1991
by the Geraldton 4x4 club.
The coldest morning so far, 3 below and ice.
The next few wells are on Glen Ayle Station.
Camped between Wells 11 and 12, We
have had some great campfires!
Past Lake Aerodrome, and the sand dunes start
to get interesting, Some even take your mind off sex for a while!
Some of my mates need to drop their air pressure,
I'm still going well with 30psi front and 40psi rear.
We inspected Wells 12, 14, and 15. Camped
beside the remains of Rankin's trolley at 24.02.S 122.17E. Three hoons
roared past in the night, what a way to see such a wonderful part of the
world!
A
slow day with stony patches and washaways, Well 16 in disrepair
as are most.
The beautiful Durba Hills in sight, wonderful
sandstone with the colour of iron ore, just a picture with the sun on them,
then Cannings Cairn. Biella Spring is well worth a stop, it's very pretty,
and has aboriginal rock art.
Durba Springs is an oasis, native couch grass
to camp on (a nice change from red sand and Spinifex) a spring, and beautiful
rock formation and colour. We stayed three days, washed ourselves, our
Clothes, and did some fancy camp oven cooking, including Hilde's bread,
and Robin's date scones.
Nearby Killagurra Spring is another beautiful
spot, clear water and great rock formation, aboriginal art, River Red Gums,
and a dingo family in the area.
After Onegunyah Rock hole I dropped my tire pressure
to 28psi, crossed the Tropic Of Capricorn, saw Well 19 know as "
The Lonely Well", remains of abandoned wagon. (1938))
At most water holes there are 1000's of Finches,
or Budgies.
Savory creek looks great, but is almost pure
salt, it is sometimes difficult to cross, we all made it over on a soft
salt pan.
Nearby Lake Disappointment is BIG, and interesting,
salt, camels, Sandfire Bush and salt encased dead scorpions.
After Wells 20 and 21 we saw some new
varieties of wildflower re-groth after a fire, also a big heard of camels.
We camped at Well 22, among pretty White Gums.
24/7/95, good water at Georgia Bore, pump
supplied by CRA.
The most important well of them all, Well
23! This is were we picked up our
fuel dump. Each vehicle had a 110 litre (44 gallon) drum which had been
paid for two months before, it was a relief to find the one with your name
on it! $1.25 per litre is cheap when there is no alternative.
We
started to find some big soft dunes, these made the Pajeros work hard,
up to five attempts on one or two, sometimes being "snatched " over by
the Toyota's.
We stayed two nights at Well 26 (Tiwa)
for a bit of R&R, it was reconstructed by David Hewitt in 1983.
After Well 27 we found a native soak,
and some stones used to grind the Spinifex seed, and fashion implements.
Around Well 30 area, a change in the country,
White Gums, Bloodwoods and Grevillia, also a change in the soil from red
to grey.