NEXT LOST DOWN UNDER EXPEDITION - Savannah Way

Team J.a.G · **Posted:** Sun Mar 07, 2010 12:18 am

Just an update on this highly anticipated & exciting Expedition

Confirmed Starters to date
1. J.a.G. - Gold Coast
2. Pipes - Brisbane
3. Prado - Wollongong

Serious Maybe's
1. Smerf - Brisbane
2. Danny - Gold Coast

Proposed Route: The following route is a guide as to the direction to Broome via the Savannah Way, plus some places of interest along the way. Time allocated at each destination to be confirmed by convoy members based generally on the overall time available to each member and their destination proity over another.

From Gold Coast to Broome Via:- Longreach, Winton, Cloncurry, Normanton, then via the Savannah Way onto:- Burketown, Gregory Downs, Adel Grove & Lawn Hill NP, Borroloola, Lost City (via Cape Crawford), Roper Bar, Mataranka (Heated Springs), Katherine (Gorge), Kununurra (via Timber creek), Kalumburu & Honeymoon Beach via Gibb River Rd & Drysdale Station, Derby, Broome & Cape Leveque via Gibb River Rd, Fitzroy Crossing & Halls Creek through to the Purnululu NP (Bungle Bungle Range), return to Halls creek & the Tanami Track to Alice Springs. Return route home from Alice yet to be confirmed, which will be dependant on remaining time frame available to individual convoy members.

Amendments:
Proposed Departure Date: Saturday, June 26th 2010
Proposed Return Date: Saturday 7th August 2010

Please let me know if you are interested in joining us for all, or even meeting up with us for any part of our journey would be fantastic. :BANANA:

pipeliner · **Posted:** Mon Apr 19, 2010 12:33 am

Currently the Savannah Way is closed to all traffic between Normanton and the NT border - and most of the Savannah in eastern NT. The roads in the Kimberleys are open as far as I can see.

Hopefully they will be open again by mid June! But it might be worth while formulating a Plan B just in case.

Team J.a.G · **Posted:** Tue Apr 20, 2010 3:50 am

I'm pretty confident that the roads will be reopened by the end of June (typically the Dry season). But plan B, if required, could be to do it in reverse order, giving a few extra weeks for the S'Way to re-open.

But realistically, if the Savanah Way is still bad enough to be closed by then (which would be unusual by that time of year) the only option would be to postpone until the next dry season 2011.

Smerf · **Posted:** Wed Apr 21, 2010 5:56 am

Hi Guys, At this point I will have to pull out as the boss has said no to 6 weeks off work as we are still doing between 6 & 12 hrs. o/t a week and it looks like this will continue for some time. He is considering 2 - 3 weeks but I am not confident so I will see what happens as I might be able to do some of the first section if the weather allows it to happen. :SOMBRERO:

Team J.a.G · **Posted:** Wed Apr 21, 2010 6:04 am

Thanks for your update Smerf. It would be good to have you along even it is only part of the jouney. Let's hope it works out for you. :wink:

But do keep in touch :!:

Glend · **Posted:** Wed Apr 21, 2010 7:36 pm

Smerf you could always come along on the Simpson Desert Trip as an alternative (2 -16 July, plus your travel time to Broken Hill). Cutoff date is 5 May for confirmation.

Team J.a.G · **Posted:** Wed Apr 28, 2010 6:41 am

I think this will be on our stop over list

http://www.lorellasprings.com/

Team J.a.G · **Posted:** Tue Jun 08, 2010 7:30 pm

Departure time is approaching

Glend · **Posted:** Tue Jun 08, 2010 7:46 pm

As is the Desert Trip. KJs heading every which way. Just found out that the Birdsville Track is now cut at the Cooper Creek crossing due to the slowly progressing flood waters from QLD (you buggers). The SA Roads backup plan is to get the old punt running and that has now commenced but can only handle 25 round trips per day. Should be a hoot to catch a ferry in the Desert.

Everyone have a safe trip. :BANANA:

pipeliner · **Posted:** Tue Jun 08, 2010 7:58 pm

Greg, do you have any preference as to how you get to Normanton? We've done the Warrego Highway so many times we are thinking about heading up through Emerald and Charters Towers. Distances are the same (30km less, actually).

Team J.a.G · **Posted:** Wed Jun 09, 2010 1:04 am

pipeliner wrote:

Greg, do you have any preference as to how you get to Normanton? We've done the Warrego Highway so many times we are thinking about heading up through Emerald and Charters Towers. Distances are the same (30km less, actually).

Had the same thoughts. We would like to call into Porcupine Gorge (60km Nth Hughenden). Then onto Georgetown & Normanton via the Gulf Development Rd.

e.g. From the BNE "LOST Club House" Nth to Kingaroy, Monto, Biloela then onto the Dawson hwy to Emerald then turn Nth to charters Towers etc.

Jane & Joe are leaving for Longreach on the 24th. I have suggested that they go on from there to meet us in Hughenden or Porcupine Gorge.

nobster · **Joined:** Wed Mar 12, 2008 2:52 am **Posts:** 126

Ahh Porcupine Gorge, brings back some fond memories

Smerf · **Posted:** Mon Jun 21, 2010 3:29 am

Team JaG and Pipeliner,
Sorry I have not been back to you but Bigponds new fast broadband has not worked for the last month so have had no internet, at 4pm today I was told that it will work off and on for 4 hours and then all will be terrific. At 5.24 it is working so am keeping my fingers and legs crossed. Have a great trip and I will cry myself to sleep each night thinking about where you all are.Don't forget to go mud crabbing out from Hells Gate.
Cheers.

Team J.a.G · **Posted:** Mon Jun 21, 2010 5:49 am

Thanks Smerf.... So sorry you can't be wth us. But we will bring lots of pic's and good memories.
Trying maddly to think of... and cover all last minute contingencies. Just got back from having new front struts installed and a service.
5 more sleeps :BANANA:

Team J.a.G · **Posted:** Thu Jun 24, 2010 6:43 am

WELL.......................We're off to see the Wizard, the Wonderful Wizard of ..........TOP AUS :BANANA:

.................. one more sleep

2JeepFamily · **Posted:** Thu Jun 24, 2010 8:48 am

Safe travells, have a good trip, bring back lots of photos, Oh and I am jealous that I can't go.
I will be waiting for write the up when you return, in like nearly 2 months time.
PS. you know you could return via Bundy for a visit, I am still waiting for one.

Team J.a.G · **Posted:** Thu Jun 24, 2010 6:30 pm

2JeepFamily wrote:

Safe travells, have a good trip, bring back lots of photos, Oh and I am jealous that I can't go.
I will be waiting for write the up when you return, in like nearly 2 months time. Thanks Guys
PS. you know you could return via Bundy for a visit, I am still waiting for one. We will definately origanise a visit on our return. Not that we had forgotten about visiting you guys. I will be working on a project in Hervey Bay when I return so I will be up there on a regular basis.

gi frog · **Posted:** Thu Jun 24, 2010 7:38 pm

Hi All,
Have a safe and fun trip everybody.
Cheers
Gi frog

G'ME MUD · **Joined:** Tue Jul 17, 2007 7:55 pm **Posts:** 370

Have a very happy and safe trip everyone....ENJOY.

pipeliner · **Posted:** Tue Jul 06, 2010 6:37 am

Well, for the Pipeliners the expedition is over.

We all reached Hughenden on Monday night, after spending Sat night in Blackwater with the Muds and Sunday night at the truck stop outside Charters Towers. Leaving Hughenden for Porcupine Gorge on Tuesday I started hearing a screeching noise whenever I depressed the clutch, which got progressively worse and was diagnosed as a failed clutch release bearing. Returned to Hughenden (where J.a.G had to have the studs replaced on one trailer hub) and then decided to proceed on to Mt Isa to have the Jeep looked at. Got into Isa on Thursday morning, left the Jeep at Bell & Moir (Mt Isa's Toyota dealer) and ordered a release bearing from Leo Muller at Mansfield which was shipped up overnight via Toll Priority. However when Bell & Moir took the gearbox out on Monday (they started on Friday but didn't get the box off before knocking off time) it was apparent that the pressure plate had also been damaged to an extent that stopped me saying "Put it all back together and we'll carry on" - it might have held up but I wasn't prepared to take the risk. And according to Mansfield, Hammonds, Townsville Jeep, and Jeeparts there wasn't a pressure plate anywhere in Australia.

So RACQ Ultra Care are shipping the KJ back to Brisbane, we have arranged to get the trailer back (not covered by UltraCare) and we flew back home at lunchtime today.

Question - why can't Chrysler Jeep keep at least one clutch unit in stock in Australia? After all there must be enough manual CRD's in Australia for a clutch replacement to be a not unexpected event!

NEXT LOST DOWN UNDER EXPEDITION - Savannah Way

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