Adventure Motorcycle Riding Australia's Outback
July August 2020 - Yamaha Tenere 700 motorcycle
Adelaide to Darwin, Australia
In July 2020, South Australia and the Northern territory relaxed a little about Covid 19 travel restrictions. I’d owned my Yamaha Tenere 700 for about 3 months at that point. This was my first real chance to get out and have a go.
It was the middle of winter in Adelaide and it can get fairly cold and rainy. Heading north to Darwin during the sunny warm dry season was very appealing.
The Google Map to the left probably looks pretty confusing. You should be able to enlarge it and then deselect the maps that do not relate to this Adelaide to Darwin update. I didn’t record my trail at the time. These maps are recreated using Locus Maps and are pretty accurate to my route.
The identification of the flora and fauna is not me. Thanks to my more knowledgeable help.
I worked my way out of Adelaide, trying to avoid any main roads. This is Ippinitchie Campground. It’s a free public camping ground, with a basic toilet and no water from memory.
Morning frost. The nighttime temperature went down to -4 °C (25 °F).
I made my way through the Flinders Ranges, staying at the Rawnsley Park Camping Ground along the way. My main goal was Arkaroola Village camping ground. The last time I had been to Arkaroola, I was about 10 years old and I’d always been curious to go back. The campground is pretty basic but fine. I had most of my meals at the hotel there, the Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary. The kitchen was mainly staffed by backpackers at the time. The coffee and meals were fantastic, especially given the remote location.
I stayed a few days and while I was there I did the 15 kilometre Oppaminda-Nudlamutana walk. One of the Village staff drove me out to the start of the trail and then you basically follow the trail back to the Arkaroola Village.
The road to Arkaroola. It didn’t stay this good. The road traditionally has a reputation for being very harsh on vehicles, which it was mainly.
Oppaminda-Nudlamutana Trail.
Oppaminda-Nudlamutana Trail.
Almost back to the village..
The Sturt Desert Pea, South Australia’s floral emblem.
After a few days I back tracked a little and then cut across to meet The Outback Highway to make my way to the Oodnadatta Track. Along the way I called in to have a look at the Lyndhurst Ochre Cliffs.
Lyndhurst Ochre Cliffs.
Lyndhurst Ochre Cliffs South Australian Government sign.
I then made my way through Maree and onto the Oodadatta Track. The Oodnadatta Track is one of those outback roads that also has a punishing reputation. Like all outback roads it can depend on your timing. The first part of the track was very harsh and corrugated. Then closer to William Creek there had been recent grading and road works and it was a smooth, relatively fast surface.
After William Creek I did have my first motorcycle experience with bulldust. I met a patch across the whole track and about 30 metres long. I had no experience with this on a motorbike, so made the judgement I should go slowly but with some reasonable momentum. I guess I was doing about 25 kmh and got about two metres before I went down. I’m not really sure what caused me to fall but it was quick. It was a lot deeper than I expected, the bike probably dropped straight down about 30 centimetres (12 inches) into the hole. It was a mix of very fine dust and fine gravel. I had a sore shoulder where I landed but was okay. I picked up the bike and got it to the edge of the hole. It was okay except for a misalignment of the front forks. This time I went off the road and completely around the bulldust patch.
I think this is actually the sign from the northern end of the Track, not the southern end that I was approaching from, but you get the idea.
There are still remnants of the Old Ghan Railway. I must admit I’m in two minds about this. In one way the historic interest is there, but on the other hand it is just humans leaving their rubbish behind in nature because it costs too much to remove or they can’t be bothered.
I crossed the state border into the Northern Territory and the town of Alice Springs was my next stop. Unfortunately it hadn’t changed much since I spent a few months there in the 1980’s. I didn’t stay in town long and instead took about a week to do a circumnavigation to explore the surrounding area and the Macdonnell Ranges.
Corroboree Rock, a sacred site to the Eastern Arrente people.
Arltunga Historic Reserve.
After a couple of nice days at the Hale River Homestead I headed across the Stuart Highway and to the town of Papunya. It was where the Warumpi Band started. I was able to get some fuel and when I was there they had an amazing Community Store with all sorts of fresh produce, including fantastic sandwiches. Like all Australian indigenous communities you should check for any entry restrictions before visiting.
Near Tnorala Gosse Bluff Conservation Reserve.
I spent one more night in Alice Springs and then moved north. It is a long way from Alice Springs to the “Top End”. There is really only one way to go and that is straight up the Stuart Highway. In one way there is not a lot to see but in some respects that is also very appealing.
Flowers from Lysiphyllum cunninghamii or Lysiphyllum carronii (Bean tree)
Karlu Karlu (Devils Marbles). This was the natural colour as I arrived with the setting sun.
Native bees in mid flight.
Native Bee
A Wedge Tailed Eagle
Leaves from Lysiphyllum cunninghamii or Lysiphyllum carronii (Bean tree).
Calytrix exstipulata (Pink Turkey Bush) and another native bee.
Petalostylis labicheoides (Butterfly Bush).
Towards the top I turned off to the Kakadu National Park and spent a few days looking around. I did one of the boat cruises which was very worthwhile. Ubirr Rock Art was also fascinating. No photos though because that’s not cool.
After Kakadu I spent a few days in Darwin and got ready to turn around and go back the same way. I wasn’t allowed to go into Western Australia or Queensland because of the Covid 19 travel restrictions.
Black Storks and feral pig Kakadu National Park.
Plumed Whistling Duck.
Comb-crested Jacana and lots of chicks.
Ubirr
Nankeen Night Heron (background) and Saltwater Crocodile.