The best of the outback on NT’S Binns Track.
DAVENPORT RANGE AND GREGORY NATIONAL PARKS ARE HIDDEN WONDERS, VISITED BY FEW BEFORE BINNS TRACK WAS CREATED. THEY OFFER SOME OF THE MOST MAGICAL SCENERY YOU’LL EVER EXPERIENCE.
THE CHANGE is immense – the blacktop where savage corrugations once reigned supreme is now part of the Plenty Highway and will never be the same again. That was the feeling as we drove the section from Gemtree to Harts Range on the ‘Outback Highway’. Fuel was needed, and needed badly, as Gemtree had imposed restrictions due to the fuel truck being late.
Our timing couldn’t have been worse as the bell had rung and all the school kids from the community were packed into the store, stocking up on snacks. With fuel tanks finally filled, we continued along the Plenty for only a short stint before turning north and back onto the dirt. The sandy track is as wide as they come out here, and a grader must have been run over it recently, it was so smooth. As you cross the expanse of the Plenty River, check out Harts Range filling your rear-view mirrors. This is stunning country.
A nice detour is to check out Boxhole Meteorite Crater, a short drive off Binns Track via a station track. The sign for the turnoff is small and easily missed but the rewards are well worth it. An old fella and his faithful companion were relaxing in the shade and it didn’t feel right to disturb them, but the crater beckoned for a quick viewing.
Another fantastic detour is to Tower Rock. Having misread the map, we didn’t turn off to pass the station-stay property at Macdonald Downs but instead followed a little-used track. Driving directly into the sun made it hard to see the gates and we arrived at Tower Rock just as the sun sank below the horizon, quickly setting up camp between some rocks to escape the wind.
The next morning we retraced our steps along New Mcdonald Downs Road to the Arapunya Road. From here, turn north and head towards Derry Downs and watch the country change again; spinifex, desert oaks,
ghost gums, desert pines and wattles. The road surface also changes from sand and bulldust to stones and clay; it all makes for a great drive and you almost forget the remoteness.
Just prior to Derry Downs, you’ll find a sign directing you along a bypass track. Having crossed the expansive Bundey River, the track then closes in and it’s slow-going as you climb a small rocky range. Throw in some bush pinstriping and this is what remote desert travel is all about. Once you reach the cattle grid, the track becomes sandy and the country opens up again as you drive through spindly eucalypts, spinifex and gidgee. Upon reaching the Welere Road the sandy track continues and the going is good, but take care on the corners as we nearly had a head-on collision with a Pajero full of locals who were in a rush to get somewhere.
Once you reach the T-junction and turn right, the 19km of corrugations to the Sandover Highway are bone-jarring, but once on the wide-open desert highway the 27km to the Elkedra Road is fast-going. If with Telstra, your phone will start pinging as you pass Ampilatwatja and coverage will last until you’re on the Sandover-murray Downs Road. The next 75km is generally good going, and recent rain meant the grader had been out and the landscape was green and colourful. At
TAKE CARE ON THE CORNERS, AS WE NEARLY HAD A HEAD-ON COLLISION WITH A PAJERO FULL OF LOCALS WHO WERE IN A RUSH TO GET SOMEWHERE
most other times, though, expect corrugations and bulldust. The turnoff to continue along Binns Track towards Iytwelepenty/davenport Range National Park is well-signposted. Once through the gate (leave it as you find it), the track narrows and speeds are reduced.
Closing in on the Davenport Range, the scenery is spectacular and a highlight of Binns Track. Spinifex and ghost gums dominate the rocky hills, the stony water crossings are dry and the colours are green, orange and blue. Coulter Waterhole will surprise you, while offering some shade and a place to dip your toes. A gap in the range forms a large valley and a drove of donkeys passed as we neared Hatches Creek. Once past the turnoff to the Frew River 4WD Track, wide-open plains take over and it’s cattle country out here.
The 9km track to Old Police Station Waterhole offers some amazing landscapes, especially when golden hour kicks in. The campground along the permanent waterhole is well-spaced-out with fireplaces nicely dispersed and the perfect place to roll out a swag for a few days. With the sun gone, you’ll enjoy some relief from the bush flies – attracted by the cattle and the water, they can be frustrating.
When it comes to a remote 4x4 track full of pure awesomeness, the 17km Frew River 4WD Track is hard to beat. There are a couple of tricky climbs where wheel placement and right boot control is important, a few tight sections, and it’s overgrown in places, but the vistas are stunning. As you drive up and down the escarpments you’ll pass spinifex, ghost gums, wildflowers and termite mounds. Allow
a good three hours; you’d hate to break something out here.
There’s camping at Whistleduck Creek, and the road leading from Old Police Station Waterhole to the north-western section of the Davenport Range handles more like a highway in most parts. The scenic 24km trek through pastoral land into Whistleduck Creek camping area was in good condition, but beware of cattle. There are two distinct camping areas, with several sites in each one. A couple of walks are also available; one along the creek from the day visitor area to Irrmweng Rockhole, the other, for more experienced hikers, an unmarked trail north along the creek to Injaridan Rockhole.
Retracing your steps back to Kurundi
Road, Binns Track continues another 68km before reaching the bitumen of the Stuart Highway. The road conditions along this stretch will vary, with corrugations aplenty in some sections. You’ll reach a small stretch of blacktop with a 60km/h speed limit as you pass Kurundi Station, a cattle property popular with fossickers. The road winds through the range before straightening out as you close in on the Stuart Highway.
If you turn left, Boney Well Rest Area is a good spot to put some air back into your tyres, as there’s a lot of highway driving before you reach the next off-road section of Binns Track. The Karlu Karlu/ Devils Marbles Conservation Reserve is only 15km south of here and well worth the slight detour. There’s cheap camping available here, and if you have the time it is well worth watching a sunset or sunrise over these gigantic boulders.
WHEN IT COMES TO A REMOTE 4X4 TRACK, THE 17KM FREW RIVER 4WD TRACK IS HARD TO BEAT