800 kilometers detour?
Temperature - Day (maximum):
approx. 30 degrees
Anna Plains Station – 12.05.2001
In the afternoon, I make some important phone calls. It’s all about how and where we will get our food supplies in the desert over the next 7 to 8 months and on which farm we can make our next stopover. Initially we wondered whether Ken Rieck, the manager of Limestone Station, could fly us out into the desert. But the fuel costs alone are quite high. We also don’t know where Ken can land in the middle of the bush and how he will refuel his bike there. We quickly discarded this idea, because the organizational work for such a campaign is already very time-consuming at the beginning. Then we heard from Collin that an oil company working out there in the middle of the bush could supply at least the first 600 kilometers for the following 1000 kilometers. Unfortunately, we still do not know whether this company will resume its work. Supposedly there is a huge inland lake somewhere in this direction that prevents any passage.
After making little progress with my research, I decide to call Karl from the Kunawarritji Aboriginal community. We got his phone number from the owners of the Pardoo Roadhouse. I dial the number a little nervously, as he is currently our last hope of transporting food into the outback. Finally, someone picks up the phone: “Kunawarritji,” a male voice answers. In a short conversation I introduce ourselves and then ask the friendly man if there is a possibility to bring 6 of our food bags to the Aboriginal community. “No problem, I have to go to Port Hedland from time to time. I can pick up your supplies from the Pardoo Roadhouse and store them here until you arrive. If you make a small donation to the community in return, we’d be delighted,” I hear Karl’s voice and am relieved to finally be talking to the right person. “What’s it like out there? Is the story about the floods true?” I want to know. “Oh yes, a huge lake has formed a few hundred kilometers to the east. The Kiwirrkurra Aboriginal community was evacuated because of it. The houses there are up to their roofs in water. The water is not expected to evaporate this year. You can’t possibly march in that direction,’ his frustrating reply shocks me. “Is there a way around the lake?” “Yes, if you don’t continue east from us, but follow the Gary Highway directly south. Then you’ll eventually come to the Gunbarrel Highway in the direction of Warburton. Before that, you’ll meet the Old Gunbarrel Highway in the direction of Docker River, Ayers Rock, Curtin Springs etc.” I attentively follow his directions on the map that I have now placed on my lap. “How many kilometers of detour do you think that means for us?” Karl thinks for a while and says: “It’s probably around 800 kilometers.” “What, 800 kilometers detour? That’s going to be a disaster for us. Oh dear, that’s really bad news,’ I reply, shocked. “Who knows, maybe you can navigate around the lake. Do you have a GPS?” “Yes, but I can imagine that huge areas around the lake will be muddy and sludgy. It would of course be irresponsible if we sank into the mud in the endless outback,” I reply, pondering. “Well, anyway, thank you very much for your very helpful information. We’ll take the food bags to Pardoo and I’ll call you again before we leave,” I end the conversation.
I immediately take out all the cards to study them in detail. After a while I calm down again, because the detour via Ayers Rock certainly has its charms. We are also in the fortunate position of having received an invitation to stay at a station about 200 kilometers below Alice Springs. The 800 Km. are not reduced by this, but our new destination means that we have to walk in the approximate direction of the detour anyway.
With confidence and renewed energy, I call the Warakurna Roadhouse near Docker River to ask if they too would keep a supply of food for us. “No problem, as long as it’s not food that needs to go into cold storage, we’ll be happy to do it for you,” replies Cathy the boss. Then I talk to Josef from the transport company and agree with him how and when he will get our supplies to Perth and when he should deliver them to Warakurna. Before my work today is done, I order the necessary map sheets in Perth and am satisfied that they are all available.
After a busy day, Tanja and I sit in our beautiful living room and watch a gorgeous sunset. Whole groups of kangaroos gather every evening to snack on the lush grass in front of our house. Rufus always gets very nervous at the sight of this. He would love to chase the kangaroos, but he knows that would get him into trouble with us. “They’re much too fast for you anyway Rufus,” I say and stroke his shiny coat.
