Way out West 2025. 26th of July.  Day nine.

Roadside camp near a tower about 50kms from Kintore to a trackside camp between dunes on the Sandy Blight Junction Track, WA.

A bit of a slower start this morning no rain to contend with and we got away from camp at about 9:30.

Into Kentore to fuel up and get ready for our first real track of the trip, the Sandy Blight Junction track.
The community of Kintore is an Aboriginal Community out here in the NT. We got the fuel and filled the last of the Jerry cans as it’s 750 km till the next fill up at Warburton.

We’ve had some sensational sites today, beautiful Mount Leisler. Aluminium markers from the days of Len Beadell and the Gunbarrel Construction crew, also other escarpments, beautiful wildflowers and just the track and general views. It’s amazing to think we’ve seen only one other vehicle since leaving Kintore.

We saw camels 🐪 and crossed from the NT to WA.

Each marker is a stop, plus several other stops for flowers and mountains.

We also drove by Mt Mein and a few other smaller but amazing hills.

Also into red sand country – we crossed over a couple and between many others.

The track ranged from sand, to rocks, a lot of places where the track had become a watercourse which we had to drive right up the middle of. Some were quite ‘Sticky’ others no issues at all.

Pulled off for lunch in the desert grasses and shrubs.
We found a legless lizard – he must have been threatened by us as ‘dropped’ his tail and writhed around a lot.

Brian led us out after lunch and soon after spotted a camel up on the nearby dune. We stopped for pics and soon after there were five camels- bit far off for great pics.

We crossed over the NT/ WA border and we tried to call Linda again and got through- she was pretty laid back about the whole Surveyor Generals thing, indicating we should call into Warakurna Roadhouse and we will see what happens from there.

Crossing the border saw us gain 90 minutes so we drove on until about 4:14 new time.

A couple of small issues today – Mary and Phil got a stick stabbed through their Rock Tamers. They are made of very thick rubber and this small stick about 30cm long and as thick as your thumb speared through the rubber. Brand new this trip – now with a whole. On rough corrugations the back deck of the Tvan bounced undone – luckily no damage, other than a lost rubber foot.

We found a great camp spot, trees, lots of flat clear space and wood. We decided a good night for a roast.

While things were getting prepped Phil and Stef guided me to fix my deck – to replace the rubber stoppers- I had spares as the old ones were badly worn and perished. I drilled out the rivets holding the old ones and we screwed the new ones on. This also allowed us to easily tighten the tension on the catches that hold the deck.

The roast lamb was delicious ( we had no gravox and Mary and I tried old fashioned gravy, but failed. Never the less it was delicious. We all sit to eat with candles and tables set etc.
it’s cold again tonight and the fire is continually fed to keep us warm.

Dishes and clean up down. Then time to sit a bit, natter, burn our rubbish, then time to get ready for bed after a cuppa.
Hot water bottles made and into bed by about 11:00 new time.