Bramwell Junction to the Jardine River.

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7th June



Having had a go at Palm Creek the night before and not wanting to damage the cruiser (anymore) or the camper trailer on it or Gunshot Creek on the southern part of the Overland Telegraph Line track, we instead took the Southern Bypass Road all the way up to where it crosses the OTL at Fruit Bat Falls. From here we took the track down to the falls, we had passed almost no-one on the Bypass Road and only a couple of cars coming up the Falls track, so we hoped we might have a quiet time to enjoy the falls. How wrong we were, the car park was filled with dozens of 4WD’s and close on 50 or so people, it was early in the morning and not yet very warm, so we didn’t swim and stayed only long enough for a quick peek and a couple of pics!

Our escapade at Palm Creek the night before highlighted the fact that our winch was not working and our front lockers intermittent but undaunted we headed north to tackle the 8 creek crossings of the northern OTL, on our own, with a camper trailer in tow. Brave or stupid or ignorant or all three I’m not quite sure?



Scrubby Creek was the first crossing and this was not very wide or deep and did wonders for our confidence, there was a bit of a sand drop off into it but not too much to worry about and we didn’t even bother to walk this crossing. We were growing in confidence in our own and the trucks abilities! After Scrubby Creek a detour can be made to Elliot and Twin Falls and we took this road trusting that fewer people would be there. Thankfully we were right and enjoyed an hour or so, swimming in the beautiful crystal clear pools of twin falls, exploring Elliott Falls (really close by) and grasping the opportunity to indulge my photographic passion. Hopefully you like some of the shots? What a glorious place, we could have stayed all day but the OTL beckoned, it wasn’t far, as the crow flies, but was going to take us the best part of the rest of the day to travel along it.



Canal Creek was the next crossing and this proved to be a doosie, in some respects, and in my mind, the most difficult of the day, it had been seriously washed out during the wet and there were literally dozens of tracks, that had once been old crossings, but now ended in washaways or dead end culverts. Thankfully we saw the back end of someone going before us and identified the tortuous path across and along the opposite river bank that eventually led back onto the OTL on the other side. Jen jumped out to find the safest way across and direct from in front of the car, Will jumped out to video and Zan and I proceeded to cross. The video doesn’t really give justice to how rough and technical it was, we felt we were going to tip at times and the rocks and holes we had to traverse tested both man and machine! But all working together we made it and then slowly picked our way along the track to Sam Creek.



This crossing required a 90 degree turn about three quarters of the way across to find the steep exit ramp up the other bank. We walked it first and again Jen and Will guided from outside while Zan and I tackled the crossing. In second low we hit the creek and motored across, not daring to stop, there was a big hole to miss on the left just as you turned for the exit and we were worried the trailer might drop into it, stuff flew everywhere as we hit the exit and made our way up the steep incline with deep culverts on either side. The lockers did their work and dragged our 5 ton rig up the rocky exit. Next Challenge Mistake Creek!



This crossing had a long down hill sand entry with some seriously big drop offs, I’m talking 6 ft and almost vertical, I didn’t think the bikes on the back of the trailer would survive this so we removed them and man handled them across the creek to the other side. Will tried to ride his down and into the creek but came to an abrupt and wet end in the middle of Mistake Creek! Every one bailed on me on this entry and I drove it down myself and it was one heck of a ride, the crossing itself wasn’t too bad and the exit a cinch after the hair raising entry!



Cannibal Creek, aptly named probably, a long ( at least 30 metres), deep ( thigh deep) crossing, in crystal clear water with a white sandy bottom. It was straight and the entry and exits were quite tame. The length and depth though dictated that a car bra ( a tarp across the front to push the water in front of you) was the order of the day, so we fitted it up, all jumped in, engaged the rear lockers and second low and headed across. A deep hole a car length or so in gave us a bit of a fright as the water lapped at the bottom of the bonnet and threatened to come over but we were soon out of it and made it safely to the other side; cheers and high fives all round! The 7 or so kilomeres in between the creeks were up hill and down dale and littered with rocks and holes and it was really slow going and although we were only 20 or so k’s from the Jardine River ferry, time was running short for us to make the last ferry at 5pm, so we pushed on as fast as conditions would allow.



Next came Cypress Creek, the longest crossing on the day, only about 600mm deep but close on 70m and muddy water and bottom, our confidence was high so we plowed in with barely a second thought and our trusy 80 didn’t let us down and we were soon on the other side. Two to go and an hour to make the ferry, it was touch and go. A few k’s further on was Logan Creek, this was not a crossing but a hand made log bridge over a deep gullied creek bed, everyone piled out and I drove our 5 ton rig over the logs to the other side, we thought we were home and hosed until we came around the corner and approached the last crossing, Bridge Creek or as most know it Nolan’s Brook!



There were cars galore here on both sides of the crossing, bonnets up and groups of people engaged in excited conversations, it was deep, really deep and in the previous couple of hours had claimed three vehicles, in fact in the first 3 or 4 weeks the track was open Nolan’s claimed 27 vehicles, from brand new 200 series Crusiers to Prados and Range Rovers! The group on our side of the river had decided to wait until the next day to attempt a crossing in order to allow the bottom to settle down, some others decided to back track the way they had come and not try at all! There was no way we wanted to go back, so it looked like we were here for the night and would attempt in the morning with the others. Just as we were endeavouring to jostle for the very limited spaces to camp someone yelled from the other side, “Does anyone else want to come across tonight?”



I was down there in a flash saying “yes we are in for that” and met the other driver ( aV8 200 series) in the middle of the creek as we discussed how we would tackle it. Most came to grief in Nolan’s attempting to cross on their own steam, getting stuck in the middle and then flooding their cars as they tried to get their recovery gear connected to get themselves out. We decided to line up on each side of the bank with our respective cars and then joined them via both our snatch straps which just reached across the brook. Then via radio we said ready set go and both took of in second low, the extra pull of the vehicle on the other side would drag us through once we lost traction and hopefully we wouldn’t stop in the middle and fill up with water.



Poor Will lost it at this point and in a flood of tears was worried were were going to lose all our stuff and the car would fill up with water like he had heard had happened to others. We assured him that our 4 inch lift made our car bigger and stronger than most and that we were taking all precautions and with a touch of bravado added that we would be fine!



So we piled in, radioed up the other vehicle and hit the gas pedal. The big 200 series growled up the other bank keeping the snatch tight as we hit the water, the old girl never missed a beat and in seconds we were through and standing on the other side! There were cheers, congratulations and handshakes all around, the camaraderie within the 4wd community out in the bush is just great, everyone is there to help each other out; as long as your not an idiot and have your own gear!



Then we were off, we had missed the ferry but we wanted to make the campground at the ferry point before nightfall, we had just experienced one of Australia’s great 4WD treks and had the scars and the stories to tell, what an epic day!





Steve, Jen, Zan and Will

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