Full Route of the Goczel Track

Goongarrie to Lake Carey via Niagara
Lake Carey to Mount Flora
Mount Flora to Marshall Pool
Marshall Pool to Mount Holmes
Mount Holmes to East Mount Magnet
East Mount Magnet to Cue

Phase One

Phase One of the Road Trip was from Lake Owen/Goongarrie to Red Castle.

Lake Owen to Menzies

Our Goczel Track Road Trip started where the Bullabulling Wallaroo Wangine Goongarie Road Trip finished – at Lake Owen.

Argument with Chair

We beat up the bitumen to Menzies, refuelled and continued north.

You Think You Have Problems With Termites!

Before turning east to Kookynie, we had a look at the abandoned homestead of Jeedamya Station. Like many other former glorious pastoral properties its demise is rather sad.

And it has a termite problem of gargantuan proportions.

The Spectacular Rocks of Kookynie

Former boom time gold town Kookynie – now nearly deserted – is well known for its Grand Hotel (and its nasty equine nuisance that’s supposed to be an attraction), and nearby Niagara Falls.

However, the small community and visitors alike are missing out on a much under-rated yet easy-to-access attraction on the door step of the town.

More information and photographs of the Spectacular Rocks of Kookynie.

Kookynie to Laverton

We arrived in Laverton on a Monday public holiday. Not much activity. Not much open!

Laverton is the western terminus of the Great Central Road, part of the Outback Way – Australia’s ‘Longest Short Cut’. Laverton’s history dates to 1896 when McOmish and Potts discovered gold and Dr. C.W. Laver established the British Flag  mine at the strike.

Laverton to Hawks Nest

The Old Laverton Road took us to our overnight camp at Hawks Nest, site of John Aspinall’s grave, a prospector unfortunately killed by lightning in 1896, aged only 23 years.

Plaque explaining Alf Thompson’s Quest.

Dan stepped into a crabhole while collecting wood and heard his ankle snap. He limped back to camp. Rod tended to the injury with a packet of frozen vegetables! Dan was in some discomfort but shrugged it off. A week after returning home (and returning to work that involved climbing ladders) the injury wasn’t healing and a visit to doctor and an xray revealed a fractured ankle.

Leaving Hawks Nest

The day’s departure was delayed by a puncture to Phil’s Landcuiser’s right rear tyre. All round, it was an unusual happening. The offending item was a wire thin spike – difficult to remove. And then, because of the small diameter of the spike it was impossible to insert the reaming tool through the tread. Out came the battery drill.

Who knew that a battery drill was an essential part of a puncture repair kit?

Brickeys Soak

We searched for one of Goczel’s important watering points and while being unable to conclusively state we had found it, we certainly were within cooee.

Red Castle

It was time to continue the push. We moved on to Red Castle.

The ground is still being worked today.

Historical Workings at Red Castle

Imminent flooding rain cut short Phase One of the Goczel Track Road Trip. Immediately after lunch at Red Castle we headed to the bitumen at Murrin Murrin, just beating the rain.

Phase Two

[In Planning Stage]

GPX FILES
Goongarrie to Laverton
Laverton to Nambi Road
Leonora Nambi Road to Goldfields Highway
Goldfields Highway to Weebo Station
Goczel Track – Historic
Goczel Track – Full Route
Goczel Track Waypoints

Background information on the Goczel Track Road Trip
Biography of Stephen Goczel

 

 

© Kim Epton 2025
692 words, 17 photographs, one image.

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