Kennedy Range | Adventures

The spectacular sandstone battlements of the Kennedy Range are in fact a huge mesa, pushed up from an ancient sea bed.

The plan was to ‘ascend the battlement’ west of Mount Sandiman Homestead and then travel south along the edge of the escarpment before crossing the Range and dropping down to the west side. Then to Mooka Station, cross the Gascoyne River and head east into Gascoyne Junction.

The climb up to the top of the Kennedy Range was no real challenge, even with a trailer. The track is clearly delineated and no test of navigation. The scenery at the edge of the mesa is spectacular.

: Track from homestead.

: Kim, Matt, Greg, Ehud, and Aaron.

: Climbing to to the top of the mesa from the east.

: Like a giant breakaway.

: Contrasting colours.

: Vertical escarpment.

: Pair of Nissans.

: Spectacular re-entrants.

: Outlier.

: Matt and Tania.

: Edge of the mesa.

: Edge of the Range.

: The precipice on the eastern side of the range.

: Eastern side of the Kennedys.

: High cliff.

: Good articulation.

: The effects of erosion.

: Challenging.

: Plenty of gutters and washaways like this.

: Lineup.

: Descending on the west side

On Mooka Station

All was going well until the rain arrived. At first it was just annoying but as we descended the plateau and progressed closer to Mooka Station the creeks were rising and the gullies were gushing. Water spread everywhere.

: The first sign that we may have a problem.

: In the time it took to get back to the vehicle from the previous photo the water had risen.

: Lots of these.

: F250 ploughing through.

: The slop was no match for the F250’s power.

: Towing the Silver Bullet through mud was easier with the F250.

Dash to the West

It was clearly time to get out. At Binthalya we made a dash to the westward.

: Kim and Patrol at old Binthalya homestead.

: Silver Bullet.

: Storm clouds.

: Kim’s Patrol on a flooded playa.

: Greg on a playa.

: Fun with the Prado on the claypan.

As dusk was approaching we found a cleared area where a grader had made a turnaround and made ourselves a comfortable camp. By late afternoon the rain had ceased and after a campfire conference we decided to return to Mooka the next day, head south, cross the Gascoyne River and then turn east to Gascoyne Junction.

: Aaron’s Navara.

: Fortunate to find a clearing big enough late in the day.

: Our fire was close to the track.

: End of day that could have been disastrous.

We could then continue down the Carnarvon-Mullewa Road past Murchision, turn into Yallalong and exit the station country on the North West Coastal Highway at Riverside Farms.

Consistent rain from 2.00 a.m. put paid to that plan.

Go to Carnarvon to Kalbarri.

Return to Tom Price to Mt Sandiman.

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