Hi everyone,

We have just done the Old Telegraph Track - so here is the report :-)

All in all - it could have been wetter considering the Wet Season that we had - lots of crossings were lower than we expected, but there are also some deeper ones.

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In This Issue:

• The Old Telegraph Track Right Now

• Feedback Always Welcome

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THE OLD TELEGRAPH TRACK - SOUTHERN HALF

In 2010, I did Palm Creek on my own, without even noticing it as a difficult crossing.

Seven years later - well in fact it was bad enough by 2014 - Palmie is definitely amongst the most difficult crossings on the OTT - and that's your first one from the south!

Sorry that the wrong-doers have made this needing a mention: These newsletters are covered by Copyright Law - copying / posting text or screen shots is illegal.


Palm Creek Crossing May 2017

Its difficulty lies not in the water level but in the slope, being a hard one to get up and for most people requiring a winch, or if you are lucky enough - other people will be there to pull you out.

As of May - the early season - the slope is muddy, boggy and even more slippery and hard to get up than later in the year.


North of Palm Creek May 2017

Palm to Ducie - the stretch to the next crossing - is not too hard (just like most of the southern half of the OTT).

Once at Ducie - it is the deepest one on the southern half of the track right now - and as you can see on the below photo - it is not extremely deep at all :-)


Ducie Creek May 2017

Dulhunty is low and very easy, and yes - there was a mob of early travellers :-)

In fact the only one we saw - there were only a couple of other people and at most crossings there was no one.


Dulhunty River May 2017

Bertie was also low and very easy - this photo could have been taken late in the year (when all the creeks are at their driest).


Bertie Creek May 2017

Gunshot changes a lot from year to year - the fun that is had at this crossing causes some erosion, cutting the drops back big time, in the process some favourite entrances get useless and some new ones form almost every year. 


Gunshot Creek May 2017

This year the challenging one is likely to be the left hand one in the above photo (there are already some fresh tracks there), and the current cheat track is further left while the previous one - the last cheat track - is getting eroded and turned into three steep drops :-)


Between Cockatoo and Gunshot, May 2017

Cockatoo to Gunshot was fairly smooth with a few wet patches.


Cockatoo Creek May 2017

Cockatoo Creek was shallow but the current was fair. The entrances were muddy as you can see on the photos below.


Cockatoo entrance and exit, May 2017

Cockatoo to Sailor was drier, but did have a few wash-outs left from the wet season.


Between Sailor and Cockatoo, May 2017

And north of Sailor was much the same.


THE OLD TELEGRAPH TRACK - NORTHERN HALF

More wash-outs from the Wet just before you get to Scrubby Creek:


North of Scrubby, May 2017

Once at Scrubby Creek - the depth is:


Scrubby Creek - in the deepest part - May 2017

However - there is now a cheat track on the eastern side - so you will get through without a snorkel (and that bit has also been updated in the Destination Guide).


Scrubby to Sam, May 2017

Scrubby to Sam has its holes in places, and Sam Creek is shallow as.


Sam Creek May 2017

Mistake is also very shallow, the below photo is as deep as it got.


Mistake Creek May 2017

And so is Cannibal - the crossings in the northern half of the OTT are all low - until you get to Logans :-)


Cannibal Creek May 2017

I never underestimated Logans Creek, and never understood why it would get so much less reputation than Nolans. Ever since my first time it was the deepest one, and it still was this year. Deep, swampy, you wouldn't walk it because the water is too murky in case there are crocodiles. It was the only one on the OTT where the water was over our bonnet. 


Logans Creek May 2017

Between Logans and Nolans, there is a swamp, (it is only likely to exist this time of the year - early in the season). However it is something to consider, below is also a video of us getting through it: Swamp between Logans and Nolans


Swamp between Logans and Nolans, May 2017

And finally - Nolans - the last crossing and always a deep one.

It was almost as deep as Logans, and I walked in to show you the depth - about a hip high it is :-)


Nolans Brook crossing May 2017


FEEDBACK ALWAYS WELCOME 

I really appreciate any kind of feedback on the Destination Guide.

Please let me know if you enjoyed it while planning before the trip, and while using the information once on the trip.

If you get any questions about anything, please feel welcome to contact me.

That's all for this time - happy planning, and happy travels to those on the road!!

Have a great day :-)

Katrin.

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