Simpson Desert and Mokari abandoned airstrip

[QDMQDMQDM]

Any top tips on a flying trip to the Simpson desert in an M5 Maule from the East Coast? Places to go, fuel stops etc.

Has anyone landed at Mokari airstrip on the rig road lately? Looks like a great place for camping.

Thanks in advance,

David

[Sunfish]

Drop in to Arkaroola station. Doug Sprigg will set you right apart from being a gracious host.

As for your airstrip, someone will no doubt tell you that landing in national parks is forbidden. Keep your intentions quiet or the parks service will truck in a bulldozer and make landing at Mokari impossible, if it isn't already. All Greenies and their employees hate aircraft and will destroy ("rehabilitate") any airstrip accidentally left intact.

[onetrack]

Just make sure you don't accidentally run into the nearly-hidden, overgrown, capped well head at Mokari. Clipping that with a wing could be disastrous out there.

Mokari Oil Well and Airstrip (https://www.exploroz.com/Places/14323/SA/Mokari_Oil_Well__Airstrip.aspx#rqc_tabs=1)

Allposters website has a photo of the Mokari airstrip sign which merely outlines it is unmaintained, and kept and used, only for emergencies. Your landing, your risk.

Mokari Emergency Airstrip Sign (http://www.allposters.com.au/-sp/The-Mokari-Emergency-Airstrip-and-Sign-in-the-Remote-Sand-Desert-Australia-posters_i3282372_.htm)

[Ultralights]

places for fuel, or a stopover, Innaminka? Cameron Corner? Tibooburra? Birdsville. quite a few option in that part of the world.

[Squawk7700]

As for your airstrip, someone will no doubt tell you that landing in national parks is forbidden. Keep your intentions quiet or the parks service will truck in a bulldozer and make landing at Mokari impossible, if it isn't already. All Greenies and their employees hate aircraft and will destroy ("rehabilitate") any airstrip accidentally left intact.

One too many reds Sunfish?

[Ultralights]

looking at the emergency airstrip sign, that surface should be a non event in a Maule. (with decent rubber under it)

[Flying Binghi]

Eh! ...airfield for a Maule :confused:

that surface should be a non event in a Maule...

I would add that 75% of the Australian land surface is a suitable landing area for a Maule. Why go to an airfield ? ;)










.

[Flying Binghi]

...landing in national parks is forbidden...

i.e., don't post the landing on top of Ayr's Rock vid to u-tube :ooh:

When they approach you and ask how yer managed to land where you did, treat them parks people politely and they will probably tell yer where all the interesting spots are in the park ;)









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[QDMQDMQDM]

Thanks everybody. Appreciate the advice. Will report back.

David

[Flying Ted]

I'd support what everyone else said and add:
Whitecliffs (fuel and opals)
Dig Tree (if you haven't seen this before its worth a stop)
Broken Hill (fuel and you must visit the Royal Flying doctor base)
Lake Mungo (Great accommodation and worth spending a day to look at the lake. The lodge can help with ground transport.)

[QDMQDMQDM]

Thanks very much. Can you land at the Dig Tree?

[ForkTailedDrKiller]

Yup! Right beside it.

[Ultralights]

and the strip is in good condition as well. Innaminka, food and accom is not far away from dig tree either. dont forget, most stations out that way have airstrips as well, worth looking up stations in google, or search outback beds, and find the contact details, and ring up and ask.
I found Bindara Station this way, turned out to be a great airstrip, 900mtrs long, well maintained, and great hosts, awesome food, and a comfy bed right on the darling river.

[Pinky the pilot]

find the contact details, and ring up and ask.


Exactly. Do not ever use a station strip without prior permission.:=:=

I know of a couple of occasions where PP was not obtained and someone just landed anyway.:ooh:

And were surprised at the hostile reaction they got from the Station owner/manager.:rolleyes:

[Ultralights]

Also when using farm strips, or any dirt strips... dont be a douchbag and do this....


https://scontent-lax1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xtp1/v/t1.0-9/r90/11236474_889609447778360_4178438964532533445_n.jpg?oh=8f10de 5398e87d9366ce1ada8237031c&oe=562494B9

Kilcowera Station
Page Liked · 9 hrs ·


This is what happens to our airstrips when pilots sit in one place for 10 minutes checking their instruments and getting the engine warmed up. All the sand and dirt gets blown away exposing the coffee rock beneath, then when it rains gullies form, erosion happens and the airstrip becomes unserviceable. It's not too difficult to do the runups on the move. — at Kilcowera Station.

[Flying Ted]

Ultra, thanks for the photo and advice. I didn't know this.

I often enjoy these strips and always do my run ups on the move but this is more about concern over stones in the prop rather than what it might do the ground.

I'd welcome other tips on this outback strips.

[QDMQDMQDM]

Not so sure about run ups on the move on an unprepared strip while you're keeping a look out for rocks and what have you.

[Ultralights]

its not hard with a bit of practice, also, you need permission to use most if not all station strips, so if you do something like has been done above, you might not get an invite back.

The strip at Cameron Corner is as rough as anything due to stationary runups at each end. the middle part is fine, just dont land a little short.

[Tankengine]

Southwestern Qld strips like Eromanga will eat your props if you don't roll.when I was a CP one pilot did his last flight for us when I saw the props on the 310!:mad:

[QDMQDMQDM]

Thanks for all your advice. Had a great trip. MX7-235 Maule, me, the 15 year old and the thirteen year old and a whole pile of crap in the back.

Coffs - Armidale - Charlotte Plains Station (night stop) -- Cunnamulla -- Dig Tree -- Innamincka (night stop) -- Birdsville -- Williams Creek via Lake Eyre (night stop) -- side trip to the Painted Hills -- Arkaroola via Wilpena Pound (night stop) -- Tibooburra (night stop) via Mawson Plateau -- Walgett -- Armidale -- Coffs.

Big thumbs up for everywhere except Innamincka, which was a ghastly, over-priced truck stop tourist trap, where they wouldn't let us camp by the aircraft "because it is thoroughly illegal and anyway the last people who did that stole fuel from the other aircraft and left their sh!t paper everywhere". Charming.

Williams Creek -- Trevor Wright is an absolute star. Arkaroola, ditto for Doug Sprigg. Charlotte Plains Station is very welcoming indeed and has a great bore to take a dip in. Tibooburra, great outback town. Walgett -- shades of 1968 still palpable through the whole town. Interesting.

(Re Mokari -- discretion the better part of valour, especially as the aircraft isn't mine and it also isn't my Super Cub, which I'm much more comfortable doing a recce of a backcountry / off airport landing strip in.)

[gerry111]

QDMQDMQDM,


Pleased to hear that you enjoyed your trip. Places like Arkaroola and William Creek are simply just so wonderful! Six weeks ago, we did a trip that included Walgett as a fuel stop on our way to Dirranbandi. A very kind, elderly man from the aero club must monitor CTAF. He came out to the AD to make sure that we had no problems using their bowser. :)


I'll bet that Doug Sprigg found hangar space at Arkaroola for your Maule.


Who'd want to go to Bali for holidays? :=