Duncan Wilson takes us along the inspiring Oombi Track, led by Balanggarra Elder Colin Morgan.

The Oombi Track starts at Home Valley Station in Balanggarra land and ends around 400km away at the Carson River on the Kalumburu Road just south of the Aboriginal community of Kalumburu.  Today the only way you can legally undertake this track is via a tag-along tour operated by the Just Over the Hills tag-along tour company.

Our Just Over the Hills’ guide for this trip was Balanggarra man Colin Morgan.  Introductions were made and Colin explained a bit about what we would be experiencing and their company disclaimer.

We were finally on the road, a five-vehicle convoy, and it wasn’t long before we came to the locked gate at the start of the Oombi Track.

It was easy going at first as we skirted tidal pools and drove over dry mud flats.  We passed through some lovely scenic country before we started to gain elevation and the track became quite rocky.

Our first real obstacle of the trip was a very steep drop down that required a large amount of track building due to the size of exposed rocks and the very deep wheel ruts.  With judicious rock placement we were all able to descend without incident.

The track continued to throw up varying degrees of challenges and it wasn’t long before we started a steady descent towards the Durack River and the infamous very wide rocky crossing.  Colin in front with his wealth of experience made it look easy.  The following vehicles all needed a bit of rock replacing and a guiding hand for us to get through.

When we had all safely negotiated the crossing it was only about 150m or so before we had reached our campsite for the day, perched on flat ground above the Durack River.

Once we were all packed the next day Colin did a smoking ceremony to welcome us all to his country and to ward off any evil spirits.  Quite an honour and a first for me.

Today would see us trying to catch a barramundi in Bulla Nulla Creek.  Drawing closer to the creek and our morning’s barramundi fishing spot, we stirred up large flocks of brolgas.  A couple of small pools at the side of the creek each held a saltwater croc, but as we approached, they slithered under the surface with just their noses visible.

Well as much as we tried not one of us caught anything – not even a cold.

Once back on the Oombi Track we were again in rocky and hilly terrain. The numerous creek gutters in the main, were very narrow and with steep sides causing the rear of the vehicles to ground.

The scenery was ever changing and brutally beautiful in its ruggedness.  One minute we would be driving up rocky sloped hills, and jump-ups with varying levels of difficulty, to wide flat, spear grass covered plains where the occasional mob of scrub cattle would be seen.  Pandanis trees marking the position of creeks.

Moon Crossing at the Forrest River was via a very steep and stony section of track, which led onto flat rock shelves with benches of varying heights.  This soon led to Jeela Crossing where we stopped for lunch, and given that the temperature was in the high 30’s, also a good place for a well-earned swim and wash.

Following lunch, we headed to the abandoned township of Oombulgurri and the absolutely beautiful Camera Pool on the Forrest River.

The entry into the town of Oombulgurri is via an avenue of spectacular boab trees.  The deserted streets eerily quiet and now being reclaimed by nature.

We exited the town via the community’s old airstrip and the track took us across a 16-kilometre-long dry flood plain where we could finally get into fifth gear.

We made camp around the 4:30pm mark.  The view over the plains below was spectacular and it was hard to believe that we were actually only a short distance, as the crow flies, from Wyndham.

Just before midday the next day we came upon another De Lacourt River crossing.  This one was all rocks and big deep pools.  We had arrived at what is colloquially called “Paradise Pool”.

We made camp above the main river on some nice flat ground.

The next day the track was initially very flat with the usual washouts and gutters to keep us busy and on our toes.  This gave way to vast spear grass plains that skirted the Campbell Range.

Around the time of morning tea, we came to the Berkeley River fording point, which was a hard bottomed wet fording.  Parking on the rock shelves we followed Colin to where the freshwater met the saltwater of the Berkeley River.  When we arrived, a large saltwater crocodile was slowly swimming past.  We estimated it to be between 3 and 4m in length.

Our fishing tally stayed the same with none of us catching anything, I did however entice at least one barra to look at my lure.

Returning to our vehicles the track out soon took us to our camp above the Berkeley River arriving at 2:00pm on the knocker and I was absolutely knackered.

On the road again by 7:00am and the good thing about this day’s drive was that we had lots of easy-going sections allowing for faster speeds for most of the time.  Only issue was the constant little wash outs, gutter, drains, and tiny creeks that required constant gear changing.

When we arrived at Oomari and Python Pool we spent most of the afternoon cooling off in the creek, reading, snoozing, and talking.

Later Colin took us to a nearby gallery of Aboriginal art.  When we got to the art site, Colin first had to ask the ancestors permission for us to be here and take photos.  He explained the cultural significance of the art, and their linkage to the Dreamtime Stories.

The absolutely beautiful Python Pool looked like it would make for a fantastic, aquatic recreational area, but Colin put the dampener on that stating that the ancestors would only permit Aboriginal people to swim here.

The next day we left the main track and turned off to a section of track, that had been forged by Colin’s family and friends that led to a campsite from where you could walk down to the King George Falls.

After lunch we walked the supposedly 800m to the falls.  This late in the dry season all that was in evidence was the tiniest trickle of water finding its way over the falls.  The views were absolutely amazing and an honour to be allowed to be here.

17km after leaving yesterday’s camp we were back on the main track.

Pretty close to midday we arrived at the Drysdale River.  Once over the fording point, we turned left following the course of the river over soft white sand to a place amongst the trees where we could make our camp.  The temperature was nudging 40 degrees, and it didn’t take long before we all found a spot in the river to cool down in.

Breaking camp the next day we were soon out of the river sand and back on the more familiar hard packed station tracks.  As usual we had to keep a vigilant eye out for washouts, of which there were many.  In the main though it was easy going and a lot faster than what we were used to.

We arrived at the Kalumburu Road and the end of the Oombi Track about 90 minutes later, and I think we were all pleasantly surprised to find it in excellent condition, only recently graded and as yet not showing signs of degradation or corrugations.  Woo hoo!!!

The Oombi Track isn’t to be taken lightly; your experience will depend on when you travel. We were at the end of the dry so water levels were low.  What you will need though is a well serviced vehicle, good solid tyres, good suspension, at least a 50mm lift, ideally larger tyres than my 31s, solar panels, if possible, a rear diff locker or traction control, at least 800km range of fuel, and importantly a good sense of adventure.

This adventure can be found in the 125th edition of the Western 4W Driver on page 8