Australias Most liveable city...

so after the Duncan road trip, we knew that we need to do a few things to the Kedron.

Number one is a dust leak under the cafe seat (probably coming from the wheel arch, some sika will fix that).

But number two is the electrics.

electrical thread here...

https://www.myswag.org/index.php?topic=59427.msg1071260#msg1071260

Quote from: Hairs on July 08, 2026, 05:14:44 PMWho remembers seeing these as a common replacement?


You don't use magic to disappear, ya use a 4x4 & Swag.

My Dad's HG wagon had a coat hanger for an antenna
Learned to drive and got my license in that wagon, Bog standard 186 - three on the tree.
Would love to get another one for a daily

Who remembers seeing these as a common replacement?


You don't use magic to disappear, ya use a 4x4 & Swag.

Quote from: Fizzie on July 08, 2026, 06:55:22 AMJeez, what'd you hit to do that to the tyre!!! 

oh it's *not* a tyre...

that's a "bloomin' onion" from Outback Steakhouse ...

(also... we didn't notice it for like 40klm...)

and yes... we need a TPMS, we have one on the Troopy and I did buy the range extender and extra sensors for the van, but we've not been near our mechanic to get it wired in...

Jeez, what'd you hit to do that to the tyre!!! 

as we arrived back in Yarralin from our Duncan Road trip (see post and pics above) the day BEFORE Territory Day...

So this meant that we had fireworks to contend with on the evening of July 1st.

not wanting a repeat of last year where poor Monty lost his mind with the noise... we decided on a simpler solution.

We took the van and the dogs a few klm outside of town for the night and camped in the quiet. The track is really more of a quad bike/mtn bike track than a caravan track... but never dismiss someone with a V8 and a desire to get somewhere...

We also learnt that Tilly is facinated with the drone. (this may be a bad thing...)

DUNCAN ROAD. NT/WA

two weeks back we took a brief camping trip down the Duncan Road. We became aware of Duncan Road not that long after moving to the NT while on the way to Kununurra in WA. Just before the WA Quarantine checkpoint, there a left (south) turn with a sign that says "Halls Creek". So we looked it up.

Fast forward a year or so and Grahame from 4wd 24/7 decides to drive it and rave about it.

So we upped it to our short list. This year, with the new (to us, 2011) Kedron we figured why the hell not. How much more difficult could taking *three* dogs be? (instead of two)

We've been without air con in the Troopy for the last 6+ weeks now since the compressor died and we're just not had the chance to get to our mechanic to get it fixed. But we're used to having the windows down now. So it's not a big issue...

We had an interesting run out of town... schredded a van tyre in Jasper Gorge. Got to Kununurra (for water and groceries as it's only like 50klm from/past the turn off) and replaced it. Also the rim as it was cracked.

NT Roads app was showing the NT end of the track to the WS border as "closed - flooding". This seemed kinds strange as it's been dead dry up there for months now. Our back up plan was to drive it from the Halls creek end and check the app daily. We stopped at the WA quarantine check and the loadies informed us that people has been coming out off the track daily for the last few weeks. That sealed it for us. In to Kununurra for drinkable water, grab some groceries and then back the next morning. (FWIW... didn't see any water over the track other than a couple of inches on the concrete causeways...)

The Duncan road/rack itself...
what to say... some truly amazing campsites that I'm sure i would have enjoyed a lot more had the wonderful wife not passed her teachers flu onto me the morning of day 2...

Behn river camp was spectacular. Esp the river crossing with the off camber drop to get down to it and the large camp area... (and the freshie we found sunning himself there when we went to leave the next morning).

Negri River was interesting. Lots of very deep (and soft) large size river gravel. We pulled off the causeway, went up a slight rise and went down really fast. Thankfully I had the mind to *not* plant the foot and dig lots of holes in a gravel area with not even a winching bush in sight...

chucked it in low range, flicked on the rear locker and crawled out with 3.5T of van on the back...

The highlite of the trip was clearly Old Ord Homestead River Camp. A fun bit of 4wding down to the river and plenty of space for everyone to spreadout. (in the pics below it's the one with the large flat rocks)

All in all... a brilliant trip and a great "short cut" between the NT and Halls Creek. We only had 6 days to check it out but I could easily stay at Ord River for a week or two... (esp if I wasn't beseiged by the flu)

But we'll go back for sure.

The dogs had a hoot.

Well done, I am sure you will definitely enjoy not getting up off the ground/having a level under mattress base.

Enjoy the change!

Update. Well, I committed to purchasing a heavier than I'd planned for forward fold camper trailer today (not a composite panel constructed one). A one owner Wild Boar Tuff Grunt. Beautiful camper in great condition for its age. So, if it all goes to plan, I'll update with a few pics in due course. A matter of just getting to an age when sleeping on a nice mattress rather than in the swag on the ground will be nice + the benefits of a kitchen at one's fingertips. Cheers, A.D.