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COT survey – July 2015

Our third survey trip for the 2016 Classic Outback Trial was in July 2015. Here’s some pictures from that trip…

Shut the gate!
The might be some spares out there…
A beautiful gorge…
Phil with Ben and Nicole at Undoolya.
Spectacular country on The Garden
Roads get sandy as we head south and get nearer the Simpson Desert.
At Bushy Park, north of Alice Springs
A spring in our path…
The old Owen Springs homestead
Undoolya Station…
Justin at Maryvale.
Chris and Debra at the Central Australian Rally Sport Club.
“I can see for miles and miles and miles…”
This local watched carefully as we opened a gate…
Phil with Sam at Bushy Park
At Stuarts Well…
Spectacular Rainbow Valley…
The Rodinga siding…
We start and finish each day under the portico at the Convention Centre – except for the start of day 1.
Club night at the CARS club…
Yep, we’ve been made very welcome…
There’s a postcard on every stage…
Bill at Deep Well Station.
The view of the East MacDonnells from Lasseters.
Farm transport… There’s also Cessna in the shed.
Gem Tree will be a service break.
Club night at the CARS club…
mmm… this doesn’t work from this side.
Amazing views as we return to Alice Springs
Carmel made us welcome at Gem Tree… The Gem room is very impressive.
This is how they muster…
Hard at work on The Garden
Andy and Phil at The Garden – and yes, Phil’s map has been pixellated to protect the innocent.
Stuarts Well specials…
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COT Survey – May 2015

Some pics from our event survey trip in May 2015.

Near Old Ambalindum Station, NE of Alice Springs
Amazing landscapes… part of the MacDonnell Ranges
Richie at the Grape Farm helped us with a flat.
The Central Australian Rally Sport Club in Alice Springs.
An abandoned movie set appears out of nowhere…
The original Old Ambalindum homestead.
Harts Range in the distance
A great stage track past the yards…
Georgina Range, east of Alice Springs.
Our hosts at the Central Australian Rally Sport Club – Chris (L) and Phil – President and Vice-President.
How did they get them up there?
Great roads… this one just south of Alice Springs.
Heading into Mordred Pound. Wont be a COT stage, but we enjoyed exploring it.
A bit sandy here, heading into a wide river crossing.
Amazing views…
On Undoolya Station, E of Alice Springs
A bit more undulating and heading towards gold country.
Great roads, great landscapes…
At Old Ambalindum Station, making plans for the COT. LtoR: Emily and daughter, Darren. Phil and Chantal. Old Ambalindum homestead in the background.
Imagine this full of floodwater!
Route planning at Hamilton Downs LtoR Alister, Mary, Phil and Tony
Great service and lunch facilities at the Off Road Club.
Phil with Ken – the President of the Off Road Club.
Ever changing landscapes. And no, not Nevada, SE of Alice
South of Alice, getting close to the Simpson Desert.
Mordred Pound
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June survey trip

In June, Philip and Steve did the last survey before the course check. They had a 10 day trip to tie down stages and arrangements for the 2014 event.  Here are some pics from their trip.

Bob and Derryn are our hosts on Viewmont.
Leonie and Loraine with Philip at Angove Family Winemakers, sorting arrangements for the end of the 2014 COT.
This is the start of the last stage of day 4, Farmcote – a challenging 60K stage. This pic explains why the old hotel on the stage is made of stone… the country really changes dramatically between Ivanhoe and Broken Hill.
The prologue – a 12 k forest stage near Parkes.
Broadmeadows, an amazing new stage for COT 2014
The wheat was sewn 4 weeks ago… will make the tracks much better defined by COT time.
They were yarding goats when we were at Broadmeadows station.
We spent lots of the day dodging road hazards…
Trish and Phil (not the one on the picture) are our hosts on El Dorado and Limby
A new stage for COT2014 – Viewmont.
Biiiig day checking over day 2 of the Classic Outback Trial… it was a beautiful sunset out there.
The 2014 Classic Outback Trial presentation dinner will be at the Renmark Club.
We’ve found two good short stages between the Broken Hill speedway and Silverton.
Finish of the 2014 Classic Outback Trial will be at the Angove Family Winemakers Cellar door.
The 2014 Classic Outback Trial presentation dinner will be at the Renmark Club.
Lex is our host on Pine Avenue on day 2.
Getting advice from the locals on Wonganong.
Day 5 will be short, ending at the Silverton Hotel.
Another beautiful evening on the track – end of Morning Side, just before Ivanhoe.
Bill, station owner of Broadmeadows with Julie, and Philip.
Fencing wire can be a problem… you really do need to stay on the road!
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COT 2014 March survey – pics from days 1 and 2

Parkes Nissan, venue for scrutiny on Friday afternoon and Saturday morning.
The Parkes Services Club, the venue for the briefing and our welcome function on Saturday evening.
Heugh, our host at Overland and Emu Chase, with Philip. That’s one of Heugh’s smaller tractors.
We always stop at Utes in the Paddock at Ootha – there is always something to see. This is a service location on the 2014 COT.
Main street of Parkes – this is our start location on Sunday 31 August.
Linda, our hostess at the Comfort Inn Bushman’s, Rally HQ in Parkes.
Saw this number plate on one of the Mercedes at the Bushman’s. We explained the significance of numbers 001, 002 and 003 to Keith.
About 100 Mercedes owners stopped in Parkes on their way to the Gold Coast for a National event. The car park at the Bushman’s was full of Benzes – and one dirty Nissan Patrol that attracted lots of attention.
The spillway below Lake Endeavour near Parkes – some powerful water has been down here. We found this while checking our prologue locations.
The Nissan Fleet survey Patrol at the Henry Parkes Centre – home of Parkes Tourism.
Elvis directing the way to the prologue near Parkes. Thank you very much…
There are some great farm gate letter boxes our here…

See the report on days 1 & 2 here.