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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…

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

Some pics from our event survey trip in May 2015.

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

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