Highway Horror

Submitted: Monday, Jun 14, 2021 at 23:13
ThreadID: 141971 Views:6807 Replies:4 FollowUps:10
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G'day Explorers

I trust you won't mind me giving you a 'heads up' on what's going on in the inland Pilbara, seeing there are already so many caravanners and other travellers making their way into the region, but more so if you are contemplating a road journey into the Karijini National Park or possibly further into the Kimberley region.

The road trip north of Newman has only recently been made a great deal more dangerous, I don't say this lightly, simply because there are now even more Quad trailered road trains on the Great Northern Highway making their way to Port Hedland carrying Iron Ore from a newly developed mine about 80 kilometres north of Newman and plying the 360 or so Kilometres to Hedland.

The Auski roadhouse to Port Hedland section of the highway has for some years now seen these Quad trailer road ore trains running almost nose to tail from various mines in the eastern end of the Hamersley Ranges, putting it simply there are more of these buggers on the road and they operate 24/7.

So if you are thinking of Karijini as a destination try and time your journey as a day light only trip, it will be infinitely safer.

Safe travels : Joe


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Reply By: Member - Jim S1 - Tuesday, Jun 15, 2021 at 07:15

Tuesday, Jun 15, 2021 at 07:15
Thanks Joe. It’s very handy to know these things.

Cheers
Jim
"Sometimes I sits and thinks, and sometimes I just sits." A fisherman.

"No road is long with good company." Traditional

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Reply By: Life Member - Duncan W (WA) - Tuesday, Jun 15, 2021 at 09:39

Tuesday, Jun 15, 2021 at 09:39
Thanks Joe, and that's why I turn off onto the Marble Bar Road and take that route north and thus dodge an awful lot of traffic.

Dunc
Make sure you give back more than you take

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Follow Up By: Joe Fury - Tuesday, Jun 15, 2021 at 12:39

Tuesday, Jun 15, 2021 at 12:39
G'day Duncan

The old Great Northern Highway/Marble Bar road is a nicer drive but this road isn't much better in respect of the heavy haulage traffic that uses it, possibly less in volume but the mining industry infrastructure being hauled can at times have general traffic stuck behind the big loads as there are few places where these buggers can be rounded up safely.

The dirt/unsealed stretches are severely affected by adverse weather and lack of maintenance at times too, so it's hard on tyres and anything being towed.

If time and distance is not your enemy the Marble Bar road is a winner.

Safe travels : Joe
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Reply By: Idler Chris - Tuesday, Jun 15, 2021 at 19:43

Tuesday, Jun 15, 2021 at 19:43
I don.t pay any taxes these days and I am more than happy to make way for those that do. Chris
What other people think of me is none of my business.
Do unto others what you would have them do unto you.

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Follow Up By: Allan B (Sunshine Coast) - Tuesday, Jun 15, 2021 at 22:56

Tuesday, Jun 15, 2021 at 22:56
.
Errr, Chris, if your'e buying fuel..... your paying taxes.
Cheers
Allan

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Follow Up By: Batt's - Wednesday, Jun 16, 2021 at 00:28

Wednesday, Jun 16, 2021 at 00:28
So you don't buy food, tyres or pay rego etc etc etc what's your secret ?
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Follow Up By: John Baas - Wednesday, Jun 16, 2021 at 02:18

Wednesday, Jun 16, 2021 at 02:18
I give up... What's the tax sitn got to do with the OP ...?.
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Follow Up By: Les - PK Ranger - Wednesday, Jun 16, 2021 at 06:25

Wednesday, Jun 16, 2021 at 06:25
John B, Chris is saying he will take a slow drive and give way / sit behind those contributing to the countrys' income. (He's retired, and happy to work in with other traffic.)

Me, I'd drive at night through there if it was heavy mines traffic.
The rigs may still be running, but you can see for miles on the straights at least to get passed them.

Took this fuzzy iphone footage passing one in 2018 on that highway, they were running pretty light.

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Follow Up By: Batt's - Wednesday, Jun 16, 2021 at 10:03

Wednesday, Jun 16, 2021 at 10:03
John you quite often get side conversations it even happens with a group of people talking in the street etc skip past them if they bug you.

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Follow Up By: John Baas - Wednesday, Jun 16, 2021 at 10:59

Wednesday, Jun 16, 2021 at 10:59
I wasn't 'bugged'; just perplexed...
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Follow Up By: Bazooka - Thursday, Jun 17, 2021 at 14:45

Thursday, Jun 17, 2021 at 14:45
So what's your take on this lot Chris?

Some of Australia's biggest companies paid more in political donations than tax in 2018-19

Twiggy's worked it out to a T.
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Follow Up By: Allan B (Sunshine Coast) - Sunday, Jun 20, 2021 at 10:07

Sunday, Jun 20, 2021 at 10:07
.
Motherhen,
It's good to 'see' you again Judy.
Haven't heard from you for ages. All well?
Cheers
Allan

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Reply By: Steve in Kakadu - Tuesday, Jun 22, 2021 at 16:17

Tuesday, Jun 22, 2021 at 16:17
So whats the difference between those and 10 caravans sitting up each others backside? At least these things get up to speed, back in the 70s you could easily come across a couple of 7 trailered double decker cattle trucks on the old Stuart Highway.
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Follow Up By: Joe Fury - Tuesday, Jun 22, 2021 at 22:06

Tuesday, Jun 22, 2021 at 22:06
G'day Steve

Can't say 'jack diddly' about 10 caravans sitting up each others backside, it's just something I've not ever seen anywhere in Western Australia, nor have I ever seen, or heard of a 7 trailered double decker 'Maggot' taxi.

Anyway the forum post I opened was purely to give anyone interested a 'heads up' on what's going on regarding heavy haulage on a fairly constant cycle hauling iron ore out of a totally new mining project to the Port Hedland ore shipping facilities.

Then again things have moved on since the 70's a little, I say 'a little' only because I was stuck behind a pair of heavy oversize units not quite up to speed making their way through the Ophthalmia Range on the Great Northern Highway just this evening, thankfully there were just two of these buggers up each others backside.

Safe travels : Joe Fury


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