John McDouall Stuart - Campsites West of Lake Torrens

I had another go at getting south from Chimney Hole Dam and Crozier Creek to Andamooka Waterhole. Got about half way, maybe better than halfway.
Found Stuart’s large dry swamp with reeds. Not the one I’ve been to before. By far the largest dry swamp I’ve seem, maybe one and a half km wide and three [...]

The other day I visited two of John McDouall Stuart’s camps, south of Andamooka Homestead; the camp he called Sand Hill, close to the present day site of Hardie’s Dam and the next campsite which he called Permanent Water.

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The present day Todd Well at the bottom of the ariel photo with the start [...]

So just where did John Mcdouall Stuart camp on the night of Tuesday, 22nd June, 1858, the spot he called Permanent Water Creek?

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Well, I reckon I was there yesterday. There are several dry waterholes in the vicinity of a big bend in Crozier Creek, in a general area that fits with the description [...]

Well, I’ll be heading on another outback trip in the footsteps of the great explorer, John McDouall Stuart, in a few days.

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Swinden’s Crossing at the southern tip of Lake Torrens. This is where I’ll pick up Stuart’s track and follow his next ten days travel and exploration.

The plan is to pick up Stuart’s [...]

John McDouall Stuart camped at Bottle Hill on the night of Wednesday 16 June 1858. I camped there for two nights in September 2007.
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Bottle Hill. John McDouall Stuart climbed the southern peak.
In this photo story I tell of some of my experiences and discoveries while at Bottle Hill.
From Stuart’s journal - Wednesday 16 [...]

John McDouall Stuart at Willaroo Lagoon
From John McDouall Stuart’s journal - Monday, 21st June, 1858:
At eleven miles we came upon a salt lagoon (Wealaroo) two miles long by one broad.
From the north end of it, on a bearing of 55 degrees, one mile and a half will strike Andamoka.

John McDouall Stuart at Andamooka Waterhole
From Stuart’s journal - Monday, 21st June, 1858:
Monday, 21st June, Water Creek.
Started at 9.30 a.m. on a course of 25 degrees. At a mile passed a small table-topped hill to the west of our line; at three miles and a half crossed the creek; at four miles passed another table-topped [...]

Camping Trip to Andamooka Waterhole in August 2006

Contrary to the assessment of John McDouall Stuart, Andamooka Waterhole was as dry as a bone and had been for several years. Bones lay in the deepest part, the remains of cattle unable to get a drink, and stuck in the mud.
On the eastern side of Andamooka Waterhole [...]