Australian Outback: A Journey into the Unexpected

Australia is very popular among tourists from all over the world. My friends, a couple in their mid-sixties from Germany, are no exception; and they were back here in our beautiful but controversial country. This time they wanted to travel around Australia for a whole year.

They had bought an old Toyota 4X4 Slide-on-Ute Camper via the Internet in Perth and had made their way to my place in Victoria, arriving in late October. There was a lot to alter, fix and improve – and my place was to be their base.

When they finally had everything to their liking, they said goodbye and left. It wasn’t easy for my friends to choose the right direction as fire, heat, and now floods, lurked everywhere. It wasn’t long before they were in trouble with one of these elements. They had kept away from the bushfires and went westwards; Port Augusta seemed to be a good destination. Then they went north via Quorn, Hawker and Leigh Creek with Coober Pedy in mind. They hadn’t heard of any fire or floods that way and thought they would be alright this time. They passed Marree on the Oodnadatta Track with no worries, turned onto William Creek Road, and more than halfway towards Coober Pedy they found a nice place to camp overnight. 

When the Outback Turns Hostile

That night, they were woken up by a sudden storm and rain. In the morning, they kept going for about 10 kilometres, leaving wheel marks in the soft ground; but they were soon stopped completely by Engenina Creek, which was normally dry but was now a river. Going through was not an option, so they had to turn around. However, that was easier said than done. They tried to find a level spot to do so, and got bogged – with one wheel disappearing deeper and deeper into the mud. And to make it worse, the valve of the tyre snapped off. 

My friends had no other choice than to start digging. It took the rest of the afternoon and the next morning to get rid of the mud around the wheel. Suddenly, they heard a strange noise. A little aircraft flying above the place had spotted the lonely campers; then it disappeared off into the distance.

After the vehicle was freed from the mud hole, my friends finally managed to put the spare wheel on. They tried to make it back to William Creek. It wasn’t long before they were stopped in their tracks again. This time, it was a creek they hadn’t noticed before (except now, it was a waterway). They were trapped.

Help from the Sky: The Lifesaving Airdrop

Again, they heard noise from the sky – another aeroplane was circling above them, but this time from the JRCC. My friends were wondering whether there was an airport nearby. What a surprise to suddenly see two plastic containers on little parachutes landing not far from their vehicle. When they opened them, there was drinking water in little plastic bags, a satellite phone and, most importantly, a two-way radio. They switched the radio on, and my friends were relieved to hear the pilot’s voice. They were told that William Creek Road was completely closed and that driving in any direction was impossible for at least three days.

“Is there anything you need?” asked the voice from the sky. My friends thought fly spray would be good! Otherwise, they were alright.

After some issues with the satellite phone settings, they were also able to communicate with the police station in Coober Pedy twice a day. First up, they were told they had to wait five more days. The next day, they were talking about one more week! However, the most important information was that the William Creek Track towards Coober Pedy would be easier to drive on after a waiting game. My friends eventually drove back towards the Engenina River and found the situation looked a little more hopeful as the water gradually subsided. They gave it a try after a few more days of waiting. It was quite easy by then, and they found a dry place and settled in for the night. 

They lost count of the days they had been trapped. One morning, they woke up to voices that belonged to unexpected visitors – the two police officers with whom they had been communicating, from Coober Pedy. They were worried and wanted to know in person how my friends were doing. The officers insisted on accompanying the couple to Coober Pedy. They realised a short time later how good that was when the spare tyre began losing pressure rapidly, maybe a punch hole! A new tyre was fitted by their road assistance. Finally, they reached Coober Pedy and civilisation again, both in good spirits and in good health after being trapped for one week in the vast Outback.

No need to mention that my friends were more than happy with the help they received. With William Creek Road being completely closed, getting bogged, a flat tyre, water getting low and therefore not quite enough to cook noodles (let alone being able to wash themselves), and the spare tyre slowly losing pressure … it could have easily become a longer story to tell without the help from the sky!  

Category: Other
Written: Sun 01 Dec 2024
Printed: December, 2024
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