Googs Track

[SWW49]

My wife and I are going to travel on the Googs Track early April 2018, along the railway to Kingoonya, then south thru Lake Gairdner to Gawler Ranges.
Any tips or advise would be appreciated.

[Underbelly]

Check out our On The Emu Track blog at https://www.tracktrailer.com.au/googs-track/. We travelled Googs Track in 2016. The camp at Googs Lake is good. We virtually had the track to ourselves.  The biggest dunes are just north of Googs Lake. Keep your tyre pressures down. We found it best to use the main track every time, not the side tracks.

[joga]

I think the track along the railway is closed to all except railway traffic.
They got sick of trains being waved down for minor problems.
It costs a fair bit to get one of those trains back up to speed.

[boobook]

The track from Googs east to the Highway is and always has been open.

To the west, do your homework thoroughly....

[Phil G]

Railway line is public access from Malbooma to Glendambo, and its a well graded dirt road on that section.
Sounds like you are coming up from Ceduna.  Call in to see the OTC satellite dish just north of Ceduna.  You can't go in but its nice to lay eyes on a structure which was vital to our communications with the rest of the world up until about 20 years ago.  Its now used by one of the universities for research purposes.  Can then cut across to Lone Oak and head up Googs track.  Lower your tyre pressures at the gate.  I'd normally run pressures around 16-20psi - makes the driving so easy and you won't chew up the track.
Soon after the dogfence gate you will come up to a turn off to the left - a short track leads you to a beautiful area with an aboriginal rockhole - usually has water when I have visited.
About 10k after the rockhole is the Memorial to Goog and his son.  The story of how and why the track was made is a good one and worth reading up.
Soon after you will come to Googs Lake.  Find your spot and enjoy your camp.  Wood is scare at the camp and plentiful a few k's away so carry in some mulga for a fire.  They parks people needed to close off many of the extra tracks around the lakes because of the high Bogan count - too many knobs destroying the dunes on the edge of the lake.
You can follow the track down to Nalara rock - takes about 2 hours.  Its very corrugated so you need low pressures.  Nice camping at the rock and the rock, which is a large granite outcrop is an enjoyable walk and climb.  Nalara is on the south side of the track.  On the north side is a turn off to Lois rock - track can be a bit overgrown and the rocks are good but not spectacular.  Childara rockhole and tank is outside the park on Lake Everard Station.  Worth a visit but best to ask permission by phoning the station.
Head back to Googs.  The tracks you have been travelling are good for Mallee Fowl - you won't see the birds but if you are heading east or north in the morning the shadows cast make fresh tracks easy to see. The Mallee fowl have 3 front claws and no hind claw. 
As you head up the main track there will be a turn off to the left that is usually marked on maps as a track to Jellabinna rocks. Its a boring track and camping is not good and I gather it leads eventually to the Iluka mine but I have only seen the first section.  The main track heads up towards Mt Finke.  You cross many dunes which although not high seem to trap many inexperienced sand drivers.  As uzual very low pressures will make life easy and avoid you driving too fast in the chopped out sections.  There are places to camp inthe Mallee but the next main camp is at Mt Finke.  As before, bring in wood from outside the camp.  We usually just load up the firewood carrier on the back of the tvan a few k's out.  The climb up Mt Finke is a bit steepish but well worth the effort.  You will also get some telstra coverage from the top. Along the railway line is the only other place you get coverage.  Not a bad idea to have a satphone.  I've had to help out a few other travellers there with usually damage from corrugations - bolts coming loose, things falling off etc - last time I gave my power steering fluid to a guy who's fluid was leaking on his triton.  More corrugations as you head north from Mount Finke towards the railway.  About 15 years ago we welded up a broken camper trailer axle on that road. 
The road along the railway line is good in dry weather but best to stay off in the wet.  Kingoonya has self serve credit card fuel.  Tarcoola is a great town - very few people live there but its worth driving around to see the remains of the old gold mining era - one of the sheds there still has a stamper in it from memory.  Stay at Kingoonya for a night and support the pub if it is open.
The track south of Kingoonya is good - camping at the Lake Gairdner camp is a bit exposed and windy but the views of the lake from the top of the nearby hill are great.  South of there its up to you whether you go via Mt Ive or back into the National Park ar Paney Station.  I'll leave you to read about those.  The only other thing of interest Is Lake Acraman - its the site of a huge glancing meteorite strike when the fragments were eventually found in the Flinders Ranges. Typing this out on my phone and my finger is tired.  Its all very interesting if you do the reading and don't just treat it as a drive.  And buy the Westprint map.

[rark]

Kingoonya to Gawler Ranges is a good drive. Camping at Lake Gairdner is exposed as mentioned but usually you get the place to yourself. A few good side tracks to see other lakes too. From Lake Gairdner you can take some of the station tracks to the South West last some old stone buildings and water tanks before coming into the North West corner of Gawler Ranges NP.

[gregbroome]

Just want to thank everyone making the effort to contribute their local knowledge about Googs, and indeed, all destinations.
Great for trip planning and giving ideas for future wandering.
Cheers.