
People travelling on the Canning Stock Route and other visitors to Martu ngurra (country) are being warned about travelling north past Well 33.
With reports of flooding in areas along the Canning Stock Route, visitors to Martu ngurra are invited to use alternative routes to Telfer via Punmu.
It is currently not possible to continue northwards on the Canning Stock Route between Well 51 and Billiluna. Travellers have been exiting via Mulan, however the tracks being used are not the standard open tracks they may be used to.
It is important that travellers remember that they must stay on designated tracks at all times, and must never make their own tracks.
If there is water over the road or the road is boggy, the road is closed.
The Martu land council, Jamukurnu-Yapalikurnu Aboriginal Corporation (JYAC) is advising travellers to exit the stock route at Kunawarritji, and go west (via Punmu and Telfer) to the Great Northern Highway or east (via Kiwirrkurra) to the Northern Territory.
“This is a great trip to make and turning west into other parts of Martu ngurra and the Pilbara, or east into the Territory will still be a great Western Desert drive,” JYAC CEO Tony McRae said.
“Be sure to research and plan your trip, and be well prepared with food, fuel and emergency supplies.
“Stores at Kunawarritji and Punmu are open and can provide fuel and food for travellers changing their initial plans due to flooding.
“Martu ngurra has some of the most beautiful landscapes in the world.
“This is a great trip to make and will still be a great Western Desert drive,” he said.
Jamukurnu-Yapalikurnu Aboriginal Corporation (Grandfathers country-Grandmothers country) is the trustee for Martu lands, covering more than 150,000 square kilometres of the Western Desert in Western Australia (an area 2/3 of the size of Victoria)