Around the Kennedy Range in five days travelling with a Ninety Two Year Old Lady!

The creators of the project are Dr John Collins (Chair, Track Care WA) who is an expert on outback tourism functionality, a former Kununurra-based air-tourism operator and a former pastoralist at Glenburgh Station that has resulted in a deep understanding of pastoral tourism opportunities, together with an ongoing family connection (that now spans five generations) and love for the Gascoyne Region. Co-creator, Brett Pollack, was the inspiration for creating the Gascoyne Murchison Pathway Project including the Kingsford Smith Mail Run and Wool Wagon Pathways, that both meet at Gascoyne Junction. Former pastoralist at Wooleen Station and past chair of the Our Outback Program Australia (Desert Knowledge), Brett has also been a Tourism Australia recipient of the Specialist Accommodation Award (National and State). This project is intended to be the start of the development of a new and exciting tourism product in the self-drive market that will provide an exciting albeit challenging additional 4WD adventure trail. It will be an add-on to the current Kingsford Smith Mail Run commencing and finishing at the town of Gascoyne Junction. Keeping tourists in the immediate area for an extra week has economic benefits that have been outlined in previous tourism development reports. For example, this five-day tourism itinerary can be available to the self-drive market and fly-in fly-out packages that will leverage established destinations such as Mount Augustus with long-term economic development. This project will encourage better cooperation between pastoralists, DBCA, the Shire of Upper Gascoyne, Tourism WA, Australia’s Golden Outback, Australia’s Coral Coast, Tourism Australia, and also provide additional economic development opportunity for the Shire’s residents. This "new" trail will spotlight the local attractions of astronomy, geology, station stays, birdlife and wildflowers. These attractions appeal to self-drive overlanders, particularly those who are prepared for an authentic 4WD adventure. We believe that the Kennedy Range Loop will be a challenge for the experienced self-drive over-lander who is prepared for an authentic off-road adventure that will be the equal of the Holland Track, the Gus Luck Track, the Birdsville Track, the Canning Stock Route and many other iconic Australian trails. The Kennedy Range Loop Track has definite potential to become a 'must do' destination. Unlike some of those other iconic adventure trails, Gascoyne Junction is relatively close to Perth and can easily be incorporated into other exciting itineraries associated with the Coral Coast or other inland destinations such as Mount Augustus, Karijini National Park or some of the magnificent station stay destinations of the Gascoyne and Murchison Regions.