Googs Track

Googs Track is a 200-kilometre soft-sand dune run north of Ceduna, cut by Goog Denton and his son through the Yumbarra and Yellabinna dunefields in the 1970s so they could reach country to the north. Around 300 dunes stand between the start and the Trans-Australian railway, and it has become the classic Simpson warm-up, but that undersells it. Googs is a serious sand track in its own right, and plenty of people who took it lightly have spent an afternoon digging out a bogged rig. ## The route The track runs roughly south to north from near Ceduna up to the Trans-Australian rail line near Malbooma. The dunes build steadily from the southern start, and about halfway you reach Googs Lake, a wide dry salt lake that makes a stunning overnight camp, with a memorial marking Goog and his son. From the lake it is more dunes north to the railway, and from there gravel out to Kingoonya and the Stuart Highway at Glendambo. Most people take two days and camp at Googs Lake, which is the highlight of the trip. ## Can your rig do it Googs is a rig-rating 5 sand track, and no conventional van belongs on it. It is single-lane for much of its length, the dunes are steep and soft, and the realistic setup is a rooftop-tent 4WD or a lightweight off-road camper trailer that will follow you over the crests. A big soft-floor van will not climb the dunes and will bog badly, blocking the track for everyone behind. If you are unsure where your rig sits, our [rig-rating system](/articles/can-my-van-do-this-rig-rating-explained) lays it out honestly, and [how to choose an off-road caravan](/articles/how-to-choose-an-off-road-caravan) is worth a look if you are shopping for something that can handle sand. ## Fuel water and comms There is no fuel on Googs itself. Fill up at Ceduna before you start and plan for the run out to Kingoonya or Glendambo at the northern end, a gap that can approach 300 kilometres of sand and gravel where consumption runs high. Carry all your own water — there is none reliable on the track, and Googs Lake is salt. There is no mobile coverage, so a satellite phone or PLB is essential. It is popular in season but you should always be prepared to self-recover. ## Permits and closures There is no general permit for the track itself, but it runs through Yumbarra Conservation Park and Yellabinna Regional Reserve, so check the current access arrangements and any camping fees with SA DEW before you go. The track can close after rain and the summer heat out here is dangerous — soft sand and high temperatures are a bad combination for both bogging and engine strain. Treat closure and access details as something to verify with SA DEW or the Ceduna visitor centre before departure, because conditions change. ## When to go April to October keeps you out of the worst heat, and the sand is firmest in the cool of the morning, so we tackle the biggest dune sections early in the day. Air down hard before you start (soft sand demands low pressures, often well under 20 psi) and fit a sand flag and UHF for the single-lane crests. Give way to vehicles climbing, and if you do bog, back off the throttle and dig rather than spinning yourself deeper. ## Camps along the way Googs Lake is the camp everyone remembers — a huge dry salt pan ringed by dunes, big open sky and a real sense of remoteness. There are informal spots along the track too, but the lake is the one to aim for. Googs makes an ideal shakedown before the Simpson or a run up the [Oodnadatta Track](/trails/oodnadatta-track), and it slots into a wider South Australian outback loop. Get your sand driving sorted here and the bigger crossings will feel a lot less daunting.