Len Beadell, who has been called the last of the true Australian explorers was born in 1923.

With an avid interest in surveying, he began his career on a military mapping project in the early stages of World War II, serving in the army survey corps in New Guinea. In 1946 Len carried out the initial surveys needed to establish the Woomera rocket range, and it was this decision that was to lead to a lifetime of camping, surveying, exploring and roadmaking in the vast empty areas of Central Australia. He opened up for the first time, more than 2.5 million square kilometres of the Great Sandy Desert, Gibson and Great Victoria Deserts. Len chose the sites for the British atomic bomb tests at Emu and Maralinga, and he named many geographical points after members of his family. Our travels will take us past and along many of Len and his Gunbarrel Construction Parties' hard earned achievements, as well as through traditional Pitjantjatjara Aboriginal lands.

Our tour departs from Coober Pedy travelling west through Mabel Creek station to Tallaringa well, and along the Anne Beadell Highway to the Emu atomic bomb site. At Anne's Corner we turn north/northwest along the Mount Davies road, following this track through dunes and spinifex plains to the Tomkinson Ranges and Surveyor General's corner (NT,SA & WA Border). Heading east we travel along the Mann and Musgrave Ranges on the Mulga Park Road (which was the original Gunbarrel Highway) to South Australia's highest mountain, Mt Woodroffe. Our journey then turns north along station tracks to join the Lasseter Highway, and we travel via Uluru (Ayers rock), Kata Tjuta (The Olgas), the Tjukururu road, and along the Petermann ranges, to the Sandy Blight road. Turning north through extensive desert oak forests and mulga thickets, we cross the Bonython and Kintore ranges to Sandy Blight Junction. From there the Garry Junction road and rugged West McDonnell ranges lead us into Alice Springs to conclude our journey through this incredible area of Australia.

Parts of this tour can only be taken with the permission of the Anangu Pitjantjatjara people, and as such can or may be changed at any time.

We suggest you call into the Heritage Centre at Woomera on your way to Coober Pedy and enjoy several hours reading and looking at the history surrounding Len's and the space centre's achievements. You can also visit the cemetery where Len's ashes are buried. Len's books also make very good reading, joining humour and history together.

Included in tour fees

• Welcoming dinner day 1
• All National Park, Aboriginal access and camping fees
• Toilet facilities and bush showers where water is available
• Camp cooking plate - packing and cooking hints
• Services of experienced tour leader and fully equipped escort vehicle
• Satellite Phone, HF radio and emergency first aid chest

This tour is not suitable for trailers or low clearance vehicles.