Temperatures: During the travelling season on the stock route (April to September inclusive), daytime temperatures are pleasantly mild, but at sundown a rapid change takes place and zero and sub zero temperatures are experienced most nights.

Fuel and limited supplies are available en route (careful planning is required). Fuel (usually not petrol) is available from Granite Peak pastoral station in the south, Parnngurr (Cotton Creek) and Kunawarritji (Well 33) in the centre and Billiluna in the north. Most do not accept credit cards, some have EFTPOS. Opening times are usually restricted. Expect to pay nealy double city prices. Some provisions, limited to canned and frozen, are available except at Granite Peaks. It is advisable to make contact prior to arrival to ensure supply and to confirm opening hours. The bulk fuel drop at Well 23 from Capricorn Roadhouse, Newman (08) 9175 1535, has recommenced (confirmed April 2009). They require 6 weeks notice and you must provide your own pump. Repair and mechanical facilities are not generally available along the route.

Communications: All vehicles should be equipped with UHF 2-way radios tuned to channel 40 (the highway channel). Frequent broadcasts of arrival and departure from key locations, with the direction of travel and the number of vehicles in the group, gives other travellers notice of oncoming traffic. Courtesy is the key to safety in the outback and not monopolising the channel gives other users opportunities to broadcast their movements. Social chatter should be conducted on another channel - one group vehicle should have the facility to scan channel 40 for local traffic. Each group should have either a HF radio connecting to the Royal Flying Doctor network of preferably the VKS network (www.vks737.on.net/) or a modern, portable satellite phone. These can be readily hired and are an inexpensive safety item when facing an emergency situation in the outback. Digital EPIRBs can also be short-term hired and are also good insurance in an emergency situation but do not have a 2-way communication ability. Activating an EPIRB has serious logistical consequences and should not be considered except in the most dire of circumstances.

Permission is required to access Aboriginal lands adjacent to the stock route. Traditional owners should accompany anyone who wants to access areas off the track.

Outback Travel: For guidelines for outback travel refer to www.exploroz.com/Default.aspx for a complete discussion from preparation to survival. Travel between September and April is not advisable due to extreme tempaeratures and rain during the Northern wet season. The track is generally only single vehicle wide and negotiating the sand dunes requires tyre pressure to be decreased. For track conditions (and closures) access the websites www.exploroz.com/WA/Roads.aspx or www.dec.wa.gov.au/parks-and-recreation/parks-trails-and-road-closures/index.html. Caravans and trailers are fobidden on the SCR between Well 3 and Well 4A. For numerous reasons the use of trailers is rigorously discouraged - broken remains are testament to the wisdom of this advice. In many parts the track is very badly corrugated. This is the single most destructive agent along the CSR and should be understated. Travellers must carry spare shock absorbers and pack lightly.

Camping along the track is one of the absolute joys of the journey. The romance of the campfire is hard to beat and one of the enduring images of the outback. But for the CSR it comes at a price. There is now very limited firewood available along the desert (spinifex and desert oak) sections of the track. Most popular campsites have no firewood and determined tourists have resorted to chainsawing living trees. Apart from being illegal this shows no respect to those coming after. The message of today is: take a gas cooker and carry firewood from places more abundant, and use firewood sparingly.

Water Supply along the track is infrequent in the northern section but more readily accessable in the southern part where there has been more effort in renovating the original wells. The standard precautions of boiling or chemically treating water must be applied prior to consumption. Check the Canning Stock Route Well Condition Summary for a summary of water availability and quality.