Simpson Desert

Enjoy it. A great part of Australia.

I just wish I was with you.

Cheers, Brian

The flies are friendly here in Birdsville.
Just a quick update before we hit the Simpson. We stuck to the bitumen to Bourke, our first camp being behind the Mulga Creek pub $10 for the night. Lovely people and good port chops with chips and vege for $18.
Bourke to Hungerford via dirt which varied from rocky, sandy, bulldust pockets, etc. Stopped for a photo of a shingleback and emu. Plenty of roos and cattle.
A quick bev at the Hungerford pub then dirt to Thargomindah where we camped on the Bulloo River. Free hot showers on the other side of town and bitumen all the way to the SA border (wasn't that much bitumen last visit in 2011). Checked out the Dig Tree then to Innamincka where we took the 4WD Walkers Crossing track which joins the Birdsville track to where we are now.
Had plenty of pies from the bakery and was going to have a pub feed but stuck our nose up at the $48 steak. Back to camp for our BYO rump.
Keep you all posted.

As they say, getting there is half the fun. Here is Smed with the Nyngan bogan.



Our camp behind the Mulga Creek pub at Byrock. $10 per night.



Our free camp on the Bulloo River at Thargomindah.

From Thargomindah to Innamincka the road is now bitumen through to the SA border. A slight detour and we check out the Burke and Wills Dig Tree. A shack with information about them plus local info greets you including an honesty box. $11 per vehicle for a visit. There is also kayak hire if you wish to enjoy Cooper Creek.



A sign found on Walkers Crossing which runs from Innamincka to the Birdsville Track.



We camped behind the Birdsville caravan park overlooking the Diamantina River. $30 per night unpowered.

Drifters wrote: Hi Sharon
I ran into some 4WD in the big desert a while back and stopped to chat.
It turned out to be a desert 4WD instructor training some novices in sand driving prior to taking them across the Simpson.
The students were very excited about the adventure.
Phil

Hi Phil,

I googled how many dunes and if google isn't telling porkies there is over 1100 of them. I imagine the novices will be experts after this adventure.

Our first dune climb.



The view from the top of Big Red.



One of the boys brought 'Big Red' along for some photo fun. Doubled up as a tasty accompaniment later on.

sands wrote: I'm sure you will enjoy it Sharon.

It's my favourite part of Australia to visit.

We started at Birdsville so went from east to west. Doing it that way the dunes are steeper but shorter and you don't have the sun in your eyes.

Cheers, Brian

Hi Sands,

Now that we have done the Simpson I totally agree that east to west is the best way to go. As you know you start from the largest dune (30 metres) so the first couple of days is constant climbing. We averaged about 20kph. To do the final stretch with smaller dunes we enjoyed the fact the going was getting easier and we were moving a bit faster. The last 100 plus kms we pumped the tyres back up and didn't need 4WD at all. If one was to travel the opposite way and not prepared for fuel I imagine they would have been watching their fuel gauge at the end of the track when the climbing would use more fuel. However, we only used 90 odd litres but certainly did enjoy that Dalhousie Springs and beverage at the Mt Dare pub. We passed 11 vehicles in total.

One of our camps amongst the sand dunes.



Pumping the tyres back up. We answered our own question. The split rims managed the Simpson running at 20 pounds.



A pleasant refreshment at SA's most northern pub at Mt Dare. For $10 you can leave your stubby cooler on display, all proceeds go to the RFDS. They have raised $14,000.