Birdsville Track

We were so excited as we headed off down one of the most famous outback journeys in Australia.  The track from Birdsville to Marree (523kms) cuts through some of our most arid and desolate country, although much to Bens disgust (due to recent rains) it wasn’t the desert landscape he was expecting.

The track was established in the 1880's as a stock route between Sth Western QLD and the railhead at Marree. It was pretty amazing looking out at the harsh landscape and thinking about the mailmen, Afghan cameleers and stockman who trod this route.  Just two days travel for us took drovers and their stock five weeks.  Apparently in the good years as many as 50,000 head walked the track being watered at waterholes and artesian bores along the way. 



reminder of past track conditions



The advantage of the tracks recent opening after the floods was that it was freshly graded for us, so we made good time on the first section.  We were planning to bush camp at Tippipila Creek but it was a bit windblown and the creek was dry so we decided to push on to Mungerannie.  There is nothing at Mungerannie other than the hotel that sells booz, pub meals and fuel.  They offer cheap camping down by the wetlands created by the natural artesian springs.  There was an abundance of all sorts of birds in the wetlands. We and one other couple had the place to ourselves.  After washing off the dust in the natural hot tub, we had a nice campfire under the stars.         

Camp at Mungerannie





The next day we headed off towards Marree. We took a 30km round trip detour to see the Cooper Creek crossing.  This is the track you take if the Cooper has flooded the Birdsville track .The second half of the track was rougher than the first. Actually it claimed our back window thanks to a rock from the dry Cooper Creek crossing! We had just slowed down for the only car we had seen all day, when we heard the almighty crash.  On inspection the whole window disintegrated and crumbled in front of us.  So amongst a million flies we rigged up our temporary picnic blanket window.  Anything to keep the dust out!  We made it into Marree late in the afternoon, and replaced our blanket with some cardboard that will have to stay on until we get to Alice Springs.



Lunch time!



The Birdsville track was a great experience. Entering the Lake Eyre Basin was exciting and the scenery spectacular as we followed the Diamantina River down through Goyder Lagoon.  The track then passes through the Sturt Stony Desert with its gibber strewn plains, and is surrounded either side by the Simpson, Tiara and Strzelecki Deserts.  The isolation feels very real!