Crossing The Simpson Desert - Part 1

After months of preparation the day of our departure had finally arrived. 

Day 1 (8 Aug 2009)

Up early to pack the last few things then to the big "M" at Hogans Corner, Hoppers Crossing to meet with the others for our traditional breakfast before leaving on a 4 x 4 adventure. At 6:12 AM we left for our 14 day journey that would prove to be challenging yet rewarding and the most memorable. My notes read - 'left pillow at home' - at least I discovered this before we reached Adelaide so was able to purchase one there.

The 'Magnificent Seven'

Our first night stop was Port Wakefield some 800 Km, the first casualty was my 7" display screen mounted on the dashboard which I used to display Memory Maps to track and folow our route, packing up just outside Horsham.    Problem was solved by adjusting the rear-view mirror so I could see my PC screen, I became quite proficient in reading the maps in the mirror image.

We reached Port Wakefield around 5:30 PM after a brief stop in Adelaide to purchase fruit and vegetables which cannot be brought across the Victoria boarder.

Day 2 (9 Aug.)

We were up and on the road by sunrise as we had another long day of driving to our next night stop.

We stopped at Hawker to refuel then on to Wilpena Pound and the Flinders Ranges, sad to see them so dry but still a spectacular drive and our first taste of sand.

We left the ranges through Blinman then on to Leigh Creek (our night stop) arriving at 5:30 PM after some 540 KM.

Day 3 (10 Aug)

Early departure and made a brief stop at Farina (63 Km) now a ghost town, it was settled in 1878, in its heyday it had two hotels, an underground bakery, a bank two breweries, a general store, an Anglican Church, five blacksmiths, a school and a brothel. The post office closed in the 1960's  and the railway line closed in the 1980's.

We left at 8:46 AM then it was on to Marree and then Birdsville Track

along the way we found a place to "play"

Then we were on our way to Mungerannie hotel for lunch and Joff was able to replace the tyre he had "shredded" on the track when he did not realize that he had a puncture!   We continued up the track to Tipipilla Creek camp site arriving at 6 PM after some 461 Km.

Day 4 (11 Aug.)

Sun Rise

We departed for the last 182 Km to Birdsville at 9 AM arriving before lunch. After setting up camp and doing the washing it was off to Big Red for some fun and did we have some fun! We all got up the West side left track which is the most difficult and it was late when we finally called it a day and returned to camp. Big Red is the largest and most famous dune in the Simpson, it is 40 meters high.  

(Click on photos to enlarge)

Until next time ............................ Remember life is an adventure, enjoy it.

Weekend at Corinella

We booked some months ago at Corinella Caravan Park for the Labour Day weekend, its only 140 Km from home. We decided to leave from my place of work as its only 5 minuets off the road we had to take and about a third of the distance, so we packed the van on Thursday, well Kathleen did most of the packing, leaving home at 7 AM Friday morning for our traditional breakfast at the big M then on to the office. We left the office at 3 PM (thanks Boss) only to find out that about a hundred thousand other people had the same idea and so we joined the mass of vehicles moving ever so slowly towards the coast, it took us 40 minuets to do 20 Km! Consequently we arrived an hour later than expected, never the less we had a great site with a beauts view of the bay and soon had the camp sorted, not long after Chareen and family (who were spending a week camping there) joined us for dinner.

Chareen's sunset photo

Saturday morning we decided to go to Phillip Island, home of the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix is held each year in October. It's about a 24 Km drive, we have been there a number of times so today it was just an outing to see the changes. We stopped in at a small morning market then down to Cows Beach and had a delicious pie for lunch then a walk on the beach to the Yacht Club, after watching a few yachts preparing for a race we decided it was time to return to camp as by this time it was mid afternoon.

On the way back we stopped at a surf shop for a photo shoot, here are a few photo's

Nadeen and family arrived early on Sunday to spend the day, we walked down to the jetty to have a look at the resident seal who the locals have named 'Flipper'

After lunch we went to Coronet Bay as the beach is just great for the young ones to swim, we took Paul's canoe and they sure had a good time.

When the tide came in later in the afternoon we were able to launch the tinny which some local friends Barry and Lynn had loaned us.  Paul took the boy's out and later Johan for a spot of fishing, but no luck that day.

Next morning we packed and left for home by 11 AM. All in all a most relaxing weekend, good weather - just what we needed.

Until next time ...................... Laugh a lot

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More Trip Planning

We have done some trip planning with the help of Memory Map and Camps to decide where to stay and what we think we should visit. She who must be obeyed has decreed that we will spend a day in Coober Pedy as for the first three days we will be doing 540 Km per day. I think we should take a trundle to Oodnadatta and have lunch at the Pink Road House, they make a great burger, I had stayed there after crossing the Simpson Desert in 2009,  it's only 200 Km each way!

From Coober Pedy its a two day 700 Km trip to Alice Springs, although we visited in 2009 we have a few places we did nit get to so want to visit Emily & Jessie Gaps, Stanley Chasm and Simpson Gap. 35 Km from Alice Springs we pass the Tropic of Capricorn and our next night stop will be the Devils Marbles with a late departure to the next day to Tenant Creek for lunch and on to the Banka Banka Cattle Station for the night. Depending on how we feel we will either stop at Daily Waters Pub or drive on to Katherine where we will spend two days visiting the Cutta Cutta Caves, Hot Springs, Edith Falls and The Gorge.

We will spend the next two nights in the Kakadu National Park at Jabiru visiting the Mirrai Lookout, Maguk, Yellow Water Billabong, Maguk Gorge and Jim Jim Falls, then on to Virginia where we will stay for four nights while we visit Darwin, as we will be there on a Sunday we will be able to visit the  Mindil Beach Sunset Market and the other attractions.

That is what our aim is for the first 18 days, sounds a bit ambitious, but as we only have two months to complete the trip this is what we will have to do to keep to the time line.

Next weekend we are taking the caravan to Corinella for the long weekend, it's about 135 Km a two hour drive from home just before Philip Island for a relaxing weekend.

Until next time............Life's an echo

Trip Planning

• Part 1
• Part 2
• Part 3
• Part 4

The Outback - A Dream Come True Part 6 (Conclusion)

THE STORY OF OUR OUTBACK ADVENTURE CONTINUES 

Thursday 14^th June:

Had breakfast and the trek to find Burkes grave and the Dig Tree. History is wonderful and when we looked around this area and to think back to those early days when they trekked around Australia it must have been extremely hard especially the heat let alone all the insects and lack of water etc. For those who do not know this history I strongly suggest you get a book out about these fellows it’s very interesting. The Dig Tree has a sculpture calved out in the tree trunk and next to all this the whole history of this camp 65 and where all the trouble of loss of lives etc happened.

The Dig Tree

We went back to camp had lunch then off to Wills grave but this whole river bed is full of history and each camp place has its story

Burke

Friday 15^th June:
Innamincka, a day of rest for all, I think the travelling has got to us a bit so Nathan, Dennis

Time to relax

and Maryleen decided to go and get some more fire wood for the night and also to do some more sight seeing around this area. Me, I sat put, placed my chair by the river and knitted and watched the bird life. This place has the most amazing bird life, I had my book of birds and every now and then would have to look up to see what sort of bird that flew by. It was so lovely just sitting there and doing nothing, it also gave my body some time to recuperate from all the bouncing of roads that I have been on for the last couple of weeks.

Some Bird Life

King

Wills

Saturday 16^th June:

We left at about 9h15am going through the Bore track down to Ballards Lagoon which is private property charging $10 to use their roads. This track is through part of the StrzeleckiDesert. Thank goodness for the directions which Dennis got of the net, it was a life saver in the beginning.The desert is red sand and most places very sandy the photo is of the rains that had fallen a couple of weeks back covering the roads hence us having to drive around the edges to get to the other side.

The desert is another place and very hard to describe the feeling driving through, peaceful and yet it can be very treacherous especially if you get bogged in and you have told nobody of your travel plans.

                                        'Roos'                                                             'Dingo'

We were going to stay at Cameron’s Corner stopped there and decided to carry onto Tibooburra arriving there dusk and tired and Motel rooms were the answer. We also went to dinner at the Tibooburra Hotel which served up a wonderful dinner. It was just wonderful sleeping in a bed again.

Cameron's Corner

Tibooburra 

Sunday 17^th June:

We drove straight through to Broken Hill arriving at 13h15 first stopping for lunch at Burger King for lunch set up camp Weather cold and windy and not pleasant.

Monday 18^th June:

It is bitterly cold this morning the wind is blowing and not pleasant at all thank goodness for the field kitchen but we spoilt ourselves and had Maco’s for breko. That coffee was just wonderful and the warmth of the restaurant wonderful.
It was off to Silverton which is known as a ghost town to show Maryleen and Nathan walked around there.

This gentleman that does the coin carvery looks after injured animals it’s too cute to see. He also makes the most beautiful jewellery

It was then back to Broken Hill ton have a look at 3 Argent Street where

 my (Kathleen's) Great Grandmother lived and mother was born. 

Maryleen decided to sit on the park bench

and watch the sunset

Tuesday19^th June:

Packed up camp and on the road homeward bound. Stopping at Mildura for Petrol and Lunch. Stopping at Birchip 3h30 for afternoon tea, too cold to carry on camping so home it was and arriving after 7pm

DOZER ALL IN ONE PIECE

Maryleen and Nathan safely home

DINGO ALL IN ONE PIECE.

Dennis and Kathleen’s dream complete!

Until next time.......................Share Happiness