The Birdsville Loop (Jul11-21 2022)
- Mark Grahame
- Jul 5, 2022
- 4 min read
Updated: Sep 22, 2022
We joined Deb and Graham from TravelWest for a 4WD tag-a-long tour from Charleville out to Quilpie, Birdsville, Innamincka, the Strzelecki, Cameron's Corner, Tibooburra before we head to Bourke.
Deb is an immaculate organiser. Graham is the ultimate "storyteller". It seemed every bend in the road had a story worth sharing. Lots of stops to see "interesting things" and learn more about the Outback.
We're a long way out from Brisbane. And we love going West. Love the country. The people. The remoteness. The sunrises and sunsets. Provides balance to our city life.
A short trip of 4000km!!! Every kilometer simply fabulous.
This is our itinerary.
We've made a collated our videos for the entire trip at the end of this blog.
CHARLEVILLE-QUILPIE-WINDORAH July 11th
Camp Oven dinner and drinks out at Graham and Deb's place at the Charleville Bush Caravan Park. We've stayed here in the van, great place to stay just out of town.
Very cold early morning leaving town. Pharkin freezing.
WINDORAH-BIRDSVILLE via lots of places! Day 2
Very comfortable hotel in Windorah. The vista changes dramatically leaving the rain drenched plains to desert country. This is a place of fabulous landscapes. Amazing sunsets.
Graham's knowledge of history and stopping off at interesting places is what really adds enormous value to this tag-along tour.
Birdsville-BIG RED-Simpson Desert (to Eyre Creek) Day 3
We found the smallest room on earth! NOT in the Birdsville Hotel but in a donga next door. Birdsville is an iconic place though. The Hotel, the race track, fabulous bakery (try the Camel pie... delicious), home of The Bash and access to Desert country with Dunes.
Watching sunrise off Little Red was a highlight.
So climbing the Big Red Dune and then down the track into the Simpson Desert crossing a lot of dunes before smoko at Eyre Creek.
After sunrise at Little Red we headed off for Big Red. The Bash was held overlooking the dune. Would have been spectacular.
Here comes the Triton. Attempt 2.
Then into the Simpson Desert along the track to Eyre Creek.
Then back to Big Red for those keen to earn "bragging rights" in climbing the West face. Did I have another shot? Nah. Much to the surprise of everyone except for T. We climbed Big Red from the West up the "chicken run". Not keen to break the Triton.
A seriously fabulous day in Birdsville and the trip out to the Simpson. The Wirrari Information Centre is DEFINITELY worth a visit. Lots of history.
Birdsville-Haddon Corner-the Dig Tree-Innamincka Day 4
The tour keeps getting better every day. Every day has something sensational. Another story to be shared.
Innamincka is in the middle of everywhere! It's an oasis and oddly accessible by bitumen road from the East. It's the start of the Strzlecki track if you're headed West into SA.
Fabulous hotel. Accommodation is fabulous, very comfortable. The pub and dining hall is a BIG SURPRISE. Very modern.
More exploring awaits in the morning.
Innamincka-Wills' site-Kings Marker-Burke's grave-Cemetry-Trading Post-fishing-drinks on the Cooper Creek - Day 5
T's exhausted so rested in the afternoon after we returned from exploring. We thought it was the flu which I had earlier. A RAT test in Bourke proved it was COVID. Sigh.
Sunsets are just spectacular.
Fishing. Despite our best efforts we could not access Cooper Creek. Thankfully I do not have photos of me having fell into the mud.
Innamincka-Moomba-Cameron's corner via the Strzlecki Track (yay). Then to Tibooburra Hotel. Day 6
We had planned to come back from our Feb/Mar trip via the Strzlecki from Arkaroola. We diverted owing to the rain AND an invitation to join new friends at the Mundi Mundi Bash.
So was very keen to experience the Strzlecki. The dirt road is very well maintained, really surprised.
Arkaroola to the Merty Merty station turnoff is 331km. From Innamincka it was 121km to the turnoff, So we got a fair bit of the track under our belt. And no need to return!
We saw the Silver City Highway when in Broken Hill. It is a fabulous bitumen road all the way here. BH is only 330km south. Might be worth coming back this way from SA and keep headed northeast into Nocundra, Thargominda and then Cunnamulla.
Family Hotel, the pub and the country store all excellent. Loved the pub!
Exploring the region-Milparinka-Depot Glen - Day 7
The itinerary does not do justice to how much there is to see today. A lovely off-road drive through a local cattle property, would love to do that one again and camp out. Visited a gold mine with prospects it may re-open. Then on to visit early explorers (Sturt) who got marooned at Depot Glen. Simply fascinating.
Milparinka was definitely worth a visit. We spent hours exploring the rebuilt houses, reading the informational signs, enjoying the videos, looking at artefacts.
Day 8 Departure for Bourke
Sadly all good things come to an end. For us we chose to challenge "the cut line" which is over 400k of remote dirt track east to Bourke. Thank heavens for our Hema off-road maps. On occasion it felt like we were on a cattle track.
But a really interesting journey with more wildlife than we've seen all trip. Emus. Roos. Lots of cattle.
Our Videos
The first is a collation for the entire trip. Purely intended to compliment the photos taken.
The second is purely the wonderful experience of sunrise on Big Red out of Birdsville. I've included our Big Red photos. We shot drone video and I've placed this before the time lapse sunrise. Loving the time lapse feature on the GOPRO. And the drone gives a very different perspective.
This is our 2nd attempt at climbing Big Red. Lowered tyre pressures to 15psi. Then avoided the previous tracks and drove left wheel on centre and right wheel on the right edge. Lots of fun.
This was our first tag-along tour. And not our last.
Sincere thanks to Deb and Graham from TravelWest. Highly recommended.
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