Day 18, Sunday 8/07/2012, Birdsville to Cordillo Downs

Breakfast was at 7am in the front dining room (The Lizard Lounge) of the Birdsville Hotel. Of course we had to have the ‘Big Red’. We were lucky to get to the bakery so early as they were almost out of bread already! We had to fuel up at The Birdsville Roadhouse, and this is also the grocery store. They only get a delivery once a fortnight and are already running low on most things. Maybe this peak season was busier than usual. After finishing our purchases we headed to the info centre (which is also centrelink and the library) to check road conditions and closures. Innamincka and the Cordillo Downs Rd are open, yay!! The lady here said “ooh, I wouldn’t go on that road, it’s terrible!” It’s open, so we’ll be there! There was no store at all where you could buy books other than the old 2^nd hand books at the library (poor Peter).

Other than the places mentioned above, there is a small police station, an old closed courthouse, a small school, airport, clinic, hotel and racetrack. Birdsville has the only Geothermal Power Station in Australia. The Diamantina River flows through the town, with a caravan park and a Burke and Wills monument on its banks.  Other than a few houses, that is it for Birdsville.

There were the obligatory Birdsville Hotel posing shots with Jordan getting a lovely one of Fiona and me, and then we headed south. The Diamantina was flowing and there was plenty of birdlife to be seen but we didn’t stop since it was raining. We did cross the river though at the old causeway which was fun.

While photographing the racetrack I asked Lisa if she wanted a race. Col took off though without letting me out but Lisa still jumped out and went for a run on the track. Go Lisa!

Our next stop was to pull over on the Birdsville Development Road for Bruce to clean his air filter. Boy it needed it! You should have seen the red dirt blasted out using his air compressor. Now he wishes he did this before Big Red as he would have had more power.

Shortly after this we turned right on the Cordillo Downs Road passing a beautiful lake and salt pan surrounded by the red gibber plains of the Sturt Stony Desert, with a few emus running by. Given the recent flooding, there is the contrast of pale green grasses across the plains against the deep burgundy of the rocks.

 There are plenty of trees along each creek, with most creeks full. Our lunch stop was at Caldega Outstation Ruins which was used when mustering in the past. It is a gorgeous old house on the Caldega waterhole which was full, with birds galore. Haley decided it was too messy here to try to clean up but Jordan, Jack and Jess were planning their home renovations and picking their rooms.

There was much fun to be had with creek crossings. There were plenty of muddy cars, smiling faces and cameras clicking! We passed only a couple of other groups along this track today.

Time for a history lesson at the old Cordillo Downs stone shearing shed. This was a property with 24000 sheep in the late 1800s. A severe drought drastically took these numbers to a mere 300 sheep, but at the turn of the century they were back to 83000 sheep. It took 30 to 40 donkeys to tow 4 tonnes of wool. Horses couldn’t handle the Strzelecki sand dunes. There was a plaque commemorating the Afghan cameleers which took over from the donkeys.

South of the property the scenery is awesome! There are the burgundy gibber plains of the Sturt Stony Desert, white grasses, and a back drop orange sand dunes of the Strzelecki Desert which were particularly awesome when glowing in the sunset. The storm cloud we were heading towards seems to be dissipating thank goodness (although secretly I would love to get stuck out here).

We found a gorgeous spot to camp, on the NW bank of Montkeleary Creek. It is half full with beautiful gums along the banks. Amazingly it is not cold. There is plenty of firewood available though, washed down from the floods.

After an hour of daylight for exploring, wood collecting, photography and relaxing, we had dinner around an amazing fire.

Peter’s trying to bribe Jordan, Jack and Jessica into lending him their kindle as he was unable to get the 2^nd Hunger Games book at Birdsville. The clouds have gone, the stars are bright and the temperature mild. Dingos were howling throughout the night.

Day 17, Saturday 7/07/2012, Poeppel Corner to Birdsville

I was up at sunrise today getting a gorgeous photo across the salt pan to the west, getting the reverse sunrise colours and the setting moon. It was a chilly morning with ice on the swags again. A bit of a record today having packed up and left by 8.15am for our adventure to Birdsville! This first encompassed driving along the edge of, and then crossing a huge salt pan.

Then there were large swales of gidgee forest, gradually widening as you head east. We kept running into the group (3 vehicles with a homemade trailer and a T Van) that we met at Dalhousie. News from the radio chatter is that yesterday an 80yr old lady came out to Eyre Creek to scatter her husband’s ashes. While there she had a heart attack and had to be medi-vacced out.

It was a very busy QAA track today. Groups of 4wds heading both directions. At one stage we passed a group of motor bikes heading west. One idiot didn’t think his brain was important enough to protect it with a helmet! Next was a lady hiking east towards Birdsville with a “Spot” GPS strapped to her arm. She was hiking the Simpson Desert to raise money for the RFDS. We spent half the day pulling off the track to let others pass by.

There is a gorgeous eucalyptus forest for the final 10km before Eyre Creek.  The creek bed itself made for a lovely lunch stop, under the shade of a coolabah tree...... Unlike the bonnet high water of 2 years ago, the creek was bone dry!

There was another unscheduled stop just before getting to Big Red to make yet another rubber bush for Lisa and Stuarts’s suspension.

The crowd at Big Red was huge. People and cars everywhere. There were 4 tracks up with the left hand track near vertical. Only empty 4wds were attempting this with half not making it. Stuart had a couple of attempts at No2 and made it. Peter and Bruce had a couple of goes at No2 as well but had to end up using No3.

Col got up No2 first try. Go the Landy! Lisa and I then decided to have a go and we both got up No2 first go. Girl power! The crowd were fun with spectators all watching and cheering everyone on. Speaking to people we ascertained that only about 50% of the loaded up vehicles seemed to make it up No2. The rest used No3.

Our Dalhousie friends were nice enough to take a group shot of us on Big Red. The lake was still there on the east side of Big Red, but quite a bit smaller. It is such a beautiful wetland full of birds.

Once you are around the lake detour it is a quick and easy drive to Birdsville.

The very friendly Kim checked us in. We had the exact same room as last time. The others are all jealous as it is also the largest room (sorry not our doing). We do have a family of 4 adults though after all.

Instead of dinner in the dining room we have been relegated to the beer garden for a stew and desert set menu. The dining room was saved for a bus group. I don’t think everyone’s happy about the cold outdoors for eating again but I’m sure the atmosphere will be fun.

After a quick shower and putting some washing in the very convenient hotel laundromat, I had a very scrumptious lamb shanks with vegetables and sticky date pudding.  There was no allocated seating. Some locals and heaps of people from the caravan park were all there for dinner as well. So we all kind of ate in shifts when and where we could. It’s a shame they didn’t reserve tables for those already booked in through the hotel. I was sad not to all sit down together inside the Hotel next to a lovely fireplace. We ended up sitting inside in the front dining room for a drink next to the fire after tea, then as parents took the little ones off to bed, Col, Bruce Fiona and I had a bit of a drink in the Hotel proper. It was packed! We discussed future trips (a shame we don’t get more annual leave). Fiona and Bruce gave me an opal charm for my Pandora bracelet and a card to Col and I to thank us for all the work we put into planning and organising this trip. Thanks so much. I’m glad you appreciate it. I hope you are enjoying the experience. You didn’t need to do that but I do love it!

Back to the Parkes’ suite for tea and coffee with Peter and Lisa joining us. The teenagers had been watching TV in here and everyone else is in bed asleep.

It was another late night trying to do some blogging. It’s just too difficult to keep it up to date when my computer won’t hold a charge long enough to get the typing done as I go. I ruined a good night’s sleep in the hotel trying to catch up. I should just leave it until I get home instead.

Happy birthday Katie.......we love you and miss you!!

Friday 30/7/2010 Birdsville to Cooper Creek at Windorah

(Birdsville to Cooper Creek at Windorah)
Overcast and drizzly. Breakfast in the Birdsville Hotel.
First we checked out flight prices. $660pp to Lake Eyre. Bugger. Too much for four of us, plus the cloud cover is probably too thick to see a lot anyway.
Ran in to Brians crew again this morning. They didn't get to Birdsville last night. His mate got bogged at Eyre Creek which held them up too long and they had to make camp out there.
Checked out where the town gets it's 95 degree C bore water from 1200m down. This supplies Birdsville with electricity, hot water and (cooled) cold water. Wow, great natural resources!
Diamantina River is very full of very brown, muddy water, with thick, gooey, grey clay along the banks. On the south bank we visited a Burke and Wills tree, reading the historical information as our lesson today.
Left at 0910hrs.
I took a photo of the famous Birdsville Racetrack under water.

Heading east on a gravel road, with sections of tar occasionally to cut through the ridge of sand dunes, which are very sparse but still present.
Driving along the northern edge of the Sturt Stoney Desert it is treeless except where a creek bed cuts through.

Jordan and Jack are both engrossed in a James Rollins book each.
It's 1130hrs and we've just passed Cordillo Downs Road which is closed. It is raining. Today we have already driven as far as yesterdays entire trip. (Much quicker off sand).

We just ran into our Birdsville Hotel neighbours at our lunch stop. Fellow 4WD travellers all become best friends out here!
The road south through Arrabury is also closed, so we can't go anywhere near Innamincka at all. We have no choice but to continue east, to camp on the Cooper Creek at Windorah.
There is actually still the occasional red sand dune but over 20km apart.
When almost at Windorah there were sand ridges, spinifex and kites. It felt like a mixture of the Gibson and Simpson deserts. Drove past a flock of about 15 kites, then through a locust swarm which sounded like hail hitting the windscreen.
The town of Windorah is green!
It is the catchment area forr the Cooper Creek, the cause of the floods at Innamincka.
So instead of camping on the Cooper Creek at Innamincka we are camping on the Cooper Creek at Windorah. It is beautiful.

Windorah is a tiny town. We had stopped at the information centre that also doubles as a very small museum. There was a huge photo on the wall showing this part of the Cooper flooded, with all of the multiple branches joined up to form a 1km wide river.
It's not quite that flooded here, and receding. We are camped between those branches. There are a few other campers well scattered along the banks.
We set up camp in light rain at 1600hrs, right on the river bank (but it was 5m above water level).
As soon as the rain stopped we explored a bit, collected wood and made a lovely fire. The kids are keen for a card night.
It is very humid and warm enough for T-shirts at 1830hrs. Whenever we walk we get 3 inches of clay under each boot.

A lovely evening. Dinner, damper with m&ms made by Jordan, then cards by the fire.

Thursday 29/7/2010 Poeppel Corner to Birdsville

(Poeppel Corner to Birdsville)
Packed up in drizzle this morning. We didn't leave until 0930hrs as Brian was talking to Col this morning for about 30 minutes. We headed north along the western edge of the next lake over. It was very wet mud and had to occasionally head off the lake  when it looked too boggy. It went for ever. Longer than it seemed.
We then had to turn east, straight across the centre of the north half of the lake on the QAA Line to Birdsville. It was such a long crossing. Deep ruts, water and mud. After our previous experience we were pretty worried about getting bogged half way across. Staying in the ruts, we kept our speed up and went flying across with mud and water spraying everywhere. The longest claypan crossing we've done, and the recent downpour made it scary but fun with it getting deeper on the eastern side. I think it was getting close to needing to divert north around the top half. Brian contacted us to check if we'd made it across so he knew whether or not to try.

Wildlife galore. A black kite, 2 brown falcons, lots of budgies and gidgee trees in most swales.
There are some beautiful flowers that look like budgies. They remind me of orchids.

We've passed 2 groups so far. Everyone stops and gets info on the track ahead.
Brian's group are about 8km behind us. Lots of radio chatter.

We're seeing lots of red-tailed finches. They are big wide swales now with gidgee forests. The track seems firmer now with a clay base, with sand on the dune peaks.
Jordan had another drive, going across another small clay pan, a side track around deep mud and through some water.
Then Jack had his first turn. He did a donut off the left of the track (in slow motion). They are both brilliant drivers and would be able to get us out of trouble if needed. I think they are both pretty keen to save up for a 4WD now!

Almost at Eyre Creek. Galahs galore!
Eyre Creek is flowing. It is wild with birdlife here. Cockatiels, four kites, budgies, martins (swallows), galahs.

We stopped and chatted to an older couple camped on the eat side of Eyre Creek. They were living in a 4WD bus. She told me that the flower I saw was called "birds beak".
Further north on the creek it was crowded with campers.
It wasn't much further to Big Red.

It really was big and spectacular and really is very red sand. We drove up it without any problems, but it also probably helped that it had rained.

Most things I've read say it is steeper from the east, but it seemed about the same to us.
There is currently a massive lake on the eastern side of Big Red, with a flooded forest of trees and again, birds galore.

Ducks, doves, piwis, white cockatoo, galah, kites, other water birds and a giant eagles nest. It was a huge detour south around the lake.

It was a well graded road and a speed of 80km/hr for the remainder of the trip to Birdsville, arriving at 1700hrs, then changing our watches to 1730hrs their time.
We decided not to set up camp in the mud (clay) next to the Diamantina Billabong in the drizzly rain. A relaxing night in the Birdsville Hotel instead. It was a lovely, clean, spacious 2 bedroom apartment with a loungeroom, out the back of the Hotel. You could park right at the door and the laundry was a couple of doors away.

Showers all round (Aaahhh)! I put the washing on, then we all headed to the Hotel for dinner.
Such a nice pub. Lots of old country charm.
Apparently Innamincka is closed, even to flights at the moment due to flooding. The airstrip is underwater.
The Birdsville Track and Cordillo Downs Road (through the Sturt Stony Desert) are also closed.
The gravel road east is our only option. We aim to head for Arabury Station, then Innamincka if able.
Cameron's Corner is also closed so we may miss the Strzelecki Desert as well.
Looks like we'll have to come back out here again!