Darwin to Tassie - Part 2

Flinders Ranges and Birdsville Track

After a bit of R&R in Adelaide it was back on the road again for our next adventure. This time we were joined by good friends Cathy, Alex and little Zac, aka Team ZAC, for a 2 week trip up through the Flinders Ranges and along the Birdsville Track via Lake Eyre.

Note: this was in the wrong direction for Tassie and we knew that, but the opportunity to do this trip was there so we took it.

We headed north out of the Adelaide Hills in convoy with an itinerary a little hazy to say the least. Our first port of call was at Jamestown where we called in to say hi to Cherelle and Graham, Broome friends of Cath and Alex's. But with the day quickly getting away and darkness setting in, they kindly offered a floor and bed to crash on for the night - an impromptu offer from lovely hosts which was greatly appreciated as setting up camp in the dark on day one didn't seem like a great way to start the trip!

So with a fresh day, and half the drive under our belt we made our way into the beautiful Flinders Ranges for our first adventures (and day 1 of 6 without a real shower...) of the trip.

The drive along a dry river bed into our first campsite at Brachina Gorge. It was a great little spot to set up for a few days.

Campsite #1 Brachina East, Flinders Ranges National Park 

Settling into our new home for a few nights with an evening drink as dinner gets prepared.

Morning story time as our "barista" Alex gets the coffees brewed.

Making our way to Wilpena Pound Campground (main tourist info area for the Flinders Ranges) to sort out the days activities. The drive itself was spectacular as we meandered through the hills.

Starting our hike up Mount Olsen Bagge along the Wilpena Pound ridge (a bit steeper than we had remembered, or maybe it's just that we are a few years older this time!!).

 Happy hiking family!

The hard work was well worth it with the reward of fantastic views of the pound itself and the surrounding ranges at the top.

Looking over the pound 

Maddy and Zac found the hike quite easy...

Late afternoon views of the northern Flinders Ranges from Stokes Hill lookout on our way back to camp.



Trailer trash Craig! The result of having a run in with a verandah post a few days earlier, and perhaps a few too many years in the Territory...  

Another hike along the Bunyeroo Gorge loop trail. It's always fun exploring nature with Maddy; "what's this daddy?". It's a good thing that she is only 2 and doesn't question my answers that often.

River red gum with a huge hole through its trunk that we could walk through.

Botany class with Lis about cypress pine cones and their seeds.

Team ZAC powering up the track.

Classic view of the Flinders Ranges
...


It was time to leave the Flinders (leaving much more to explore another time) and head north up toward Lake Eyre.

Maree is the gateway to Lake Eyre National Park and also the start of the Birdsville Track. But before heading up to Birdsville we deviated 50 km west of Maree to a private cattle station called "Muloorina", which allows public access to Lake Eyre as well as camping amongst the cows. 



 Front gate to "Muloorina", a 400,000 hectare property running around 4000 Poll Hereford cattle.

...how's that for service.

The service was returned at the next paddock ~ 10 km or more later. 

Campsite on the banks of the Frome River.

 Camp oven gourmet cooking

Making the 60 km corrugated sandy trek out to the south-eastern edge of a dry Lake Eyre at Level Post Bay

First views of Lake Eyre (South) salt pans.

Fly safe snack time

Contemplating the vastness

Lake Eyre panorama - Left

Straight ahead.

Right.

Quick game of Frisbee on the Lake.

Our little explorer loving the wide open spaces.

Plenty of emus in the outback.

 Back on the road again to Maree for a quick fill up before hitting the Birdsville Track!

 
  

Maddy going a bit stir crazy...

The remains of Lake Harry Homestead, previously a date palm plantation and camel trading station.

Corellas

 Lunch stop and Great Artesian Basin bore 'spa' break at Clayton Creek. Finding shade and escape from the flies was a bit of a challenge. 

Our only camping stop along the Track was at Mungerannie Hotel roadhouse and homestead. The campground was along the beautiful wetlands created by an open artesian bore which was host to many birds. These made for an impressively noisy dawn and dusk.

Little corellas and pink galahs

Enjoying the artesian spa which was too hot for Lis and belly, but the kiddies loved it.

Getting ready for the next gourmet camp oven meal - Alex getting the oven ready while Maddy learns the art of outback bread making/kneading.

The mozzie dome came in handy as an (almost) fly free play zone.

 Morning in the desert.
Zac enjoyed many a sunrise walk with Dad.

From Mungerannie we headed north again towards Birdsville, and Lis did her only driving of this section of the trip - a whole 35 km of the Birdsville Track!

Maddy did more driving...

Steaming artesian bore 

Entering the outer regions of the Sturt Stony Desert and gibber country.

In chatting with the locals at the Mungerannie pub it was recommended that we take the Birdsville Inside Track which had just been graded and benefits from less traffic. This turned out to be a nice track along cattle station roads and dunes.

 "The Birdsville Inside Track is the original track that was used by the drovers in the old days. It winds up through Diamantina River flood plains  and becomes impassable after rains. In the 1960's the Outside Track was built to the east of the Diamantina River to keep the route open when the floods occurred."

 Start of the sand dunes as we drive along the edge of the Simpson Desert.

Brolgas

 Coming to the end of the Birdsville Track, we crossed the Queensland border as we rolled into the town of Birdsville!

 Well-earned drink and meal for all at the famous pub that night!

Birdsville is also the gateway to the Simpson Desert to the west, and Alex convinced us to try our vehicles on the famous Big Red sand dune which is the beginning of the Simpson Desert Track. 

 We made it up (the easy side) to the top for a few photos, and left the rest of the track for another day...

Alex getting inspired for future camp oven designs,

then helping Maddy organise the next leg of the trip back down along the Walkers Crossing Track towards Innamincka. 

... 

We had to head back south along the main Birdsville Track about 120 km before branching off east along Walkers Crossing.

Gibber Plains

Souvenir shopping

Planning out the day. It turned out a good track to drive, despite not really knowing what lay ahead and getting told the track wasn't very well sign-posted, if at all.

Wedge-tailed eagle

The track became hard to follow as we got closer to Innamincka due to the many gas and oil exploration tracks and road changes. And following the advice of mining truck drivers over the UHF, we headed off our track without knowing it and ended up going on a Moomba gas plant detour. This was a 60 odd km detour which leads you to Innamincka via Moomba and the Strzelecki Track. The extent of mining exploration in this remote area was quite impressive.

Moomba gas plant

Driving into Innamincka Regional Reserve.

Camping at Cullyamurra Waterhole along the banks of the Cooper Creek. Nice campsite, although access to Australia's biggest billabong was not that great as it was well overgrown with reeds.

Happy campers 

Maddy showing off her new idea of the nappy bib.

Sharing camp breakfast stories

(Note Mum coming in from the left for a quick catch before Zac hits the dust...)

Discussing the ideal camping box set up, aka a future shed project.

Burke and Wills Memorial.

This area holds lots of references to these famous Aussie explorers and their ill-fated attempt to cross the continent from south to north.

Face Tree

Cullyamurra Billabong

 Packing up the tents for the last time as we head back onto the sealed road into civilisation after a fantastic trip through the Outback.

After a night, and welcome warm showers!! at Thargomindah, we said good bye to Team ZAC and made our way east through southern Queensland towards Toowoomba. This marked the start of the next leg of our Darwin to Tassie adventure, as we travelled south this time along the east coast, catching up with family and friends on our way to Tasmania!

Refer to Blog Darwin to Tassie - Part 3

Thanks to Cathy and Alex for the use of their photos for this blog entry.