About 6 months ago I was looking for what trip to do next, probably a solo camping trip just to get away for a bit. Looking for inspiration, I had initially looked at Cape York. A trip I’d love to do sometime, but at over 7,000km, it was a bit far. Most of that would be just regular highway driving too.
So, I started to look at the outback, something I know the kids and Justine wouldn’t miss. The Simpson, while interesting, seemed a bit much to take on as a first solo trip. Then I came across the “Three posts” trip, Cameron, Haddon and Poeppel Corners (State border intersections). This would have included just a nice cut across the north east corner of the Simpson, about 150, not the regular 1100 dunes.
I was pretty much all set to head off the 2nd week of June, to get it done before the Birdsville Big Red Bash in early July. Then floods start to close roads in the area. The water started up in the gulf country after really heavy monsoonal rains in Feb. They slowly made their way down channel country and it was clear the road from Birdsville into the desert would be closed at Eyre creek. Disappointingly, I thought that might be it for this season.
As a side note, some of this flooding was country we crossed, including Urandangi and Tobermorey on the big trip, seeing it like this was so amazing.
Anyway, a Sunday afternoon walk a few months ago ended with a chance encounter with some friends. I was explaining the planned trip to my mate George, he said it sounded really good and then asked if I’d be ok with him tagging along? At that stage this was a bit of a solo trip, but the idea of doing a full crossing with the safety of two cars was just too good of an opportunity to pass up. So within weeks we were back on, this time with a convoy and a full desert crossing.
It’s now expanded a bit, my good neighbour Greg is going to ride shotgun with me, while George is travelling with his brother Nick.
Most of the tracks though the Simpson were created by oil exploration companies in the ’60s and ‘70s and run east/west. Due to prevailing easterly winds, the West to East crossing is considered the easier as the dune have a shallower approach on the west side, and are steeper on the east side.
So from Sydney, we’ll make out way across the Hay Plains, via Mildura and Renmark then up to the Flinders. We’ll spend a few nights there to looking at the sights. From here up to Marree, then the Oodnadatta track all the way up to a small outpost at the start of the desert called Mt Dare.
A 4 night crossing of the desert with a stop at Poeppel Corner, before arriving at Birdsville. Then via Haddon Corner to Innamincka and Burke and Wills country. Finally, home, hopefully via the Old Strzelecki track to Cameron Corner then Tibooburra and White Cliffs. I’ve done the latter three, but they are great places and I wouldn’t want the other guys to miss these spots.
A simple overview, not the exact route or stops, but pretty close
20 odd days, 5000km, and a real adventure. With word that the New Strzelecki track is likely to be sealed soon, it’s good to be able to get to these places while they are still considered remote. Having said that, with the popularity of 4x4ing and the shorter season due to earlier road closures, I’m expecting it to be pretty busy out there.
Here is the trip Map
https://trips-au.wikicamps.co/au/366131/C00252BB-CDE3-4842-9A29-C63113BAE407
