Desert Tour Details
Day 1
Adelaide - Flinders Ranges. We travel the most direct route to Leigh Creek via
the famous Clare Valley Wine Region. Passing
through Orroroo we will see the Central Flinders Ranges on our right arriving
at our accommodation in the late afternoon .
Day 2
Flinders Ranges - Innamincka. The journey starts fairly early
this morning and we head toward Lyndhurst, where we enter the
Strzeleki Track, which brings us all the way to Innamincka. Going through
the "Dog Fence", we enter our first Desert -
Strzeleki Desert. Our first longer stop is at the Montecollina
Bore, which is a real Oasis in the middle of the Desert. From here on the
track will lead us to the Moomba Gas and Oil fields and the last leg of this
long day to the remote Outpost of Innamincka, right on the Cooper Creek.
Day 3
Innamincka - Coongie Lakes - Innamincka. After Breakfast
we will head toward the Coongie Lakes system. These lakes cover an
area of over 25 square kilometers and when full can reach depths of about
2 m. Coongie Lake itself, is fed directly from Coopers Creek and therefore
always carries water. Once we are at the lake the sight of it is awesome;
beautiful blue water in the middle of the Desert. The lake is totally surrounded
by Sand Dunes. Back in Innamincka we join the Cooper Creek Sunset Tour, which
is a great way to finish this fantastic day.
Day 4
Innamincka - Birdsville. Today we will tackle the Cordillo
Road to
Birdsville. This is one of the toughest roads on our
whole trip and for a distance of about 440 km we will need the whole day.
This track brings us through the most remote
region of north eastern South Australia. Half way we will stop at the Cordillo
Downs Homestead. Right next to the Homestead
we visit the largest Shearing Shed in Australia. From Cordillo Downs we cross
the Border of South Australia and Queensland and
after a long day in the Bush we will finish our trip at Birdsville.
Day 5
Birdsville Area. This morning we are going to visit one
of the largest sand dunes in Australia (called the "Big Red") right
on the eastern end
of the Simpson Desert. This sand dune has got everything in it and depending
on the sand condition it may not be possible to drive up to it, simply because
it is too steep and the sand is too soft. Back in Birdsville we enjoy a nice
lunch at the
Birdsville Pub and in the afternoon we travel a short distance to the north
to visit the "Waddi Trees". These trees are very
rare and grow to be extremely old (500 years and more). To finish the day
of we will have the option to visit the Birdsville
Workman Museum; this museum really gives us an inside into how people
worked and survived in the early days in these
remote parts of the world.
Day 6
Birdsville - Marree. Today is the first day we will travel
on the famous Birdsville Track. The track leads us by the Simpson
Desert and through the Sturt Stony Desert. The track became
famous through its cattle runs down to Marree; these days it
is a really enjoyable drive and the road is in tip top condition. We reach
Mungerannie Roadhouse for lunch and relax around
the natural "Swimming Pool"
Day 7
Marree - Wilpena. Marree used to be a very important rail
head and the cattle run from Birdsville and beyond and from Oodnadatta
and beyond in the north used to finish here. We follow the "Old Ghan" railway
line, toward the Flinders Ranges. The further south we go the more populated
it gets. Once we arrive at Lyndhurst the circle of our desert journey closes;
we pass through Leigh Creek again and visit the historical town of Beltana.
Back on the Highway we enter the Central Flinders Ranges to our destination at Wilpena.
Day 8
Wilpena - Adelaide. On the way to Adelaide we are going to have a look at the Alligator Gorge just outside of Quorn. The Gorge is situated in the Southern Flinders Ranges and lies deep down in a Canyon. Going back through the cereal growing country, via the Clare Valley we will arrive back in Adelaide, where we will finish this eventful and most exciting adventure.
