Cooper Creek to Birdsville

Mon 9th – Mmm be good if we could keep this place to ourselves. We woke to the sounds of birds chirping, expecting grey skies we were pleased to see blue sky with fluffy white clouds.

There is loads of birds life here, could easy spend the day relaxing by the Cooper taking birds photos. Lots of Pelicans, Herons, Daters, Egrets, Kites and some other beautiful little birds in the amazing rivers gums with touches of yellow on their feathers. This place gets a 5 star in our book. If the breeze wasn’t so stiff be nice to have a paddle down the river.

Pelicans-taking-a-bath Pelicans Heron

We take it slow this morning enjoying the tranquillity of the spot, deciding the have morning tea here before we make the last leg to Birdsville.  It was overcast and breezy when we hit the road at 10.30.

Ohh exciting, the amazing sites you see. A horse and cart, called the Humpy only been pulled by 2 camels and 4 others tethered to the sides . On board was an older couple and a dog. Awesome 🙂

Humpy

Yesterday we had to avoid road kill today its tumble weeds. We hit the dirt about 260kms from Birdsville. We haven’t seen a lot of traffic on the tar for the last day, few cars here and there but wow, it’s peak time. Groups of 4×4’s showering us in red dust as they pass. Maybe it’s groups that have done the Simpson as some have flags, all have spare tyres, max tracks and other gear on their roofs.

Birdsville is a hive of activity and it’s warm, 26 degrees and I’m wearing track pants.  The caravan park is doing a roaring trade with people lined up on the road trying to get in. We are heading for the free camping area in town. Ouch, it hurts at the bowser when you have two tanks and they are both nearly empty, fuel was $1.78 per L.

The camping at the windmill is real bush camping, dirt and dust and grey looking river. Compared to the caravan park this area is pretty empty with only 2 other campers but when the races are on it would be packed. There is a bus pickup near the main road for picking up campers for the races. We thought it was strange for there to be so few campers here but we are thinking maybe people who have come across the simmo and haven’t had a shower for a while are keen to have a long soak in the parks showers.

Windmill

There are still flies here, not as bad as when we were here in April but we have surprised how many there still are.

Wildflowers