Birdsville and the Birdsville Track

Tues 10th – We woke to a wet foggy morning, we could hear the drip drip drip coming off the branches above us, dripping onto the canvas. Don’t think there has been any rain just very heavy fog, at 9.30 it still hasn’t lifted. As we don’t have the annex up we have retreated into he camper for a cuppa and catch up on some reading. We are hoping the sun breaks through so we can dry the canvas before we have to pack up just before lunch. Chris will be trying one of those famous camel pies Smile

Yeh the fog finally cleared to a beautiful sunny day, the canvas dried just in time to pack up. We called into the info centre first, finding out the Birdsville Museum is closed permanently Sad smile . The storm last night which we didn’t get has closed all roads to Innamincka. We were also told by some travellers that The Birdsville track is wet and muddy, even though we are told its open. We are trying to find out some more info as we might head down it today while the sun is out as more rain in coming over the next few days. We were also told water is over the road of the Birdsville Development road to Windorah, so reports say its closed. We travelled on that yesterday so did well to avoid the storm.

Chris had a curried camel pie and said it was ok, don’t think he was real keen, he is not a curry person. $5 a pie. They also have Rabbit, Kangaroo, lamb, sausage rolls and another items.

We popped into the pub, took a few photos and gave the required donation to the flying doctors for taking the photos, it’s a good cause. We sorted out the go for tea tonight but that was before we found out the road situation.

Birdsville-Pub-2 Birdsville-Pub Birdsville-Hotel

The people that told us were owners of an Aussie Swag which they had to wash when the came into town after coming up the track as it was covered in mud. We have also heard the Oodnadatta track could close, things change very quickly out here. We called into the police station in an effort to find the current and correct info. Ok seems like there is a bit of confusion as the police don’t know anything about the Birdsville track being closed and they are trying to find out who is telling people it is. The road to Windorah is currently closed, confirmed by the police. So we are off down the track, yippee.

Birdsville-Track Welcome-to-SA

We stopped at Moongara Channel, approx 74kms from Birdsville on the Birdsville track. A lovely channel of the Diamantina River. It was a beautiful spot with lots of little birds that looked like Budgerigars, very cute, some were paired up as love birds, snugging into each other. Nice spot to stop for a night as one person commented on the CB, that’s if you had, had a shower, guess they wanted that shower in Birdsville.

Wild-Budgie Moongara-Channel-2 Moongara-Channel

So far the track has been pretty good, a little bit of water on the track in a few places but easy to drive around. Some ruts where people had got bogged in days gone by. There are small wet lands close to the road, some with loads of birds. You could see how easily they would cut the road when it rains.

We have pulled off the track about 140kms from Birdsville right next to a sandhill.  Unbeknown to us, some other people also followed the same track we did but went further around behind some trees. You are allowed to free camp 200m from the road.

Freedom-camping

We had our first beautiful sunset for the trip, was amazing colors of pink, orange and purple. We climbed up the top of the sandhill and watched the array of colors until the colour left the sky, Ahh this is what it is all about.

Birdsville-Track-Sunset

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