Windorah is smack bang in the middle of the channel country, a fertile area of grazing land that produces some of the worlds best beef cattle. You wander across the valley floor, surrounded by the most spectacular ochre-coloured hills. I was not sure about the road condition, but as it turned out, the road was quite do-able. Recommended road trip circuit from Brisbane: St George; Cunnamulla; Thargomindah; Innamincka; Birdsville; Birdsville to Brisbane via Windorah and Roma; Things to Pack: Enough bottled water to last at least 3 days (plus some extra) Snacks for the road trip; At least 3 days of dry food for meals that will keep in the car. By 4WD Tracks: Via the QAA/French Line (across the Simpson Desert & via Big Red) Via the 'Inside' Birdsville Track (dry weather only) If you're planning a trip to Birdsville as part of a bigger . Lots of stone chips if lucky ( 5 my first trip ) now l just get way of the road when l see them comming , who needs a broken windscreen or window. Although if youre the driver, you wont have much of a chance to sightsee! Mungerannie is the last . Return to Your Outback Driving Questions and Stories. kind. Time to continue along the Warrego: next stop Dalby. Visit the Burke and Wills Tree 7. For an appreciation of life in the outback, visit the Charleville School of Distance Education and the visitor centre of the Royal Flying Doctor Service. Make sure you stop into the Betoota Hotel for a coldie.. So whats the road like? We had no idea the Cooper Creek basin and northwards is actually an ancient valley. The Loop Road crosses gibber plains then meanders along a series of watercourses for ages. This Heritage listed cottage constructed in the 1880s of stone and compacted rubble houses an array of historical artefacts including machinery, photographs, communications, homewares and much more. but this should give you an idea of the fuel consumption differences between the desert and other road conditions. We fitted new tyres A/T to both before heading off which included the Birdville and Oodnadatta tracks and The Plenty Highway (Track) then back to the Tropics. Be careful of the sand dunes. Then you turn left onto Moomba Road. Youll be amazed how much the country changes between Tibooburra and Innamincka from vast gibber plains to tall sand dunes and even vast shallow lakes after decent rain. Windorah is an Aboriginal word meaning big fish, which is fitting given that there are huge yellowbelly cruising the depths of the Cooper Creek near Windorah. Further make sure you have a UHF CB radio. Birdsville Hotel general manager Ben Fullagar said Birdsville remained accessible via road from the north, or via the airport. Around 50km before the turnoff, youll see the road into Haddon Corner which is about 15km each way. From up here, youll see how the water flows vaguely south towards Tibooburra. Hi, you could call the Birdsville Hotel, or the Caravan Park, or the Birdsville Police. in western Queensland, around Alice Springs and in South Africa.Listen to the eerie noise of the wind howling through these ancient trees. The centre pays homage to the rich wool and pastoral history that founded the area and its not hard to spend a day walking around there. Once Australia's most hazardous stock route, the Birdsville Track is still an unsealed road but maintained so that you can travel in either a 4WD or SUV with a caravan or camper trailer. And this is where things get interesting. No 4wd towing a camper too, I was up in that area in 2014 and passed many 2wds including small hatch backs with low ground clearance and huge overloaded motorhomes full of grey nomads. If you trace your fingers along a map of the Matilda Way and Adventure Way, theyll meet each Youve probably heard of the Channel Country, but chances are, you have no idea where to find it. Qantas Founders Museum in Longreach is an award winning museum and cultural display that tells the story of 10 things I bet you didnt know about Outback Queensland #PART 1, 10 things you didnt know about the Channel Country, Private: 10 reasons to Take Off to Qantas Founders Museum. Make sure you come prepared with your favourite sunset drinks and nibbles so you can really soak up the serenity of the perfect sunset location. The journey begins along the Birdsville Developmental Road heading East towards Betoota and Windorah. Visit the extremely rare Waddi trees, which only grow in three places in the world and, if youre lucky enough to time your visit with one of the many annual events, witness incredible displays of horsemanship at the gymkhanas, rodeos, bronco branding and race meets in the Diamantina shire. Enjoy. Success! It is been a while since I drove the route that is also known as the Bilby Way. The road is well-formed all the way to and beyond Omicron Station. We chose the three states in one day option, a loop up and into Queensland then across to Innamincka. Coober . Licenses are required to fossick but theyre relatively cheap and readily available at the Information Centre, where you can also get a map to show you the best places for a days exploring and fossicking. Lake Constance and Hunters Gorge are important wetlands and supporting breeding populations of numerous resident and migratory birds. And the fuel consumption on this thing is silly at around 450klms a tank. Well, I hope you like corrugations! The surrounding flat-topped mesas hinted where the original tableland had been millions of years ago. Moomba Road finally hits a T intersection where Moomba Road continues to the left. Forlorn places, shimmering mirages, exactly what we expect the Australian Outback looks like. Many travel here for its therapeutic benefits. To think Charles Sturt traversed this country then decided to walk back through it because he was fascinated by the landscape, defies belief. sections are usually in good condition. A program including 3 separate projects has been completed, sealing around 35km of dirt road between Bedourie and Birdsville. That was until they made history as the last Australian bushrangers trialled for murder right here by the side of the Warrego in the Mitchell courthouse. And last but not least, if you continue past the Old Strzelecki Track turnoff youll reach the Strzelecki Track. The road out to Big Red should be ok as they the big bash will be out there on the 7 July so I expect it may be recently graded but with traffic it's unknown. Weather and Warnings . Good sections are few and far between. In fact, we were lucky to see the corner like this. Birdsville is a friendly place, and you shouldn't have any problems. Delectable home baked goodies line the shelves just waiting to tempt you and your taste buds will be eternally grateful so give in to this temptation. Once out of Toowoomba the paddocks open up and you are now well and truly in the Darling Downs. Thanks for your info Dreamcatcher. Any personal "report" will be out of date and meaningless within 24 hours. Are you able to get from Tibooburra to Innaminka and the Dig Tree in a two wheel drive? its sandy, stoney and dirt. The fascination of Outback Australia is the ever-changing scenery. You just have to slow down and be curtious to all other road users. After a full day or two in Miles its time to head due west to Roma, 140 kilometres further along the Warrego. The distance between Windorah and Birdsville is 335 km. Into bushranger territory, the Warrego now takes you on your journey to Mitchell through the villages of Muckadilla and Amby. Some of the bull dust holes at the top of the sand dune crests are big enough to swallow a small car. Weve tried to take Cordillo Downs Road many times. The road conditions can vary and you may find yourself travelling over a diverse range of surfaces from sand dunes to gibber pains. If you click through and make a purchase, we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Find a Sturt Desert Pea wildflower 5. Hear the sound of the didgeridoo and watch Aboriginal artists at work at the C.D.E.P. Hoping to drive from Darwin to Emerald in August and considering a detour to Birdsville. Bedourie, another small bush town with true Outback character. In the next day just wondering if anyone has driven the road between Windorah and Birdsville I will be driving a Holden Colorado with a semi off caravan. The museum is 3 kilometres outside of Eromanga off the sealed Mt. We are leaving Plainland around 30th Aug along with our tent and look forward to meeting up with others travelling the same road, cheers to all. Just stick to the main routes, like Cameron Corner out to the Strzelecki Track, then up to Innamincka. The eastern option from Birdsville is along the Birdsville Developmental Road to Windorah, the heart of the channel country. So what are your choices? its a rough gravel road with small bits of bitumen and can be a little rocky but just take it easy. Low jump-ups, shimmering mirages and stony plains as far as you can see. Route: Brisbane - Chinchilla - Roma - Charleville - Windorah - Birdsville. The hills themselves are full of colour, similar to [the Painted Desert in South Australia] just on a smaller scale. only prob ive had is idiots coming the other way that dont slow down. Hey, I rode an old ex-army dispatch rider's bike from Alice Springs to Port Augusta on what is now called the "Oodnadatta Track" back in 1959. Above all, enjoy the remoteness. It is home to the mysterious Min Min Light, an unexplained ball of light that . The bike was a BSA 250cc, four-stroke. Thats another reason why we were nervous about taking on the muddy track if wed have become bogged, there was no chance of anyone helping us out. We drive a Toyota Commuter minibus. Tinted orange from the red dust, it forms a valuable food source for stock in times of drought and provides a perfect refuge for the native birds and animals of the western plains. Close to the highway is the Jondaryan Woolshed, built in 1859 and recently restored. So our plan was to go there. Porridge with sultanas for breakfast, which is a staple for these trips. This takes you past Moomba, a strange sight in the desert. This is a special part of the journey and would be a fantastic sight at sunset. Plenty of camping spots; none of them marked as "official", but you should be OK if you pull well off the road, and don't camp in a creek bed. Danielle Lancaster. Driving from the East: We are 382km west of Windorah, roughly 250km is an unsealed road. The first stretch is narrow, ducking and weaving up and around sand dunes. Travelled to the Birdsville races 2018 . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. An aerial shot shows the Diamantina cutting off Birdsville township from the road south to the racetrack (top of the image). Head to Hospital Hill Walk for a history lesson and then its on to Mitchell. Domestic travel is not restricted, but some conditions may apply. With a cold beer, they are in no . I plan on going to Birdsville on my Trike towing a teardrop camper. We chose to drive North from Tibooburra through Warri Gate on the NSW/QLD border, follow for a while, turn left onto Orientos Road, left onto Moomba Road and follow until you turn right to Innamincka. One of the most worthwhile attractions in Mitchell is the Great Artesian Spa, the largest open-air spa in Australia. This track takes you through sand dune country. BaSC x Drive to road conditions x Closed due to road damage 28/02/2023 . One day well have to camp within sight of these hills and watch the sunrise. . It is a lonely 460 km drive with no facilities along the way. 'Travel west young man' was an adage used in the past to entice folks into the outback - a world full of adventure and mystery. Sit back and enjoy the unique flora and fauna throughout the surrounding countryside. The Tibooburra to Innamincka road via Orientos Road is an adventure. Its a long journey along this road. Isa to Birdsville then onto Windorah - Quilpie - Cunnamulla- Goondiwindi. Sit atop the 40 metre high Big Red, the biggest sand dune on the eastern edge of the desert, and watch four-wheel-drivers take on the challenge of the steep and sandy tracks. Location: Birdsville to Maree (Maree is in the north-east of South Australia and Birdsville, is in the south-west of Queensland) Track Length: 517 km Road Conditions: Stony track with large pebbles (gibbers) and dry sand. Surprisingly, the track quickly drops down off the gibber country onto a vast floodplain. What Are The Specs to Run Hema Maps on iPad. Unless it's been raining heavy there will be no issues for a standard 2x2. So you should be okay. There is another service station around the corner and if you only want fuel, head around there as the line-ups are much shorter. Its not a slog through deep sand. Eyre Developmental Road (Bedourie - Birdsville), pave and seal Works have been completed to seal around 35km of the 185km road, improving safety, connectivity and wet weather access. Its a seemingly never-ending vista of gibbers covering the landscape. A variation on the above route is to drive past Toona Gate and follow Middle Road to the intersection of the Tibooburra Cameron Corner Road. If youd like to learn more about Sturts inland expedition, I highly recommend Sturts Desert Drama by Ivan Rudolph. Visit Website. Bedourie's artesian water supply is of good quality, it even feeds the I only have a small low clearance front wheel drive Hyundai i30CW and would appreciate advice as to whether I can travel this road, bearing in mind that I would observe all precautions such as checking the road conditions etc on the day. in Australia that claim to have the original black stump. DONT drink and drive, I must have got tested about 12 times. wetland area of Eyre Creek. Top up wherever you can. Will be doing it again in 2020. when you cross the bridge you can go left or right for camping which is about half way between town and the track. Youll need decent tyres. The famous Birdsville Racesand Big Red Bash bothattract thousands of people to town each year. It is easy to spend a day or more in and around Eromanga. We travelled at approx 70 kph . A must for visitors to Miles is the Miles Historical Village where more than 20 buildings are open to the public. Today, travel west and your journey will still be filled with adventure but luckily, you don't have to take the rutted bush tracks of the past. Mostly sealed bitumen roads lead to you to new and exciting places, where the people are friendly and appreciative you've made the journey into their part of Australia, and the views different each step of the way. If time permits, visit Tregole National Park, 10 kilometres south of Morven, which is a 7500 hectare park where the brigalow meets the mulga. Every Tuesday you can join in the excitement at the Roma Saleyards, which is the biggest cattle selling facility in the southern hemisphere. BaSC x Drive to road conditions Please drive to the road conditions and take care when passing trucks. Most times it would be extremely arid. Then go here. This is a remote drive, with fuel being few and far between. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Michael McCormack said the works were jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland Governments. If If you come across a puddle and there are fresh tracks around it, follow those by-pass tracks, (as long as you can see the re-entry back onto the road). Morven, which the locals say is small in size but big in character, is an easy 44 kilometres from Mungallala. So you ask me "What is beyond Birdsville?" I will be driving a 2011 AWD Kluger. The road was open, with plenty of wet black soil stretches which we easily avoided by driving around them. And thirdly, theyve erected a giant sign warning that the speed limit is 50km/h in built-up areas. 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