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Innamincka to Toowoomba

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From Innamincka we headed towards the Simpson Desert. First we travelled along the Cordillo Downs Road along the Edge of the Sturt Stony Desert to Birdsville. A very picturesque but as well barren landscape along the way. We arrived in Birdsville in temperatures around the 45 degree mark.

Here we replenished our fuel, water and food. After renting a satelite phone from the Birdsville Police, we finally set out to cross the Simpson Desert. We were to cross over 1133 sand dunes. The first sand dunes are located 40km outside of Birdsville if one travels along the QAA Line. These first dunes are amongst the highest in the Simpson Desert. Big Red, the first dune we encountered, reaches a Height of up to 90 meters. Due to the pretty high summer temperatures, the sand was quiet soft since the sun already had dried most of the moisture out of the sand dunes. This made it at times quiet difficult to climb the dunes. Therefore we had to lower our tyre preasure down to 25 PSi.

Every few hundred meters another dune had to be climbed. Bumps on the track limited the average travelling speed to around 20-25 km/h. After roughly 150 km on the QAA Line Track, we reached Lake Poeppel. A saltlake that quiet often ist flooded and makes the crossing impassable. Over the Bypass Track we reached nearby Poeppels Corner, where the state borders of Queensland, the Northern Territory and South Australia meet. Trying to cross a second Saltlake resultet in us getting bogged. After digging the car back out, we used as well the bypass track to get around this saltlake. The night we camped at Colson Junction, it started to cloud the skies in the afternoon and then around 23.00 it promptly started raining. It rained for a solid 12 Hours. This would only make it easier to climb the sand dunes on the wet sand. Our worries though were lieing with the Delta Creek Spring Track near Dalhousie which often becomes impassable after rain. So as well this time. Since there were almost 10cm of rain, we were told that we had to wait at least one week to be able to pass on to Dalhousie. We decided to head back for Birdsville. But first we had to wait 2 days at Purni Bore for the tracks to dry of a bit before we could head to Birdsville together with another Traveller that was stuck at Purni Bore as well.

From Birdsville, where temperatures of above 45 degrees were forecast for the christmas period, we then headed towards the East Coast in search of some cooler places to spend our remaining holidays.


Along the Cordillo Downs Road from Innamincka towards Birdsville Along the Cordillo Downs Road from Innamincka towards Birdsville Cordillo Downs Road: Along the Edge of the Sturt Stony Desert Cordillo Downs Road: Ruins of the old Cadelga Homestead Cordillo Downs Road: View from the Window of the Homestead
Cordillo Downs Road: Sunset at Cadelga Ruins Cordillo Downs Road: Sunset at Cadelga Ruins Landscape before reaching Birdsville Prevention of Accidents on the crest of the Sanddunes Landscape around Birdsville
Landscape around Birdsville Landscape around Birdsville Simpson Desert: Successfully climbed Little Red in the first go. Simpson Desert: The QAA Line Track Simpson Desert: The Dunes in the evening sun
Simpson Desert: On top of the dunes Simpson Desert: The Home of a Sand Monitor (Bungara) Simpson Desert: The tracks weare leaving behind, although only until the next breeze. Simpson Desert: Our Cruiser in the evening sun. Simpson Desert: View over Lake Poeppel
Simpson Desert: Poeppel Corner, the cornerstone between Queensland, Northern Territory and Soth Australia Simpson Desert: Plaque at Lindsay Junction. David Lindsay, the first white man to cross the Simpson Desert Simpson Desert: The French Track after 12 Hours of rain Simpson Desert: Plants on the Dunes Simpson Desert: Our tracks in the wet sand
Simpson Desert: Yellow Flower at Purni Bore Camp Simpson Desert: Sunset at Puni Bore Simpson Desert: Reacing Lake Poeppel on the way back Simpson Desert: Stephan, he was stuck as well at Purni Bore Simpson Desert: The first try onto Big Red
Simpson Desert: Bogged in the sand on Big Red Simpson Desert: Winching the car out Wide open Space around Birdsville Starting to become greener again around Betoota Cattleyard near Windorah
The Cooper Creek at Windorah Ghost Gum on the way to Quilpie Infertil ground Mailbox near Quilpie Stony Kangoroo in Charleville
Landscape around Condamine Seasons Greetings from Toowoomba
Along the Cordillo Downs Road from Innamincka towards Birdsville
Along the Cordillo Downs Road from Innamincka towards Birdsville
Cordillo Downs Road: Along the Edge of the Sturt Stony Desert
Cordillo Downs Road: Ruins of the old Cadelga Homestead
Cordillo Downs Road: View from the Window of the Homestead
Cordillo Downs Road: Sunset at Cadelga Ruins
Cordillo Downs Road: Sunset at Cadelga Ruins
Landscape before reaching Birdsville
Prevention of Accidents on the crest of the Sanddunes
Landscape around Birdsville
Landscape around Birdsville
Landscape around Birdsville
Simpson Desert: Successfully climbed Little Red in the first go.
Simpson Desert: The QAA Line Track
Simpson Desert: The Dunes in the evening sun
Simpson Desert: On top of the dunes
Simpson Desert: The Home of a Sand Monitor (Bungara)
Simpson Desert: The tracks weare leaving behind, although only until the next breeze.
Simpson Desert: Our Cruiser in the evening sun.
Simpson Desert: View over Lake Poeppel
Simpson Desert: Poeppel Corner, the cornerstone between Queensland, Northern Territory and Soth Australia
Simpson Desert: Plaque at Lindsay Junction. David Lindsay, the first white man to cross the Simpson Desert
Simpson Desert: The French Track after 12 Hours of rain
Simpson Desert: Plants on the Dunes
Simpson Desert: Our tracks in the wet sand
Simpson Desert: Yellow Flower at Purni Bore Camp
Simpson Desert: Sunset at Puni Bore
Simpson Desert: Reacing Lake Poeppel on the way back
Simpson Desert: Stephan, he was stuck as well at Purni Bore
Simpson Desert: The first try onto Big Red
Simpson Desert: Bogged in the sand on Big Red
Simpson Desert: Winching the car out
Wide open Space around Birdsville
Starting to become greener again around Betoota
Cattleyard near Windorah
The Cooper Creek at Windorah
Ghost Gum on the way to Quilpie
Infertil ground
Mailbox near Quilpie
Landscape around Condamine
Seasons Greetings from Toowoomba
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Last Updated : 23rd of December 2001


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