Road to Birdsville

Dreamcatcher · Veteran Member

Road to Birdsville

PeterD · Guru

You left out one vital piece of information. When do you intend to travel to Birdsville?

The road in from the east has a predictable cycle. Before the races there are several grader teams getting the road ready for the onslaught. The traffic in and out for the races wreck the surface. The reports in earlier on the few forums I participate in were reporting the road as being OK. A few years ago I found it better than many of the Qld bitumen roads, I averaged over 70 km/h along it towing a soft road van. Since the races this year I have seen a couple of reports saying it was as bad as they had seen. The wackers travelling at break neck speeds tend to destroy good gravel roads.

The road in from the north (Mt Isa) is sealed most of the road. I think it's just the bit from Bedourie that needs finishing. The Birdsville track, this again is variable, Many European/British vans have been towed up there without problems.

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

What PeterD said.
If it is "good" you will need to reduce your tyre pressures and take it slowly.
If it is "bad" you will need to take it very slowly.
You will always be able to get through OK unless it is wet. It is only a case of how slowly you need to go.

Go and have a look. Many caravans do.

Cheers,
Peter
OKA196 Motorhome

Dreamcatcher · Veteran Member

Peter
I hope to be up their around August /September this year

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

Dreamcatcher wrote:
Peter
I hope to be up their around August /September this year

A little earlier if possible. It can get hot in September.

Innamincka area is wonderful too.

Cheers,

Peter

Radar · Guru

Hi Dreamcatcher

We were there a couple of days after the Birdville Races we met the traffic coming the other way, the road was a bit how you do but that's unsealed roads. We were towing camper trailers the experience was very rewarding.

We come from Brisbane via Windorah, Haddons Corner the camp out there was fabulous, I can't spell the words to describe the experience and hope in the near future to do it once again. Exploring out there is breath taking for the most doing it with out crowds.

We did pass and saw quite a few caravans, spoke to a couple of caravaners that were travelling together from Townsville when we met them down the track a bit from Birdsville they were saying they had been doing it a for few years now including the Oyster Festival at Port Lincoln.

Our advice is because of the time of year the flies are real bad get yourself fly vales, the shop across the road from c/p sells them for a few dollars each. Get up early to beat the rush out to Big Red take a short drive into the desert. Our timing was not good by the time we got to this first sand hill at morning tea time there was so much traffic we were unable to go out any further to Eyre Creek because of time restraints.

Enjoy the experience. Ralph.