Left Beetoota  round 9 this morning aiming to get to Birdsville round lunchtime so we would have time to see the sights as well as do all the things we need to do before we set off down the Birdsville track.  

Felt pretty amazing to arrive in this iconic town- a bit more slick than I had imagined it- I guess I’d expected something a bit more rustic and ‘quintessentially ‘outback’. While tiny it now services the entire region with medical services and supplies- and of course is a hub for campers coming on and off the Simpson desert and heading down the Birdsville Track.

First task was to do the washing- our clothes were almost ready to walk to the laundry on their own – absolutely full of red dust. It was a hot dry 29 degrees here today (sorry Melbourne peeps) so we left them flapping on the line and went exploring. 

No trip to Birdsville would be complete without attempting ‘Big Red’, the last and largest sand dune on the Simpson Desert (about 40km out of Birdsville).  Some (A & D) preferred the technical challenge and drove up –  I’ll spare you the very important yet eye glazing details re: diffs, gears & tyre pressures that make this possible).  Others (me) enjoyed the physical challenge and climbed up- a bit of huff and puff but the view at the top is nothing short of breathtaking.

From there we explored the track along the Diamantina River- the main waterway in south west Queensland.  It is such a beautiful oasis in this barren neck of the woods, with little secluded camp sites marked out all along the river for free camping- note for next time when we don’t have so much washing.

In the continued spirit of an outback pub crawl we finished our day at the Birdsville hotel- a beautifully maintained  historic pub with the usual quirky bar decorations and great counter meal. The best lamb shanks I’ve had in a long time!

Tomorrow we begin our journey down the Birdsville track. It spans the 600km or so from Birdsville to Maree. We are loaded up with fuel, water, food and enthusiasm and good to go.