DAY 24 TIPPIPILIA CREEK-BIRDSVILLE

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We woke knowing that sometime today we would arrive in Birdsville, having completed the legendary Birdsville Track, but not before we had endured severe corrugations for long stretches and very rough stony track surfaces. The few, ‘smooth-as-a-baby’s-bum’ sections, were a welcome relief. The grader was also out smoothing the track. The Sturt Stony Desert did live up to its name. The stones (gibbers), shiny and smooth and in their trillions, spread for as far as the eye could see. Complete inconsiderate fools still sped past at 100kph spitting up rocks galore. The word around town is that 6 vehicles lost windscreens today to the ‘same’ idiot. They are positive of ‘getting’ him. Another huge rig had their water tank punctured by a rock, losing all their water.



We climbed the truly spectacular Koonchera Dune which the Birdsville Track crossed. The snout of the dune has migrated across the gibber plains of the Sturt Stony Desert. It is constantly sorted and re-sorted by wind, but the snout remains stable and immobile. We happened to catch sight of a dingo close to the track and did have to slow multiple times for free roaming cattle.



Through Pandie Pandie Station and the SA – QLD border and the 12kms to Birdsville. We knew that the Diamantina River had flooded and peaked at 6.85m in early to mid-June and were hoping like crazy that it had greatly receded as we had to cross it to reach Birdsville. Our crazy hopes were rewarded, the Diamantina was below the bridge surface and the causeway was clear of water. My amateurish 4WD skills were not required, even though deep down I was hoping for some water.



The town is chocka’s. We checked into the caravan park and placed ourselves in the far back corner of the park which has an area of over 30 acres. We know that come Sunday and Monday most of the people will have left for the Big Red Bash, 35 kms out of town. We will stay where we are, giving us more freedom to move around and sight-see before trekking out to the Bash each day. We didn’t rush to see the sights today instead setting up camp properly, a brief walk and visit to the “Pub”, to feel the atmosphere, and to sit with Dave and Kerry as they ate their pub meal. We enjoyed our meal back in the Xtrk … from what we saw it left the pub meal in its wake.



So, “we did it”. Now to take our time to enjoy and soak it all in.

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