Recently we did our first simpson desert crossing and it was a. Animals and plants simpson desert protection union. Wicks insights on the dynamics of letting go and living freely draw directly on their spiritual wisdom. These aims were well and truly fulfilled, even though both madigan and fletcher make particular mention of the feat of crossing the desert. Our simpson journey website makes visiting simpson desert and other simpson attractions simple, and helps you make a travel plan personal to you.
The simpson desert is the common name given to the area between birdsville in the south west corner of queensland to dalhousie springs in the far north of south australia near the northern territory border and actually lies across the corners of 3 states south australia, queensland and the northern territory. Desert crossing by elise broach goodreads share book. The simpson desert is a large area of dry, red sandy plain and dunes in northern territory. To quote someone a touch more experienced than me you can tow a trailer across the desert, but itll take all the fun out of it dave cox 2015. Making connections a journey along aboriginal trade routes. We drive big red sand dune and head west, over dune after dune, with another thousand to cross. It holds the sand dunes together and without the dunes the desert would lose a lot of character it has. On the other hand, some find the very thought so daunting that it is never contemplated. The first successful european crossing of the desert was in 1936 and is. I would then hope to drive to uluru, along the great central. Few tracks are more remote than the madigan line across australias simpson desert. It is mainly in the northern territory, but also in the north of south australia and western queensland. On one side is the map containing gps points, whilst on the other is information about each point of interest, track information and services available.
The page family was crossing the desert when their car ran out of petrol on the birdsville track. They are driving through the desert of new mexico on their way to phoenix. Covering 170,000 sq km, the simpson desert contains 16 parallel sand dunes, which vary in height from a couple of metres to over 40 metres high in some instances most predominantly of which is big red, the first major dune on the eastern side of the desert. Sarah taylor is a motorcyclist and paramedic, and a team medic for the great australian ride. Crossing the mungathirrisimpson desert takes four days on average, depending on the number of. While the countless megabuck fourwheel drives found all over australia may suggest otherwise, tackling the simpson desert can still be achieved on a modest budget even with a family in tow. The simpson desert is a large area of dry, red sandy plain and dunes in northern territory, south australia and queensland in central australia. Lucy martinez is headed cross country to her fathers for spring break. Simpson desert crossing horizons unlimited the hubb. Travel books motorcycle and travel books to inspire and inform you. The simpson desert is one of australias great wilderness areas. However, contrary to the most assumption, the simpson desert is vibrant with animals, plants, and varies of birds, and even underground water that turns the desert into an oasis.
She is in the backseat, her brother is driving, and his best friend is hogging shotgun. Heading west from poeppel corner you have no choice but to follow the french line. The simpson desert is close to the collective hearts of explorers all over. Birdsville is a small community, population 100, on the edge of the simpson desert in far southwest queensland. The first crossing of queenslands simpson desert was accomplished as recently as 1939, which helps to indicate just how remote this region is. The land gets very little rainfall, but that does not prevent plants and some animals from making the desert their home. The atacama desert is a cold desert while the simpson is a hot desert. Simpson desert, south australia warburton crossing 4x4. The two most readable books about aboriginal people and culture in the simpson desert are. In good seasons, they moved into or through the desert itself, digging permanent wells along their route for survival.
Contact wikipedia developers statistics cookie statement mobile view. For many fourwheel drivers, crossing the simpson desert is one of the great must dos. The simpson desert is crisscrossed with aboriginal dreaming tracks and sacred sites. Fastest crossing of the simpson desert on foot guinness. Statistic cookies help website owners to understand how visitors interact with websites by collecting and reporting.
Simpson desert tagalong toursfantastic experience always wanted to do the simpson desert crossing but not on our own. Mungathirrisimpson desert conservation park and regional. Some facts and time scale on explorers in the nineteenth century, the simpson desert was inhabited by 7 aboriginal tribes, concentrated mainly around the watercourses on the desert boundaries. I would love to cross the simpson desert, to birdsville, then south to maree, ending my journey in sydney. Simpson desert aboriginal culture travel outback australia. Simpson desert, east to west, by single car, april04. Madigans crossing of the desert by camel in 1939 is often cited as the first by a european, although some references note an earlier one by edmund albert colson in 1936. This simpson desert crossing from east to west, via the qaa line and the french track, was 530 km from birdsville to mt dare and was part of a 15,000 km trip taken from noosa qld to broome wa via the simpson desert and tanami track.
Crossing it east to west is the most challenging, as the eastern dune faces are generally steeper due to the wind direction. To get to the simpson desert, first book your flight to australia. We saw a car or motorbike roughly every 510 minutes. They set off on the back roads to phoenix to go see their father. Crossing the approximately 550km of steep northsouth dunes through the simpson desert between dalhousie in south australia and birdsville in queensland is. Closed between december 1 and march 15, crossing the simpson desert takes a minimum of 4. The simpson desert crossing find out more explore book your trip books features crossing the approximately 550km of steep northsouth dunes through the simpson desert between dalhousie in south australia and birdsville in queensland is the ultimate challenge for any offroader. Explore the endless landscape of the mungathirrisimpson desert witness.
So when packing for our solo twoway trip crossing with our family of 5, we were sure to take many things into consideration. The simpson desert ultimate travel guide travel outback australia. Recently we did our first simpson desert crossing and it was a challenging but awesome road trip and i cant wait to get back out there again. For example, the sacred story associated with the waddywood trees acacia peuce at the mac clarke conservation reserve is related to an eaglehawk dreaming story. Crossing the desert is the first book to offer a psychological perspective on the early christian monastic movement of the desert fathers and mothers. Covering 170,000 sq km, the simpson desert contains 16 parallel sand dunes, which vary in height from a couple of metres to over 40 metres high in some instances most predominantly of which is big. The linear streaks in the desert terrain are sand dunes, 2030 meters 6699 feet high, shaped and formed by the prevailing winds. It is made up of big red sand dunes up to 40 m 44 yd high, 190 km 118 mi long and about 1 km 1 mi apart. Visit simpson desert on your trip to simpson or australia. Ok, change of plans, miss insanity is ready for simpson desert crossing ect the nitrous oxide system, now the r1 i was going to build.
Photo by breanna galley on unsplash this seemingly endless deep red sand covering 143,000 square kilometers and its weather is one of the driest places on earth. It was named after a washing machine well, not quite. The road from mt dare to get to the simpson desert was even worse and at times we were wondering if wed make it to the start of the desert or if all our tyres would blow out on the sharp gibber stones that make this road in. The big red sand dune at the eastern edge of the simpson desert, near birdsville. Simpson desert crossing remembered first vehicle crossing of the desert was a journey worthy of the early explorers. Desert crossing the book i read was called desert crossing. Captain archer and commander tucker are invited to a desert planet by a man named zobral to discover that he is a terrorist with ulterior motives plot. Some people chase mindfulness in the pages of colouring books, but its much easier to. Recently introduced regulations see the simpson desert closed to travellers from the end of november until march 16th each year.
The simpson desert is a hot and dry desert occupying almost 200 000 square kilometres of central australia, mostly in the northern territorys southeast but also in parts of south australia and queensland. It is situated mainly in the northern territory, with parts in south australia and queensland. When most people head out into the simpson desert you prepare yourself for everything you can think of that could go wrong. The simpson desert covers more than 55,000 square miles of land in central australia. If you take your dog, gets some boots for it as the dessert has little spikey thorns which hurt.
Simpson desert parks in south australia and queensland are closed in. The desert is underlain by the great artesian basin, one of the largest inland drainage areas in the world. Have had five trips no tow across the simpson deserthay river solo and in convoy. Stuart ball is the founder of the great australian ride, raising money for a charity called red nose. Simpson desert design interaction maps books travel.
Paul staffords tagalong tours was a fantastic way to achieve the crossing with the safety of a small group and pauls excellent leadership and knowledge, not to mention his sense of humour. If you are interested in a desert trip and want the security of traveling with others who are experienced travelers of these areas then the desert trips run by australian 4x4 tag along tours may be the one for you. All products apps and digital maps books and atlases gps. Simpson desert, largely uninhabited arid region covering some 55000. The first successful crossing was made by ted colson in 1936 but was much later, in 1962, before the first motorised desert crossing was made by geologist reg sprigg with his family. Enterprise is on a course for risa to take shore leave when they respond to a distress call from a ship experiencing engine. It is the fourthlargest australian desert, with an area of 176,500 km 2 68,100 sq mi.
Our 1st simpson trip with the kids towing our camper at the time in the old diesel 62 id already been across 3 times before on this trip my wife wendy decided to fracture her ankle walking out of the birdsville pub the morning we were leaving for our desert crossing. Outback desert closed to protect tourists travel the. Vast areas of the desert have been given protected. The largest parallel sand dune desert in the world, the simpson puts 16 dunes in your path.
Linear sand dunes are a defining feature of australias simpson desert, seen here in an image taken by nasas earthobserving 1 eo1 satellite on may 20, 2004. Crossing a total 1,162 dunes, he reached heights up to 40 m 1 ft. There is a range of plant species that has not only adapted to life in the arid environment but has also become. Department for environment and water parts of simpson desert. The simpson has the longest parallel dunes in the world. In the simpson desert theres no dreaming of where the road leads, because being on the road make that track is the reason for being there in the first place.
Vast areas of the desert have been given protected status along the borders of queensland, northern territory, and south australia. Crossing the simpson desert by fat bike cyclingtips. You are not allowed to take any animals into the simpson desert parks, either in s. Some of the most important dreaming stories in the simpson desert are associated with birds. The simpson desert crossing rough guides rough guides. How to cross the simpson desert on a budget crossing the simpson desert shouldnt be taken lightly, but it doesnt have to cost the earth. Earlier this year, five intrepid cyclists set out to cross that route by bike, and in doing so followed in the. The simpson desert gets less than 150 ml of rain each year. The book led to the choice of south australia as the site for a new british settlement. Simpson desert crossing on waa line, french line gammon ranges np flinders ranges. We eventually arrived safely at dalhousie springs which marks the start of the simpson desert.
Unfortunately, shephards very enjoyable book its a must for all simpson desert fans. The simpson desert is a hazardous and remote location, yet attracts four wheel drivers and motorbike riders by the hundreds annually. Madigans crossing of the desert by camel in 1939 is often cited as the first by a. He recently completed two crossings of the simpson desert in one week. In fact, wed advise that you buy this book before you go to do all of your trip planning. The warburton crossing simpson desert loop gives you a taste of the simpson desert without the weeks of commitment. Crossing the worlds largest sand dune desert should be on your. Its a place of stark beauty and, for the most part, wonderful serenity. You have certainly picked the best time of the year for a crossing and will have no problem going solo if you stick to the main tracks there are plenty of people at that time of year. This book is about as young lady named lucy martinez who travels with here brother jamie and his friend kit. The sandhill cane grass is a very important part of the simpson desert. We knew wed see some traffic on this track, but did not expect the number of vehicles and motorbikes that were heading east. The simpson desert is the last refuge of some rare australian desert animals, including the fattailed marsupial mouse. Sarah also recently rode through the simpson desert.
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