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Simpson Desert

July - August 2024
  • Anthony Walsh
  • Jane Walsh
A 25-day adventure by Anthony Walsh & Jane Walsh Read more
  • Anthony Walsh
  • Jane Walsh

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  • Australia Australia
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4x4, Camping, Nature, Wilderness
  • 6.3kkilometers traveled
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  • 23footprints
  • 25days
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  • Simpson Desert
    Dalhousie Ruins
    Fettler cottage ruinsAngle pole - memorial of first telegraph lineOodnadatta!

    Algebuckina Bridge 306km / 2632 km

    July 30, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    Leaving the desert behind us after one more soaking in the hot spring. We started the 2nd part of our trip, outback touring, towards Lake Eyre on the Oodnadatta Track, where we will see many ruins of railway sidings, bridges of the Historic Old Ghan railway and pioneering cattle and sheep stations dating back to late 1800s. Our first stop was at Dalhousie Ruins where we saw great examples of old station buildings. We stopped for lunch at the quirky pink roadhouse in Oodnadatta. Oodnadatta is a typical remote outback settlement. We then made our way to the famous Algebuckina bridge where we set up camp. The bridge was built in the 1890s and made for an impressive sunset spot. Another glorious campfire meal with good company impressive clear night stars on another cold night.Read more

  • Simpson Desert
    Sunrise
    Water tank and softener ruinWilliam Creek Hotel pub

    Halligan Bay, Lake Eyre (212 km / 2844 k

    July 31, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    After a breathtaking sunrise over the bridge, a hot cup of coffee, we continued down the Oodnadatta track, seeing more siding ruins which include fettler (railway maintenance worker) cottages, water tanks and softeners (for the steam trains) and some rail tracks as evidence of the old Ghan railway. We filled up and had a light lunch at the William Creek hotel. William Creek is a more substantial town owned entirely by the Williams family, with a hotel, medical facility, camping grounds and the base for Wright air who do scenic flights in the area. We will return for our flights. After lunch we set off for the camping on the banks of lake Eyre at Halligan Bay to start our Lake Eyre experience. We walked on the dry part of the lake and had stunning sundowners. It was a bitterly cold night with more wind than usual and no camp fires allowed!Read more

  • Simpson Desert
    Lake EyreBird tracks in lake bed

    Lake Eyre experience from the ground

    July 31, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    This was a once in a life time experience. Although we did not see water today. Watch this space …..

    Here’s a few quick facts about Kati Thanda/Lake Eyre:
    ● Kati Thanda/Lake Eyre is Australia’s largest salt lake
    ● It’s located 647 km north of Adelaide
    ● The Lake comprises 2 lakes: Lake Eyre North and Lake Eyre South
    ● The lakes are connected by the Goyder Channel, which is 15 km long
    ● Together, both lakes are 144km long and 77km wide
    ● Kati Thanda/Lake Eyre is the lowest point below sea level on the Australian mainland
    (15.2m below sea level)
    ● Kati Thanda/Lake Eyre is the focal point of Australia’s second largest drainage system,
    the Lake Eyre Basin.
    Contrary to popular belief, Kati Thanda/Lake Eyre floods every three or four years and fills to
    80% capacity every ten years. On average, it fills to 100% roughly four times every 100 years.    Read more

  • Simpson Desert
    Sunrise over Lake Eyre
    Highway of visitorsStrangeways ruinsSunset over Willam Creek

    William Creek (153 km / 2998 km)

    August 1, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    We were rewarded for getting up on a bitterly cold and windy morning with a stunning sunrise over Lake Eyre, a treasured moment in this remote idyllic setting. Before heading to our destination of the day, William Creek, we took a diversion to some must see nearby large ruins. Strangeways was first a pastoral settlement due to the many mound springs and later became a repeater telegraph station (on the telegraph line between Adelaide and Darwin and was the first means of communication to the rest of the world). We also visited the Beresford siding ruins where we had a picnic lunch on the side of the dam. We returned to our “hotel” in William Creek. Anthony was chuffed to stay in an Ausco donga. It was good to have a hot shower and catch up on our washing. It was our final night together and we celebrated in style at the pub and ate a delicious local favourite, a goat curry, washed down with some good red wine. Thanks to Charlotte, Gilbert, Ric and Debbie for sharing this incredible experience with us.

    On a side note, after having travelled through outback Australia, the importance and awesome service provided by the Royal Flying doctor can’t be overstated. Many of these smaller towns and stations have no medical facilities or staff. The Royal Flying doctor is on standby for all medical emergencies and a phone call away for telephone advice at any time.    Read more

  • Simpson Desert
    William Creek

    Lake Eyre from the air

    August 2, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    A flight booked many months ago before we knew we would be blessed with water after the recent months of rain. It takes 3 months or more for rain to reach the Lake. Most people are not lucky enough to see water in the lake so we felt very privileged. The flight gave yet another dimension to this incredible place. I thought we would have seen more birds but with the amount of water in the lake it is apparently 13 times more saline than the sea at the moment so not friendly to fish and therefore the birds are not attracted. The fish are further North where the lake is deeper. An interesting fact is apparently the pelicans usually arrive two weeks before the water! The aeroplane was a very comfortable 8 seater Cessna. The station seen below is Anna Creek - the world’s biggest farming station at about 25000 square kms with about 18000 head of cattle.Read more

  • Simpson Desert
    Lake Eyre from the road

    Muloorina Station (255/ 3253)

    August 2, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    We left William Creek on a high after our Lake Eyre flight and made our way to Coward Springs for a lovely cup of coffee, date scones and a date and coffee ice cream. We said our good-byes and all set off on our own. We stopped at the best preserved Old Ghan siding, Curdimurka and stunning bridge. On the road again, we had a lovely surprise view of water in Lake Eyre so stopped and marvelled for a bit. We passed a sculpture park utilising scrap and junk to create some innovative works of art. We went through the dog fence which is the largest man made structure in the world at over 5000 kms of fence to keep dingos from farming stations. A loud screech can be heard when passing through. We took a short detour for our days destination at Muloorina station, a working merino farm. The natural spring made for yet another glorious sunset and campsite setting.Read more

  • Simpson Desert
    Lake Eyre Yacht Club!
    At Farina RuinsShowing the lighting of our awning

    Flinders Ranges (317 km / 3570 km)

    August 3, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    We had planned to head home via the Strzelecki Track and Cameron Corner (border of QLD, NSW and SA), but with the forecast rain there was a high chance of road closures. So we decided to head through the Flinders Ranges and onto Broken Hill (the Hill). We popped in briefly to Marree, the last town on the Oodnadatta track and home of what must be the driest sailing club around, the Lake Eyre Sailing Club. On leaving Morree we were greeted with smooth Bitumen roads 😮. We stopped at Farina Ruins - a town of ruins from the old railways days. We made our way towards the Flinders Ranges. We had a beautiful drive through one of the gorges and then onto Willow Springs station, our camping destination for the night. This station is the home of Skytrec, a 7 hour 4x4 adventure track that they have built in their property - apparently the best of the Flinders Ranges. We did not have time for this, but will be back. We had a lovely private campsite for yet another fireside meal.Read more

  • Simpson Desert

    Broken Hill (494 km / 4064 km)

    August 4, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    We were up and packed early as we had a long travel day ahead of us. Starting with Mass at Hawker, with a Priest we had met at Straddie a few years ago. The drive reminded us a lot of travelling through the South African Karoo. We even drove through Cradock! We arrived in Broken Hill late and spoilt ourselves staying at the Royal Exchange Hotel. The Hill is the home of the massive global mining company, BHP and the City reflects the wealthy mining heritage with wide streets and beautiful buildings. The hotel is one of the original, old buildings.Read more

  • Simpson Desert
    Tilpa pub

    Tilpa (340km / 4404km)

    August 5, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    Leaving Broken Hill, by far the largest place we have seen for nearly 3 weeks, we set off towards Bourke, not sure where we would spend the night. We drove to Wilcannia, where we decided to head along the Darling River run, a small dirt road, through many small towns, that used to be river port towns when the river was the main transport system. We phone the Tilpa pub to check in road conditions after the rain and they said to be cautious but ok to drive. We had a beautiful but eventful drive as the rain made for very slippery and muddy conditions with mud almost completely covering the wheel arches. We were definitely not camping in the muddy conditions tonight and got very modest pub accommodation for the night with shared outdoor bathroom. Tilpa was the 2nd smallest place we stayed at after Betoota and half the town (2) were in the pub that night. The pub was quite busy with fellow travellers, escaping the weather. Tilpa was one of the stranger places we have stayed at after all the warm, friendly places we have been. We were hoping that we would not be isolated in Tilpa with roads closing if the rain was to continue.Read more

  • Simpson Desert

    Mt Oxley (235km / 4639km)

    August 6, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    Thankfully the roads out of Tilpa opened at 11am and we could escape. We continued on the river run, passed through Louthabd then into Bourke. The roads were surprisingly good and we made good time. We decided to camp on another station, on a hill on their property. We had the whole area on top of the mountain completely to ourselves. We had the sunset at one side and were woken to the sunrise in the other with beautiful stars in between. The camping facilities were excellent and we had one of our best fires and outdoor shower. This turned out to be our final campfire meal and tented accommodation. What a great way to end.Read more

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