Graham and Al’s Excellent Adventure – Part 1 – Home to Mount Dare.

Over a coffee one day my mate Al and I were lamenting the fact that we were home for most of winter this year instead of the normal practice of heading north. Our wives had made commitments to family and community. So we sort of agreed that we should consider doing a “blokes” adventure and we would go away and think about it. The following week over another coffee at the same café we both commented that our very generous wives liked the idea (probably wanted some time to themselves). With that I suggested to Al that we should consider driving across the Simpson Desert. Well from that point there was no turning back – it was a fait accompli.

Our rough plan was to drive to SA via Mildura, then to Quorn, Marree and head up the Oodnadatta Track, visit the Painted Desert, head on to Mount Dare then cross the Simpson Desert, west to east, ending up in Birdsville where we would meet up with our mate, Nicko, and then make our way to Innamincka and beyond. We had no fixed plan beyond this rough idea and no fixed date to return to Melbourne.

After several weeks of preparation, I picked up Al from his home in Yarra Glen around 8:30 in the morning of Sat the 20th June and headed for Mildura. Our last item to purchase for the trip across the Simpson Desert was a sand flag which we would pick up at Kulkyne Kampers in Mildura. The National Parks Wildlife Service (SA) has determined that all vehicles in the Simpson Desert must have a sand flag 3.5 metres high with dimensions of  290mm x 300mm.

So arriving in Mildura around 4:30 pm and buying our sand flag, we then found a basic Motel room – we were still in civilisation and didn’t relish sleeping on the ground in our new swags just yet. Besides it was around zero degrees.

The following day, we headed west through Renmark then onto Burra, Terowie, Peterborough, Orroroo, ending up in Quorn for the night. Still freezing cold so opted once again to find a warm motel room. Besides we would eventually have to rough it so taking the soft option of motel rooms while they were available seemed sensible.

A few drinks at the local pub and an excellent pub meal and a hearty breakfast the following morning that we prepared in our room, we set off for Marree via Hawker, Leigh Creek and Farina Ruins.

House in the abandoned town of Farina SA

A quick healthy lunch in Marree prepared from our own supplies and we were soon on our way up the Oodnadatta Track. The Oodnadatta Track for the most part follows the route of the Old Ghan narrow gauge railway. For those with an interest in history there is a plethora of old ruins, water tanks and sidings from the old railway infrastructure scattered over much of the length of the track from Marree to Oodnadatta and beyond.

We were planning to camp at Coward Springs which was not a long hall so we took the time out to check out Plane Henge (Mutonia Sculpture Park) and Southern Lake Eyre.

Mutonia – Plane Henge

Plane Henge at Mutonia Desert Scupltures

Southern Lake Eyre – with water.

Arriving at Coward Springs to make camp we realised that we stupidly had not thought much about the timing of our trip, as evidenced when we were confronted by a camp ground full of Parents and Kids on school holidays. However we were able to find a camp spot away from the crowds with a commitment that in the future whenever possible for the rest of our trip we would “bush camp”.

Camp at Coward Springs

Well it had now come to pass that we could no longer avoid the inevitable of setting up camp and sleeping in our swags. We had a few beers and a red or two, had dinner, of what a cannot remember, and then hit the sack fairly early.  The following morning we checked out the small Museum at Coward Springs then continued our journey up the Oodnadatta track. Our first stop was William Creek and to our delight the hotel bar had a proper coffee machine; so 2 coffees were quickly ordered. But we almost choked when the young lady said “That’ll be $14 thank you”. $7 for a cup of coffee, GOOD GRIEF!

William Creek Hotel – $7 coffee

Arriving at Oodnadatta early afternoon we filled up with diesel and headed out to the Painted Desert, about 90 km west of Oodndatta. We checked out the desert in the evening light, found a camp spot for the night, honouring our commitment to bush camp without another soul within cooee, then went back to the desert to check it out in the morning light.

We then returned to Oodnadatta, picked up a few supplies and then made for Mount Dare, the staging post for the trip across the Simpson.

The Pink Roadhouse, Oodnadatta.

At Mount Dare there wasn’t really any alternative other than to camp in their camp ground but we found a quiet spot without much trouble, had a few beers in the bar, went back to camp, cooked dinner and hit the sack, once again very early. The nights (and days for that matter) continued to be bitterly cold.

Mount Dare Camp

The next morning we awoke, eager to head for Dalhousie Springs and the Simpson Desert. Having filled up our water containers and fuel tanks (including 2 jerry cans) with fuel the previous evening we were ready to get going once we had finished our breakfast. All the advise that we had read and been given suggested that we needed to carry about 150-170 litres of fuel and about 60 litres of water and have enough food for about 8 to 10 days in case the weather turns foul and you are stuck in the desert longer than expected. So there we were ready with a Freezer full of pre prepared frozen (homemade) meals and some meat and a fridge full of other food plus enough beer and wine for the journey. We opted for the high side of fuel at 170 litres and about 70 litres of water. It was going to be interesting to take tally when we arrive in Birdsville to see how well we had planned.

Ready to set off across the Simpson Desert.

Part 2 to follow, “Crossing The Simpson”