Camping trip 2018 -Return to BRB. Meeting #1 - sketchy notes..
Late June
Head north to Mingerannie
From there North to Poepell Corner.
North to Jervois. Longest leg no fuel ⛽️ - Mungerannie to Jervois - approx 850kms
Jervois further into Simpson on Hay track.
Across to Alice Springs
Down to Mt Dare/Old Andado track. Shoot across Simpson to Birdsville to fuel and water prior to Big Red Bash.
Then out to Coongie Lakes (or Barcaldine and Whitsundays for some)
Home - late July.
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| THIS is how our trips begin. Maps, maps, and lots of talking about maps. Phil, SS (Secretary Steve) standing, Stef, Col. The rest of us were there eating and chatting. |
Dear Fellow Travellers,
So after the initial confusion of whether or not we had a trip to discuss, and if we did have a trip, whose idea it was, we proceeded with our Trip Meeting which is after all a good excuse for a Pizza Night.
The Trip:
There were a few who would like to get across the Simpson for the first time, some who are happy to return, and one who rather cheekily suggested it might be nice to spend more than 2 1/2 days crossing said desert!!
The proposal was to head up to Peyton's favourite place - Mungerannie - which is up the Birdsville Track, 200km north of Maree.
We would top up fuel at Mungerannie, and then head up the track veering in to the desert via Warburton Crossing. A point of caution here is that this track is often closed by wet weather, and stays closed longer than most tracks in the area. And you all know our record with wet tracks :/
From there we would head north to Poeppel Corner before continuing further north (more north north west) up the Hay River Track until it meets the Plenty Hwy at Jervois. We would need around 830km fuel range to do this. Col has done the track and advises it is not too difficult.
We would then head west then south to Alice - approx 340km. We could make some detours if we had time - to be discussed.
From Alice we head down the Old Andado to Mt Dare before heading across the Simpson to restock (at least water) at Birdsville before heading out to the BRB.
It is approx 520km from Mt Dare to Birdsville via the shortest route (French Line) so fuel won't be an issue.
Our thoughts at this stage were not to buy Early Bird tickets - we will just head out on day 1 of the BRB.
Depending on enthusiasm and weather we may attempt Coongie Lakes on the way home (or just head up to the Whitsundays for some).
We need a permit for the Hay River Track, and will need a Desert Parks Pass for the Simpson etc.
The Hay River transit fee is $200 per vehicle, and apparently another stipulation is that you have to camp at least one night at Batton Hill Camp which is on the north end of the track. Camping fee is $20 per person. There is an optional guided tour from Batton Hill which I think requires an extra night stay. Col may not have been that impressed with the tour.
Some date details:
BRB 2018 is on 10-12 July.
School holidays are 30 June - 15 July, Uni exams finish 22 June (I think), and semester 2 starts 23 July. (I think Vic Uni are the same dates as Monash....)
Daveys are reasonably flexible re departure dates, but Sarah needs to be back for uni on 23 July.
Mary and Phil need to be at Airlie Beach by 22 July and Kate back for uni on 23 July.
I can't recall any other date restrictions??
To do the trip outlined above we would take 15 to 18 days to get to Birdsville. The biggest timing unknown is the Hay River Track. Cols advice is that it is not hard. But it is still 800km, 700 of which is desert travel of some sort. So we if we left home on 23 June, the 18th day would be getting in to Birdsville and back out to the BRB. I have allowed 3 days to Mungerannie, 7 days for Mungerannie to Alice, which would then give us 2 days for the Old Andado Track, and 6 days from Mt Dare across the Simpson, in to Birdsville and back out to BRB.
All of this is open for further discussion/modification/
Regards,
SS
