This is a remote drive, with fuel being few and far between. Once you say goodbye to Morven, its only another 90 kilometres to Charleville. The Tibooburra to Innamincka road via Orientos Road is an adventure. Location: Birdsville to Maree (Maree is in the north-east of South Australia and Birdsville, is in the south-west of Queensland) Track Length: 517 km Road Conditions: Stony track with large pebbles (gibbers) and dry sand. Picnic at beautiful Lake Houdraman, catch a yellow belly or some yabbies in the river or swim a few lazy laps of the Aquatic Centre. Any questions or comments? No 4wd towing a camper too, I was up in that area in 2014 and passed many 2wds including small hatch backs with low ground clearance and huge overloaded motorhomes full of grey nomads. Those ready for action can spend the day fossicking for opals, climb and explore Baldy Top and Table Top Lookouts or go for a drive through the endless landscape that is Australias outback. Im travelling to Birdsville races from Whitsundays in September for my 50th. Contact Winton Shire Council on (07) 4657 2666 or the Visitor Information Centre on (07) 4657 1466 for further information. Highlights of a visit to Dalby can include Jimbour House, Lake Broadwater Conservation Park and visiting a cotton gin in full production during the picking season from around April to June. Toowoomba offers the visitor everything a wide range of accommodation for all budgets and many fine eateries, restaurants and shops. This road links Birdsville and Windorah with markets in major centres across Australia. But the watch-out here is the washouts. We have taken it on the Birdsville track and from Birdsville to Windorah so we dont mind dirt roads, but obviously cant do 4WD only tracks. Arrabury Road and Haddon Corner are on Karuwali, Birria and Yawarawarka Country. A word of warning. This takes you past Moomba, a strange sight in the desert. View all. But first, lets have a look at some of the ways you can travel from Tibooburra to Innamincka. Windmills have become iconic with Australias outback and Boulia has a grand dame standing right in the main street. On that road your vehicle clearance and good tyres are a must. Turn left off Warri Gate Road onto Orientos Road and youre into sand dune country. This is a special part of the journey and would be a fantastic sight at sunset. The journey begins along the Birdsville Developmental Road heading East towards Betoota and Windorah. Photo: Derek Barry Locals and tourists are benefitting from $5 million worth of works on the Diamantina Developmental Road between Bedourie and Boulia which paved and sealed the final eight kms of the 190 km link, just in time for the Birdsville Races. Get the app: You can also call 13 19 40 for updates and alerts. Learn more. You have quite a few options when travelling from Tibooburra to Innamincka. So as always, give the trucks plenty of room and be prepared to stop until the dust clears. Great stop over. Bedourie, meaning 'dust storm' has . promise you there is more great Outback scenery and loneliness. Ipswich was once a thriving river port and the wealth generated by its pioneers is clearly reflected in the grand early nineteenth century architecture. On the afternoon of February 23, 2023, emergency services in Maryland responded to a serious crash involving multiple vehicles on Solomons Island Road at Birdsville Road. The Loop Road crosses gibber plains then meanders along a series of watercourses for ages. And thirdly, theyve erected a giant sign warning that the speed limit is 50km/h in built-up areas. In 2010 I was overtaken by a holden astra towing a camper trailer on these roads. For most of the time the water is confined to deep, permanent waterholes that are perfect spots for camping, fishing and relaxation. The road was B**** terrible, mostly because the trucks tore it up, especially if it got a bit wet. just drive to the road conditions. We have a Land Rover Disco and travelling with another party of 2. Learn about and the Birdsville Beetle Car 4. The gravel road was generally in good condition. Our original plan was to spend some time exploring around Innamincka. Public Toilets. me, the black stump is rather in people's mind than a signpost of any It's roughy 380km from Windorah to Birdsville. Many follow themes such as the Scented Garden and Japanese Garden. Birdsville is a friendly place, and you shouldn't have any problems. Eyre Developmental Road (Bedourie - Birdsville), pave and seal Works have been completed to seal around 35km of the 185km road, improving safety, connectivity and wet weather access. The road was open, and two other sets of wheel tracks meant we could avoid any bog holes. Aimed at Baby Boomers & mature age travellers, there is a wealth of information, reviews, articles and other resources to educate and assist people. Be prepared, the detour might be a [5] Widen and seal [ edit] A project to widen and seal two sections of road west of Charleville, at a cost of $6.65 million, was completed in March 2022. By all accounts, it crosses many creeks and black soil flood plains. Any advice would be appreciated. The Red Stump Tourism and Events Queensland. Things to see include the Mud Hut, one of the first buildings, and the Royal Hotel that opened in 1886. The hills themselves are full of colour, similar to [the Painted Desert in South Australia] just on a smaller scale. Unfortunately, we got into one of those situations where wed gone too far to turn around turn around and likely get bogged or keep going and hope we didnt get bogged. From Dalby its a drive of 83 kilometres to Chinchilla. After all it wouldnt be right to call it Silver City Highway, thats a name those New South Welshmen use! For more information on Flood Recovery Permits (FRPs) and freight route information, contact the Flood Recovery Road Access Group: 1300 105 Rather than risk getting bogged up to our axles, we decided to camp on the western side of the first dune and walk to Haddon Corner. Assuming you are coming through betoota, there is no accommodation between Birdsville and Windorah. Think of Miles and think of wildflowers. Make sure you come prepared with your favourite sunset drinks and nibbles so you can really soak up the serenity of the perfect sunset location. don't worry about the distance from town as a bus run back and forth all day about every 30 mins. Lapidary enthusiasts just love the specimens from this district, called Chinchilla Red, due to their unique beauty and intricate patterns. One such stately building is the restored Old Town Hall, now home to the Ipswich Art Gallery, an interactive art gallery and social history museum worthy of a visit. Climb on top of a dune and enjoy an unique sunset. Dirt roads and pot holes are Ok. 5 Km from Windorah - Birdsville road I thought I saw bushfire smoke but it was just dust clouds from the relentless procession of 4x4's with caravans The road surface from the S.A. border north to Birdsville is all white silica, trucked in to facilitate an all-weather road , however as I found out the hard way, it was very abrasive to my X-ring . Of that distance reckon about 60% is still corrugated dirt road. We saw a crew laying a gas pipe across the road and one road train out of Innamincka. Its definitely remote. Day 4 - Thursday 1st September 2022 Windorah - Birdsville. Bedourie, another small bush town with true Outback character. (Commonwealth Development Employment Project) centre; visit the grand old Hotel Corones, the biggest outback pub in Australia, with its resident ghost; and at night take in the star-studded outback night sky at the Cosmos Centre. I only have a small low clearance front wheel drive Hyundai i30CW and would appreciate advice as to whether I can travel this road, bearing in mind that I would observe all precautions such as checking the road conditions etc on the day. Every Tuesday you can join in the excitement at the Roma Saleyards, which is the biggest cattle selling facility in the southern hemisphere. This being on a good track. This leg . Other Routes From Tibooburra To Innamincka, here for more information and maps on these routes and more, How To Avoid Problems With Your Car Fridge | Simple Steps To Take. kind. Enjoy the outdoor hot tub under the stars with artesian bore water. We have a Land Rover Disco and travelling with another party of 2. Hey, that's the Australian Outback. think it is important to lower tyre pressures (20PSI for mine) as road is mostly crushed rock and 80kmph is about as fast as I wanted to go. We are planning to leave Windorah Friday 4th June to Birdsville. Take a Birdsville area Scenic Flight 8. A few kilometres out of Birdsville is a very rare stand of ancient trees. Has anyone done this trip across . Weather and Warnings . It's bumpy in sections and I'd make sure to have the basics incase of a flat tyre which will be your biggest issue. Derek Barry Editor, the North West Star We were in a 4 wheel drive and averaged between 80 to 90 Klms per hour across the dirt / stony gravel roads without lowering our tyres. Rex Airlines flies to Boulia on their Western 2 Route from Brisbane to Toowoomba (Wellcamp) to Charleville to Quilpie to Windorah to Birdsville to Bedourie to Boulia to Mount Isa and return. Top up wherever you can. Leaving pretty Miles you pass through the townships of Drillham and Dulacca, both established with the coming of the railway into the west. is the road from boulia to mt isa sealed. And beware. but this should give you an idea of the fuel consumption differences between the desert and other road conditions. There is live entertainment, camp oven cooking,food, fireworks, childrens amusements and a hostof novelty races and events. The next stop on your journey along the Warrego sits right on top of the Great Dividing Range; Toowoomba. Low jump-ups, shimmering mirages and stony plains as far as you can see. With one eye on a huge rain system bearing down on inland Australia from the north-west, we decided to get out of there. if you need fuel fill up when you get there, the que at the end of the week-end is crazy. Very excited!! Or you can go West from Tibooburra towards Cameron Corner, dont turn off to Cameron Corner, but continue to the NSW/QLD border. Its a long journey along this road. Stretching over 1,700,000 square kilometres, the Great Artesian Basin provides the only reliable source of freshwater through much of arid inland Australia. In all, 416 kilometers of dirt road make up the Cordillo Downs track from Innamincka to Birdsville, which took us over 10 hours to complete. We chose to drive North from Tibooburra through Warri Gate on the NSW/QLD border, follow for a while, turn left onto Orientos Road, left onto Moomba Road and follow until you turn right to Innamincka. Road conditions are generally rough, slow going, and will depend on the time of year if there have been any significant rains. And this was on the red soil slopes of the hills! I took my time to explore the odd place along . Do you think that I will only need one tank of fuel? The three main roads entering the region are the Diamantina Developmental Road (from Windorah and the east) to Bedourie or then onto the Birdsville Developmental Road to Birdsville, the Eyre Developmental Road (from the north) and the Birdsville Track (from the south). Windorah - $1.50 4. However, roads in the Outback improve At The history of The Birdsville Track comes to life as we leave Marree and head north through Stations including Lake Harry, Clayton, Dulkaninna, Etadunna, Mulka, to . Plenty of camping spots; none of them marked as "official", but you should be OK if you pull well off the road, and don't camp in a creek bed. Take your time and enjoy the unique outback. Youre unlikely to see another vehicle out here. You can rarely over-prepare for an outback trip and sounds like you have it well covered. A must for visitors to Miles is the Miles Historical Village where more than 20 buildings are open to the public. Back on the road again. A project to reconstruct and widen 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) of road immediately north of Boulia, at a cost of $1.025 million, was completed in April 2021. Enjoy these tips and articles in the Outback Guide. It is easy to spend a day or more in and around Eromanga. Did this stretch in one winter day in a Mazda Tribute towing campertrailer. options to continue your journey, but first I'd like to answer your next question "what does Population: 115. 0419 502 332. enquiries@desertskytours.com. Each one is a brilliant drive. Eventually the road climbs onto the tableland, which stretches out in all directions. After pushing north for about 250km, you meet the Birdsville/Windorah Road. You gaze down into the valley you just drove through and its laid out before you like a map. Though I have missgivings about corrugations. in western Queensland, around Alice Springs and in South Africa.Listen to the eerie noise of the wind howling through these ancient trees. After 19km, turn onto the Jump Up Loop Road. The wide red desert has patches of green and yellow springing up from the recent floods in the region. Conquer the Big Red Sand Dune Birdsville 2. And this way, you get to see the corner of the three states at Cameron Corner! Fishing the Ward River is popular in Charleville and with the local fishing club restocking the waters you can almost be assured of a catch. black stump mean"? Birdsville has received 45 mm yesterday, and all approachable roads closed, and this is its annual Race weekend. I always recommend you carry, among other things, a tyre pressure gauge and a compressor to blow them up again once you get back to the bitumen. At the turn of the century the Kenniff brothers ruled the ranges around here. You can research more about outback Queensland with our other story on Bedourie. Youll notice that the rolling grazing country becomes wild mulga scrub edging the road as you drive further west to Charleville. Its a must !!!! Thanks friends for that Q & A .. we're heading that way for July via Carnarvon Gorge, Barcaldine, Winton, Boulia Camel Races, Birdsville then diddle-daddling home route. I was not sure about the road condition, but as it turned out, the road was quite do-able. Mungallala is the only town you pass through on your trip west from Mitchell to Morven. Take these roads slowly, dont be in a hurry. With special catwalks for visitors to see all the action, theres arguably nowhere else you can have such an experience. Overall a good drive , does get a bit rough in a few places but hey it's the outback.. Do you plan to travel to, or within Australia? RACQ Road Conditions. Planning a trip to Birdsville this year. its nice there to be on the river but good luck finding a spot if you are not there early. In the next day just wondering if anyone has driven the road between Windorah and Birdsville I will be driving a Holden Colorado with a semi off caravan. Weve also done some of the alternative routes. Freight and Heavy Vehicles: For accurate up to date road conditions for Queensland also check the following sites: RACQ Road Conditions. Hi there and thanks for the tip. Along the way, you meet characters like Gunna and Bluey. The entire road surface consists of large corrugations from one side to the other. Once at the top, youre in Toowoomba, Queenslands Garden City. With abnormally hardwood and they say they are impossible to burn. Drop down to 20psi tyres pressure and enjoy the dust and rocks for the next 3 hours. The Min Min is a mysterious light that dances on the horizon as pictured above. The distinctive seasons and fertile soils have given rise to a city filled with over 150 wonderful gardens and parks. Hey, I rode an old ex-army dispatch rider's bike from Alice Springs to Port Augusta on what is now called the "Oodnadatta Track" back in 1959. 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