darvidanoar
X-TRAIL NEWBIE
Date Registered: 07-2013
Location: Brisbane, Queensland
TOTAL POSTS: 66
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Re:
Thanks Mants.
We just got back from our second trip out to Birdsville. There has been a bit of rain out that way (four inches in February according to someone we spoke to at Windorah) which has greened the road up quite a bit. The flies and mozzies are unbelievably fierce and apparently this is due to the water sitting around for a long time. Thanks to the folk at the Birdsville Bakery for selling meshed hats ... best ten bucks I ever spent :-). This time I did find Big Red and we took the X-Trail up for a look.
We were also lucky enough to spot a couple of dingoes and a bilby in the wild. I'll post some video photos as soon as I get a chance.
--- David
Member No: X-3186
2012 Nissan X-Trail ST-L
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28/Apr/2014, 8:58 pm
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darvidanoar
X-TRAIL NEWBIE
Date Registered: 07-2013
Location: Brisbane, Queensland
TOTAL POSTS: 66
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Re:
Hi Tasgandy,
quote: Did you take a Sat. phone with you? did you take additional spare tires? where did you stay in Birdsville? Pub or Caravan Park/Cabin/Tent?
I didn't take a Sat phone, but I do have a UHF and I took extra fuel and food and plenty of water. No additional spare tyres, although the roads I travelled were in pretty good shape. The Diamantina Shire seems to keep them maintained quite well. In fact, I remember remarking to myself on the sudden change in the quality of the roads as I passed the 'Welcome to the Diamantina Shire' sign :-)
I stayed at the Caravan Park in a cheap $14 throw-down-pop-up tent and mostly ate at the pub for dinner. You can camp outside of town for free and use the Caravan Park showers for a small fee, but I didn't see the point in roughing it unnecessarily.
Sounds like a great trip you have lined up. I did go for a short explore down the Birdsville Track and crossed the SA border briefly. The road looks nice and wide and hardly what you would call a track any more :-)
--- David
Member No: X-3186
2012 Nissan X-Trail ST-L
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28/Apr/2014, 9:13 pm
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Toddyh03
X-TRAIL HOLIC
Date Registered: 08-2011
Location: Lalor Park, NSW
TOTAL POSTS: 1663
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Re: Birdsville Trip on your own
quote: Tasgandy wrote:
Has anyone traveled from Marree to Birdsville via the recently opened "inside track"?
I'm driving a 2005 X-Trail 5 sp manual Ti
I drove the inside track back in August last year. It is way rougher than the 'main' outside track. I did just under 11,000km and my only puncture was on the inside track. Lower your tyre pressures and take it slow and you will be fine. You can see details of my trip here.
--- Toddyh X-2048 (c)
New: Challenger
Old: 2010 T31 Diesel modified
My XTrail
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29/Apr/2014, 7:46 am
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darvidanoar
X-TRAIL NEWBIE
Date Registered: 07-2013
Location: Brisbane, Queensland
TOTAL POSTS: 66
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Re:
Second time out to Birdsville and this time my wife decided to come with me to see it for herself. I didn't have a lot of time to do the trip this time, so the first day I wanted to get as many kilometres between us and Brisbane as I could. We managed to get all the way out Charleville on day one, so that wasn't bad going at all. This was the first night in the new Turbo-Lite 240+ and what a dream of a tent to set up and a comfortable rest.
Next morning it was off on the Diamantina Development Road to Windorah.
Windorah wasn't quite as pleasant as I remembered as they'd had a little rain in February and the place was absolutely infested with flies and mozzies. The local council worker said it was probably the worst she'd ever seen and recommended we eat down at the local park where the picnic tables are fly screened.
We stopped for a look at the solar power installation there and managed to get a selfie of sorts in one of the dishes.
Camping at the Windorah caravan park is pretty cheap and we were able to have a nice hot shower before heading off to Birdsville. On the way out, we took the long way to Birdsville (via Bedourie# The dirt roads were a little stony in places but otherwise in good condition.
We stopped along the way plenty of times for breaks and to look at anything that caught our eye and eventually arrived at Birdsville about an hour before sunset. Camp was set up quickly and then it was off to the famous Birdsville Hotel for a few beers and a meal. That didn't quite go as well as planned as a huge crowd had rolled into town and the kitchen wasn't able to keep up. The publican said they'd had 300 meal orders that night #and only ten the night before#. So that night we went to bed with empty stomaches #apart from the beers#.
Next day was spent exploring the surrounds which included a couple of treks out to Big Red. Tyre pressure down to 18PSI and up we went!
See the DVR video here
The home made sand flag worked a treat and looked the part as well.
After a couple of nights, we said farewell to Birdsville and headed off along the Birdsville Development Road via Betoota. The intention was to get ourselves to Welford National Park for a couple of nights, but it was closed due to the condition of the roads. So that night we ended up in Jundah and the next day, decided to take a slightly different route home via Longreach.
One place I really should mention is Lloyd Jones Weir, just outside Barcaldine.
A great free #gold coin donation) camp with tap water available and nice clean flushing toilets. A really beautiful little spot and worth staying for a couple of nights. I wish I'd remembered to take the dilly.
Anyway, we arrived home safely after about 8 days in total, just in time for the car's 50k service :-) A good fun trip and a heck of a lot of km covered.
--- David
Member No: X-3186
2012 Nissan X-Trail ST-L
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3/May/2014, 8:58 pm
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Tasgandy
X-TRAIL NEWBIE
Date Registered: 02-2011
Location: The Grampians Victoria
TOTAL POSTS: 13
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Re: Birdsville trip
Thanks David for the info, I hope my trip will be as good as yours sounds like it was. Hopefully the flies might have taken a holiday by the time I get there.
I leave from down here in Country Vic. next Monday the 9th, heading for Marree (2 night stay) via Red Cliffs & Peterbrough, then Marree to Mungerannie (1 night stay) on to Birdsville (2 night stay) Windorah (1 night) Quilpie (1 night) then Charleville (2 night stay) on to Bourke winding down through NSW back to Victoria and home. Taking around 20 days of wandering, decided to take a Sat phone, 2 spare tyres, twin cyl. air compressor, Fridge/freezer. Following your suggestion with 20ltrs extra fuel & 30ltrs of water, spare food, stove etc. Other than a mobile phone I also have a UHF radio, my old trusty camera and a new Garmin sat navigation.
With a bit of luck I hope also to head off to Lake Eyre whilst I'm out there, I'm looking forward to next Monday big time since reading your account and great pictures.
Thanks also to Toddyh03 re the "inside track" info, if it's still open I might give it a go even though most say it's a lot rougher. I will remember to drop my tyre pressures as per your suggestion.
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2005 Ti L Geolander A/T-S®
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3/Jun/2014, 12:32 am
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