Peter McG (Member, Melbourne) replied:

Ian,

There are heaps of great spots to camp. Best to pick a spot between dunes so you are sheltered. Oodnadatta to Dalhousie is fairly easy but cxan be interesting if wet. Lone Gum is a bit exposed and there is a good camp spot a bit further up the track.

Peter

Inland Sailor replied:

Hi Ian

All my comments are subject to the weather being fine, otherwise its anybodies guess!

Crossed lat Septemberlas year so hadsome more daylight than in June, but it tokk us on;y two nights to cross from Dalhousie to Birdsville. We were in a group of three vehicles, three kid and one [mine] towing a Campertrailer.

Oodnadatta to Dalhousie via the shorter route taking in the Daldousie ruins was an easy trip, Left Oodnadattaabout 11:00 and arrived at Dalhousie before !6:00.
Next day, Left Dalhousie around 9:00 , stoped at Purni Bore to let down the tyres to 18 PSI and then follwed the Rig Road past Mokari airfield and on to Lone Gum for the night. Arrived 16:00, with a couple of stops for lunch, and photos and the need for a second attempt on one dune on the way.

Left from Lone Gum again at 8:30, followed the Rig Road to the Knolls track, then up to the Knolls for lunch. Should have checked tyre pressure at Lunch break as we had some troubles with a further couple of dunes on the way to Poeppel Corner and needed a snatch on these. Stoped at the Markers for the photo's and then up beside Lake Poeppel and onto the first dunes on the QAA line for the night. at around 4:30 - 5:00.

Next Day it was on to Big Red, with lunch on the way, getting toBig Red by 14:00 and after further tyre letting down [and a hitch] over Little Red, on to Birdsville by 15:00.

Hope this helps

Des Lexic replied:

You can camp pretty well any where you like.
We took 5 days to cross it with lots of stops and no rush. We had a ball. Take the time to smell the roses so to speak. (They could be a bit thin on the ground out there) LOL

Member - Beatit (QLD) replied:

G'day Ian,

We allowed 5 days and did the crossing in 3. Like you we wanted a relaxed trip but what we didn't count on were the flies and in the end we kept going till late avo just to get respite from these blighters ( we did it in late Sept and I believe they get worse as the season progresses - so maybe not an issue). What we found was that there were plenty of places to camp between the dunes and whilst the various ones mentioned are great stops you shouldn't have any problems finding a place when you're ready to pull up. Just to get the juices going,



Kind regards and have a great trip.

Wayne (NSW) replied:

Ian,

The other replies have said it all.

Dalhousie Springs can get a bit crowded, it is a great place for a swim but I don't camp here. I would normally get past Purnie bore.

When I take a convoy across I average about 16klm per hour for the day and that includes stops for lunch ,ect ect.

Have a look at the Lone Gum tree you have gone that far a little more will be worth it.

The French Line is the shortest way across but I have always found the WAA line the best.

Any swale(the land between the sand dunes) makes a good camp site. 200mt from the track is ideal. When you get the Desert Parks Pass, available through this site, it will explain all about how to cross the desert and is full of maps and info.

Have a great trip and it is one that you will remember

Wayne

Rock Crawler replied:

we were there last july and guess what , no flies lol . If all goes well , we will be there in June around the 2oth for dailhousie

snailbait (Blue mntns) replied:

hi ian
the stay at Dalhousie Springs is great you swim at the spring and realy get refress but do not camp there
go past DALHOUSIE Spring to the next camp site WHICH has a DROP Tolet and a bore hot shower i canot rember the nme but it is only about half hour travel and it is the start of the simpson trip