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Inside Track

Difficulty: Trek rating 2.5 of 5 - Click for detailsTrek rating 2.5 of 5 - Click for detailsTrek rating 2.5 of 5 - Click for details   Suitable for: 4WD AWD Caravan Camper Bike 
The Inside Track was gazetted as a public road on 16th January 2002 and provides an alternative route that is also 35km shorter than the main Birdsville Track.
StartClick to Reverse the Dynamic Map and Driving NotesBirdsville
Trek
FinishBirdsville Tk & Birdsville Inside Tk
Distance145.46 kmMinimum Days1
Average Speed76.19 km/hrDriving Time1 hr 54 min
Article By: ExplorOz Team   Updated: 12 Feb 2008
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 Description

Birdsville Track was established during the 1880’s and was the main stock route between Marree in South Australia and Birdsville in Queensland. Back then, the route had taken approximately a month to complete and because of the long and harsh environment, many cattle didn’t survive the trip. The track these days is passable with many conventional vehicles and many people like to undertake the journey to discover the route the old stockman used to take.

There are two routes which heads into Birdsville from the south and that is the Outside and the Inside track. The Inside Track saves considerable distance than the more commonly used Outside Track, however the route traverses through some treacherous soils of Goyder Lagoon and must be undertaken by 4WD at all times. The biggest threat is from the floodwaters of Goyder Lagoon and Cooper Creek -- if northern monsoonal rain is excessive, flooding from Queensland's rivers will close the Inside Track and the Birdsville Track well into winter. Fortunately, this doesn't happen very often.

 Interactive Route Map

BirdsvilleBirdsville Inside Tk & Birdsville AccessBirdsville Inside Tk & New Alton Downs AccessBirdsville Inside TrackWarburton Ck, Birdsville Inside TkBirdsville Tk & Birdsville Inside Tk
Birdsville
Birdsville is a small town located in Western Queensland, Australia. The town is located 1590 kilometres west of the state capital, Brisbane, and 720 kilometres south of the city of Mount Isa. Birdsville is situated on the edge of the Simpson Desert, and the climate is very arid.
Features: Populated PlaceService Station,Roadhouse Caravan Park Airstrip Rubbish Bin,Tip Fuel Water Supply Toilet Pub Food,Shopping Water Body,River,Stream,Falls Camp Fee Police Station Medical Services
Position: 139.3534ºE   25.8990ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Birdsville Inside Tk & Birdsville Access
Distance: 1.47km
Average Speed: 50.15km/h
Features: Junction,Intersection,Turn Off
Position: 139.3323ºE   25.9126ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Birdsville Inside Tk & New Alton Downs Access
Distance: 73.16km
Average Speed: 81.16km/h
Features: Junction,Intersection,Turn Off
Position: 139.2754ºE   26.4723ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Birdsville Inside Track
Distance: 20.9km
Average Speed: 83.14km/h
Birdsville Inside Track
From the Turn off just North of Clifton Hills the Inside Track is Gibbers for about 10/15klm then runs into a reasonable track , A few small dunes to the sides ,and the track is wind blown in places , the track will end where it intersects the road to Big Red 2.4klm S.
Features: Toilet
Position: 139.1349ºE   26.5944ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Warburton Ck, Birdsville Inside Tk
Distance: 24.31km
Average Speed: 85.41km/h
Features: River Crossing
Position: 139.0367ºE   26.7830ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Birdsville Tk & Birdsville Inside Tk
Distance: 25.61km
Average Speed: 81.11km/h
Features: Junction,Intersection,Turn Off
Position: 139.0249ºE   26.9981ºS (GDA 94)

Route Control

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 Things to See & Do
Birdsville   RatingRatingRatingRatingRating
Populated Place Service Station,Roadhouse Caravan Park Airstrip Rubbish Bin,Tip Fuel Water Supply Toilet Pub Food,Shopping Water Body,River,Stream,Falls Camp Fee Police Station Medical Services
Birdsville is a small town located in Western Queensland, Australia. The town is located 1590 kilometres west of the state capital, Brisbane, and 720 kilometres south of the city of Mount Isa. Birdsville is situated on the edge of the Simpson Desert, and the climate is very arid.

 Preparation

Fuel Supplies & Usage

Fuel SymbolBirdsville Diesel4cyl 20 litres ULP4cyl 23 litres LPG4cyl 29 litres
6cyl 22 litres6cyl 26 litres6cyl 26 litres
8cyl 25 litres8cyl 23 litres
Usage is averaged from TrekFuel (* specific to trek) submissions and calculated based on trek distance.

Best Time To Visit

Closest Climatic Station

Moomba Airport
Distance from Trek Mid Point 209.5km SE
 JanFebMarAprMayJun JulAugSepOctNovDec
Mean Max. °C 38.337.034.029.2 23.520.119.422.5 27.429.934.136.4
Mean Min. °C 24.523.820.515.9 10.87.56.68.4 12.715.819.522.2
Mean Rain mm 16.925.310.87.8 10.811.318.74.8 14.411.813.016.1
    Best time to travel      Ok time to travel      Travel NOT recommended

Services & Supplies

The following locations have various services and supplies: Birdsville

 Camp Sites & Accomodation
Birdsville   RatingRatingRatingRatingRating
Populated Place Service Station,Roadhouse Caravan Park Airstrip Rubbish Bin,Tip Fuel Water Supply Toilet Pub Food,Shopping Water Body,River,Stream,Falls Camp Fee Police Station Medical Services
Birdsville is a small town located in Western Queensland, Australia. The town is located 1590 kilometres west of the state capital, Brisbane, and 720 kilometres south of the city of Mount Isa. Birdsville is situated on the edge of the Simpson Desert, and the climate is very arid.

 Driving Directions
Time
Direction
Distance
Birdsville to Birdsville Inside Tk & Birdsville Access 1.47 km SW 234° 1 min
Birdsville Inside Tk & Birdsville Access to Birdsville Inside Tk & New Alton Downs Access 73.16 km S 185° 54 min
Birdsville Inside Tk & New Alton Downs Access to Birdsville Inside Track 20.9 km SW 226° 15 min
Birdsville Inside Track to Warburton Ck, Birdsville Inside Tk 24.31 km SW 205° 17 min
Warburton Ck, Birdsville Inside Tk to Birdsville Tk & Birdsville Inside Tk 25.61 km S 183° 18 min
Birdsville to Birdsville Tk & Birdsville Inside Tk 145.46 km     1 hr 54 min
Distance is GPS recorded driving distance (not straight line), Direction is straight line from start to end, Time is calculated from actual GPS driving data.

 Trek Feedback
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What Others have Posted

J C (NQ) : 29 Jan 08 20:36
Has anyone else done the original "inside" track, recently? If so, c...

 Related Pages
Trek Search
ExplorOz Trek Notes are detailed, factual reviews of destinations in Australia to which you can plan a self-drive camping trip. This page will enable you to access over 100 of these trek notes, using various search methods and at a glance you can see what treks we have in each area across Australia. [Feature Story]
Oodnadatta Track
If you’re a history buff you’re going to go nuts crossing the Oodnadatta Track. The track follows the orignal Ghan line from Marla to Oodnadatta and then on to Marree. There's stacks of ruins, mound springs, excellent conservation park information & railway sidings/rubble.
Strzelecki Track
The Stzrelecki Track is strictly the route form Innamincka to Lyndhurst, however our trek note is for travellers starting at Innamincka and travelling down to Arkaroola Village in the heart of the Flinders Ranges.
Dig Tree Circuit
This loop trek from Innamincka will take you on a historic adventure, heading towards The Burke and Wills "Dig Tree", which is one of Australia's national icons and an enduring reminder of our pioneering spirit.
Innamincka Memorials and Markers
This trek which lies purely in the Innamincka Regional Reserve follows the memorials, markers and waterholes along Cooper Creek. It is a trek filled with history and culture from the Burke and Wills Expedition to protected Aboriginal sites and artefacts.
Walkers Crossing
Route for driving between Birdsville and Innamincka through the flood plain country of the nothern overlow of the Cooper Creek before rising onto the Sturt Stony Desert on the Birdsville Track.
Cordillo Downs
This is the main route from Innamincka to Birdsville. The track is about 420km and conditions vary greatly. The countryside is a seemingly endless gibber plain but this is Australia's prime cattle country - the Channel Country.
Bore Track
The Bore Track is an access road for oil company vehicles and for property owners. This track is a great alternative to the wide gravel road of the Strzelecki Track which is more a highway than a track.
Simpson Desert WAA Line
This track is similar to the French Line and although it has smaller dunes, it is very picturesque especially after rain. While in this area take a look at the Knolls, which is a scenic but fragile part of the Simpson so please stay on the track.
Simpson Desert Rig Road
The Rig Road is the most southern access across the Simpson Desert. It is a longer route because it winds along the edge of dunes and crosses at the lowest points. Old clay-topped track is now eroding, but was once used for moving heavy equipment.
Simpson Desert French Line
The French Line is the most direct route across the desert and traverses directly across the tops of over 1200 red sand dunes, with Big Red being the major challenge.
Simpson Desert
The Simpson Desert can be crossed via the French Line, WAA line or Rig Road. This trek provides a route using a combination of all 3 routes.
Birdsville Track
The Birdsville Track runs south from Birdsville to Maree and passes through the Sturt Stony Desert. It is an extremely remote region but is strikingly beautiful in its harshness.
Mt Dare to Oodnadatta via Dalhousie
This trek provides an easy opportunity to access Dalhousie Springs, one of the main icons of the Simpson Desert without a significant detour if touring between South Australia and the Red Centre.
Dalhousie to Finke via Bloods Ck
This trek connects the Red Centre and the Simpson Desert but also intersects the Old Ghan in numerous places and provides an interesting drive.
Painted Desert
The Painted Desert has to be the highlight of the South Australian Desert experience. This trek from Coober Pedy takes as little as one day, but if you are a photographer or painter, you may choose to spend an entire week in the Painted Desert.

 Recommended Reading for Inside Track
Flinders Ranges
This map is suitable for two- and four-wheel drive enthusiasts as well as those wanting to take a closer look on foot.
The Flinders Ranges - An Adventurers Guide
This comprehensive guide covers all you need to know for an enjoyable 2WD or 4WD touring, camping, walking or cycling holiday to these ranges. Access details cover camp sites, scenic spots, historic sites and places to visit along with chapters on travelling around the area. Featuring 240 pages with 32 maps.
Natmap Raster 2005: Premium - DVD
This new NATMAP Raster was released in April 2005. This is a 2 DVD set that contains all 1:250 000 scale NATMAP topographic maps covering Australia, published to December 2004.
$119.00 [Add to Cart]
South West Queensland
This map features the network of roads called the Adventure Way from Toowoomba to Innamincka and is bordered by Windorah to the NW, Augathella to the NE, Barringun on the NSW/Qld border to the SE and Cameron Corner to the SW. All access roads into Innamincka are also detailed.
Birdsville & Strzelecki Tracks
This magnificent area of outback Australia stretches from Betoota in the north, through Birdsville and south to Marree. The map also covers routes from Birdsville to Innamincka and Cameron Corner to Tibooburra in NSW, a popular entry point to this region north of Broken Hill.
$8.50 [Add to Cart]Latest Edition
Birdsville & Strzelecki Track
This magnificent area of outback Australia stretches from Betoota in the north, through Birdsville and south to Marree. The map also covers routes from Birdsville to Innamincka and Cameron Corner to Tibooburra in NSW, a popular entry point to this region north of Broken Hill.
$8.50 $5.95 [Not Available]
Diamantina Lakes
This map covers the Birdsville - Boulia - Winton - Longreach - Windorah area. The map is clear with symbols refering to textual information provided on the back of the map explaining each point of interest, surrounding flora and fauna.
South Australia
This double sided road map of South Australia features a comprehensive map of the state on one side and the Flinders Ranges and the South East on the other. This easy to read fully indexed map features national parks, places of interest plus more.
Birdsville Track - The Outback Travellers Guide
Series 1 Fourteen stripmaps break the Birdsville Track into identifiable sections giving travellers information on regional roads, fuel, water, landmarks, accommodation, GPS co-ordinates and much more. Each strip is accompanied by photographs of scenes along that section of track.