Me & Dad - Brisbane to the Simpson - junket.

Thanks Phil, and yes, flag, UHF, satphone, plugging kit, compressor, recovery kit, first aid kit, maxtrax, shovel, extra spare etc are all pretty standard in my kit.

Dad's pretty fit at 70 so no real concern there.

I've read quite a few of your posts which has helped with my planning - do you think my route will fit into that time frame? Would I have time there to add in Innamincka too?

I'm looking at Friday to the Sunday week for the whole trip.

Thanks again, Scott

It took us just about 5 hours from Innamincka to Birdsville so the reverse would be about the same. But that wasn't on the Cordillo Downs road and the other one was in good nick. I gather that it would be nice to visit the DIG tree area then. Good idea. If he is anything like me that would be a damned good idea. Are you thinking of visiting the Stockmans Hall of Fame in Longreach. A bit out of the way I think but worth considering.

The only drive that we have done heading westward from the Brisbane area was a trip from Canberra, up through Lighting Ridge to Roma and then west. You will have to compare the two return paths yourself.

Dad at 70! Mate no worries. I have a stuffed hematology (blood) disorder and I am 67 and I would do it on my own. So if he is fit then no worries.

I though that you would have the rest of the kit but just checking.

Have fun. It's worth it just to experience a desert.

You do not have to answerthis one if you prefer. Is this a "special" drive? My sister is not to well and before she got worse I took her up into the Victorian High country above Mount Beauty and Falls Creek to where we lived when I was a baby to where she used to herd the high country cattle. It was worth every second of the visit. We even ran into people, all locals of course, who knew her both in the valley and of all places Falls Creek. Just walking down the street I asked a couple of gents around her age and bugger me they both knew her. We had such a time. Couldn't get away from them. Couldn't pay for anything as soon as the word got around they came out of the woodwork. I am so cut up now thinking about it. It was hard for her to leave. Like I said worth every second.

Phil

Not a special trip in that regard, but the general intent is the same. I've got a hectic sort of life and I don't get to spend the time with Dad that I want or he deserves. Of late I've converted the family to campers (parents, sisters fam and us) so we can spend more time on the basics but even then it's all too easy for quality time to slip away.

Thanks for the tip on the dig tree, hadn't thought of it but will put it into the trip.

Longreach is something Mum and Dad are both dead keen on so I'll leave that one to them to enjoy together.

No worries mate

We had a family trip just after I got the "good" news.

Quality time is so worth it.

Phil

PS The boys even purchased cars to go on the trip.

Thanks Chris, we're not too great at sitting idle and can flex the trip to suit, I've got 12 weeks of leave accrued and Dad is retired so we can afford to make a few blunders on timing if we bite off too much.

I'm thinking a similar route to yours to the desert now, family run the Nindigully pub and last night I was looking at heading toward Innamincka as the start point - then through Walkers Crossing to Clifton and so on.

If not that, we might head in via Charleville, down the track to Clifton and back to Birdsville via QAA. If we still have plenty of time, we could then head down to Innamincka, Cameron's Corner etc and home via St George.

I'll do some more mapping and throw the plan up for comment :)

Scott apparently the Warburton Crossingand Walkers Crossing are both open (Thread 101852).

You may want to look at using the K1 line from Poepells Corner to exit the desert towards the south and then use the Warburton Crossing, up the Birdsville Track and then southeast through Walkers Crossing to Innamincka.

Phil