Strzelecki track - Birdsville - Route options

Hi Helen,

Just got back (2 weeks ago) We headed up via the Googs Track (from Ceduna) 3 days, then on to Coober Pedy via Glendambo. Next stop Mt Dare on to Birdsville then Innaminka via Walkers Crossing. After a 2 day stop at Innaminka when then went up to Coongie Lakes for two days then back to Innaminka , then on to Thagomindah then headed home (Sydney) via Bourke some 6500Ks.

All in all a great trip, good weather, but the BLOODY FLIES, I have never seen so many, and AeroGurad and the like seems to attract them.

JD

G'day Helen;
I'm taking a group from Adelaide to Birdsville and then across East-West, in July.

We are going up the Birdsville Track, camping at Clayton on the way (a long first day!)/
However, I've travelled the Strzelecki before and stayed at Innamincka many times.

If you want to look around Innamincka on the way, I'd suggest you go from Lyndhurst (lots to see there) up via Mlntecollina Bore (nice campsite) and on to Innamincka (check out the sites) then back via Gidgealpa to Walkers Crossing (provided it is open: it's not shown on the SA Gov Outback Roads website) and then take the "Inside track" (Goyder's Lagoon: only partly shown on the Gov Website, as "Closed", but it has been that way for years, despite being quite easy most years) to reach Birdsville via Pandi Pandi Station.
(Check out the mention on "Buy-This" Pat's website at http://www.mr4x4.com.au/index.php/latest-news/167-birdsville-inside-track-re-opened - but you'd still need to check if there's water blocking it half-way up, so allow for a return back to the Birdsville track of blocked).
The Cordillo Downs road is much less interesting and can be rough and/or stony.
Cheers and have a great trip
Dr Hook

Hi Helen, we too traveled that section in reverse after our W-E crossing recently.
Was an easy day drive from BV to Inna, where we camped at Cullyamulla waterhole (beaut spot).

We went via Walkers Crossing.

Don't recall any stand out camp sites, we lunched at the crossing itself, taking shade in trees a the creek by the new fancy bridge (not yet in use by the looks, or they open it up when creek is flooded ?).

Another poster on a forum (might have been here or 4WDA) remarked they have camped at Walkers itself, but we didn't really go looking for sites as we were travelling through, there might be something nice if you drive off for a look.

Haven't traveled Cordillo, but I believe there are nice campsites either side of the property itself, which is no camping . . . ok to visit their famous shearing shed though.

Helen,
With just 2 nights, we'd normally camp at Farina and somewhere north of Clifton Hills, then plan on arriving in Birdsville around lunchtime - Gives you time to have a look around the sights of Birdsville and fill up before heading west in the morning.

If you go via Innamincka and Cordillo, you won't have time to see anything along the way - and normally that would be 4 days (3 nights) driving.

Hi there
We travelled the Walkers crossing road last year, about this time
The road was in great condition, only drama we had was getting thru to Innaminka as the signage was poor and our GPS got lost ! Everyone we spoke to told us that the Cordillo track was very heavily corrugated
Food for thought !
Cheers
Doughboy

I travelled the Cordillo Downs Road (Birdsville to Innamincka) about three weeks back, quite corrugated in places, but no worse than I have known it previously. Just drive to the conditions...

If travelling the Walkers Crossing track bear in mind that Santos have got tracks going everywhere making picking the right one challenging, at times!

Enjoy your trip.