Innamincka to Birdsville via Cordillo

Submitted: Friday, Aug 22, 2014 at 23:06

ThreadID: 109249 Views:2900 Replies:4 FollowUps:11

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Norm C (WA)

G'Day All
Has anyone been along this track recently?
A mate of mine is heading to Innamincka in the next week or so
and would like to go out to Birdsville via Cordillo Downs.
He'll be driving a 2014 Prado towing a small well built van
Any recent info on the track would be appreciated
Thanks
Norm

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Reply By: Kanga1 - Friday, Aug 22, 2014 at 23:59

Friday, Aug 22, 2014 at 23:59

We were in Innamincka a few weeks ago and spoke to a guy from Queensland with an Off road trailer who broke his rear window in the Jeep with a rock bouncing back off of the trailer, they had dust everywhere, I bought a 20 litre water jerry from him as our built in 60 litre tank ruptured about 50kms West of Cameron corner :-(
He said the Cordillo road was all Gibber rocks, so let your mate know to put something over the Prado rear glass as he is towing. We went up to Haddon corner before heading to Birdsville and the Simpson crossing, that road was OK if you kept your speed down a bit.
Cheers, Kanga.

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Kanga.

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Reply By: rumpig - Saturday, Aug 23, 2014 at 10:50

Saturday, Aug 23, 2014 at 10:50

All i'll say is, don't listen to the road conditions the lady at the trading post at Innamincka gives him if he asks there, she had absolutely no idea what the conditions were like when we drove that track last year. She told us there's no way you'd even think of towing a trailer along that track, it's very rough with wash outs blah, blah, blah...the reality was the track was in mint condition and i just about could have driven the wifes sedan along it with enough care (i'm serious here, other then the rocks in some areas which could cause dramas with non offroad type tyres, the entire time we kept expecting the track to get bad but it just never did). Obviously the track will likely be completely different now, but just giving you the run down on what info we recieved from there on our trip through the area.

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Follow Up By: Allan B (Member, SunCoast) - Saturday, Aug 23, 2014 at 12:03

Saturday, Aug 23, 2014 at 12:03

Typically, that track's condition varies with the weather, but it always has a generous covering of stones in parts.

Saw a bloke with a standard caravan on it once doing about 15-20kph.
It was going to be a loooong trip!

Cheers
Allan

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Follow Up By: Sigmund - Saturday, Aug 23, 2014 at 12:51

Saturday, Aug 23, 2014 at 12:51

Yep. Normal story: one guy drives a track after a recent grading and tells the world it's a dream. A few months later another drives it when the corro and gibers are back and tells the world it's a nightmare.

Rainfall effects is the bottom line so get a conditions report the day before you head onto a track if you can. SA does well providing them on a website. They'll be posted at the Trading Post at Innamincka too. Bill is worth a close listen - she'll give you data and other drivers' recent experiences and you can make your own decision. Or SA road authorities will close or limit a road or track.

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Follow Up By: Sigmund - Saturday, Aug 23, 2014 at 12:53

Saturday, Aug 23, 2014 at 12:53

And for the Qld side of that route, if there's no fax up at the Trading Post look at the Diamantina shire website or phone the info centre at Birdsville.

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Follow Up By: Member - Kevin S (QLD) - Sunday, Aug 24, 2014 at 04:26

Sunday, Aug 24, 2014 at 04:26

Are Internet facilities available at Innamincka? The Telstra map says no coverage.
Kevin

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Follow Up By: AlbyNSW - Sunday, Aug 24, 2014 at 06:01

Sunday, Aug 24, 2014 at 06:01

Kevin there is no phone coverage avalaiable there, you will have coverage in Tibooburra and Birdsville though

Road condition reports vary with people's perception as well, I have been asked what that road was like at the store and said that it was pretty good compared to other years I have travelled it and yet others have told the store it was terrible

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Follow Up By: Sigmund - Sunday, Aug 24, 2014 at 06:43

Sunday, Aug 24, 2014 at 06:43

True.
The pub has wifi connected to dial-up.... very slow. There's a payphone & there's Telstra mobile reception also around Moomba on the Strez track.

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Follow Up By: Member - Kevin S (QLD) - Sunday, Aug 24, 2014 at 12:28

Sunday, Aug 24, 2014 at 12:28

Thanks for the clarification. You both confirm my understanding. It was just that the suggestion to check the Diamintina Council web site if there was no fax could create the impression with some that there was internet coverage.

With the number of visitors to Innamincka each year it amazes me that Telstra has not put in a facility to cover the town. The same applies to Windorah, Jundah and Stonehenge although I believe a signal is available in parts of Stonehenge.

Cheers,
Kevin

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Follow Up By: Allan B (Member, SunCoast) - Sunday, Aug 24, 2014 at 12:41

Sunday, Aug 24, 2014 at 12:41

Don't worry Kevin, with the bitumen almost into Innamincka, it will soon be full of Winnebagos and Telstra will probably cater to them!

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Allan

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Follow Up By: Member - Kevin S (QLD) - Sunday, Aug 24, 2014 at 13:09

Sunday, Aug 24, 2014 at 13:09

Really? How long do I have to get there before the Winnebagos?

But seriously, I was talking to someone who had been there around early June, while we were on the road this year. He claimed that even road trains were down to about 15 kph on the stretch between Innamincka and the border.
Cheers,
Kevin

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Follow Up By: Sigmund - Sunday, Aug 24, 2014 at 15:48

Sunday, Aug 24, 2014 at 15:48

I wouldn't expect Inna to get a tower any time soon. Very small local population and no big horse race or the like to boost the visitor numbers. They are getting tourist buses though and there's a big fracking project started or planned to the north of it for which the Strez will be the access.

If we got some real competition in the sat comms space then a tower wouldn't be needed.

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Reply By: Norm C (WA) - Monday, Aug 25, 2014 at 09:43

Monday, Aug 25, 2014 at 09:43

Thanks for the reply's I'll pass on the info
Norm

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Reply By: Idler Chris - Thursday, Aug 28, 2014 at 17:46

Thursday, Aug 28, 2014 at 17:46

The Cordillo Downs road was fine several weeks ago when I went down it. Internet at Innaminka is available by going near the Home stay place connect to their wi-fi by paying $5 for 100mg. No problems.