The many faces of the Simpson Desert

Hi Allan

Unfortunately I do not have a scanner to scan some of our earlier trips out there prior to didital photography..

You are no stranger to a Simson drive or three...lol and I bet would could show some great images as well.

Yes that detour sign was a classic and I just had to get a photo of it. That was the first time ever that we have had to take a wet weather detour at Eyre Creek to the south, compared to other wet years when you usually go via the Goonamillera Crossing.



Cheers



Stephen

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G'day Stephen,

What were the year/s of those really wet photos? I have never known of a detour to the south on Eyre Creek.
I know it we had a fair bit of wet in 1984 when I was working with Santos at Toolachee, but that was nothing compared to 1974 when Moomba had over 30 inches when the average was 3 inches annual rainfall. Thankfully, I wasn't travelling in the Simpson at that time.

On the subject of scanning, are those early photos of yours on transparency slides? I had literally many hundreds of slides from my early days which were fading and developing colour-casts. I found conventional copying with a Canon scanner too laborious so constructed a device which used my Nikon D80 and a prime 90mm macro lens. This re-photographed the slides in high resolution at the rate of about one slide per 4 seconds and fully aligned to the 35mm format. Tomorrow I'll send you an email with details and info that may be of use to you.
The time consuming part was repairing the copies in Photoshop for the fading and colour cast. Eventually, I gave attention to only the more important ones, but at least the others are now digitised and any of them could be repaired if I ever have need.

Hi Allan

The real wet year when Goonamillera was still too deep was in 2010 and it was closed for the whole tourist season and the new southern detour was put in place, following station tracks. The next continuous wet year was again in 2011, this time Goonamillera was open, but this time a new detour has put in place just to get out past Big Red, as the last few dunes to the east were land locked with water and the new detour followed the SA / QLD border then down into SA before heading north to Big Red.

No I do not have slides, just hundreds of prints from the 35mm film days....lol


Cheers


Stephen






Cheers

Hi Macca

Thanks for the kind words.

Do you have any images that you are able to share.



Cheers



Stephen

Hi Maurice

Thanks for showing us more great images of your Simpson trips.

Like you, were were also out there in 2010 and 2011 to see the desert in its true beauty.


Cheers


Stephen

Hi George

Thanks for that.

As for the coordinates, sorry but I did not record as waypoints every time we stopped.

The images of the wildflowers, the bog hole with the back of my vehicle in view are all on the French Line

The water crossings are the southern and northern detours when Eyre Creek is closed (you can see the 16th Image of the normal dry crossing of Eyre Creek) and the large clay pan is west of Big Red .




Cheers



Stephen

And I can throw these in for a bit of fun. Welcome to guess where they are:

Hi Phil

Thanks for those great images of your Simpson Travels

Your very first image of Big Red is exactly how we first saw and travelled over it for the first few years of our Simpson drives, then the "Big Man" syndrome started and those ever increasing tracks over the western face of Big Red.

We have images of the shield shrimps as well when we found them in the puddles in their thousands up on the Eyre Creek detour in about 2003 or 2004.

I can pick a few other images, Lake Caroline on the Hay River run, is the large big clay pan the oval on Madigan's, one of those real wet areas looks like one time when we were heading out to Muncoonie,

Our last visit out to Annandale required lots of true off road travel after with water covering all tracks just before Ruwolts Bore.


Cheers



Stephen

Yes, my water photos and the Shield Shrimp were taken at Lake Caroline a few weeks after it got 4" of rain.
Yes the claypan is Madigan's Claypan north of Camp 11/12
And the " Mogul Hwy"sign is at Mudloo Well near the Qld/NT border

Hi gke

The same as you, there was only ever the main track over Big Red and there was not even a track over Little Red.

I think it is a shame the way the face has been ruined just for the sake of showing off to think they are so good.

If they want to prove themselves, instead of continuing to ruin the face of Big Red, let them them try their skills in real desert travel like a Geo trip where driving skills are put to test and never any fast run up virgin dunes.



Cheers


Stephen

Hi Howard

I could not believe it when I spotted the EO stickers on the vehicles which was the give away.

I thought Robin might said something by now....lol



Cheers



Stephen

Hi Michelle,
I first came across some of your trip reports when planning a cape york trip in 1999
couldnt remember the name of the site but I know it predated EO.
still viewing 19 years later
Must say the blows on big red look just like they did when my son and I did a pre easter west to east crossing in 2004. From memory we were only 3rd vehicle across that year and it was constant breaking thru tops of dunes..
cheers
Howard

Hi Michelle

Thanks for your interesting Simpson Desert photos.

Your double crossing would have been a great trip and I get it brings back many fond memories.



Cheers



Stephen

Hi Macca

Thanks for posting your great images.

It looks like you had a great trip and saw the Simpson in a normal season.



Cheers


Stephen

Thanks Stephen,

We travelled early in the season, late April early May.

Macca.

Hi Scrubby

Thanks for posting your images of your Simpson Desert crossing.

Looks like you had a very interesting drive across the Simpson. Our 2010 trip was mid August and when we were camped out on the French Line, we had a very steady rainy night and it did not let up until about 6am next morning.

I hope this was not your first visit out there, as it the wettest season for many years.



Cheers



Stephen

The many faces of the Simpson Desert.

Flora:

















Cheers,

John

Hi John

Thanks for taking the time to put those great images of your Simpson trips.

You are lucky with those snake imaged, as with all our desert crossings, we have only ever seen a snake once, and that was a King brown during the detour out to Big Red in 2011. It was so quite to hide back in the cane grass, I never had time to get my camera.

The Hay River trip was a great drive. Have you heard any stories about it now?
Why I am asking as we have been told it is now closed due to the constant mess left out in the desert. Like I said, I have only heard this and it could be just false talk.


Thanks again.




Cheers



Stephen

Hi Stephen,

I am lucky to see snakes often. Too often sometimes.

Mulga snake on the Hay River Track:






I have read about possible closure of the Hay River Track but Jol Fleming’s website direct4wd.com.au lists fees for 2018.

I agree the Hay River Track is a great drive. I would recommend anyone travelling it visit the optional extras.

Lake Caroline.



Goyders Pillar. Best viewed at sunset. $20 per person.





Cheers,

John

The link to Jol Fleming’s website:

Direct 4wd

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Stephen, As far as I am aware, the Hay River track is still open. Direct 4WD's website with booking form is still accessible, but of course, things happen rather slowly 'in that quarter of the woods' and it may not be up to date. The office phone number is 08 8952 3359.

As you know, Roz and I travelled the Hay River track last August and I saw no evidence of mess. Apart from a few campfire ashes, I saw none of the usual rubbish or toilet paper of many tracks. And yes, it is a great drive. Admired the River Red Gums greatly. Here are a few of our photos......

Hi John and Allan


John

As for seeing all those snakes, all I can say is you were either very lucky, or very unlucky. The closest that I have ever been up to one was on the way home from Birdsville when we came across a very large for of Mulga or King brown. It was a silvery brown colour with very distinctive slack banding. I must have been crazy, as I got out on the car and followed it at a safe distance as it poked its head into the rat holes looking for a feed. I kept dead still and used the zoom lens to do all the work. He was very close to about 1.8 metres long and very fat, at least 50mm in diameter.

When you did Goyders Pillar, were you able to go there by yourself, or were you on a mini tour?

Why I am asking is when we were there in 2005, the only way that you could get there was with a Tour with Lindsay, but now he is deceased, do his sons take you out there?

Allan

Yes the Hay River track is up there with the best to drive out in the Simpson.

I presume that it is now a very well worn track all the way through, as once we left Beachcomber Well site, it was all very old shot lines, or true cross country driving until we reached the bottom of the Hay River before any signs os tracks to follow.

I thought that you were a gentleman Allan.......making get on the roof to get the wood off, or was it a fit of rage and the was trying to clobber you with that small stick.........lol




Cheers



Stephen

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Hi Stephen, The Hay River Track is well defined all the way from Poeppels. Easy going, some of it through the river bed with lock-to-lock turns. A really nice drive with many great camp spots.

As for Goyder's Pillar..... Jol includes that as part of the $10 "Sunset Tour to Goyder's Pillar". When we were there, and pre-booked onto that tour, there were 16 other vehicles lined up for the tagalong! We decided to pass on it. I don't know if you can do it independently. To avoid opening a Can of Worms here, you maybe should read my comments in Thread 135978, particularly FollowUp 886644.

Stephen, you know Roz.... very little stops her, and I would not even try! It was her choice to unload the firewood. I just count myself as a very fortunate "gentleman". lol

By the way, did you get my email re scanning slides?

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Guys, Stop with all the snake photos....... I may never go out again there again !!!!!!!!

Fortunately, I never see any of them..... I know, I know.... they probably see me.

Stephen,

This thread has certainly brought some top photos out of the drawer/hard drive etc!

Thought your snake photo was a little different so asked an acquaintance, who has had a lot of experience with local wildlife. He said your "find" is a Strap snouted Brown Snake(Pseudonaja aspidorhyncha), and "can kill a person no problem", when I asked how venomous they are.

Bob

Hi Allan


It sounds like things have not changed a lot from when the track was first opened up.

I would love to find out what has happened out that way in regards to Native Title claims and how much more land they have acquired out that way. I have made a couple of phone calls to station people out that way and if what they are telling me is correct, some one or groups has been making mega dollars at their expense, but can not say much more until I speak with another station manager tonight.

I did read your post and it was interesting reading. Like you, we were told that we would have Batton Hill to ourselves (my group of 7 vehicles that is) having booked our trip months in advance, as well as keeping in regular contact before the trip.

When we arrived, there were 5 other vehicles there which meant showers and toilets were at a premium and everyone was camped quite close together.

In the photo of Roz doing the hand washing, is that an additional sink and is the original one still there?

When we were there, Lindsay kept the place immaculate and ever morning while we were still sleeping in our swags, he would get the fire going, put the large kettle on the fire and was the most perfect camp host.

Yes I did receive you great email, but I have been on and off the internet since Friday, when Clare was under siege for nearly 2 days with a massive bush fire. There were 7 fixed wing fire bombers as well as 3 helicopters. It was like being in a war zone with the aircraft flying around all the time.

Full praise goes to our very dedicated volunteer CFS people that saved countless homes and farm equipment and stopped the fire from jumping one gully. If they did not stop it there, they say dozens of houses inside the actual Clare township could have been destroyed, and where we live, was right in the fire path.


Cheers and keep safe.




Stephen

Hi Bob

Thanks for that and did you ever see any when you were on the Stations north of Birdsville?

Why I ask, is when came across this fellow, it was around 50 kilometres south of Birdsville on the Birdsville Track. I did not want to run it over, so I slammed on the brakes. At that point it went up like a Cobra and the front of its body was around 40 cm off the ground and the top part of its head and body was puffed out just like you pictures of Cobra's.

Also Allan, that was our fear when camped out in the Simpson in our swag....seeing a snake, which thank goodness we never did.



Cheers



Stephen

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Stephen,

During our time at Batton Hill, Jol was preoccupied in "supervising" the efforts to "repair" the sewerage outfall problems and it was even difficult to get the money for camp fees into his hand. He seemed grumpy that I even stopped him to offer it. Having paid $200 for the privilege of driving up the track I wondered why I made the effort.

That sink that Roz is using is at a small camp clearing right around the back of the main site, past the showers. A good spot. The fire there is in a low-level steel fire-pit, totally full, overflowing even, of ashes. I dug some out and scattered them in the surrounding grass.

However, I would definitely go there again. I would just be more prepared in expectations. If you and Fiona are going and want company, give us a bell.

It is the fear of snakes that causes me to never sleep in a swag. I even wonder if they might get into the Troopy when the rear doors are open at night. Had one curled up on my sleeping bag overnight once when I was in my twenties. That was enough for me. If "He" is a benevolent God, why did He put snakes AND me on the same planet?

Not nice about your bush fire. Hope you all stay safe. Those CFS volunteers are heroes. We have been experiencing almost continuous rain, sometimes heavy, but mostly light for three days. Clearing today but more forecast. Garden loves it.

Hi Stephen,

Snakes

I have seen a lot of snakes. I felt lucky to see a 2-3 metre Black-headed Python(also known as the wallaby crusher) at Indee Station in the Pilbara. I felt a lot less lucky to see a Taipan close up at El Questro. It was on the Champagne Springs walking track about 400 metres past the big boab tree. It was reported by another walker at the same spot a few weeks later. At home in Victoria I regularly see tiger snakes, red-bellied blacks and eastern browns.

Hay River Track

The track is a lot more defined than when you did it. There are even a few helpful road markers.







When I arrived at Batton Hill Camp in 2015 I met Lyndsay Bookies daughter. I paid $20 to go on the tour to Goyders Pillar at sunset. She came back later and said I could drive there on my own as no one else was going. So I had the Pillar all to my self and did not see a single snake. Now that’s luck!

Cheers,

John

Hi John

When we did the Hay River trip 13 years ago, it was load the set of supplied Waypoints into the GPS and computer and just plot your course from them.

Those droppers sure make travelling a lot easier now and would make it very easy for someone that does not know how to use a GPS.

As for you seeing all the snakes all the time, we will have to give you another name......

John the Snake Wisperer.......lol


Thanks again for your great images and it is good to see that the Hay Rivet track is now an easy drive when it is dry.




Cheers




Stephen

Stephen,

Can't recall seeing any of these particular browns where we were, though often saw juvenile snakes with a similar pattern & colouring. So often the country a snake lives in seems to determine their colouring.

John,

Was impressed by The Glove too. We'd camped not far north of there, travelling down the Hay after a Madigan crossing in June, 2016. The sandhill immediately after The Glove required a 2nd attempt, as I recall. A long climb!

Bob

Hi Bob

Thanks for that.

Keep Cool


Cheers



Stephen

Hi Again John

Thanks again for more great images.

I can relate to the dark rain clouds.

On one trip when we were camped just north of Poepple Corner, it had been a perfect day. As we were sitting around the campfire, we could start to hear thunder and then the cloud cover came over our camp.

Then the dreaded heavey spots of rain, do we have a mad dash to put out the awning so as to keep the swag dry. The rain put an end to a good night around the campfire and it did sound great hearing the rain on the awning above us.

Next morning the sand was a little damp and not a cloud in the sky and what rain did fall, settled the dust as they say and made another great day out in the Simpson.


Cheers



Stephen

Hi Greybeard

Thanks for those great images.

On one of our crossings in the early 2000's, we came across a group of 5 all Subaru wagons making a complete east west crossings.

We all stopped for a chat and the only thing that all vehicles had done was a suspension upgrade, giving higher clearance.

We wondered how they all got on and thought about one vehicle, as one of its passengers was a very young baby.



Cheers



Stephen

Hi eagle,

Thanks for your reply.

Yes 2011 was a very special year out in the Simpson.

After our 2010 solo crossing and all that water out there, we set ourselves a final Simpson goal for 2011 if all the water was still out there, and yes it was and took our Kayak out there and had a ball.

Yes I must get a scanner, as it would be great to scan my older desert trips.




Cheers



Stephen

Hi Kerry

We have it all to ourselves a couple of times, but the best time was in May 2006 when there were no vehicle tracks up the face of Big Red and no tracks on top.

Where my vehicle stopped, that was the end on the track.

It is great to see it like that.



Cheers



Stephen

Hi Baz

It would have been a great experience for your parents indeed and for your son as well.

The old tractor tyre around the replica corner post was very unique and like you, am please to have seen it like that before they put in the new boardwalk.



Cheers



Stephen

Hi Stephen...

When we strapped TomO in the vehicle back then he didn't know whether he was going around the block to the corner store, or literally around "the block".

Over the years he has developed a love for the outback and is already making plans to tour when he finishes school this year...

Cheers, Baz

Hi rlhydn

To see the Simpson green and with wildflowers is a most memorial experience for sure and seeing water there is just so special.

The only trouble with water is mud.......and I will not say any more....lol



Cheers



Stephen