NEWS FLASH!
Real world Diamantina River and road update.
We are getting a huge amount of phone calls and reading a large number of inaccurate posts on social media regarding the current flow of water past
Birdsville heading south through the Channel Country.
Some straight forward facts are as follows.
• Most importantly, don’t believe everything you read on social media
• Most news articles outside of ABC are incorrect and dramatized
• No,
Birdsville is not cut off from the outside world. This is far from the truth and its very much business as usual
• No, this is not a “major” flood
• Yes, you can still travel in and out of
Birdsville with no hassles at all using the northern road via
Bedourie
• Yes,
Bedourie has plenty of fuel
• Yes, the road is closed between the
Birdsville Race course and the township of
Birdsville due to this reasonably normal Chanel Country flow, don’t panic this isn’t forever
• Yes, we are still seeing tourists successfully crossing the
Simpson Desert daily without issue
• No, Eyre creek is not in flood
• No, we do not have tourist’s stranded in
Birdsville, they can easily drive out to the North at any time they please. Most have stayed on to enjoy this amazing display of mother nature
• No, the town is not running out of food
• No, the air force is not flying food supplies into
Birdsville
• No, the town is not running out of diesel or petrol
• Yes, we have ample amounts of aviation fuels in stock
• No, the Hotel is not running out of beer
• No, the road has not washed away
• No, a Unimog did not fall through a hole in the Diamantina bridge
• No, the SES have not had to do emergency call outs in the flood boat
• No, this flow will not have an impact on the Big Red Bash
• Yes, the entire township is very much open for business and are enjoying a constant flow of visitors
• Yes, we are all ok. This is a normal nature event that can happen after northern rain fall
• Yes, the water will recede, that’s the magic of the Lake Eyre basin
• Yes, you need to plan your routes and do your research prior to departing on your trip, this should be normal practice regardless of what the Diamantina River is doing
• Yes, now is the best time to witness this breathtaking region to see the full beauty of the Channel Country
• Yes, we believe that Social Media gossip is worse than the game of Chinese whispers
All jokes aside, road and river interruptions have always been a part of remote area travel. This is all part of the journey, trip planning, diversions, challenges, adventure and the unknow is a part of the challenge that in the end leads to a wonderful feeling of self-achievement when you do arrive at your Outback bucket list destination.
Travel safe and enjoy the natural wonder that is the Channel Country, we can’t get enough of it!
Macca.