Marree to Birdsville

Russell,

It like a highway mate. Seen many 2WD cars doing the Birdsville track (weather dependant ofcourse). So long as they have the neccessary spares etc etc they should be right. Plenty of traffic anyway - if they get in a jam.

Cheers,
Hughesy

No a problem I did the trip in Sep with my 80 series and off-road caravan (Phoenix), take time an it is a plesant trip, although it will be hot and or wet this time year

Stewy

I wouldn't have thought it would be too wet this time of the year on the Birdsville track. It's not in the tropic zone.

Ru8ssellV,
I did the Birdsville track in May last year. like the others have said it is like a highway. We saw a large passenger coach on it. The only thing that appears to hold you up is wet weather. The roads get to muddy to drive on as I think they are clay. If towing you need to protect your rear windscreen especially on a wagon.

Very easy drive in the dry but very isolated. However we did pass about twenty vehicles comming in the other direction of course.

Did that exact track about 2 months ago. There are worse roads around but there is still sharp rocks which will tear your tyres. Make sure your parents have good tyres on the van and of course lower the pressure on them. It only takes one rock!
Grading can also be a problem if recently done. One of the locals was telling me that the grading can bring up alot of nuts and bolts and screws etc which can cause chaos on the tyres also.
I guess the bottom line is, yes it's a good road but it still has it hazards.

all said above except protect the vehicles back window and maybe the front of the van as the rocks will fling up hit the van bounce back onto the rear window of the tow vehicle

Amen - went up there in Sept last - good surface mostly, but there are some very stony sections that can play havoc with tyres - they should have extra spares on board, get into tyre preservation techniques, and have some effective communications - in case they break down. I believe it to be a serious mistake to assume that they will see other travellers, even though it is a popular track.... best to have your own means of coping for the common situations. What time of the year did they intent to go ? The summer can of course be damned fierce - and possibly wet (which brings everything to a halt, no matter where you are). A local told me a couple of years back that the patoralists on the BV track get most of their rain in the sumer (from the top end wet).