How many days for Simpson trip?
Submitted: Thursday, Aug 25, 2005 at 20:31
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Casnat
Hi all,
Got an itch to get away again (not an uncommon ailment amongst forumites I am sure). Throwing around in my head the germ of an idea for a trip that I am sure many of you have done before and need advice on how many days you think I need to factor in. I don't mind reasonably long hours at the wheel covering a reasonable distance in a day but also need to stop to see
places of interest.
I am thinking of the following route (and it may
well be looked at in reverse .... recommendations in this regard appreciated):
Adelaide to
Lyndhurst. Strezelecki Track to Moomba then Innaminka. (may be a possible side trip to Coongie Lakes?).
Cordillo Downs Track to
Birdsville. QAA Line, K1 Line and French Line to Dalhousie.
Oodnadatta to either
Coober Pedy or
William Creek and home.
I am thinking 8 days. Am I kidding myself? Would be 2 - 3 guys and no kids, swagging it so no major time needed setting up
camp etc.
Feel free to recommend an alternative route if you thing it is better.
Also how late in the year do you think a trip such as this could be left before it gets too hot out there?
Which direction would you recommend?
Thanks in advance
Trevor
Reply By: Terryfirma - Thursday, Aug 25, 2005 at 21:11
Thursday, Aug 25, 2005 at 21:11
Hi Casnat
Woooooo !!! 8 days
Did the same trip 3 year ago .Did it over 20 days. In hindsight should have stetched it out more.
Take the time to "smell the flower" as they say.
We normally do a run up to
Innamincka via Lyndhurst/Moomba stay on the Cooper for 2/3/ days Out to Coongie 2 days, back into
Cullyamurra Waterhole 1 day down the
bore track to
cameron corner and home through the flinders in 7 to 8 days.
So much to see and enjoy Dont spend all you time in the fourby driving. The Simpson is best to do over 4 - 5 days.(
Birdsville to Dalhousie. )Stop and enjoy the
camping in
the desert.
You could do it in all 8 days but it would be up early and go.Late arrival at
camp.
As I said above S L O W D O W N and enjoy
Regards
Terry
AnswerID:
126865
Reply By: Rock Crawler - Thursday, Aug 25, 2005 at 21:17
Thursday, Aug 25, 2005 at 21:17
8 to 9 days is pushing hard , real hard but can be done if nothing goes wrong . I would spend more time in
the desert and you can always go back to innaminka or coober for another trip to spend time there I guess.
If you do give it a go can I send you a brick for the Pink road house window ????
hahahahah
AnswerID:
126867
Reply By: Steve - Thursday, Aug 25, 2005 at 21:48
Thursday, Aug 25, 2005 at 21:48
8 days... a non stop marathon .. crazy to even attempt it ..see nothing and far too hard a drive ..as for Moomba...its non existent as you can't stop there...reckon you wouldn't even have time for a beer in any of the
places as you wouldn't have time to stop...16 might be more realistic...
AnswerID:
126877
Reply By: Croozer - Thursday, Aug 25, 2005 at 21:56
Thursday, Aug 25, 2005 at 21:56
Trevor,
A mate and I did a very similar trip to yours from
Sydney in swags taking 14 days, spending a day in the Flinders on the way. If you take 2 days off for extra travel to and from
Sydney and one day for the Flinders, I reckon you need 11 days min, or if you go to Coongie add at least 1 day. We did'nt rush between Dalhousie and Innaminka but did do a big day at the start and end of our 5000km trip.
The longer you can take the better. Give yourself a nothing day during the trip to sit around and do nothing, we did this at Cunyumulla
waterhole at Innaminka, If you go the other way do it at Dalhousie and float around with a beer or 2 for the day....
Stu
AnswerID:
126880
Follow Up By: Casnat - Thursday, Aug 25, 2005 at 22:31
Thursday, Aug 25, 2005 at 22:31
Thanks for your comments. From yours and everyones responses I will clearly have to trim the itinerary.
A big 1st and last day was always on the cards to fit such a trip in (and will be even when downsized). Spending a day just chewing up
miles doesn't faze me, particularly when it is on bitumen. Have done days of over 1000k's on bitumen in the past just to get from A to B when necessary.
Will be re-sizing the trip given comments.
Thanks for everyones comments
Trevor
FollowupID:
381432
Reply By: Casnat - Thursday, Aug 25, 2005 at 22:13
Thursday, Aug 25, 2005 at 22:13
Thanks por responses so far. Clearly the overwhelming view is that I have underestimated the time.
I take on board your comments. I probably can't extend the time so will have to cut back the itinerary.
Just so everyone can see where I got my 8 day estimate from, the overnights I had in my head were as follows:
1. somewhere along the Strezelecki
2. Innaminka
3. Coongie Lakes
4.
Birdsville
5. Somewhere in the Simpson
6. Dalhousie
7. William Ck
Which legs do people consider require more time? (probably all of them given the responses to date)
Thanks
Trevor
AnswerID:
126889
Follow Up By: Member - Gary W (VIC) - Monday, Aug 29, 2005 at 13:34
Monday, Aug 29, 2005 at 13:34
I haven't done Coongie lakes but that leg from Coongie to
Birdsville Looks Ambitious.
Have also heard that
Cordillo Downs route is pretty rough and slow - we went round via
Haddon Corner.
We also had 2 nights in the SD. We went W to E and E to W will be slower.
Haven't done Dalhousie -
William Creek so don't know.
Our observation was that people thought we were too ambitious but we found out trip suited what we wanted to do.
I reckon you need to add at least 2 days or you won't get to stop and look as much as you hope.
Gaz
FollowupID:
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Reply By: George M (VIC) - Thursday, Aug 25, 2005 at 22:18
Thursday, Aug 25, 2005 at 22:18
Casnat
Birdsville to Dalhousie in two days is possible, however I wonder why you'd do it.
I spent five days with my family on that trip in 2002, and still didn't get to see all of the
places I'd read about - we simply ran out of time.
Happy
camping!
AnswerID:
126892
Reply By: Crackles - Thursday, Aug 25, 2005 at 22:29
Thursday, Aug 25, 2005 at 22:29
The route you've suggested is great and can be comfortably driven in 9 days with no rest stops or any looking around. The trip is however regually done in 15 days which allows stops to look at a couple of the Flinders gorges, Talc Alf,
Bourke & Will's history, Coongie Lakes, Birdville museum, Dalhousie spings waterholes, Gahn railway history, Ochre
mine,
Farina & the
Copley Bakery. It would be a pitty to drive so close to it all but pass it by cos you didn't allow the time. Some allowance should also be kept for possible breakdowns or being rained in. Many people have been caught this year by road closures forcing them to stop for up to 4 days.
If you only have one week then take the
Birdsville track up, accross
the Desert then back via the
Oodnadatta track. Still rushing it though......
Cheers Craig.........
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Casnat - Thursday, Aug 25, 2005 at 22:50
Thursday, Aug 25, 2005 at 22:50
Thanks Crackles, you are with the majority and I hear the message.
Just looking at the specifics of your response, I wasn't looking to include any Flinders time (been to most of the Gorges and being close to
Adelaide would be separate trips). Spent time visiting Talc Alf before (don't want to offend anyone but lets just say I found him to be an INDIVIDUAL).
Camped at
Farina on my last trip on the way back from Googs when we came back via
Mulgaria Station around the top of
Lake Torrens. Worth a look. I got some great photos of me sitting in the broken claw foot bath in the middle of
the desert (even took my shirt off so it looked the part! ...kept my hat on though)
Will have to look out for the
Copley bakery.
Have been to Dalhousie twice before but never went further. Was great to actually spend 2 nights there on my last visit and spend a day just exploring the other springs in the area. Probably says something for not rushing the trip.
I think what I will end up doing is just a Simpson crossing without the Innaminka detour.
Thanks everyone
Trevor
FollowupID:
381433
Reply By: Member - Frank - Thursday, Aug 25, 2005 at 22:30
Thursday, Aug 25, 2005 at 22:30
little brother john is in the front bar at inaminka tonight they 4 of them left wen's about 8am there for gymkana with side trip to congie lakes 1 night will come back to
adelaide via
broken hill 1 stop south
milparinka and have alowed 10 to 12 days thats 8 to 10 hours driving by share a little
camp cooking lots of socializing with the eski
I should be there, sitting home eating weetbix out of my steel pannikin sulking, work would not let us go a same time
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Member - Howard (ACT) - Friday, Aug 26, 2005 at 12:49
Friday, Aug 26, 2005 at 12:49
Trevor,
its a tight schedule but achievable, I think a lot of the respondees underestimate how much time can be saved on a trip when you
1- transport stage the tarmac at front and end of trip 1000km per day is easy going
2- swag it so you can get going int he mornings . I am usually rolling before 7.30 a.m.
3- look at something then move on, usually a feature looks the same after 2 hours as it does after 10 minutes
4- set up
camp,
cook on gas, saves heaps of time collecting firewood, pack bulk of gear into truck before going to bed.
5- do your drinking at night after tea not in the pubs at lunchtime - it makes the roads safer for all of us.
all the above can probably give an additional 5 hrs a day on the road which can easily cut a 15 day trip back to leas than 10.
what have you not seen that the others have
about 5 hours a day in the
campsite.
go for it
Howard
AnswerID:
126958
Reply By: Member - Phil G (SA) - Friday, Aug 26, 2005 at 15:47
Friday, Aug 26, 2005 at 15:47
If you're stuck with 8 days, change your itinery. Skip
Innamincka and save it for another day.
Day 1 To
Farina
Day 2 to
Birdsville
Day 3
Birdsville Museum, Waddi trees, Big Red, and
camp on QAA Line
Day 4 Knolls
Day 5 Somewhere
Day 6 Dalhousie
Day 7
Coober Pedy
Day 8 home to
Adelaide
Cheers
phil
AnswerID:
126977
Reply By: andrewr - Thursday, Sep 01, 2005 at 11:02
Thursday, Sep 01, 2005 at 11:02
Trevor,
For what it's worth, I have just completed a comparable trip (if anything a bit longer than what you proposed) in five days. We had allowed up to ten days but once in
the desert everyone was happy to press on a bit further than we planned, completing a crossing of the French Line in two days. Never felt rushed because we were ahead of schedule and we had all the time we wanted to stop to sightsee, eat, drink, swim etc. Took about 300km of diversions for sightseeing etc. It would have been six days, but on the last day we were at
Cameron Corner when a thunderstorm came in and we packed up and left during the night to stay ahead of it rather than risk getting stuck there.
I believe that it's important to have a flexible itinerary and just see how everyone feels on the day. If we had set off intending to do the trip in so short a time it probably would have been an awful experience from start to finish - and wrecked my 4wd - but pressing on not because you have to but because everyone wants to changes the complexion of the trip.
Andrew
AnswerID:
127732