Firewood in the Simpson Desert

Hey!.....Bob the Butcher....has a good kind of ring to it:-)

You got it in one Bob. A good feed, a good drink a great view and a son, (or daughter) to share it with.

Doesn't get ANY better than that mate.

Just readig your post mentioning the 4pm stop Eric. Have just the roast ready on the hoof again mate. The littlies Nick says are pot sized ;-)

ill call you tomorrow

Woodsy well said," Take only photos and leave only foot prints "

BBB

Probally treated with DDT to stop the termites! ;-) Did you see any aliens or dragons? LOL!

"Did you see any aliens or dragons? LOL!"

No - but our eyes and sinuses were stuffed. Couldn't even smell the wine!

Hi Beatit,
I appreciate what you are saying.
I guess the balance between how much wood is there and how much is being used up is a perception thing but I felt that with more and more people going through, and the traffic does seem to be increasing every year, that the desert is going to have difficulty keeping up. Yes, hopefully we are talking about corridors along the tracks rather than the whole desert but that is the bit that we will see and hopefully enjoy. I just felt the environment out there was extremely fraile and worth every effort we can make to preserve it like it is. I think its worth carrying a bit of wood just to make sure we dont mess it up for the future. It would be just too sad if we got it wrong.
Best regards.

Hi Longreach,

The bride is not a fan of fires so it's not a big issue with me (we managed 2 camp fires in a three month trip - pretty sad considering I lugged a camp oven all the way). Just as another consideration though, it may be possible that we end up introducing new wild life to these areas by bringing in our own wood - I would think this would be much worse.

To be honest though, if the current state of dead timber reflects some 30/40 years of use, including oil companies and road crews, I would imagine there would be a couple of hundred years of wood on the side of the track. Sadly I don't think anyone will be driving there then with the petrol situation looking forward.

It is a magnificant place but I thought it was very robust, judging by the dune movements. We had a howling wind one night and when we resumed the next day there were no tyre tracks to be seen on the dunes and we could have been the very first person in the place - in fact the only persons on the planet. Not many places that leave you feeling that way. I hope to go back one day and might possibly come away with a different view depending on what we see.

Kind regards

Hi Folks,

This is possibly the best thread I have read in recent times..... Several differing viewpoints, raising the risk of introduced species etc.....and all discussed in a sensible, logical and non emotive way.

It is refreshing to see a complex issue discussed without anyone becoming heated and the usual name calling etc.....Congratulations all round.

As to the topic being discussed...I don't have an opinion as I am yet to travel that far out with the family.

Hope you guys have a safe and wonderful trip ( whether you take your own wood or not )...!!!

Cheers...Taz

Oh Barnsey, where have you been in the past when I've tried to have the same philosophical discussions on such things (particularly tyre pressure, desert parks passes, camper trailers, desert flags, dogs and a few other things in the Simpson Desert) - normally I just get slaughtered. Like you, I wasn't having an opinion just stating what's written on the DPP and what I've been told in frequent discussion with NP&WS (who often come here and ask our opinions about such things, seeing as we are in the front line - which is quite refreshing and I'm talking about SA not Qld). Thank you for being on the side of the Simpson Desert (and any other Desert )

No worries Ruth. An extra 15kg of firewood (weighing less after every night) would make little difference to a 2.5 tonne fully-laden fourby.