crosing the simpson in July

Yes, it's the best time. Daytime, very nice, low to mid twenties. Night gets cold, hovering around the zero mark.

Gossy,

Good time to go.

As previously mentioned. Generally pleasant sunny days and cool nights (provided your not with me). The area can be subject to heavy rains in June/July if I'm crossing the Simpson!

I won't be doing another crossing during the next couple of years, so all travellers can expect mild conditions with no chance of flooding until 2009.

Have a good trip.

Regards

Kim

Kim

Gee Today was 43 deg Birdsville.
Have a great trip next year I am returning in June next year.

hi
the best time to go is after rain then all the flowers are out and the sand is easy to go over

Hmm , I going to have to disagree a bit here.

Temperature wise July is good however that is winter and its quite common to have muddy bad conditions that close down it and the access roads.

You can be lucky , but the odds are better early june or after august.

if yo look thru past road closure information you may be suprizied to find the most common reason for not making it is wet weather mid winter.

Robin Miller

Hi Gossy,
The cooler winter southern months (June, July and August) are the best 3 months of the year to travel the Simpson. Every trip will be very different from the other, with no 2 crossings the same (Not unless you do a double crossing) Day temperatures will be up to the mid 20'sº C with cool to cold nights. If you have cloud cover, you will not have a cold night, usually in the low teens, take the clouds away and it can get down well below -0º C. If it rains when you are in the desert, keep well clear of the Rig Road and head for the WAA or the French Line, as both are all sand with no clay capping.

As to which way to head, it all come down to the conditions of the desert that have been put down during the summer.. As a general rule , it is easier to travel west to east, but some years (like the last 2) summer winds have made the lip on the west more severe.

The most important thing to do is not rush the trip and make sure you DROP YOUR TYRE PRESSURE!!!!!!!

So many so call desert experts say that they will go through at 25psi with no problems at all. A good starting point is about 20psi on the rear and 18psi at the front. You are only travelling slow, so there is no problems with tyre damage. Early this year, the sands were very soft, and we were running on 14psi.

The Simpson is one place that grows on you, and one trip is never enough, you will want to return, again and again.

Enjoy your trip, and with proper planning, you will go back.

Cheers

Stephen

Yep as above, we crossed from Birdsville in the Disco towing our camper, when i orginised the first ExplorOz national gathering at Birdsville, best time of year and Dalhousie is a bloody oasis that's hard to beat.

Baz.

This June we had 20ish during the day and minus -4 in the morning at around 6am...

I am a very naive bugger and maybe a lucky one too. Did the french line 2 years ago from west to east in may and had no probs at all.........went from birdsville to poepell this year in sep. Both times at poepel I have fixed cars. I am not saying this is how it will be when you are there but have spent much time in the desert in my time and have really had 1 time that has been major "difficulties" in central WA. But having said that we ended up being stuck for 9 days and found enough gold to keep each of us aliv for a year

thanks everyone for the great info. Will pass it on to the 'party' of travellers.

Gossy

Take a look here for Birdvsille weather details

Thought u were doing King Island this year