Rain

How very true! Now 4:00 p.m. and Birdsville has had 80 points and still raining. Your photo Glenn - looks like the beautiful sand around here when it rains a little bit. People coming to the outback for desert adventures are getting ALL the challenges today. Funny watching how they cope (or don't cope) isn't it.

Glenn; Is that a Tread Lightly photo of your vehicle in the bottom left hand corner or just a shot of one of those hoons that tears up the countryside and complains of tracks closed to 4wd vehicles ?

Well my friend, that photo was taken in Toolangi on a track that is heavily used. The entire group that I was leading drove as the conditions allowed and ensured that we all stuck to the track instead of ruining the bush by avoiding it. The speed with which we travelled would have annoyed many bush bashers, as we took our time to ensure minimal damage to both the track and our vehicles.

I have travelled extensively around this great country of ours and have ensured that wherever I go I tread lightly. I never leave rubbish about, even collecting others as I go. I leave no fire smouldering in a rush to reach the next destination.

I am extremely concerned that by the time my son is old enough to drive, there will be very few places for him to enjoy using a four wheel drive for what it was built for. In fact, will there be a need for one at all?

With the closure of tracks in the High Country, the ruination of the Border Track by the environmentalists, and continual damage to areas, that many wish to enjoy, by either inexperience or flagrantly ignoring signposted 'rules', this Great Land of ours is heading rapidly towards and land less travelled. I would hate to have to pays hundreds of dollars to access the Simpson Desert in years to come, but I would if it allowed me to travel it and show others a magical destination. I believe that this is what will happen if the Desert Tracks are continually damaged by ingnorance.Just Do It!

Hi Happy Trails - we had a "little" dust storm about four days ago - not as good as yours though. I seem to be in trouble tonight - look further down. There were a few wildflowers coming on the WAA line, so we should get some on all lines now after this rain. It's now about 7:45 and still raining - all the roads in and out had just been graded and have all now been chopped up. Rain east as far as the jump up (Shire boundary) on Windorah Road - south to Mungeranie and just getting into Innamincka late this afternoon. A few people out of the Desert late this afternoon with great tales of adventures and slippery dips - Theo busy with pulling people out of bogs - and a few new cars getting good tryouts. Went to Eyre Creek yesterday - it WAS very dry there. Hope to see you in July?

How great to hear from you - you had pretty good adventures in the Desert, eh? Postcard from Tony & Brenda last week from Normanton. Tony has 6 stitches in hand - changed flat typre, put tyre on roof rack, slipped broke radio aerial off. Next morning getting something down, slipped again and drove broken aerial into hand. OOOH, hurt. We won't see them until September now. You've got a new car! Happy tripping with the little ones. Ian says G'day.

Ruth, Yes have got a new vehicle. Enjoyed our 2001 trip in the Pajero so much decided that we would be doing a lot more trips. The Nissan diesel became available at work so followed through to auction and got it. Tony would not have been happy with his mishap. Did Brenda have to do the stitching. That I would love to have seen. Thought we may been going to Birdsville in late September with the Albury Wodonga 4wd club but both trips clash with my parents 50th wedding annniversary. First time the whole family will have been together for about 12 years. Guess I would not be very popular If i took off and missed the party. Will have to try again next year.Mikaila will be 8 then so will be able to remember more. She did have a great time on the 2001 trip but cannot remember much of it. Regards to Ian. See you later. GaryDead in the City - Alive in the Bush

You should read more carefully what I have been saying. At no time have I said anything about "dislike of tourists" - if you knew me you would know that I really enjoy tourists and love people. One of the really good things about living in Birdsville is being able to meet so many people (tourists/travellers) with whom I have so much in common - that is, the fact that they have made the trip/adventure/lifetime want - to come to Birdsville and I would be the first person to tell you how beautiful and wonderful the Desert is, whether wet or dry, windy, hot or cold. It is very difficult to watch what happens to that Desert because of a few "uneducated/can't be told people" who don't, can't, wont do the right thing. Mother Nature doesn't always clean up after them - thank goodness for the Friends of the Simpson Desert who have just taken out truckloads (yes truckloads) of garbage, rubbish, broken trailers, fridges etc out of the Simpson Desert. And then there are the garbage loads of human waste put into the wheelie bins in town, when the first place you come to when arriving in Birdsville (from the Desert) is the tip. At least these people didn't just leave it all in the Desert. As for the trailers and the high tyre pressures - it is not just me - check with SA National Parks who are responsible for the Desert, check with the Exploroz Team, check with many other people who love the Desert like we do and see what they have to say (just go back in this Forum) - I'm not trying to stop people from enjoying the Desert - I just want people to be able to enjoy the Desert.

Hi Ruth,

Unfortunately it does tend to come across that you do seem a little anti the tourist and the inexperienced.

By all means have ago at those idiots who are ill prepared and or don't listen at all to advice given. But perhaps it wouldn't hurt to also mention that there are people, who are new travellers to the area, are well equipped and are prepared to listen to reason and learn.

There's a big difference between littering (deliberate vandalism) as compared to doing damage through lack of experience or knowledge. As also there is a big difference between doing damage unknowingly as compared to doing damage simply due to stupidity or total ignorance/arrogance.

have to lend my full support to Ruth on this one I was there in early may and cant agree more about tyre pressures and leaving no mess behind - any where!!

kezzaa

Thank you Steven and Gary both - I was having a little blonde weepy fit there for a minute but I've bucked up now. I really do like people - not turkeys though, eh? Nice mob in at the moment - all have spent 3-4 days bogged on the Birdsville Track or Cordillo Road in the mud, mud, glorious mud. Thanks for the support, much appreciated.

Tojo 100,

Your Comment “ Unfortunately it’s just a fact of life & we all have to pay for the clean up. Hence the increasing costs of the Desert Parks Pass.”

Perhaps I’m just cynical, but I wonder how much of this money really goes into looking after these areas. After all as Ruth said “thank goodness for the Friends of the Simpson Desert who have just taken out truckloads (yes truckloads) of garbage, rubbish, broken trailers, fridges etc out of the Simpson Desert” – I assume that these people (Friends of the Simpson Desert) are unpaid volunteers.
I believe also that if you break down and therefore need towing out, that this is not a free service, but instead you will face a hefty recovery bill.

I think you are probably correct in the assumption that even if trailers are banned, then damage will still continue and will get worse simply due to the increasing numbers of tourists.

Be interesting to know how many of these desert passes are sold per year.