Rain

This news rain is great for all of AustraliaRichard

Amazing isn't it. More and more tracks are being closed to 4wdrivers, yet people with no idea are still able to cross the Simpson, destroying it as they go, and making it harder for those of us who do Tread Lightly.

Great that we are getting rain though.Just Do It!

Wish i was able to check it out in a few weeks.
Andrewwheredayathinkwer mike?

Hi Ruth, no surprise that there are still plenty of 'experts' out there. "I can get my trailer across, wadda ya mean, 'You'll stuff it up for every one else', why should I care".
Birdsville looks great in the rain though, lots better than a dust storm, eh?

Happy trails, Mike.

Ruth,
Great to hear that you are getting rain up there. Shame about unprepared drivers though. Hope everything is going well with the Park. You know its two years now that Carolyn, Mikaila and myself were there with Tony and Brenda. Still have very fond memories of the surprise dinnner. Regards Gary from AlburyDead in the City - Alive in the Bush

Ruth, can’t help noticing on a number of your forum postings, your apparent dislike towards travellers in the Simpson Desert. Might I point out that if it were not for these tourists, you would probably be grumbling about the lack of business in your Caravan Park. I’m sure there are many other businesses in Birdsville & surrounding towns that appreciate the money that the tourists bring in. The Simpson Desert & the Birdsville Races are the two major attractions for Birdsville & without them Birdsville would end up like many other struggling towns in the outback (you're lucky to have them). The Simpson Desert will survive the many tourists it gets with or without trailers, as Mother Nature cleans up after them in the off season.

Ruth : You are Spot on .. too many 'Turkeys' who won't be told... REDUCE TYRE PRESSURES .....CLEAN UP YOUR bleep ..... Leave the place better than u found it ... (it's not real hard ) ...

Ruth, you are quite right with what you say. Anyone venturing into this area should have done their homework, and you should know that you must have some type of radio contact with the outside world, eg HF radio or satphone, know that you have to reduce your tyre pressure etc. It is these people that are ill prepared are the first ones to cry out for help when a little common sence and knowledge of the outback would save so track damage. This is a great place and people should respect the outback and not take it for granted. We are planning another trip accross the Simpson in early August, so we look forward to seeing you in Birdsville.
Regards, Stephen,
Clare SA

Have to add my support to Ruth. There are far tooo many people who just buy a 4wd and then head off. In Coober Pedy last September I was asked my advice on the best way across the Simpson by 4 german tourists. Two brothers, travelling in an old landrover and their parents travelling in a Britz campervan. They had 9 days to travel from Cooober Pedy, through the Simpson, across to Brisbane and then to Sydney so the oldies could fly home.

When told that it was impossible they said that it would only take one day to cross the Simpson because it was only about 400kms. They had a leaking radiator, 20 litres water, no extra fuel (thought there would be service stations along the way), no radio (apart from the commercial radio) and no EPIRB. I told them that I would not even show them the directions as they would probably get stranded and maybe die. They had no idea about reducing tyre pressures or desert driving techniques. Ran into them at Uluru a couple of days later and they had changed their mind. Were going to Alice and then back down the Stuart to and then to Sydney. They would not have seen too much in their rush to get there. But they probably got there alive.

I know these people were tourists but unfortunately a lot of aussies seem to be the same.

By Ruth giving people advice, as her and Ian do, they are saving lives and the Desert.

AS for Ruth not liking tourists that is garbage. In my travels I cannot remember having meet a more amenable person as her and Ian.

Dead in the City - Alive in the Bush

Mother Nature changes & moulds the desert as it pleases in its own time, always has & always will. You’re always going to get a small percentage of people that won’t let their tyres pressure down, but really every vehicle that drives through that desert is doing its share of damage even with it’s tyre pressure reduced. If driven correctly, a vehicle with a trailer should do no more damage than one without. As for the rubbish people leave behind, unfortunately this happens all over Australia & it can never be policed in isolated areas. 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.