Simpson Desert Fuel Consumption

Submitted: Sunday, Mar 29, 2009 at 22:19
ThreadID: 67314 Views:4485 Replies:8 FollowUps:6
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I am heading across the Simpson Desert next week and would like to hear from people who have done the west to east crossing via French Line of their fuel consumption figures.

We are taking a 3.0D4D Hilux & Landcrusier 80 TD.

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Reply By: ajd - Sunday, Mar 29, 2009 at 22:26

Sunday, Mar 29, 2009 at 22:26
Did it last year in my old Navara fully loaded with 2 passengers.

Used 92 lt of fuel between Birdsville and Mount Dare Station.

My brothers Navara used even less and a petrol Prado on the trip used about 125 litres.

Your lack of planning does not constitute my emergency.

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Reply By: Member - Scrubcat (VIC) - Sunday, Mar 29, 2009 at 22:48

Sunday, Mar 29, 2009 at 22:48
If you have not already done so it might pay you check the road conditions ?
If you look at the road conditions link you will see that the QAA line , including Big Red, and the Warburton Track are closed and may stay that way for several more weeks.
I can`t recall another way across to Birdsville from the west, but I may be wrong.

Scrubby
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Reply By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Sunday, Mar 29, 2009 at 22:50

Sunday, Mar 29, 2009 at 22:50
Hi Desert Lux,
You will have to take double your fuel requirements, as the latest desert parks update, as well as local information here on OE will have a complete crossing out for a very long time(like many months), as you will net get anywhere new Eyre Creek.. If coming from Dalhousie, you will have to head back that way to get back out.

All the best, as it is very early in the season and the dunes will be very soft and lots of them are blown over - means even more fuel to be used.


Cheers

Stephen
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Reply By: Member - Phil G (SA) - Sunday, Mar 29, 2009 at 22:54

Sunday, Mar 29, 2009 at 22:54
Irrelevant question seeing the QAA is flooded at Eyre Creek for the next 2 months.

Straight French Line Oodnadatta to Birdsville for factory TD LandCruisers are usually 95-105 litres in good conditions with low pressures.
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Reply By: Richard Kovac - Sunday, Mar 29, 2009 at 23:27

Sunday, Mar 29, 2009 at 23:27
Hey Desert

check this site out.. Trek Notes

Cheers

Richard
AnswerID: 356958

Reply By: Member - Ruth D (QLD) - Monday, Mar 30, 2009 at 08:30

Monday, Mar 30, 2009 at 08:30
Still very flooded - make sure you have enough fuel for a return the way you came (via different tracks of course).
AnswerID: 356986

Follow Up By: Wayne (NSW) - Monday, Mar 30, 2009 at 08:43

Monday, Mar 30, 2009 at 08:43
Ruth,

I know this could be hard to answer but with your experience of the Simpson Desert and the surrounds, any idea when a complete crossing might be possible.

Wayne
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Follow Up By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Monday, Mar 30, 2009 at 08:58

Monday, Mar 30, 2009 at 08:58
Hi Wayne
The Desert Park Info site that they say it could be at least 2 months or longer before a complete crossing would be possible.

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Stephen
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Follow Up By: Wayne (NSW) - Monday, Mar 30, 2009 at 09:10

Monday, Mar 30, 2009 at 09:10
Stephen,

With all due respect to the locals ( Ruth) it is up to the rangers when they decide to open the Simpson Desert. They do have the finial say in the matter.

Wayne
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Follow Up By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Monday, Mar 30, 2009 at 12:59

Monday, Mar 30, 2009 at 12:59
Hi Wayne
I do not get what you are on about. On one hand you are asking Ruth (Local) about how long it will be before a full crossing may be possible, yet your reply to my answer is : With all due respect to the locals ( Ruth) it is up to the rangers when they decide to open the Simpson Desert. They do have the finial say in the matter.

My details were taken from the latest Desert Parks Bulletin no 339, dated the 16th March 2009, which is put out by the Rangers.

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Stephen

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Follow Up By: Wayne (NSW) - Monday, Mar 30, 2009 at 14:09

Monday, Mar 30, 2009 at 14:09
Stephen,

Sorry about the confusion.

I was asking the locals (Ruth) opinion on when they thought that the Simpson Desert might be open based on local knowalage. People that have lived in the area usually have a good idea about track and river conditions.

When I replied to you, I realised that regardless of what any of the locals, or any one else, might say about when they think the desert might be open, it is up to the Rangers to open or close the desert.

Wayne
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Reply By: Ozrover - Monday, Mar 30, 2009 at 10:43

Monday, Mar 30, 2009 at 10:43
Hi DL, I spoke to the Birdsville & Dalhousie rangers last week & they are estimating mid May before it's possible to cross to Birdsville.

We have had a couple of groups go into the desert in the last two weeks, one group only made it as far as the Erabena track before looping back onto the Rig road as they found the going pretty difficult.

AnswerID: 357014

Reply By: Member - Ruth D (QLD) - Monday, Mar 30, 2009 at 17:39

Monday, Mar 30, 2009 at 17:39
Hi everyone - minimum of 6 weeks I would say and then posibly flood detour to north maybe. Days are fairly warm 40'ish so evaporation is quite high.
Diamantina water is now down below 2m - so hard to believe when one day we are boating and suddenly the water is gone and river down to 'normal' level - still running.
Desert will be very tough - enormous sand blows on dunes and as not much rain out there (as far as we know) the dunes will be soft.
AnswerID: 357071

Follow Up By: Ozrover - Tuesday, Mar 31, 2009 at 09:14

Tuesday, Mar 31, 2009 at 09:14
Hi Ruth,

One group that went out from Mt Dare last week found that they could get over some of the dunes with difficulty, but couldn't get back over coming from your direction due to the sand blows.

The Prado rolled three tyres off the rims, the ford courier came back with a bent front drive shaft & the Sahara's electronics failed!

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