Simpson Desert Feedback

During the July school holidays we shall, assuming the flooding issue has been resolved, be driving a Hertz Nissan Patrol ST diesel from Mt Dare to Birdsville, via the French Line. I"m hoping that Patrol diesel owners who have done this trip can let me know if it can be done with full main and reserve tanks, or will additional fuel cans likely be also used. I will be taking additional fuel whatever the response, but unsure at this stage how much needs to be carried in cans. While not the owner of a 4WD, we have regularly rented, the Kidson from the W.A coast to The Alice being our most adventurous to date. Chris
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Reply By: GerryP - Wednesday, May 26, 2010 at 20:28

Wednesday, May 26, 2010 at 20:28
Hi Chris,

It's a great trip, but preparation, as always, is extremely important. The Treks section of this site will give you all the info you are after... See here..

Cheers
Gerry
AnswerID: 418282

Reply By: Voxson - Wednesday, May 26, 2010 at 21:03

Wednesday, May 26, 2010 at 21:03
Auto 3litre probably around 150litres.
Man 3litre prob around 130litres.
4.2litre maybe about 120litres.

Standard tanks from memory are 95 + 35........
AnswerID: 418290

Reply By: AlbyNSW - Wednesday, May 26, 2010 at 21:08

Wednesday, May 26, 2010 at 21:08
I was under the impression that there is next to no chance that you will be able to cross in July because of the floods????

Hopefully someone better informed can advise otherwise.
AnswerID: 418291

Follow Up By: Voxson - Wednesday, May 26, 2010 at 21:14

Wednesday, May 26, 2010 at 21:14
Yeah we are crossing the desert also but in another way which allows us to do a complete crossing almost, then exit near the qld/nt border....
We are guessing there is no chance of making a complete west/east or similar crossing till at least aug.
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Follow Up By: AlbyNSW - Wednesday, May 26, 2010 at 21:37

Wednesday, May 26, 2010 at 21:37
Voxson where do you go from there, we were planning to cross east to west early July also but were now thinking we will enter and exit from the west and try and see as much as our fuel / water supply allows???
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Follow Up By: Olsen's 4WD Tours and Training - Wednesday, May 26, 2010 at 22:08

Wednesday, May 26, 2010 at 22:08
Don Rawlins and others have told me that our crossing in July should be possible via the northern detour of Eyre Creek.
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Follow Up By: Voxson - Wednesday, May 26, 2010 at 22:11

Wednesday, May 26, 2010 at 22:11
From the corner we are heading north-ish... Permits are required for travel north.... We will come out on the plenty hwy at Jervois....
Like Olsen said below fuel usage for him has increased as less people traverse the tracks because of the closures now....

I still stand by my above guestimates because they are from track records....
But i always allow 35% more than what i think i will use..

You can come in from mt dare and do a loop via french,,, round to waa and out for eg.......Then you get to see dalhousie twice...

I am taking 310litres for our trek with others in the group varying from 270 to 230......
6 vehicles are going.
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Follow Up By: Voxson - Wednesday, May 26, 2010 at 22:15

Wednesday, May 26, 2010 at 22:15
Olsen,,,

If thats the case then thats good for most travellers....

But we had to make a call and because of uncertainty we made it into a large trip.....
And we cant wait...
Even if the Eyre is open for business we will continue north...

There is still time for a permit ya know... lol.
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Follow Up By: Olsen's 4WD Tours and Training - Wednesday, May 26, 2010 at 22:19

Wednesday, May 26, 2010 at 22:19
I understand that. Imagine my problems if Don is wrong :-(
BTW, you can call me David
Don has been pretty reliable to date and he says May 29 is the next inspection of Eyre Creek. I hear that the big lake east of Lake Peoppel and on the K1 is full, so I'd be expecting tough conditions.
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Follow Up By: Voxson - Wednesday, May 26, 2010 at 22:34

Wednesday, May 26, 2010 at 22:34
ah har Don... The Don is good....

I will keep my fingers crossed for you,,, because i guess a few people are counting on you to wave a magic wand..

I have 6 vehicles so not to disappoint an early decision was made so we get to see Ood, Mt D, Dal, Fr L, WAA, poep, hay river, then later back thru Birdsville for the ferry...

A loop could have been on the cards but it is always nice to exit somewhere else.

And if the ferry isnt going then flip a coin for return...


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Follow Up By: Voxson - Wednesday, May 26, 2010 at 22:36

Wednesday, May 26, 2010 at 22:36
Oh and yes,,, the eastern side of peoppel has given us some surprises over the years..
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Reply By: lindsay - Wednesday, May 26, 2010 at 21:30

Wednesday, May 26, 2010 at 21:30
I have a friend who has just turned back about 40 Ks from Poeppels Corner they could not get to the corner. He said that on the French Line there were blow outs up to 15 feet deep and 8 to 10 ft drop offs at the tops of some of the dunes. They had the most problems as they got closer to the corner, at about 40 Ks from the corner, they turned back and then south along the Knowles track to pick up the rig road, he said it is overgrown. They then got hit by a thunder storm and as he said they got bogged in sand one day and mud the next. He said that there were not many out there as they had not seen anyone for a couple of days.
AnswerID: 418296

Reply By: Olsen's 4WD Tours and Training - Wednesday, May 26, 2010 at 21:55

Wednesday, May 26, 2010 at 21:55
Due to the extremes of weather and seasonal closures the Simpson desert seems o be getting much more difficult each year. last year was definitely difficult. I would bank on it being worse this year with such a long closure. The tracks made in 1963 are gone in many places, for the first time ever.

We are expecting to be able to cross Eyre Creek on July 4, but I bet we take until July 5 to get there. Last year my 4.2TD GU used 145 litres whereas it normally uses 90. I carry 160. I'll be carrying 180 this year.
AnswerID: 418307

Follow Up By: Member - Prickle (SA) - Wednesday, May 26, 2010 at 22:04

Wednesday, May 26, 2010 at 22:04
We hope to cross in late july, leaving Quorn on the 24th.

Will be interested in any feedback that you post.

Thanks.

R
Russ


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Follow Up By: Crackles - Wednesday, May 26, 2010 at 22:58

Wednesday, May 26, 2010 at 22:58
"Last year my 4.2TD GU used 145 litres whereas it normally uses 90. I carry 160. I'll be carrying 180 this year."
You raise an excellent point. Almost all fuel statistics & condition reports in previous Trek Notes are bordering on useless for this year. Detours around flooded areas & track damage due to wind will make for longer distances & a far tougher crossing particually if towing.
Cheers Craig............
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Reply By: Member - Dunworkin (WA) - Wednesday, May 26, 2010 at 23:03

Wednesday, May 26, 2010 at 23:03
Looking at crossing the Simpson end of August, so will also be awaiting your reports.

Cheers

Deanna


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AnswerID: 418327

Follow Up By: Member - Ruth D (QLD) - Thursday, May 27, 2010 at 07:50

Thursday, May 27, 2010 at 07:50
Expecting to see you Deanna - don't think you will have much trouble - be a well worn highway by then - you might still get a paddle on the eastern end.
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FollowupID: 688398

Follow Up By: Member - Dunworkin (WA) - Thursday, May 27, 2010 at 22:49

Thursday, May 27, 2010 at 22:49
"don't think you will have much trouble - be a well worn highway by then -"


Thanks Ruth, that's what I want to hear, Looking forward to catching up with you this time.

Cheers

Deanna


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Reply By: Ozhumvee - Thursday, May 27, 2010 at 08:14

Thursday, May 27, 2010 at 08:14
Also don't forget the Eyre creek detour is a minimum of 70k extra, sometimes it can be over twice that depending on how far the water spreads east and west down the swales.
Our worst case many years ago took two days and nearly 200k's extra, then the top crossing had about a metre of flowing water in it which made for an interesting crossing with the buoyancy created by empty fuel tanks. Was up to the windscreen on the troopy.
AnswerID: 418363

Reply By: Gossy - Thursday, May 27, 2010 at 15:27

Thursday, May 27, 2010 at 15:27
I crossed in my older GQ 2.8 turbo diesel a couple of years in a row and averaged 13 litres per 100km.
If you work on 15 litres per 100km you'll be fine.

good choice on the car/fuel. You can double the above figures for a petrol !!
AnswerID: 418422

Follow Up By: Crackles - Thursday, May 27, 2010 at 17:17

Thursday, May 27, 2010 at 17:17
"If you work on 15 litres per 100km you'll be fine."
Well you might be but as the track is far softer & less obvious this year than ever before & with the unknown detour distances around flooded salt lakes & the Eyre Creek there is no real precedent to work out accurate fuel usage. As Olsen has suggested it may require up to 50 to 80% more fuel than what most were using several years ago.
Cheers Craig..............
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