the simpson via the hay river

Have a read of the other threads here on the Simpson and Birdsville and surrounding areas.

Its wet enough that the races are postponed

MRT
Eyre Creek is not the Problem it could be the Hay River track once you reach the bottom of the actual Hay River. The main track that follows the river gets very cut up after rain and I would contact Lindsay before starting the trip to find out if the track is open. A lot can and will happen within the next month and the rain now and next week will shut all desert access for a some time.


Cheers

Stephen

Hi MRT,
All that region is having a wonderfully WET time at the moment. Keep an ear out for weather & road conditions before wandering down that track.
I read in this forum about campers being winched out of the birdsville caravan park yesterday. It might be a desert track, but it's coping plenty of rain and I imagine it would be impassable right now.

Cheers,
Ozzie

In 2005, we did the Hay River track two weeks after it was hit with 4 inches of rain. It was slightly boggy between Batton Hill and Lake Caroline, and fine everywhere else. There was ponded water on the track to Lake Caroline, but easily passable.

Keep an eye on the weather observations for Jervois, as well as Birdsville. Jervois has received 45mm of rain in the past two days and none for a while before that, so it won't be a problem up at that end unless they have more rain close to the time that you're leaving.
BOM weather observations for Jervois.

mrt.

Did a double crossing (nth-Sth & Sth-Nth) of the Hay a month or so back.
Earlier this year the Hay had a massive amount of water flow down it.
Many of the old track is no longer there. The new tracks have been cut up by the traffic this year.
If it is still wet when you make the trip be prepared.
Take your time and enjoy the abundant wild life & wild flowers.

Starting that trip in a couple of days - but expecting delays. Doesn't matter to us as we're retired and anyway, after weeks of dodging closed roads on this trip, we are getting used to it.

The Eyre Creek diversion was (two weeks ago) only a short one to the south but maybe the long northern one is in operation now.

I'll post any major problems we find.

As others have pointed out - all the prior info in the world doesn't count for much once there is a bit of rain. Ranger last night (Trephina Gorge) said rain east of Alice so far this year is 10 times the annual average rainfall. Finke flowed again yesterday - 6th time this year, etc etc

Starting that trip in a couple of days - but expecting delays. Doesn't matter to us as we're retired and anyway, after weeks of dodging closed roads on this trip, we are getting used to it.

The Eyre Creek diversion was (two weeks ago) only a short one to the south but maybe the long northern one is in operation now.

I'll post any major problems we find.

As others have pointed out - all the prior info in the world doesn't count for much once there is a bit of rain. Ranger last night (Trephina Gorge) said rain east of Alice so far this year is 10 times the annual average rainfall. Finke flowed again yesterday - 6th time this year, etc etc