Which Red was it?

Submitted: Thursday, Dec 09, 2010 at 13:03
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Hello all,
A few months ago now the family and I went up to Birdsville and beyond for a bit of a holiday. One of the items on my bucket list was to climb Big Red. I thought I'd done this, but now I'm not so sure.

Was it Big Red or Little Red????

We headed out from Birdsville on the usual route, passing the cemetary turn off on the right. Eventually we came to an old red coke fridge which the locals had told us was the start of the flood detour. At this point, directly infront of us was an information board and a small shade shelter on the left. Further on, across about 400 metres of water was a dune with a track up the front of it.

So we turned left, followed the flood detour around a lake and headed back along the eastern side of the dune we were stopped short of. Once we realligned ourselves with the road, we went up the dune.

We had a GPS with us but I didn't even think to log the co-ordinates. I've looked at our photos and compared them to others on the net and in some cases it looks like Big Red, yet in others...it doesn't.

I understand that Big and Little Red are essentially the same dune, just different crossing points. Still....if it wasn't Big Red... I've just got to go back and do it again...the right way. At what point did we go wrong? Did I miss a turn off?

Fab.
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Reply By: Fab72 - Thursday, Dec 09, 2010 at 13:08

Thursday, Dec 09, 2010 at 13:08
This is not my photo....it's missing the expanse of water that caused us to detour, but this was the dune we went up, believeing it to be Big Red.

So was it????
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Follow Up By: Fab72 - Thursday, Dec 09, 2010 at 13:15

Thursday, Dec 09, 2010 at 13:15
This is one of my photos taken from the top of the dune..... looking back towards Birdsville.
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Reply By: Allan B, Sunshine Coast, - Thursday, Dec 09, 2010 at 13:30

Thursday, Dec 09, 2010 at 13:30
I'm sorry to have to tell you Fab but I think you went over Little Red.

As you approach the dune from Birdsville you are confronted with the Little Red crossing. At that point is a sign directing you to the right along a track for a short distance to the Big Red crossing. The sign may not be obvious when your gaze is on the sand dune before you.

But take heart, you can say you did cross the Big Red dune. Maybe another time to do the Big Red crossing. A good excuse to keep going and cross the Simpson, eh?

Cheers
Allan

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Follow Up By: Fab72 - Thursday, Dec 09, 2010 at 14:13

Thursday, Dec 09, 2010 at 14:13
Thanks Allan.... Damn shame. I do remember a sign at the base of the dune to my left just before I went up, but there was another 4by parked in front of the sign so I didn't get a good look at it.

Well...looks like I have an excuse to head up north again once the weather dries up.

Could certainly think of worse things to do.....like work!!!!

Fab .
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Reply By: ABR - SIDEWINDER - Thursday, Dec 09, 2010 at 14:20

Thursday, Dec 09, 2010 at 14:20
This is little-red.



This is big-red.



If you look at the size of the people on top you may see the difference in height.

Regards

Derek
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Follow Up By: Fab72 - Thursday, Dec 09, 2010 at 16:23

Thursday, Dec 09, 2010 at 16:23
Thanks Derek. Glad I didn't put money on it.

Big Red 1
Fab 0

Cheers...Fab
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Reply By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Thursday, Dec 09, 2010 at 14:31

Thursday, Dec 09, 2010 at 14:31
Hi Fab
As you are aware, it is all Nappanerica Dune, with an easy and a harder way of crossing. The part of the dune that you went to is what they call Little Big Red. When you came to this
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You turned hard left and climbed to the top of the dune and then headed back down to see this
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at this point, if you turned left and followed this track
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By following it for about kilomtres you would have come to the end of the track and this sign
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Once you got to the top of Big Red, this is what you would have seen looking east
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If you walked over to the western side this is what you would have seen
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If you drove down the western slope and looked back up this is what it was like
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This is what it looked like coming from the west from Poeppel Corner this year
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Below is what it looks like in dryer years.

Cheers

Stephen
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Follow Up By: OREJAP - Thursday, Dec 09, 2010 at 16:18

Thursday, Dec 09, 2010 at 16:18
Great photos Stephen....you've got my feet itchin again!!!
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Follow Up By: Fab72 - Thursday, Dec 09, 2010 at 16:22

Thursday, Dec 09, 2010 at 16:22
Stephen... thanks. Love the photos.

Oh well...looks like so close yet so far. With your photos, I can definitley confirm that it was the little fella we drove up. Bugger.

The other marked difference appears to be the width of the dune across the top. Am I right in saying that?

Well...time to head back to the drawing board. Maybe just after the terrorist season at Easter...might head back up there. Looks like I found the excuse I was looking for. :)

Sometimes screwing up is a good thing!!!!!
Thanks again.
Fab.
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Follow Up By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Thursday, Dec 09, 2010 at 18:58

Thursday, Dec 09, 2010 at 18:58
Hi OREJAP
That is the only problem with the forum, you see pictures of where you have been and you want to start planning again. It is good to have a few different type season photos to compare just how things change out in the desert.

Member Ruth D had some great pictures taken at the end of summer and the sheer lip on Little Red must be seen to be believed and would have been very trying for the seasons desert travellers.

Lets hope that Ruth puts a few up as well.

Cheers

Stephen
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Follow Up By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Thursday, Dec 09, 2010 at 19:15

Thursday, Dec 09, 2010 at 19:15
Hi Fab
Yes you are 100% correct with the size and width at the top of Little Red. The easiest way next time to get to Big Red is when you are at the very base of Little Red, you will see a 2 wheel track branching off to your right as you are approaching from Birdsville. Follow this track that twists and winds north and you will make the approach to Big Red via the back door - a very easy drive up.

Here are a couple of pictures to show just how big an area there is at the top of Big Reg, and is large enough to fit many vehicles.


All the Best.

Cheers

Stephen

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Reply By: Member - Dunworkin (WA) - Thursday, Dec 09, 2010 at 16:19

Thursday, Dec 09, 2010 at 16:19
Fab72, well that is an original excuse for a return trip to Big Red lol. I guess you got the answer you wanted........
Stephen L, looking at your photos I am glad that we have seen that area in the dry as well as the wet, we have the same photo shots in our collection, lovely to look back on them.

Cheers

D


Simba, our much missed baby.

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Follow Up By: Fab72 - Thursday, Dec 09, 2010 at 16:25

Thursday, Dec 09, 2010 at 16:25
Hey D...
I like the way you think.

Make way Birdsville.... I'm comin' back!

Fab
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Reply By: rumpig - Thursday, Dec 09, 2010 at 22:27

Thursday, Dec 09, 2010 at 22:27
yeh i agree with others saying it was Little Red that i think you drove on. you needed to continue straight on past the fridge for about 800mtrs instead of turning left where you did.
below is the view from ontop of Little Red looking back towards Birdsville, you would have come from the right of pic after going around the water. i believe you turned left up this hill at the fridge instead of continuing straight on to Big Red?



AnswerID: 438407

Follow Up By: Fab72 - Thursday, Dec 09, 2010 at 23:25

Thursday, Dec 09, 2010 at 23:25
Hello Mr. Pig. I can see the exact intersection (if you can call it that) where like you stated, I turned left and went up this dune.

I can just make out the track that heads straight on to Big Red.

It was still a great day.... so it can only get better...next time!

Fab.
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Reply By: Fred G NSW - Saturday, Dec 11, 2010 at 08:14

Saturday, Dec 11, 2010 at 08:14
Just want to say thanks to all you guys for one the best photographic displays I have ever seen of Big Red. I have never been there, as yet, but hope to get there in the future.

Fred
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Follow Up By: rumpig - Sunday, Dec 12, 2010 at 09:53

Sunday, Dec 12, 2010 at 09:53
here's another couple of pics for you then Fred, taken from the Western Side as we finished our crossing of The Simpson this year....






this one may give some better perspective to it's size.....



and then of course there's me getting over the top of it....lol

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Follow Up By: rumpig - Sunday, Dec 12, 2010 at 09:56

Sunday, Dec 12, 2010 at 09:56
the track to the right is easy to climb, but the track i went over on the left took a couple of attempts. letting my tyres down to 10 psi rear and 8 psi fronts made it acheivable, as all before me failed with higher tyre pressures.
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Follow Up By: rumpig - Sunday, Dec 12, 2010 at 09:57

Sunday, Dec 12, 2010 at 09:57
that's left and right as i looked out my vehicles front windscreen by the way...lol. opposite way around looking at the pics, you can see a silver fourby going back up the easier option.
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Follow Up By: Fred G NSW - Sunday, Dec 12, 2010 at 12:53

Sunday, Dec 12, 2010 at 12:53
Thanks mate ....good stuff.
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