Flooding in the Simpson

Despite my confidence, I received this email this morning from Don

G’Day David
At this time I don’t think the Eyre creek crossing will open and be safe for crossing until end of June or even early July this is only an approximate estimation, call/email me again in a couple of weeks. At the moment we can’t even get to Big Red because of un-precedented rain and levels of water between Birdsville and Big Red.
Sorry I couldn’t be of more assistance

Regards Don

Our West East Tour is now postponed until 8 August and our Hay River trip 19 August

Hey David & Justine,
Ian is just back from a long trip (4 days!!) to Bridsville via Winton, Middleton, Springvale, Coorabulka, No. 3 Bore, Lake Machattie - heavily laden with steel etc for new project. Was able to leave via Lake Machattie turn right via Monkira (water still over there) but not laden so could get through without bogging. He is loading to leave again for the next load and leavingthis weekend and if river keeps falling the way it is (and no more rain) he will be ale to drive Windorah to Birdsville. I will fly out thursday 21st we will have a week then drive back down here and he can get another load ready.
I need my Desert fix but might have to do with overlander through golf course for a couple of dunes and have a camp there - unbelievable amount of water - so glad to be flying over it this time to be able to see the sea.
I've been spending too much time in Canberra (again -back in politics) and not enough time in Desert. Ian will be out there all the time again.

Hi Ruth and Ian

Gee his was lucky to get through via Monkira wasn't he, that can be 2k long at times. I was pretty confident comparing Eyre Creek levels at www.bom.gov.au with last year, that the flooding would decrease enough by June that we would be OK. Anyhow, it will be the first year I've been in the desert in August.

Stay safe and see you again soon sometime.

David and Justine

Not over re-acting at all. Just planning ahead. Like me...

We're supposed to cross west-east at the end of June and am watching all this talk with interest.

Of course the real answer to the Eyre Creek crossing dilemna won't be known until much closer to the date.

By the numbers of people on here asking, if the Eyre crossing is open,the Simpson will be a busy place in June/July...

By July there will still be water around, but there are appropriate rules for travel in wet gibber country and different rules of thumb for wet travel in sand dune country.

Correct me if i'm wrong.
But just because Eyre Ck has water in it that doesn't mean the salt lakes will still be wet.
Muffin Man

Consider yourself corrected :-)

Seriously it depends which slat lakes and claypans you are talking about
All of the clay pans in the southern section of the Simpson Desert will no doubt be very wet. Almost all if not all of the playas or swales between Birdsville and some distance west of Eyre Creek will be wet.

Last year Lake Peoppel, Lake Tamblyn and the Lake west of Peoppel corner were all quite full of water.

Eyre creek in flood is not so much a creek as a broad expanse of water covering a huge area.

I am indeed referring to the ones well away from the Eyre Ck. flood area, in fact the ones you mention.
If there isn't any local rain would these not dry out quickly ?
MM

Lake "Nappanerica" loosely translated, "water that takes a long time to dry"

There has been considerable local rain as well as the more traditional runoff.

I would bank on the clay pans being wet depending on when you travel. Wet roads take only about 5 or 5 days to dry. Wet claypans may take weeks months. Drive accordingly.

Oh for an edit facility on posts

Wet roads take only about 4 or 5 days to dry. Wet claypans may take weeks or months. Drive accordingly.

G'day !

Can't recall having seen you here before.. (ya mighta snuck in while I wasn't lookin' ;-))

How's it goin' ?

Catch ya later ... Ed C

:)

G'day Jol

Not a bad idea except for the quantity of fuel required to go from Mt Dare to Jervoise, something you would know a lot about :-)

OK Boys, notice no-one is giving away secrets about when claypans are wet - including Lke Poeppel - MY rule is: when the swales are wet, go round. I have enough experience with being bogged and stuck in the mud so I go round!
Going to be a beautiful season - Hay should be glorious. When is your first trip Joel?
David, I will be in touch = going to be out there for about 8 days but will be taking the computer and the camera of course, I'm flying out 21st. Do you have my mobile no, still- it works in Birdsville now?

No secret- Only go around if you stay on the high ground, like in sand dune country. Don't venture off the track in the big claypan country, or gibber plains- stay on the compacted line.

I'll check my address book and emails Ruth for your mobile number

ruthdoyle2@bigpond.com - home email then David - too busy at work to give you that one! Ha ha. Sully ready to leave for Anzac Day at Birdsville = leaving by 18th. Ian leaving this Sunday (again) and planning on driving straight through - Diamantina at 0.45 above approaches today - hoping it will be down enough to go in, roads not bad, graders busy. At same house for the time being, until new stuff built (around the corner) not hard to find.
Ruth