Travel to Birdsville in January

While I wouldn't recommend it due to the heat. If you do decide to go then I would keep the following things in mind

1) Make sure the cooling system on the car is in top condition and then check it 3 times a day. The heat will effect the car as well as you.

2) Carry an epirb/spot/sat phone. There wont be many other travelers to rely on if you were to break down

3) Carry plenty of water

Great areas to visit. I wouldn't go in summer but if you go play it safe.

Geoff

Mark,

Is your mate a gambler? He could go, and gamble on striking a milder week or two, or take the "furnace weather" as it comes. It is very hard to describe the feeling of getting out of a cool airconned vehicle into 45 degree plus temps, but debilitating might be a good start.

Weather averages for Bedourie/Birdsville show temps equal to or greater than 45 deg, for 14 days, during Jan. That's a lot of hot weather to endure. We lived up the Diamantina, from Birdsville, for over 20 years, and still hold a lot of respect for the conditions in January/Feb.

As well as what Geoff suggested, would recommend new or near new tyres, new hoses, belts, and repack all wheel bearings too. Full change of fluids, for diffs, and transmission. Keep travel to cooler parts of the day......oh, and get the air con serviced too.

As for flood waters, the only stuff left would be in the lake by then. Wouldn't have a guss whether the ferry would be running.
Mark, I'd try to dissuade him, remember the Page Family perished in Jan.

Good luck,
Bob.

I remember just driving out to Longreach in January thinking "Oh the air conditioning has broken down " On opening the window we suddenly realized the air con was actually working and keeping the cabin at a cool 30oC

The road surface air would have been 50oC +

Unless necessary I would avoid that area at that time of year. Far too easy for things to go wrong and very wrong very quickly.

Also with the possibility of summer rains way too easy to get stuck out there for long periods.

I've been around the corner area and Innaminka in January.
I'd only do it again if I was getting paid or on a very big bet.
To those who are acclimatised it's bloody hot. To a tourist from Victoria - pick your own expletives.
If he wants to be silly and do it, leave the family (mrs and kids if any) at home. It's an amazing experience, the tourist routes are empty, the flies are hardcore, and if anything goes wrong it's straight into survival mode.

Why does he want to spend his hard earned holiday on an endurance test huddled in struggling aircon. It won't be much fun at that time of the year and could be very dangerous if something goes wrong. What does he think he will actually do out there? Just the flies would be enough to put me off. We too lived in that sort of country for a few years and have the greatest respect for the dangers of the summer. There is a reason the Simpson is closed!
Surely he can find somewhere else interesting to go in January!? Birdsville will still be there in a couple of years when he can maybe get a better time to go. And yes, there won't be anything special to see waterwise by Jan 2012! Lynne

Due to work restraints, our travel is in the December/January time periods.
4 years ago we did the corner country including a day trip to Poeppel's corner, and 2 years ago, went Brisbane to Perth across the Great Central Rd through Uluru when it got hit by the cyclone at Christmas, an back over the Nullarbor and up through Broken Hill.
Both trips were solo vehicle with a CT.
It was hot, but not delibitatingly so.
Only one night was seriously bad, and that was at Longreach where it only dropped to 30 deg, and the biting bugs that could get through insect mesh prevented sleep for a few hours. although a good repellent could fix that.
We may have lucked out with the weather, but the comfort loss was negligible compared to not going.
Sure, it isn't the best time, but if it is the only time, it should be taken with due care to the vehicle, recovery gear and supplies.
We saw vehicles every day on the trips, except the day in the Simpson Desert, although they were few and far between.
If no sat phone is available, it wouldn't be hard to keep the authorities notified of destinations and the anticipated arrival times.
I'd do it again in the heat, but would certainly choose a cooler month if it was available.
Cheers
Ian

Go for it. Same for me, hols in Jan and Feb. Went up the Birdsville in Jan. Nice and warm. Kept buying ice to put in the ice box and eat/ drink along the way. Wifey got a bit overheated-no aircon- but had a great time. 4 kids in the vehicle added to the fun. Flies were a bit too friendly. Slept in swags usually - still had campfires. Great trip. Not a lot of people around which was nice. I like warm weather. I should add that after that trip my wife convinced me to get a vehicle with a working aircon... The long and short of it- don't avoid a trip just because of the weather. Whether it's hot, steamy or rainy, -you can do it AND
have fun!! An extra tarp or two can be handy. We carried bottles of water with a straw attached that we kept filling with ice and drinking to stay hydrated. That worked well. And have a good second battery for the Waeco

A VKS737 member reported today that it was 43C half way up the BV track - what are the chances in high summer, further outback ? If not stinking hot, that'll probably be because it is raining in that general region (summer monsoons). Then your mate will be cooler, but immobile :-o)....... Outback travel at the best time of the year is still a gamble, but I think the odds in January are very poor.

Mark,

Tell your mate to go for it & have a good time, take all of the usual precautions RE outback travel, yes its pretty hot, it is summer afterall, not much happening in Birdsville but what an excuse to prop up the bar at the pub!

We ducked over that way last January on the way east for a break & ended up broken down in Bourke, its all part of the adventure eh!