Simpson Desert Conservation Park and Regional Reserve - SA

General Outline:
The Simpson Desert occupies approximately 176 500 square kilometres of central Australia. It is located within, and near the common boundaries of the Northern Territory, South Australia and Queensland states of Australia. It is bounded to the west by the Finke River and Mabel Range, to the north by Adam Range, to the east by the Georgina and Diamantina Rivers, with Lake Eyre to the south. Average annual rainfall is less than 200 mm.

The Simpson Desert is underlain by the Great Artesian Basin, water from which rises to the surface at numerous natural springs, including Dalhousie Springs. The Simpson Desert contains the world's longest parallel sand dunes. These north-south oriented dunes are static, held in position by vegetation. They vary in height from 3 metres in the west to around 30 metres on the eastern side. The most famous dune, Nappanerica, or, more popularly, Big Red (named by Simpson Desert traveller Dennis Bartell), is 40 metres in height.

The explorer Charles Sturt, who visited the region from 1844-1846, was the first European to see the desert, but it was not until 1936 that Ted Colson became the first white man to cross it in its entirety. The name Simpson Desert was coined by Cecil Madigan, after Alfred Allen Simpson, an Australian philanthropist, geographer, and president of the Royal Geographical Society of South Australia.

Simpson Desert Conservation Park and Regional Reserve:
688,142 hectares (conservation park)
2,919,123 hectares (regional reserve)
Located in the driest region of Australia, the Simpson Desert is a vast sea of parallel red sand ridges. The parks border the boundaries of South Australia, Queensland and Northern Territory. Together with Witjira National Park, these parks represent one of the world's best examples of dunal desert.

There is a diversity of desert flora and fauna, such as the rare Eyrean Grasswren, protected in a landscape of varied dune systems, spinifex grasslands, acacia woodlands and salt lakes. A remote and harsh area of spectacular sand dunes, which are smothered in wild flowers after life-giving rains.

Desert Parks Pass
A Desert Parks Pass is required to enter and camp in most of the desert parks. The pass is valid for
12 months. The pass includes all the maps necessary to visit the area, information on the parks and requirements for safe travel through this outback region of South Australia. For shorter visits there are two alternatives to purchasing a Desert Parks Pass: Day Entry Permit or a 24-hour permit for overnight stays. But these are limited to specific areas only, so contact SA Dept... for Environment and Heritage www.environment.sa.gov.au or the Desert Parks Hotline on 1800 816 078 for further details.

Tracks:
The Colson Track runs from Numery (approx 185 km east of Alice Springs) in the Northern Territory, cuts across the South Australian border, and the track known as the French Line, before joining the WAA Line and The Rig Road near Lynnie Junction. Other tracks in the Simpson Desert Conservation Park and Regional Reserve include: The K1 Line, Knolls Track and Erabena Track.

The Warburton Track commences at the junction of the Rig Road and the K1 Line, and proceeds south and east to join the Birdsville Track.

The Hay River Track commences on the northern boundary of The North Simpson Desert in the Northern Territory, runs roughly south east to just a few km short of the Queensland border. The track then turns in a westerly direction to the abandoned Beachcomber No.1 Oil Well. From here the track heads to the junction of the Northern Territory, Queensland and South Australian borders. This junction is known as Poeppel Corner; also being the meeting place of the K1 Line, and the French Line.

See the article "Simpsom Desert" on the Treks page of this web site for more information on crossing the Simpson Desert: http://www.exploroz.com/TrekNotes/Deserts/Simpson_Desert.aspx

Due to the very high summer temperatures, both the Queensland and South Australian Simpson Desert Parks are closed to travellers from 1st December to the 15th of March.