Picture
Coopers Creek. Outback Australia. From the original oil painting by Kathy Shell. This reproduction available as a fridge magnet, direct from the artist. Enquiries welcome..
Birdsville Track   Australia The Birdsville Track is one of the oldest, most famous, of the desert tracks that start in the northeast end of South Australia.

It runs from Marree at the top western end of the Flinders ranges in South Australia, same as the Oodnadatta Track, leading to Birdsville in Queensland. It is an over 500 km long sandy stretch and without fuel for over 300 kilometres. The track is usually open in the winter months, though it is important to check with the local police and let people know you are making the journey, before you do this trip. The best time to travel (as with all Australian, Desert Trips), is from April to October.

The Birdsville Track is not a very hard trip as desert tracks go; it has become very popular amongst 4wdrivers.  It is  an absolute requirement that  your vehicle be in tip top condition and that you make ample provision of fuel, water and supplies and be in good health yourself before making such a trip.  This is not only for your protection, but also out of respect for others. Tourists entering these areas unprepared place an unnecessary burden on the locals and the Royal Flying Doctor service. 

If you do chose to travel in the outback, please dig deep into your pocket every time you are asked to take a donation to the  RFDS and $10. Is not an unreasonable amount to hand over to locals before you head off on a stretch of desert track that they help maintain or provide an emergency rescue service on.  
The desert can be a very in-hospitable place when you are in trouble.

Edward Eyre, explored this area in 1840 reaching Lake Eyre.  Burke and Wills, died at  Cooper Creek, in the early 1860's. Around 1880’s  cattlemen followed the route, to move stock from Queensland to Adelaide for sale.

 Afghan Traders used the route as travelling sales people, sericing remote settlements in the area and the first vehicles travelled the Birdsville track in 1930's.  Tom Kruse a mail carrier, became a legend getting mail in and out of these remote regions.  Kruse used corrugated iron sheets to help him get his truck through the very soft sand dunes. At times, it took a day or more to travel just 10 to 15 kilometres. 

In 1950, my mum took me to see a series of three short Australian films. One in black and white, at the time, made an enormous impact on me. It was the story of three girls on a remote outback property, whose mother had collapsed and they had set out on foot, down the track, to find their father. They became lost while walking along what they thought was the Birdsville track.  They realized they were lost, when they came upon their own footprints and knew they had walked around in a circle. The story was to show the danger of the inland and how quickly you could die  if lost in this, the most arid region in the world.
The impact that film had on me was dramatic. I never forgot it.

Back in the 50’s and 60’s these tragic loss of life from becoming ‘lost in the bush’ or on a desert track, was far more common than it is today.  Many lost their lives along the Birdsville track and in the surrounding region, before modern technology improved communications and vehicles.

Reg and I arrived at Coopers Creek with a busload of outback tourists and made our camp. After a shared group meal, in the late afternoon everyone  except for Reg and I,  headed to the Birdsville Pub for a drink and Reg and I went down to the water’s edge and enjoyed the birdlife and a quiet chat away from the crowds.  We then went for a short walk up the hill to look at the pub, decided we did not want to be part of the boozing, smoky, atmosphere there and we turned to walk back to our camp near the river.  It got dark suddenly, there was no moon and while we did take a torch with us, it was not a lot of help and it was hard to tell the track from the open space around it in parts. 

We did not panic, but the truth was, we did not have a clue if we were on the track or not and we knew we must not walk far.  If we did not find a familiar landmark soon we would have to stay right there on the spot until we were found. We were not in any danger at that stage, it would be mild conditions overnight. If indeed we were lost, we had to find our way quickly or be sensible, stop wandering and wait and be found, in the morning. We were feeling more than just a little foolish at that thought.

Just as we were starting to feel we had done the craziest thing you could do in Australia, to become ‘lost on the Birdsville track’, Reg saw a signpost ahead, pointing to Birdsville.  We followed the sign, made it back to the Birdsville pub, then walked again in the dark, towards where we thought the river would be, detected the faint glow of a campfire, followed that and made it back to camp.  VERY GRATEFUL that no one would know (lol, J, until I started blogging ) our foolish secret. .

Reg and I wake up, around 2am to the sound of drunken revellers staggering home in total darkness, no campfire to guide them in now. To this day, it amuses me that Reg and I, with a torch and 'cold sober, got lost on the Birdsville track with only a few hundred meters to walk, yet thirty blind drunks could make the same trip without a single torch between them, with total accuracy.

This true story is Copyright to Kathy Shell.
Kathy and Reg Shell, travelled to Birdsville in 1985.

Additional travel stories:-
A Desert Pee
Signs of life in the Dead Centre.
The great unknown.
Outback in the family sedan

Useful Contact Information
Automobile Associations  RAA Copley (08) 8675 2618 RACQ Birdsville  (07) 4656 3226

National Parks Far North Region (08) 8648 4244

Police  Birdsville  (07) 4656 3220 Marree  (08) 8675 8346
Road Conditions  SA   1300 361 033 QLD 1300 130 595  

Birdsville Hotel  (07) 4656 3244
Mungerannie Hotel  (08) 8675 8317

Birdsville Caravan Park  Phone (07) 4656 3214 
Fax (07) 4656 3205 birdsvillecvanpk@growzone.com.au

Wirrarri Information Centre  Phone (07) 4656 3300
Fax (07) 4656 3302
wirrarri@hotmail.com
 
Picture
Royal Hotel, Birdsvile. from the original oil painting, by kathy Shell. Reproductions available from the artist, enquiried welcome.