UNDER REVIEW - Simpson Desert July 2020 - UNDER REVIEW
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Mariner
So is the hole of Birdsville closed all year or just the caravan park?
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Short answer, don’t know. At the moment you can’t cross the border to Qld at all. The caravan park is closed for the rest of 2020, and Diamantina shire has cancelled the July Big Red Bash and the Birdsville races in September are also cancelled. These are the two events that happen in Birdsville each year. Birdsville caravan park is the only campground. Birdsville hotel website only has accommodation for essential travellers (not tourists), so no accommodation for us in town! I’d say they are doing their best to discourage all visitors.
So, got two alternate plans in the works, one for NSW and South Aus (if we are allowed in) and one for NSW only.
More soon,
Dave
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UNDER REVIEW - Simpson Desert July 2020 - UNDER REVIEW
Dear ex Simpson Desert Trippers,
Following the conversations above, and Dru is quite right about state borders, with the closure of Birdsville - by closure I mean the caravan park is closed for the rest of 2020, the Birdsville Hotel is closed except to essential workers (not tourists) and the Qld border is closed. We cannot realistically plan to go into Qld this year. But still hoping to be driving Sydney to Cobar in three months today!
IF Qld and Birdsville change their minds again, we can re-visit the idea of running the original trip, but we would have to know by early June (to order Desert Parks Passes) and it does not sound likely.
So I have put together 2 new plans, assuming that Qld is off limits. I have emailed these 2 new plans to all the people in our trip list, and if anyone else is interested please PM me with your email address.
Trip 1 - Outback NSW and SA would take us to South Australia IF we are allowed to go, following the original timetable and using our existing bookings in Cobar, Broken Hill and Wilpena. Wilpena Pound has reopened. IF the SA Border is opened as well, we would go! We would then spend two nights in the Flinders Ranges before going to Arkaroola for two nights in the Gammon Ranges (I have never been but it looks good), then back to Copley, Lake Eyre, Marree, Mungerannie, and then take the Walkers Crossing track across the Sturt Stony Desert to Innaminka. From there back on original timetable to Tibooburra, White Cliffs and home through Nyngan. Same number of days as the original plan, just no Qld, and we would not need Desert Parks Passes. The dates that we would be in Copley and Mungerannie would change and we would have to let them know, but I’m sure we could do that on 1st July once we know if the trip is allowed or not. I would also extend our booking at Wilpena for a second night, and make reservations at Arkaroola.
BUT, if we are not allowed to leave NSW in July (and if we can travel within the state):
Trip 2 - Outback NSW Only would take us to Cobar and Broken Hill using our existing bookings, then north to White Cliffs, Tibooburra, and east to Wanaaring, Bourke then on to Lightning Ridge and home through Tamworth and Gloucester. Not nearly as adventurous as the original Simpson Desert plan or the new Sturt Stony Desert plan, but still out of town, wide open spaces, camping and dirt roads! I would cancel our SA bookings, extend booking in Broken Hill for an extra night, and re-book in White Cliffs, Tibooburra etc…
I know that neither of these is what we originally planned, but IF we are allowed to travel at all in July, these are the best I can think of with the bookings and info we have so far. I hope the plans sound okay.
If you no longer want to come along on any trip, please let me know and I will take you off the list. I hope that most or all of us will still want to get out of town – and hopefully out of NSW – and that we will be allowed to go!
We will make the decision which trip we will do later, if any are allowed. Hopefully we will know what we can do by 1st July at the very latest. I will keep everyone updated if I hear anything.
Fingers crossed,
Dave