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Thread: NSW Outback and Opals - July 2020

  1. #31
    Club Member Mariner's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dave View Post
    Hi All,

    Another update.

    I heard back from Birdsville and I contacted Diamantina Shire Council - who will give us our refunds on application.

    They confirmed at Birdsville is basically shut for the rest of the year. No Big Red Bash in July, No Birdsville Races in September. No visitors staying in the caravan park.

    So, our trip to Queensland is CANCELLED. We will not be able to go up the K1 Line to Poepple Corner and on to Birdsville. Please do as your email from Birdsville said and claim your refund.

    BUT, as I said yesterday, Wilpena Pound (South Australia) is still only closed to the end of June. I am going to hope that in July the SA State border will have reopened and we will still be able to go West from Broken Hill and on to the Flinders Ranges, Lake Eyre, Innaminka.
    I will re plan the itinerary and email everyone with the new details. I quite understand if anyone wants to drop off the trip list if we can't go to Poepple Corner, but I reckon we could still have a great trip!

    IF South Australia is still off limits in July, I already started thinking about a trip just within Northern NSW (if we are allowed out of Sydney), and I will email that to everyone as well. Some light reading for everyone if nothing else.

    So, third time NOT so lucky, but hopefully we will still be able to do something in July!

    Very sorry,
    Dave
    So is the hole of Birdsville closed all year or just the caravan park?


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  2. #32
    Club General Committee Dave's Avatar
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    Default UNDER REVIEW - Simpson Desert July 2020 - UNDER REVIEW

    Quote Originally Posted by Mariner View Post
    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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    Last edited by Dave; 25-05-20 at 11:07 AM.

  3. #33
    Club General Committee Dave's Avatar
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    Default 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
    Last edited by Dave; 14-05-20 at 06:56 AM.

  4. #34

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    Hi Dave, not sure if this might help, but if heading to SA, willow springs station is a good place to camp and their Skytrec track is awesome, full day out with awesome views, be a good 2 night camp and day out


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  5. #35
    Trip Coordinator/Association Delegate Dru's Avatar
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    Love your work, Dave.


  6. #36
    Club General Committee Dave's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by JaredC View Post
    Hi Dave, not sure if this might help, but if heading to SA, willow springs station is a good place to camp and their Skytrec track is awesome, full day out with awesome views, be a good 2 night camp and day out


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    Thanks Jared, not far from Sacred Canyon, Worth looking in to!

    Dave

  7. #37

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    Quote Originally Posted by Dave View Post
    Thanks Jared, not far from Sacred Canyon, Worth looking in to!

    Dave
    No worries, it’s definitely a place to see


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  8. #38
    Club General Committee Dave's Avatar
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    GOOD News everyone. In the easing of restrictions announced today, caravan parks will be able to reopen in Stage 2 - so in June I'd guess - and state borders are expected to re-open at about the same time, or at least by July.

    So, even if South Australia does not re-open, we will definitely be able to travel through NSW. My preference would be South Aus, Flinders Ranges, Arkaroola, Lake Eyre, Innaminka...

    Lets just hope it all goes to plan and things re-open! Keep that curve flat.

    When we hear more - hopefully in June - I will confirm with everyone what you want to do, and do some re-booking.

    Yay!
    Dave

  9. #39

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    Quote Originally Posted by Dru View Post
    Love your work, Dave.

    Agree Dru. The best Trip Leader - planning, organisation, coordination, communication etc. I had joined 3 trips with him before. If allowed, I would give him top marks.

  10. #40
    Club General Committee Dave's Avatar
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    More good news!! Both Wilpena Pound and Arkaroola re open tomorrow 11 May. That takes care of our first four nights West of Broken Hill! If caravan parks and campgrounds re-open as planned in Phase 2 (June) then all our stops are okay!

    Now we just need the SA border to reopen by start of July and we are all systems go for the NSW and SA trip!

    Can hardly wait, 9 weeks tonight and we should be having dinner in Broken Hill!

    Dave


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    Last edited by Dave; 11-05-20 at 08:04 AM.

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