file=	BVille2014.htm
Introduction		Had planned to do this trip in the
Beach Buggy, later this year with the boys, but Yollie
was keen to go there, provided we went in the Pathy,
in air-conditioned comfort. Because we were getting old
and aches and pains were setting in, we decided to do
motels only, with tents as emergency backup, in case
accommodation was un-available.
The object was to travel to Birdsville at a leisurely pace,
then spend a few days playing in the sand hills, including
Big Red and others, near the start of the Simpson
desert. Thus, we didn't have to carry large amounts
of spare petrol crossing the 520 km of desert and be
within easy range of recovery vehicles, if anything went
wrong with our vehicle, now with over 10 years of hard
life.
I still wanted to carry 2 spare wheels, so I made some
brackets on the roof racks to carry the 2nd one. Then,
I found it was very difficult to lift the HEAVY spare onto
the roof, so it ended up in the boot. The MaxTrax, axe
and shovel were placed on the roof racks.
Emergency gear.		As well as the usual snatch strap
shovel, 2 MaxTrax, spare wheels and wheel tools, we
took our Sat Phone and old EPIRB in case of problems.
The mobile phone and UHF were useless in the dunes.
The ENGEL 40 lt., fridge was packed with beer, wine
soft drinks and sweets. Dry foods such as chips, biscuits, sausages, nuts etc., were bag packed.
We expected to eat cooked meals at Roadhouses or motels, so packed emergency food only.
Packing	Because we didn't carry food or cooking gear, packing was easy.
Plenty of room for all our gear, including					Could not lift 2nd spare wheel onto roof,
fridge and camping gear, if no accommodation.					so put MaxTrax, axe & shovel up there.
Trip report.		See map for route. Drove to Roma on good roads. Stopped there as we
expected accommodation problems further on. As it was, our motel filled up soon after we got there.
Then did a long haul to Windorah, about 724 km. Only accommodation was basic hotel rooms, we got
the last one. Since all the cabins at Windorah were taken, I phoned Birdsville to book a motel room.
We got the last one available, a family suite for $165 a nite, for 2 nites.
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Coopers creek, near Windorah.					Windorah hotel, basic rooms, good meals.
Basic hotel rooms, all that was left.					Eagles eating road kill, on way to B'Ville.
Snake carving on hillside.					Lookout, approaching Birdsville.
Made a stupid error here. Should have gone thru					My MaxTrax got dragged into the bog !!
the water, instead of boggy sidetrack...Experience ??					They were HARD to recover from deep mud.
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The MaxTrax were useless in this mud ?					Took some cleaning up after all this. Had to
Needed a snatch from passer by to get out.					wash in the puddles I stupidly avoided ??
Got the LAST motel room in Birdsville !!					Birdsville roadhouse, has got it all. A Buggy
Lucky I booked it from Windorah. The rooms					mate put  60 lt. of diesel instead of petrol
and food were excellent.					into his buggy here ! No refund !!
Birdsville airport, outside our motel.					The Birdsville recovery truck, better than the
Gets very busy during Birdsville races.					snatch tow available from Mt. Dare, if req'd.
Now, after a good nites rest in the Birdsville motel, we headed off to play in the sand hills at the
beginning of the Simpson desert, about 40 km west of Birdsville. Didn't expect any problems as we
had crossed the whole desert about 10 years ago, and were lightly loaded this time. As we got to
the soft sand hills, lowered tyre pressure to 15 psi, and remembered to keep up momentum / speed
going up the sand hills. We made it up Big Red and some other nearby sand hills. Watched some
tyros backing down for 2nd or 3rd attempts, because they didn't keep up the speed, going up, or
not lowering tyre pressures. One clown who failed on Big Red 3 times, had 25 psi in his tyres !!
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Approaching the "false" Big Red. Stopped to					The next one was more difficult. This could
let tyres down. The real Big Red was a few					seen from the top of the real Big Red. Had
clicks to the north.					some troubles here in my Buggy recently.
Looking west from top of Big Red. The next					This guy made 3 attempts, and failed all 3.
hill west, was probably worse.					He had 25 psi in his tyres !!
Parj & Yollie on top of Big Red.					Easy going down but watch for cars at top.
Another dune view.					Simpson desert, 1,100 sand dunes in 500 km
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After playing in the sand hills for a day, we started heading north-east towards Winton, which had
the Dinosaur museum display. As expected, accommodation at Winton was difficult. We had to settle
for a small cabin in a Caravan park, which was OK, but had bad beds and exposed to noises.
The next day, we saw the dinosaur displays, well worthwhile, then headed for Longreach for the
Qantas museum, good and the Stockman's Hall of fame. (over-rated)
Lookout on way to Winton.					Looks like Arizona, USA.
Yollie being attacked by a Dinosaur ??					Dinosaur bones, well done display,
Volunteer cleaning fossil bones in museum.					Now we're talking, Qantas museum.
					Large diameter Rolls Royce jet for 747's
The Qantas museum had a good display and an interesting movie of a T model ford used to look
for landing strips between Longreach and Darwin, years ago....mostly thru bush wheel tracks !!
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A 707 fanjet, early model					The T-model ford used to pioneer the route.
Boeing 747 on display at Qantas centre.					Stockman's Hall of fame...over-rated.
Tree of knowledge, Barcaldine. Now protected					Large mine truck at Rubyvale village.
after crazy vandalism ?
Fairburn Dam, near Emerald.					Lake Maraboon, Fairburn Dam.
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Our last stop was Rolleston, between Emerald and Biloela. Stayed at a bush motel, which wasn't
bad, considering it was the last room available. How often did this happen this trip ?
We must have been born lucky ? The next accommodation was about 200 km away, driving at night.
The next day, the weather looked threatening so we decided to head straight home, as the school
holidays had started and accommodation may be difficult on our planned route via the coast and
Agnes Water/Town of 1770. Drove home in heavy rain but got there safely, after a good trip.
Parj was quite impressed with the comfort of driving an air-conditioned car in winter, instead of the
open top Buggy, in the wind and rain. Wonder how long Buggy trips will last into the future ?
Anyone want to buy a "well sorted out and serviced" Beach Buggy ?
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