Outback: The Birdsville Track

Marree to Birdsville via the Outside Track (517km)

Established during the 1880s, the Birdsville Track was the main stock route between Marree in South Australia and Birdsville in Queensland. Usually taking about a month to complete, the route was long and extremely harsh and cattle often didn't survive the trip. Camel trains fared better. Until the 1930s these animals were used as the major transporters into a largely inaccessible region, but were released into the wild when road transport took over. Nowadays, the track is passable to conventional vehicles for most of the year.

It is reasonably well maintained and generally fairly smooth. However like any outback track, its condition can change, especially after rain. If you take a caravan, it should be a purpose built off-road type, with heavy duty chassis/suspension and tyres that are designed for dirt roads. A 4WD is the most suitable towing vehicle.

There are two routes leading into Birdsville, the Outside and Inside Tracks

The Outside Track is the one most commonly used - the Inside Track, which crosses the treacherous soils of Goyder Lagoon to join the main run just past Clifton Hills, is 4WD only at all times. Severe dust storms are common in the sandhill regions south of Birdsville. Rain, whilst a rare occurrence, can render the track impassable and you could be stranded for days waiting for sticky mud to dry out. The biggest threat is from the floodwaters of Goyder Lagoon and Cooper Creek - if northern monsoonal rain is excessive, flooding from Queensland's rivers will close the Birdsville Track well into winter. Fortunately, this doesn't happen very often.

Marree to Mungerannie Hotel (204km)

Marree is the departure point for the Birdsville Track; it's also the starting point for the Oodnadatta Track.

About 30km north of town lie the salt Lake Harry and the ruins of Lake Harry Homestead, an old date palm plantation and camel trading post. The ruins are worth a look although little remains of the once vast and thriving property. You'll cross the Dog Fence shortly afterwards and, roughly 75km later, arrive at Cannuwaukaninna bore, the shallowest and saltiest bore on the track. Here, water gushes out of the earth at such a high temperature that it has to flow almost a kilometre before it's cool enough for stock to drink.

It's 11km from the bore to Etadunna Homestead where you'll find a memorial to Bethesda, a Lutheran Aboriginal mission that was abandoned in 1917 following years of savage drought. Access to the Bethesda ruins, down by Lake Killalpaninna, is via a 4WD track opposite the homestead and you must obtain permission and a key before setting out.

This is also where you'll find a track leading off the main drag - what's known as the flood detour to the Cooper Ferry. In a big flood year, water comes down the Cooper from Queensland's channel country above Innamincka, cuts the track and flows into Lake Eyre. When the Cooper is in flood (which is not very often but fairly spectacular when it is), the only way through is via the ferry, which operates during daylight hours and takes cars and trailers only. It will not carry caravans. The original ferry, the MV Tom Brennan, lies beside the Birdsville Track as a tribute to the early settlers and transporters of the area.

Once back on the track, you'll notice that the country begins to change as you cross the Natterannie sandhills. Long and narrow, with an average height of 9m, the dunes are the meeting point of the Tirari and Strzelecki Deserts and lead to the Cooper Creek flood plain. North of here, you'll pass the ruins of Mulka Store and further on, the sad pile of debris which is all that's left of Ooroowilanie Homestead. Both are reminiscent of the hardships endured by two of the area's pioneering families, the Scobies and the Aistons.

It's a comfortable ramble from here to the Mungerannie Hotel, where you can stock up on fuel (leaded, unleaded and diesel) and supplies, find basic accommodation, down a couple of cool drinks and a meal or pitch your tent on the banks of the Derwent River. The roadhouse is open Monday to Saturday, 8am-10pm and Sunday, 8am-6pm.

Mungerannie Hotel to Birdsville (313km)

Just out of Mungerannie, on the gibber plain, you'll see the turnoff to the distant Cowarie and Kalamurina Homesteads and further on, the highest point on the route, the 150m Mungerannie Gap. About 28km from here is Mirra Mitta bore, which gushes hot water; further up the track lies another bore, Mt Gason, which is 5km north of its namesake and 27km south of the Rig Road (a 4WD-only track). A short trail will take you to the bore which, with its boiling water and sulphurous stench, is pretty to watch but not very palatable!

The next feature of note is Clifton Hills Homestead, the largest holding on the track. Beyond this, you'll begin to skirt the edge of the Sturt Stony Desert, an expanse of rocks and stones with very little by way of vegetation. There are a number of minor creek crossings around here, some of which provide a bit of shade in which to set up camp, but there aren't any particularly attractive options here as far as this goes.

Birdsville is famous throughout the nation for its hotel and its bush races, held every September

North of here, the track crosses the tip of the Koonchera sandhill, a massive landmark that stretches for miles away to the north. About 95km from here, you'll pass the turnoff to historic Pandie Pandie Homestead and start to travel along the Diamantina River. The Diamantina never really dries up, usually flowing during February and March and sometimes even into April and May depending on the monsoons, with regular floods on the Queensland side. From the turnoff, it's around 32km into Birdsville.

Birdsville is famous throughout the nation for its hotel and its bush races, held every September. Established in the 1870s as a depot and customs post, the town has developed into the small but important regional centre that it is today.

All information was correct at the time of writing but may change without notice.