Simpson Desert Expedition 2020

Today the adventure begins as we depart Alice Springs and follow the Old Ghan Railway south. Stop to view the Ewaninga Rock Carvings, a highly-concentrated series of petroglyphs which provide a valuable link to the activities of early Arrernte Aboriginal people. Sandstone outcrops form natural galleries which contain a great variety of symbols and motifs. Later this morning we continue heading south to Titjikala and visit the Tapatjatjaka Art and Craft Centre. Browse through the gallery and chat to local artists before heading west to Chambers Pillar Historical Reserve. Here, we’ll set up camp and your crew will help you get familiarised with the equipment. Late this afternoon, enjoy a walk to Chambers Pillar for a magnificent desert sunset. (B,L,D)

Among the sand dunes and floodplains of the Simpson Desert’s western edge lies a series of thermal springs surrounded by lush vegetation and an abundance of wildlife. Inscribed onto the Australian National Heritage List in 2009, Dalhousie Springs is the largest surface expression of the Great Artesian Basin and was used as a source of food and medicine by Aboriginal people for thousands of years. The springs are home to unique species of fish such as the Lake Eyre Hardyhead, and other rare aquatic life found nowhere else in the world. They’re also a haven for arid-land birdlife.
This morning we arrive at Dalhousie Springs for morning tea and a swim in this beautiful oasis. We then begin our crossing of the Simpson Desert, the largest parallel sand dune desert in the world. In total, over 1100 dunes run parallel to one another from the Witjira National Park to Birdsville. Travelling east we cross the vast floodplains of Spring Creek Delta before arriving at the first of the dunes, which start out small and then gradually increase in size. Continue to Purni Bore, an uncapped bore from the 1960’s which has created an artificial wetland in the desert. This afternoon, trek further into the Simpson before making camp along the French Line. (B,L,D)

Please see Day 5.

Today is a day of rest for passengers and crew alike. Catch up on some washing, visit some of the sights around town or wander down to the edge of the Diamantina River. Our meals for the day will be at the hotel. (B,L,D)

In the winter of 1939, explorer Cecil Madigan from Renmark undertook a crossing of the Simpson Desert with a party of nine, including a biologist, botanist, photographer and a radio operator. With nineteen camels, the expedition team made the exhausting crossing from Andado Station in the Northern Territory to Birdsville in twenty-five days. The expedition is regarded as one of the last classic Australian exploration adventures. It also pioneered the use of mobile radio communication, with national broadcasts being made through the ABC from desert camps along the journey.
This morning we pass by Madigan Camps 21 and 20 before entering the Munga-Thirri (Simpson Desert) National Park. Heading west, we start climbing the dunes again before arriving at the intersection of the Hay River Track and Madigan’s Camp 16, where there is a Eucalypt with a faint blaze from Madigan’s 1939 expedition. From here we head north, travelling within the dune corridors alongside the Hay River. Despite the river being mainly dry, there are some towering River Red Gums in sections. This afternoon we make camp in a picturesque spot beside the river. (B,L,D)

This morning we pass by Vantage Point, with views to Mt Winnecke. We then follow the Hay River to Batton Hill Camp, a serviced camp site managed by Traditional Owners in the far north of the Simpson. After setting up camp, we head off on a guided tour to Goyder’s Pillar. We’ll be accompanied by local Indigenous guides who’ll also share their knowledge about the local country including the various bush tucker found in the area. We then return to camp and soak up the majesty of the Simpson for the last time. (B,L,D)

After breakfast this morning you’ll be transferred to the airport or to your accommodation if staying on in ‘the Alice’. (B)