Birdsville

13 – 16 September 2023

We left the campground and headed north again, towards Birdsville. This would be our first time in Queensland since leaving home in October 2021. Entering Queensland from South Australia would also mean another change of time zones. We arrived and were set up in the caravan park in time for lunch. Mick had been to Birdsville previously for work but this would be my first visit. Our arrival coincided with some very high forecast temperatures – mid 30’s – and we found the sudden increase a bit challenging after so long in cooler climates. We knew this would be the start of lots of hot weather and we would eventually get used to it.

We spent the afternoon quietly at the caravan park trying to escape the heat and catching up on the small mountain of washing we had accumulated. The caravan park is well set out and is just across the road from the roadhouse which doubles as the grocery store. The pub is a short walk around the corner, as is the Visitor Information Centre and Bakery, the coffee shop is only two blocks away.

After a number of very early mornings we decided to have a slower, later start to our first full day in Birdsville. After breakfast we walked down to the river at the back of the caravan park and along to the Visitor Information Centre. The centre is very well set up and was hosting an exhibition about the local area. The staff were happy to answer our questions and talk about the local attractions.

Of course there had to be some birding involved in this visit so on our second day in Birdsville we took an early morning drive the 14 kilometres out to the Waddi Trees. These ancient trees are only found in three places in Australia and Mick had been given information about some likely bird sightings there. The heat and harsh light meant that there was only a couple of hours in the early morning suitable for photography so we didn’t spend too long there. Back into town and we went for a drive to a Burke and Wills location – another tree bearing their blaze. We also had a look at the local swimming spot but unfortunately the water looked quite muddy and it was way too cold to do any more than dip your toes in.

One of the major attractions in Birdsville is the “Big Red” sand dune. We figured we should at least go out for a look, and the 35 kilometre drive in the air conditioned car would at least provide some relief from the heat. Most people take the challenge of driving to the top, but we decided against it. We were happy just to get there for a look and to take a couple of photos. No need to push the vehicle just to say we’d done it.

Arriving back into town, we decided there was another “must do” activity for us – a beer at the Birdsville Hotel. The cold beer and air conditioning was sorely needed and very much appreciated. We walked back to camp and had a couple more drinks with birding friend Paula who was also staying there.

Mick decided he needed one more session at the Waddi Trees before we left so he headed out early while I started to pack up the camp. He was back in plenty of time to finish packing and leave well before the 10:00 am check-out time. We had to fuel up and re-inflate the tyres as we would be travelling on bitumen for most of the rest of our journey. We called in to the café for a coffee before hitting the road and ended up staying quite a while chatting with the owner who is also a keen photographer. She told us stories of going out on country with her father, and the expeditions she has taken with anthropologists, archaeologists, geologists and other academics, visiting and documenting significant sites. One day she hopes to use her developing photography skills to share her cultural knowledge. It was fantastic how a simple cup of coffee lead to such an interesting conversation.

Back on the road and we continued north towards Bedourie.

Birdsville Track - Tippipila Bush Campground – Clifton Hills Station

 12 – 13 September 2023

We continued our journey north along the Birdsville Track and made our lunch stop at Kilanbar Bore. Unfortunately the flies were out in force so it was a quick lunch in the car again. Back on the road and we found the campground and drove a little further on to locate the start of the Birdsville Inside Track where Mick would explore in the morning. The Inside Track has been closed for about 5 years due to repeated flood inundation and there is no sign indicating its location.

We returned to the campground which was once again a big open area with a couple of toilets and nothing else. We found a spot near some scrub and set up so that we could escape the flies. Once again dinner had to wait until after dark. There were only two others camped here, but a large group of vehicles camped across the other side of the road.

Mick went out very early to drive 14 kilometres along the Birdsville Inside Track to Goyder Lagoon. Even though the road is officially closed because it is not possible to get through to Birdsville, it is in reasonably good condition as far as the lagoon that Mick wanted to visit. He was home much earlier than I had expected, but very pleased that his mission to photograph the Grey grasswren had been successful.

With that one in the bag there was no need to hang around so we set off on the final leg to Birdsville.

Birdsville Track - Mungerannie Hotel Campground

7 – 12 September 2023

We had arranged to catch up with a birding friend at Mungerannie so we continued north along the Birdsville Track. We had a quick lunch in the car at Cooper Creek Camp, which looked like a good place to stop but the wind had us continuing on. The wind was still way too strong when we arrived at Mungerannie so we took a room for the night – a bit of a luxury, but we had always planned to do that from time to time.

Later in the day we met up with Paula and enjoyed dinner and a couple of drinks together. In the morning the wind had dropped quite a bit, and we were able to snag probably the best campsite in the whole place. The campground is just a big open area that backs onto some scrub which borders a wetland. There is very little shade for most of the day, but we found a spot that backed onto the scrub, with a small stand of vegetation in front. We were able to get some shade and were also quite private from the rest of the campground. Sometimes it pays to be early.

We ended up camping for four nights while Mick went out chasing birds. He went out with Paula a couple of times, by himself a few times, and I joined him on one early morning excursion up the Kalamurina Road onto Cowarie Station. He had some moderate success and was generally happy with his photos, but disappointed not to get the Grey falcon that everyone else seemed to have been able to photograph.

We had one mishap while we were at Mungerannie – one of the gas bottles ran out just as we finished cooking dinner and when Mick connected the other to heat water for washing up, it started to leak. It looked like a problem with the valve. We carry a Jetboil for roadside morning tea stops so used that and considered our options. We were due to leave in the morning but had also thought about staying another day. With only the Jetboil we wouldn’t be able to cook so we had to think carefully. After an early start to go out to Cowarie we decided to stay at Mungerannie another night and have lunch at the pub, and cold meat and salad wraps for dinner.

We enjoyed hearty burgers and chips for lunch and paid for another night’s camping. When we returned to camp Mick decided to have a closer look at the gas bottle. It turned out all it needed was a new “o” ring. Crisis averted. Mick chatted to some other birders and received some information about stops on our trip further north. He went out early on our final night while I did some initial packing up of the camp. We were back on the road again by mid-morning.

Birdsville Track - Clayton Station Wetlands

 5 – 7 September 2023

We drove north from Merna Mora and stopped at Leigh Creek for some last minute supplies, and then drove on to the park in Copley to check a few things online while we still had service. We had pies for lunch from the bakery which is also part of the caravan park. From there we continued north and refuelled in Lyndhurst before continuing on to Marree.

Marree is the starting point for both the Oodnadatta and Birdsville Tracks so we had a quick look around – there’s not much more than a pub and servo – before making our way to the start of the Birdsville Track. We had a couple of possible places to camp so were able to keep our options open.

We decided to make Clayton Station Wetlands our first camp on the track. This is a station stay with toilets, showers and a bore pool. Payment is via an honesty box as the campground is a long way from the station homestead. There were quite a few people already there when we arrived, and very little shade. We really wanted to be close to the wetland but the ground was very uneven and not suitable for our set-up, so we chose a spot that would give easy access to both the wetland and amenities.

We went for walk and Mick found the birding to be quite promising with the only downside being the huge number of flies – far more than we had been used to for quite some time, if ever. During the night the wind picked up and we had to make a decision about whether to spend another night and hope it would ease the next day. We chose to stay and it was a great spot once everyone else had left.

Mick spent a fair bit of time walking around taking photos of birds, while I escaped the flies by reading inside the tent. Dinner had to be cooked and eaten after dark, and we worked out a way to have a fly-free lunch inside too. Fortunately breakfast wasn’t a problem as long as we were up early.

The second night was as windy as the first so we made the decision to move on – it was just too unpleasant to stay, so after Mick had been out birding, we set off again.

Merna Mora Station

4 – 5 September 2023

We had planned to have a big drive from Whyalla to get us close to the Birdsville Track but the sleepless night we had both endured had us rethinking our plan. We left Whyalla and refuelled in Port Augusta before continuing on to Quorn for morning tea and then Hawker for lunch. We had a look at our options, and noting that the strong winds would be around for another day, we decided to look for somewhere where we could get a powered site as cooking outside on gas in strong winds in near on impossible. We settled on Merna Mora Station, partly because we had never been there before, and partly because it wasn’t too far away.

We phoned the station while we were in Hawker, then drove the 43 kilometres along The Flinders Ranges Way. Merna Mora is just one of many station stays in the Flinders Ranges and is well set up for visitors.

Once we had settled onto our site we noticed the neighbours – another couple we had met at Mount Ive. It certainly is a small world. They had told us they were going to Rawnsley Park – another station stay – but couldn’t get in until later in the week so had chosen Merna Mora to spend the time waiting.

We spent a quiet afternoon and evening at camp, and went for a short walk up the hill to a lookout point just on dusk. The views around Ikara-Flinders Ranges are something to be seen. It’s a really beautiful landscape.

In the morning we went for a walk to the dry creek bed looking for birds but there wasn’t much around. We packed up and headed off hoping to be on the Birdsville Track later in the day.

Whyalla

2 – 4 September 2023

We went back in to Kimba for lunch as it was almost noon when we left Lake Gilles, and we couldn’t see anywhere suitable on the map, along the way to stop for a picnic. We found a lovely picnic area at the Kimba Lions Park than decided to take a short cut to Whyalla, not realising that it would be mostly on unsealed roads. It’s always fun to get off the highway and try a different road, and this one started off great, but deteriorated significantly as we drove along.

Arriving in Whyalla, and aware that the forecast for the following day was for very strong winds, we decided to stay at the caravan park just out of town rather than the one on the foreshore. We were given a good spot and settled in. Late in the afternoon we drove out to Wild Dog Hill at Whyalla Conservation Park, another birdy spot Mick had been told about. No luck with the birds, but a nice enough place to visit.

The wind picked up a bit overnight and in the morning we drove down to the foreshore for a look around. We walked along the boardwalk to the very impressive circular jetty. This looks to be fairy new, and is obviously popular. We walked right out to the end which has become a bit of a habit when we see a jetty somewhere in our travels. 

After a visit to the supermarket we returned to camp as the wind continued to increase. We retreated to the small camp kitchen to make lunch and spent the afternoon sheltering from the wind inside the camper trailer. The wind dropped a little later in the afternoon so we were able to sit outside for drinks and to make dinner but it soon picked up again.

Overnight the wind continued to howl and we had a very sleepless night. In the morning I checked the Bureau of Meteorology app and discovered that wind gusts of up to 69kph had been recorded. No wonder it was so noisy inside the camper. Fortunately it had dropped again as we packed up ready to move on, again not too sure where we would end up.

Lake Gilles Campground

1 – 2 September 2023

We had visited Lake Gilles on a previous trip but had not camped there so were looking forward to a night in a quiet camp by the salt lake. On the way in we looked for a track that Mick had been told would lead to a possible spot to photograph a Copper-back quail-thrush. We didn’t go down the track with the trailer but continued on to the campground. At that stage we were the only ones there so we had the pick of the spots. We chose one with a fire pit, and adjacent to a track to the lake.

We set up so that we were facing the firepit which we planned to use as a cold night was expected. We had brought what was left of the firewood that we had been gifted at Mount Ive. We went for a walk along the shore of the lake – this one had no water but was very boggy near the edge suggesting it had been full of water not so long ago.

On returning to camp we noticed another vehicle approaching and realised it was some bird photographers we had met at Mount Ive. We hadn’t expected to see them again as they had been heading west, but here they were. After an early dinner, Tony and Julia joined us for a few drinks by the fire, sharing birding stories.

The night turned out to be much colder than expected and when Mick set off early to the special spot, he noted the “outside temperature” indicator in the car read 1°. No wonder we were cold overnight. He returned to camp not long after because he couldn’t find the spot so I jumped in the car and between us we found it – and he photographed the bird. After breakfast he spent another short session at another spot – success again – and returned to camp for morning tea, then to pack up. We chatted with Tony and Julia before heading back in to Kimba for lunch, then on to Whyalla.