The Birdsville Track and beyond (18_CA5)

Central Au 2018-5

Maree dusk

Farewell to the Ghan as we head north east towards Birdsville in Queensland

Maree is the southern start to the Birdsville Track, The tar finishes a short distance after the sign with the remainder of the 517 km to Birdsville dirt.

Clayton Wetlands, 50 km NE out of Maree

The incredible isolation of the centre of Australia is slowly being eroded, the drovers and pastoralists who faced the privations of this harsh land would have a hard time believing that a cappuccino was now available at the Mungerannie Hotel, about half way to Birdsville (assuuming that cappuccinos had been invented way back when).

Blitz trucks (made to a British design by Ford, Canada and Chevrolet) formed part of the transport backbone of the allied effort in the second world war. Many were purchased after the war by farmers, pastoralists and people who required no-frills but tough vehicles to get around the vast Australian outback. I would love to know the story of these wrecks that now that pride of place at the Mungerranie Pub.

Esmond Gerald "Tom" Kruse (28 August 1914 – 30 June 2011) was a mail carrier on the Birdsville Track from 1936 to 1957, driving his Leyland Badger truck. He delivered mail and other supplies including general stores, fuel and medicine to remote stations along the track. Each trip would take two weeks and Tom regularly had to manage break-downs, flooding creeks and rivers, and getting bogged in desert dunes. While this truck at Mungeranni was owned by Tom it is not known if it was actually used on the mail run.

Aspirational goals for Mungeranni, both the bus and the Maccas

Mulka Store was established before the turn of the 20th century. The store was on New Well Station, also owned by the Scobie family. Theirs was the only shop within 70000 square miles of desert and they considered themselves lucky if they pulled in a customer a week. The family sold the station and shop in 1923 to the Aiston family who ran it until 1952 (https://www.pinterest.com.au/pin/554787247819402221/). Behind the ruins of Mulka Store lays the lonely fenced-off grave of Edith Adeline Scobie, “died December 31 1892 aged 14 years 5 months”, quite possibly of the sort of ailment that is fatal only when you live a week’s journey from the nearest doctor.
(https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-loneliest-shop-in-the-world-136117204/#lSL8U1ejRTq0IoMk.99)

To know the road conditions before heading up the Birdsville Track or any other outback road can be a life saver.

The iconic Birdsville Pub

The Royal Hotel, built c.1883, is a heritage-listed former hotel in Birdsville. It was later the Australian Inland Mission Hospital, AIM Hostel, and Birdsville Nursing Home. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register in 1992 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Hotel,_Birdsville).

Birdsville is an almost mandatory spot to prepare, or to regroup after tackling the Birdsville or Strezlecki Tracks or the Simpson Desert. This group were heading cross the Simpson on motor bikes.

Early morning birdlife on the Diamantina River, Birdsville

On the Birdsville Development Road east of Birdsville and heading home

Sand dunes west of Windorah on the Diamantina Development Road

Your home is your castle. The origional Windorah police station/court house is now the residence of Tar Pot, a local character often to be seen in his verandah chair watching life go by. Tar Pot spent his years as a ringer and drover in the district.

Pelicans on the iconic Cooper Creek east of Windorah

The only green grass for a long way. The Windorah Caravan Park, operated by the Barcoo Shire Council is a great place to spend a night (Photo JC).

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