Windorah to Birdsville

[gregnsue]

I have a van built for bitumen roads. I am hoping to visit Birdsville later this year around July

My map shows the first 115 kms from Windorah is bitumen. Can anyone advise me about the Birdsville Developmental Road? Is it safe to travel if the van is not an off-roader or partial off-roader?

Are there bad corrugations on the road and what have you found is a safe speed to travel on the dirt.

I realise that conditions will differ depending on time of year, weather and if the road has recently been graded but would welcome information from those who have done this trip in recent years

Thanks

[jock]

Have travelled this road a few times, the last being 18 months ago...also, on this last one, towing a sturdy trailer, we headed up to Bedourie, Boulia then across Country to Opalton via Old Cork Station then back on the Black stuff at Winton. We opted not to take our caravan on these but "tented" it instead.

I have to say, that, in hind sight, we could easily have taken the caravan. In our earlier trips, stones were the big problem - not so much corrugations. ..The last time the roads were, literally, in perfect condition and except for the cross country bit thru Old Cork, we easily sat on 100kph for most of the rest.

I, personally am not a big fan of travelling fast over corrugations preferring to let the tyres down and just try to mooch along at about 60kph.

O.T. has done this trip in recent times..with his caravan, perhaps, if he's listening, he could advise you better.

Jock

[Old Techo]

Jock, thanks for the alert.

G'day Gregnsue,

We did the Birdsville Track from Copley, Marree, Birdsville to Mt Isa. From Copley to Bedourie I think about 700 kms of dirt and lotsa stones, especially on the Track itself. However we never travelled the section from Birdsville to Windorah.

Our van is strictly bitumen, tandem, cart springs, no shockers, and not much ground clearance. I did some prep in the form of stone hit protection for vulnerable water lines and I built a stone skirt under the A frame for protection of the front of the van and bounce-back to the Prado rear window.

If your section of road is like what we experienced there are long good sections where 80 kph is fine however there are sections of corrugations where 15 to 20 kph was prudent. Also there were many instances of a crown of stones that I worried may be high enough to tear my stone skirt. Mind you that was probably only 5 inches off the ground. In those areas I ran partly along the crown of stones but increased the risk of tyre damage.

I'd dropped my tyre pressures to about 2/3 normal. Didn't want too soft a sidewall due a zillion stones.

I'm happy to be patient with speed when the road demands it. We had no trouble covering Marree to Birdsville which is 520 kms with one overnight in the middle. Departed Marree at 1040 arrived Mungerannie 1530, so 205 kms in 4 hours 50 mins. Average speed 43 kph including long breaks. Next day departed Mungerannie 0825 arrived Birdsville 1625, so 315 kms in exactly 8 hours. Average speed 39 kph but more long breaks.

You are talking about a much shorter section of dirt road. If you drop tyre pressures and happy to potter along where necessary you should be fine. However watch out for the bar-stewards coming the other way. The cloud of dust will be obvious. I ease to a crawl or even stop till they fly by

[chris59au]

Hi, I noticed that you are a couple of suburbs from me. We went to Birdsville last year just after the Big Bash. I would love to meet up and tell you our experience travelling the road to Birdsville. A coffee at Park Ridge or Grand Plaza if interested. Chris

[Bundyrumandcoke]

Just take your time. We did the trip back in 2014. Not towing. We actually did Blackwater to Birdsville, 1111km in 14 hrs. We departed Windorah about 2.30pm and arrived at Birdsville just on 7pm. There are a couple of rest areas along the way, one or the other was going to be our overnight stop, but heavy weather, read big thunderstorms and strong winds meant we had no real option but to continue on.
This was in a Nissan Patrol, fairly heavily laden, with roof top camper.

[gregnsue]

Thanks everyone for your comments and advice

[Fingal]

I have a van built for bitumen roads. I am hoping to visit Birdsville later this year around July

My map shows the first 115 kms from Windorah is bitumen. Can anyone advise me about the Birdsville Developmental Road? Is it safe to travel if the van is not an off-roader or partial off-roader?

Are there bad corrugations on the road and what have you found is a safe speed to travel on the dirt.

I realise that conditions will differ depending on time of year, weather and if the road has recently been graded but would welcome information from those who have done this trip in recent years

Thanks