| The
Simpson Desert |
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The
trip through the Simpson Desert started at the Kulgera Pub,
where we filled up our cars with diesel. |
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In
the first stage, from Kulgera to Mt. Dare, the road is fairly well
maintained and signs are in position. |
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The first reptiles, we could spot were a Sand Monitor, Varanus gouldii flavirufus,
and a Bearded Dragon, Pogona vitticeps,
sitting high up in a dead tree.
Freckled Monitors (Varanus tristis orientalis) are seen frequently. |
Sometimes the "roads" were a little bit sandy. |
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In this part of the trip, we could spot some Earless Dragons, Tympanocrytis lineata, sitting on or beside the rocks. Also several Netted Dragons, Ctenophorus nuchalis, were roaming around. |
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Mt. Dare is the last point of civilisation, where you can get fuel and a cold drink. From now on you have to be self sufficient.
Take enough water for the trip through the Simpson Desert.
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But the highlight in this area was the spotting of a phantastic
Perentie, Varanus giganteus. |
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The road to
Dalhousie Springs is fairly good. The
camping area at Dalhousie Springs is
set back a little from the swimming area and features several campsites, fire pits, and a large amenities block with toilets, cold showers, laundry tub and tap water. The most interesting spot is the hot water pool. The water
there has temperatures around 38°C.
It is not really refreshing to take a dip, but it is a highlight
to swim in the middle of the desert. |
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the camp ground sometimes Dingos roam around to get some easy food.
Please keep in mind, this fellow is a wild animal. |
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  Purnie
Bore also used to provide another warm spring
water oasis but the water was from a borehead and has recently been
capped to reduce the flow. It was agreed by environmentalists that
there was an excess of water being released from the artesian basin,
so it has been capped to ensure just enough to sustain the wildlife
that have come to rely on it but not enough to create the swimming
hole. Friends of the Simpson Desert have created a bird hide from
which to observe wildlife. It's a popular camp site and the facilities
are good - hot showers, toilets, and shady camps. |
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into the sand dune area, you will come across several desert animals.
The biggest one is the camel, but more interesting are the reptiles.
Narrow Banded Sand Swimmer (Eremiascincus fasciatus),
Sand Monitors (Varanus gouldii flavirufus), and
Painted Dragons (Ctenophorus pictus) are
common. |
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Bearded
Dragons (Pogona vitticeps) are also common throughout
the Simpson Desert. |
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 Lone
Gum Tree: This box eucalypt, a member of the Coolibah family,
which generally grows in the clay soils of flood prone areas is
thriving in the middle of the Simpson Desert dunes, far removed
from the nearest watercourse. Although it looks just like a regular
tree to the majority of us, it is an intriguing quirk of nature. |
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Poeppel
Corner: A surveyor's post marks the spot of a tri-state
junction - the borders of South Australia, Queensland and the Northern
Territory.
This is not the original sign post (it is preserved in a museum).
Not far away you might find some of Poeppel's original mile posts
and historic markers. |
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Small members of the monitor family are rarely seen in the desert. In the sandy parts the
Rusty Desert Monitor (Varanus eremius, above) and the Short Tailed Monitor (Varanus brevicauda, left) maybe around. If there are some trees around, you might have a chance to see a
Pygmy Mulga Monitor (Varanus gilleni, right). |
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Big Red: this is the most challenging of the more than 900 sand dunes to cross on a 4x4 trek in the Simpson Desert. Big Red is located just 40 km outside Birdsville, Queensland Australia.
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Close to Big Red we spotted another Sand Monitor (Varanus gouldii flavirufus) The track marks were the first to see.
On the gibber plains several
Earless Dragons (Tympanocryptis lineata) could be seen.
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Birdsville is a
small township on the eastern edge of the Simpson Desert. It is
either the starting or the end point for the Simpson crossing, where
you can fill up your fridge, or can get a cold drink after the crossing.
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