Adventure to the Red Centre, part 4

 Maree, Lake Eyre and Birdsville

The inevitable early start yet again to reach Maree, where we would be catching a slightly larger plane to Birdsville in SW Queensland.  The term is relative though as we were only able to take a small pack on the plane and our other luggage would catch up with us further down the track.

We stopped to look at some Aboriginal rock carvings which were thought to be 30,000 - 40,000 years old.  They were a type of map showing others where water and food was available. The sheer scale of time was overwhelming.

Aeons-old rock carvings

More rock markings

We also passed through the township of Farina which was abandoned.  According to the 2006 census, 55 people lived in the greater area of Farina but had fallen to 15 by 2021.  It came into being around 1880 .  It was optimistically hoped that the area would be good for growing grain but the anticipated rains never came.  The cemetery has an Afghan corner, as a nod to the ethnicity of camel train drovers in the region.

Farina Post office

Inside the Post Office

A desolate spot

Quite well preserved in the dry desert

Arriving at Maree late afternoon, there was just time for a bit of light packing for the flight the next morning before dinner at the local hotel.  With a population under 100, it's an important service centre for the local sheep and cattle stations, plus travellers on the Oodnadatta and Birdsville tracks.

Maree Hotel  - a place to meet for the far-flung population

The desert climate was really noticeable here.  Summer temperatures hit 50C and even in winter whilst we were there, it was pushing 30C in the early afternoon.  Sundown and early morning was a different story though - pretty chilly.  The following morning we walked over to the roadhouse and general store for breakfast.  Not much to look at from the outside, they carried everything imaginable .  The two elderly people running it served up cooked breakfasts and great coffee in double-quick time.

Everything you could possibly need

Abandoned loco in Maree sidings.  The white on the ground is salt

Outback advertising

Serious travel warning

After breakfast, it was time to head out to the airfield (a loose description).  The photo below is Jennie with her overnight pack and plenty of kit to stay warm.

Mrs J looking the part 

Cessna Caravan turboprop

With everyone on board, it was time to head to Birdsville.  We'd be flying over the Simpson Desert Regional reserve and Kati Thanda (Lake Eyre) which was going to be very special.  Infrequent rains had ensured that there was water in much of the salt lake and the desert was covered in native blooms. The lake is massive, covering 9599 sq km when completely full.

A mix of salt and water

 Lake among the dunes

 

Patterns in a drying river bed

Colour in the Simpson desert due to recent rain

Green between the dunes

Alighting at Birdsville in the Cessna Caravan

Handily, the Birdsville Hotel where we were staying was right across the road from the airstrip so we grabbed our room keys and headed in for lunch.

Only seriously-equipped vehicles parked outside the Hotel.  Another example below

Sometimes cheaper to abandon a vehicle than to recover it

Birdsville only has a population of around 100, but is still important for serving the local stations and travellers on the Birdsville Track and beyond.  Again, the hotel forms the centre of the community.  We were given a short tour of town and it was really interesting.  The Diamantina River borders town but drinking water is provided from underground water - the Great Artesian Basin. The geothermal power plant in town also supplies around 1/3 of the town's electricity needs.

Another lovely hotel

In terms of entertainment, the Birdsville horse races are held every September to raise funds for the Royal Flying Doctor Service and draws massive crowds from all over.  There's also the Big Red Bash music festival and the Simpson Desert Bike Challenge, which my old boss has done among other ball-busting rides.

Jennie and fellow traveller Stephen horsing around (sorry!)

Just some indicators of distances with limited fuel and water in many spots

Example of local bird life

The following morning, it was time to fly across to William Creek where we would catch up with the truck and the rest of our luggage.  We would be taking a different flight track across the Simpson Desert and Kati Thandra (Lake Eyre).  The greening (all colours under the sun actually) of the region from recent rains was amazing. Because of the flat terrain and big distances involved, it takes quite some time for water to spread south.  The one regret I had on leaving Birdsville early was that I missed visiting their bakery, which was apparently quite something.  I wanted to try one of their camel pies for breakfast!

Most of Birdsville from the air

The desert flowers and scrub don't take long to get going and the patterns on the ground from small undulations made for a spectacular show as far as the eye could see.

Islands jutting out into what would have been flooded earlier

Just wow!!!!

River channels

Signs of habitation - a lonely existence

Another river channel cutting through the salt

Water to most of the horizon but only about 30 cm deep

The outline of Maree Man - first found in 1998 and thought to be modern 

Next post will cover the road trip from William Creek to Coober Pedy, the famous underground opal mining settlement.