lake eyre trip 2012 - by greg griffiths
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Visit Lake Eyre - By Greg Griffiths. Want a short, spectacular Aussie trip? Try a 6 day bus/flying trip to Lake Eyre. It's simply amazing. You depart Adelaide turning off to the beautiful Flinders Ranges and the stunning sunsets and landscapes of Wilpena Pound – an amazing rock outcrop surrounding a magnificent national park with historic cottages, wonderful wildlife and majestic scenery. Then departing through Brachina and Bunyroo Gorges lunching at the unique Prairie hotel, Parachilna before arriving at the historic little settlement of Maree on the junction of the Birdsville and Oodnadatta Tracks. Next day you take a full day flight exposing you to the most memorable part of the trip tracking over Lake Eyre south before crossing over Lake Eyre North, the larger of the two lakes with its amazing colour configurations. Then follow Warburton Creek to Kalamurina Wildlife Sanctuary, a 1.7 acre property – a vast desert wilderness stretching to the Simpson desert and providing a haven for several endangered species. We delighted in gazing down on a Wedge tail Eagle pairs nest with 3 chicks nestled in it. Tess, the resident ranger, captivated us with her knowledge and successful plans which have transformed this country from desert to a wildlife haven of epic proportions and containing a range of habitat types not represented in any national parks. Then taking off to Gordor Lagoon, the Diamantina river flood plains, an ephemeral swamp. The Coongie Lakes (“the Coongies”) wetlands is a World Heritage site, and an important bird area. Birdsville (with its 100 people population swelling with its horse and camel races) is your lunch stop in the old pub there and the characters frequenting it. Flying back you follow the Cooper Creek with vast flocks of pelicans wheeling in the sun displaying their black and white striped wings. We pass four clearly defined deserts – it was amazing. The following day you visit the Lake Eyre Yacht Club with its 200 members and worldwide interest (yachting in the desert?) before driving to a place called Madigan Gulf – the location where Donald Campbell broke the world land speed record with a top speed of 429 miles per hour in the iconic Bluebird. The day trip back to Adelaide is through beautiful scenic country and historic, quaint townships with impressive buildings and houses built in local stone. Enjoy! Cheers Greg GriffithsTRANSCRIPT
