the big burke and wills trek - create your own history in this uniquely australian adventure
TRANSCRIPT
The Big Burke and Wills Trek – A life changing journey The new Big Burke and Wills Trek is Australia’s most historically based Trek, following the faded footsteps of Burke and Wills from the Dig Tree on Cooper Creek to Birdsville on the Diamantina River. It joins a handful of exceptional outback trekking experiences, taking participants into Australia’s most unchartered frontier land where original indigenous relics, some tens of thousands of years old, still remain scattered through the intriguing landscape. The Trek covers 330km over 11 days, which is the same pace that Burke and Wills travelled on this part of their journey in 1860 as they started out on their “dash to the Gulf and back”. The Trek is a full re-‐creation of this most historically significant expedition. The epic journey crosses 2 deserts, the Strzelecki and the inhospitable Sturt Stony Desert, travels through Innamincka and along the Diamantina River before reaching its finishing point, the Burke and Wills Memorial in Birdsville. It doesn’t follow any established tracks, roads or trails; rather it forges an untrodden route following as near to the original route of Burke and Wills as possible, a landscape barely trodden since the original expedition. Many of the 10 Trek campsites are in locations where Burke and Wills were known to have camped. On 20 August 2014 the inaugural Trek got underway departing Dig Tree on the same day the original Burke and Wills expedition left Melbourne in 1860. The 2015 Trek will depart again from the Dig Tree on August 16.
The 2014 Trekkers were supported by a comprehensive crew of medical staff, catering, camp management, trekker tracking and trek operations personnel, with sophisticated communications, IT, mapping, transport and logistics support – a 200 year improvement on Burke and Wills expedition and with detailed planning and risk management to ensure everyone’s survival this time.
And of course there were 6 camels along for the journey, just as there were back in 1860, adding to the authenticity and overall Trek experience.
Trekkers absorbed the history of Burke and Wills from guide Dave Phoenix, President of the Burke and Wills Historic Society. They also learnt about the Aboriginal history and culture of the region through the traditional landowner from the Yandrawandha tribe, custodian and guide Josh Haynes. The escorted journey through his sacred land revealed the little told story of the lone Burke and Wills expedition survivor John King, who was saved by the local tribes people and lived with them for nine months before his rescue party arrived.
The modern day trekkers encountered a great variety of landscapes along the way, with the scenery, topography and vegetation constantly changing.
The campsites were all amazing with many being in locations where Burke and Wills camped.
The dunes of the Strzelecki end and morph into the Sturt Stony desert – a known campsite of Burke and Wills
Camped on the edge of the dray lakebed of Lake Toonman.
The trekkers even watched the original Jack Thompson Burke and Wills movie on the camp screen in the middle of the desert!
The food was delicious, with freshly cooked breakfast, lunch and dinner courtesy of the Australian Army catering corp. Burke and Wills never had it so good!
Trekkers learnt about the history of Burke and Wills from Trek guide Dave Phoenix, President of the Burke and Wills Historic Society.
Trekkers also learnt about the aboriginal history and culture of the region and through the Traditional Owners, from the Yandrawandha and Yarawackarra people. who guided us through their sacred land.
There were many aboriginal artefacts found, examined and explained during the Trek.
Success was celebrated…
The Inaugural Big Burke and Wills Trek was a uniquely Australian experience, and an inspirational life-‐changing journey for all involved. More than 70% of the inaugural trekkers said it surpassed expectation and was good value for money and 96% said it was well organized. We cant wait to do it all again in 2015! "An unbelievable, life changing experience. First class organisation, in a remote and spectacular part of Australia.” Sally -‐ 2014 Trekker 16-‐26 August 2015 www.bigburkeandwillstrek.com.au Contact: Greg Donovan | [email protected] | 02 9949 8754 | Check out the 2014 Big Burke and Wills Trek video here.