From Innamincka we headed for Birdsville (near the site of camp 76) via Walker’s crossing. This
route follows closely that taken by Burke. Travelling now the area is criss crossed with many No
Public Access roads due to oil and gas fields. The track was very corrugated, dusty and the
country dry. Walkers crossing Track is a Public Access Road and is subject to seasonal summer
closure. After Walker’s crossing we reached the edge of the Sturt Stony Desert and could well
imagine the four men and the camels crossing this harsh terrain in the hot summer sun with the
extra heat being reflected off the gibber stones as well. The track joins the Outer Birdsville track
which was more comfortable to travel on and we arrived in Birdsville later that afternoon.
Gregory had advised the Exploration Committee against travelling in the summer, “and not to
remain out at the Depot during the hot season”……In 1859 explorer Major Peter Egerton
Warburton had even been criticised in the press and branded a coward for not travelling in the
summer: “The gallant Major himself must now regret that absurd dread of “summering out”
that had robbed him of laurels as an explorer…but alas for his fame! He sacrificed glory for
comfort."
From Birdsville it was a fairly straight run for us heading north towards the Gulf. The roads
improved and we travelled on a combination of bitumen and dirt. We saw the famous Waddi trees
leaving Birdsville and crossed the Tropic of Capricorn, stopping at Boulia for the evening. The
VEE made camp 89 just south of here and they passed just to the west of today’s town.
There was very little water in the River as we came through just a receding billabong as opposed
to the early party who experienced a good flow in the river.
Burke’s party left the river (Diamantina) and struck off to the north. The waterbags held only a
limited supply, so the days became long marches in search of water, sometimes walking more
than 50km only to make a dry camp that night. They crossed vast dry gibber plains and
grasslands, with only a few small depressions containing water to sustain them. Camp 87 was
at the Tropic of Capricorn and they were now in the tropics and approaching the monsoonal
wet season, …there was more water around and more feed for the animals. Camp 89 was on
a sandy overflow channel of the Burke River.
From Boulia it was off to Cloncurry and then the last stop on the Gulf at Karumba. We followed
the Diamantina development Road to Dajarra. A small community with a very interesting Post
Office surround by lots of odd sculptures and art works. Then a very dusty corrugated track
(Concurry-Dajarra Road) towards Duchess through the southern end of the Selwyn Range.
Magnificent scenery of rocky out crops with ever changing hues in green, blue, purple, ochre and
red, despite it being one of the worst roads we had driven on so far, and well worth it. Arriving in
Cloncurry we located the Central Hotel showing the AFL semi final match and settled in for the
afternoon being entertained by the locals and a crowd watching the NRL finals also. Great old
fashioned pub meal. Weather hot and overcast.
Next day an easy drive through to Point Karumba after a stop at Normanton for lunch and stroll
along the main street. Hot and sunny. We arrived at Point Karumba on the gulf to find a lovely
welcoming cool breeze and watched a magnificent sun set over the water. We stayed for 3 days
catching up on washing, relaxing and enjoying sunset drinks at the pub on the water as well as
magnificent local caught barra and chips. A far cry from the ending that Burke & Wills
experienced.
Burke’s party had a straightforward journey from Boulia with plenty of water and feed until they
reached a series of mountain ranges, each one more rugged and harder to cross. The camels
suffered terribly in this section and they were forced to drag them over the rocky ridges in
single file. The camels sweating profusely from fear. The VEE’s pace dropped to less than
20km a day.
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