TRIP REPORT
THE TRIPLE CROWN
Post West-Meets-East Simpson Crossing
2 October – 11 October, 2017
Member Number Vehicle Details
Ron & Carol Reed (TL) 963 Pajero
Graham & Marie Woods 1363 Pajero
Simon & Liz Garraway 799 Patrol
Participant Name
Introduction:
Firstly, a little bit of background …..
There are three (3) iconic tracks in Central Australia, the Oodnadatta, Birdsville and the Strzelecki.
Thus the “Triple Crown”. The Birdsville and Strzelecki Tracks became legendary stock routes in the
latter half of the 19th century and early 20th century as pastoralism established itself in the arid
centre of Australia. And beneath the surface of these areas lies the Great Artesian Basin, one of the
largest groundwater basins in the world and underlying some 22% of the Australian Continent. Bores
along the Birdsville and Strzelecki enabled cattle to be driven down these tracks. At one stage there
were 4700 bores flowing at 3000 mega litres/day. Updated management practices have taken over
today.
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In conjunction with these tracks are 4 state borders, namely Poeppel (NT/QLD/SA), Haddon
(QLD/SA), Cameron (QLD/NSW/SA) and McCabes (NSW/VIC/SA). There is one other corner which
was outside our scope, namely Surveyor Generals (NT/WA/SA). These corners become the “jewels”
in the crown. MacCabes was also not on the planned route.
This trip was an optional “add-on” to the Simpson Crossing for those who did not need to rush back
to the big smoke.
Crossing the Simpson we stopped at Poeppel’s Corner on the way to Birdsville.
At Birdsville it rained and tracks were closed. Our campers/vans were at Marree so we had to come
down the Birdsville Track to Marree to pick them up. We had to wait for the tracks to dry out before
heading to Maree.
Other tracks we were planning to go on were also closed, namely the Strzelecki and the Cordillo
Downs tracks. The former was reopened by the time we got to Marree and the Cordillo Track
opened when we got to Innamincka. So we were to be able to transverse the planned route.
And the route for those who may not know:
• Marree to Lyndhurst. Pick up the Strzelecki Track.
• Stop over night at Montecollina Bore
• Travel via Moomba to Innamincka, overnight at Ski Beach.
• From Innamincka to Cadelga Outstation ruins via Cordillo woolshed
• Cadelga up into QLD and onto the Development Road before heading down the Planet
Arrabury Rd. Taking in Haddon’s Corner and overnight at the Dig Tree on the banks of the
Cooper Creek
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Vol 35 No. 6 - Oct / Nov