DAY 3 What's it feel like to be nowhere? Then, drive Cocklebiddy to Balladonia 220km. -A no man's land. Outback Driving Although the one and only East\West road between the southern Australian states and Western Australia is fully sealed it's very remote and isolated country. The Eyre Highway skirts the fringe of the Nullarbor Plain and the highway has the longest stretch of straight road in Australia. Perhaps is one of the longest in the world. Needless to say there is no road side fencing. No roadside train tracks, no power lines, few trees and no signs of civilisation for hours of driving, just the never ending road. NASA FIRST SPACE STATION 'SKYLAB' 1974 Cocklebiddy Western Australia The area is basically a roadhouse. The name of the roadhouse is the Wedgetail Inn and has a caravan park, and hotel motel facilities. Balladonia Beyond the Nullarbor Is a small roadhouse settlement across the border on the Eyre Highway in Western Australia. The Balladonia roadhouse, has a display of Skylab debris and newspaper clippings, as well as hotel and motel rooms. In July 1979, the area gained global attention with the re-entry of Skylab. An orbiting NASA space station. A long trail of small debris were scattered across the nearby countryside. Traveldriven SKYLAB RE-ENTRY ON BALLADONIA BALLADONIA WESTERN AUSTRALIA TOURIST BOARD INTERESTING LONG & STRAIGHT DRIVE SEDAN DRIVING THE OUTBACK HIGHWAYS DISPLAY SIGN 1,234,567 KANGAROO'S ONLY OUTNUMBERED BY THE FLIES PREV SA/WA/NT NEXT PREV WESTERN AUSTRALIA NEXT HOMEPAGE

DAY 2 'stopped and checked for carriage into Western Australia by quarantine inspectors. Car boot thoroughly searched' Nullarbor South Australia The Eyre Highway is the only east, west road passing through the Nullarbor Plain to Western Australia. Nullarbor Roadhouse is at the eastern boundary of the Nullarbor Plain and Border Village is at the western boundary of the Nullarbor Plain. These two roadhouses provide services for tourists and travellers such as accommodation and vehicle fuel. Nullarbor Roadhouse Somewhere to stay overnight. Motel units or caravan site. Food and fuel. Nullarbor means no trees. Over 100,000 wild camels roam the plain. The longest stretch of straight road in the world. A distance of 146.6 km along the Eyre Highway outside Balladonia Roadhouse. Newspaper stories on a notice board describe the legend of the Nullarbor Nymph, a half naked feral woman, once thought to have roamed the plain among the kangaroos in the 1970s. Made headlines worldwide. A historic scale model of the old station/garage is next door to the roadhouse on display. Border Village The area consists of little more than the roadhouse. Border Village Roadhouse is right before the Quarantine Checkpoint driving from South Australia. Home of the giant kangaroo. Motel units and caravan sites. A shop, fuel and a restaurant/bar with cold beer on tap. A Quarantine Checkpoint is on the border. Risk items include fresh fruit, vegetables, some nuts, seeds as well as honey. I was stopped and checked for carriage into Western Australia by quarantine inspectors. Car boot thoroughly searched. Road checkpoints operate 24 hours. Eucla On the Western Australian side of the SA/WA border. Population roughly fifty residents. Just the one motel or limited caravan sites available. Nowhere else to stay overnight. Eucla Telegraph ruins are well worth a look. Opened 1877. Linked Western Australia with the rest of the world sending over 20,000 messages a year until 1927. Often half buried in drifting sand dunes. Accessible via a short unsealed two wheel drive road. The current townsite was established about 4 km higher up. The only location on the Eyre Highway off the Eucla Pass with a direct view of the Great Australian Bight cliffs due to its elevated position. Occasionally whales can be seen. Traveldriven ENTER CLICK/TAP   EUCLA GOOGLE MAPS NULLARBOR FIVE DAY FORECAST DRIVE NULLARBOR ROADHOUSE - BORDER VILLAGE - EUCLA HISTORIC SERVICE STATION DISPLAY EYRE HIGHWAY THE ONLY EAST/WEST HIGHWAY NULLARBOR CLIFFS & SOUTHERN OCEAN Molly's Nullarbor roadtrip. Drone views of the Great Australian Bight and cliffs. Great footage of the area 6.25 minutes into the video. Personally think the Eucla cliff views are the best from the handful of Nullarbor highway turnoffs. These are accessible to any highway travelling vehicles. Thanks in advance to Molly Dixon Youtube channel for enabling sharing of Youtube video's. Traveldriven SIGN ON ROADHOUSE 'NULLARBOR NYMPH' RUINS ARE 2WD ACCESSIBLE ALONG SHORT UNSEALED ROAD TO THE CLIFFS AREA EUCLA WHALE PREV SA/WA/NT NEXT PREV SOUTH AUSTRALIA NEXT HOMEPAGE

DAY ONE OF ROAD TRIP AUSTRALIA MAY 23 Tuesday morning Solo road trip to South Australia, Western Australia, Northern Territory and return to Victoria. Approximately seven to eight weeks in duration. Driving a Ford Falcon XR6 from the Wimmera in Victoria to South Australia. Overnight stay Adelaide. CURRENT ADELAIDE FIVE DAY FORECAST DRIVE ADELAIDE - KIMBA - CEDUNA Driving from Victoria, drive out of the Adelaide Hills onto Portrush Road, Adelaide South Australia. There is motel accommodation on Portrush Road. This is a very busy main road. Alternatively, visit the Adelaide beachside suburb of Glenelg. Driving from Victoria before driving onto Portrush Road, turn left onto Cross Road and join ANZAC Highway and then follow all the way. Very popular area. Local shops, restaurants and hotels. The only tram service in Adelaide runs along Jetty Road from Moseley Square, GleneIg. To bypass Adelaide city, drive west along Portrush Road towards Kimba 463km and onto Ceduna. Day two , Adelaide to Ceduna via Kimba 775km. Kimba A service town on the Eyre Highway at the top of Eyre Peninsula in South Australia. Kimba has a population of a little over six hundred. Ceduna A town on the west coast of Eyre Peninsula South Australia. 800 km from Adelaide. Ceduna is derived from the aboriginal word Chedoona . Said to mean, 'a place to sit down and rest'. Ceduna is the last major town before crossing the Nullarbor Plain. Accommodation found in the Ceduna Foreshore Motel. Offering reasonable rates and facing the beachfront. Foreshore lined with tall mature pine trees. Great spot for eating fish & chips. The local hotel nearby, just 100 metres away. ID is required for takeaway liquor. Even for older people. A huge dust storm enveloped the area when I approached the town. One overnight stay only in Ceduna. Traveldriven ENTER CLICK/TAP GLENELG, ADELAIDE GOOGLE MAPS CEDUNA GOOGLE MAPS KIMBA GOOGLE MAPS GLENELG JETTY & THE OLD SUNKEN JETTY FURTHER OUT GLENELG AND THE GRAND HOTEL ON RIGHT PREV SA/WA/NT NEXT PREV SOUTH AUSTRALIA NEXT HOMEPAGE

See the biggest crocodile in Australia and is safe to touch. -you can take my word for it Biggest Crocodile In Wyndham Western Australia Wyndham is the home of the Big Crocodile. The crocodile is in the main street of Wyndham. This is a wire and concrete statue in the main street. Roughly twenty metres (65 ft) long. Anyone in this area might need a large boat for safety in and around the waterways of Wyndham. Some of Australia's largest saltwater crocodiles are found here. Wyndham the Northern Most Town of Western Australia Is the northernmost town in the Kimberley region of Western Australia two thousand two hundred kilometres (1,373 mi) north of Perth. Established in 1886. It's a port and service centre for the East Kimberley with a population of almost eight hundred. I drove over 5,000 km from Victoria to get to Wyndham Western Australia only to be stopped by the local police short of the township. The reason given. We do not see many sedans up here. Giant saltwater crocodiles are said to still frequent the abandoned meat works area around the port. The Port of Wyndham is twenty-two km from the town. Along a sealed road from Wyndham township. Five Rivers Lookout . Easy for any vehicle to drive to the top. Not suitable for towed vans. Three hundred and thirty metres in elevation. Reached along a sealed road close to Wyndham. Views are over the Cambridge Gulf. The five expansive rivers of Durack, Pentecost, King, Forest and Ord. All are saltwater crocodile habitats. Traveldriven ENTER CLICK/TAP WYNDHAM GOOGLE MAPS WYNDHAM FIVE DAY WEATHER FORECAST TRAVEL DOWN UNDER & DRIVE HALLS CREEK TO WYNDHAM EARLY DAYS OF WYNDHAM WYNDHAM BIG BOY CROC TWENTY METRE LONG CROCODILE MAIN STREET of WYNDHAM NEED A BIGGER BOAT IN WYNDHAM UNSAFE TO CLIMB A CROCODILE! GRAB A CROC BY THE TAIL OUT OF LUCK WYNDHAM FIVE RIVERS LOOKOUT VIEW OF PORT OF WYNDHAM & RIVER SYSTEMS PREV SA/WA/NT NEXT HOMEPAGE

DAY 25 BUNGLE BUNGLES These are beehive-shaped rock domes made up of sandstones and conglomerates (rocks composed of pebbles and finer material cemented together). Wind and erosion from the Tanami Desert and rainfall over millions of years shaped the domes. Helicopter Tour There are forty-five minute Helicopter Tours of the Bungle Bungle’s and these are available from Warmun/Turkey Creek on the Great Northern Highway. 200km south of Kununurra. Turkey Creek renamed Warmun is a small aboriginal settlement. The tour allows for good views over the domes and from the air appear quite vast in area. The tour does not land at the domes. Two way head phones allow the pilot to describe the area. Alternately to reach the iconic Bungle Bungle Range, visitors can embark on a scenic journey along the 4WD accessible road, spanning a distance of 54km from the Great Northern Highway. While this route offers a unique adventure through the rugged landscape of Western Australia, it is important to note that the track conditions can significantly impact travel time. Due to the current state of the track, the journey to the Bungle Bungles typically takes around two to three hours one way. The remote and untouched nature of the track leading to the Bungle Bungles adds to the sense of adventure and exploration for those who choose to traverse it. As of 2024, the track has remained largely unchanged, with no significant improvements made to enhance accessibility or ease of travel. This means that visitors can expect an authentic outback experience, complete with challenging terrain and breathtaking scenery along the way. Despite the time and effort required to navigate the 4WD accessible road, the journey to the Bungle Bungles is well worth it for those seeking a true off-the-beaten-path adventure. The untouched beauty of the landscape, coupled with the sense of isolation and remoteness, creates a unique and unforgettable experience for travelers looking to immerse themselves in the natural wonders of Australia's outback. Helicopter tours may also be available at the Bungle Bungles. The tour from Turkey Creek, 10 out of 10. Traveldriven ENTER CLICK/TAP BUNGLE BUNGLES GOOGLE MAPS PARDOO (CLOSED 2023\REOPENED 2024) & SANDFIRE ARE ROADHOUSE STOPS FOR ROAD TRAFFIC. NO TOWNS ARE BETWEEN PORT HEDLAND AND BROOME A DISTANCE OF 610 KILOMETRES OVERNIGHT PRISONER'S BOAB TREE BUNGLE BUNGLES HELICOPTER FLIGHT PREV WA/NT/SA PAGE NEXT HOMEPAGE

the local police pulled over in their patrol van I'm in trouble -Traveldriven Bidyadanga Otherwise known as La Grange, in the Kimberley region, is the largest Aboriginal community in Western Australia. A population of about 750 residents. One hundred and eighty kilometres (110 mi) south of Broome and 1,590 kilometres (990 mi) from Perth. The traditional owners of the land are the Karajarri people. Entry to Bidyadanga is restricted. Permit may be required. I was offered an opportunity to accompany a two man maintenance work group to a local government building in Bidyadanga for a day on a weekend. Sure, ok. On arrival I wandered about part of the townscape. Always mindful taking photographs showing local's is a sensitive issue in restricted communities. I was careful only to photograph streetscapes and signs with a small camera. Questioned by Local Police of Western Australia However, shortly before all maintenance work was completed the local police pulled over in their patrol van and one of the two officer's leaned out of a window and inquired if anyone of us knew of someone photographing the community. The camera bag was slung over my back. We all said no. A white lie on my behalf. No doubt referring to my earlier walkabout. I had not photographed any people at all. Nor pointed the camera at people. Just streets and signs. A misunderstanding avoided. With hindsight I shouldn't have walked around as much drawing attention. Point taken. Fatal stabbings have occurred in this sometimes troubled small community in a tropical environment where life should be carefree. There is little opportunity for youth. Violence amongst locals getting out of hand. Perhaps the result of isolation and boredom with little purpose for some. Traveldriven ENTER CLICK/TAP BIDYADANGA GOOGLE MAPS TRAVEL DOWN UNDER BIDYADANGA BIDYADANGA COMMUNITY COMMUNITY SERVICES SIGN BIDYADANGA STREETSCAPE HIGH FENCES & BARBED WIRE TIDY TOWNS 2014? NO FUN! PAINTED HANDS CAGED FUEL BOWSER CAGED STREET LIGHTS CAMPFIRE ASHES IN TOWN LOCAL HOUSING NO GO AREA, WHY? BIDYADANGA PUBLIC BUILDING BIDYADANGA CHURCH SERVICES SUPERMARKET NOTICE BOARD STORE OFFICIALY OPENED 1984 ANOTHER SUPERMARKET NOTICE BOARD RANGER VEHICLE BIDYADANGA GENERAL STORE PREV SA/WA/NT NEXT HOMEPAGE

tales of the week's activities that quite often ended with a quiet night time beverage at sea -MV Oceanic shipmates DAY 13 Sunday Broome Broome has tide waters that encroach on both sides of the town. The waters of Roebuck Bay extend from the main jetty at Port Drive to Sandy Point. The Town Beach shoreline. Site of the famous ' Staircase to the Moon '. A receding tide and a rising moon combine to create the illusion of a staircase above the mud flats. Matso's Brewery The Brewery was an ideal location to meet up with MV Oceanic shipmates after the Kimberley Islands voyage. Sitting around outside dining tables an onshore sea breeze sprung up and yarns were told between new friends over cold drinks. Highly recommend trying Matso's ginger beer varieties. Yarns of getting your sea legs, being stuck in mud up to the knees, scrambling over rock outcrops, beach sleeping, swimming, retelling tales of the week's activities that quite often ended with a quiet night time beverage at sea. Most experienced none, or very little sea sickness on the entire voyage. All were returning home in the next day or two. Many flying interstate. I was staying in Broome a little longer, then driving to Wyndham, the very tip of Western Australia. Shipmates and Retelling of Shipboard Life All shipmates agreed the seven days roaming the sea in the Kimberley Islands was a once in a lifetime opportunity and exceeded expectations. No complaints with crew or expeditions. Not withstanding a few things. The captain of the MV Oceanic said the fore deck spa could not be used at all. Also, onboard stowed sails were never used on either of the two masts. Few fish were caught. Sometimes the tender craft were hard to restart on a quickly receding tide. No cell phone reception. Passengers were encouraged to help with meal clean up and use water sparingly. These things did not distract from the experience at all. A great time enjoyed by all. ICON'S OF BROOME WESTERN AUSTRALIA Sun Pictures opened on 9 December 1916. The cinema underwent very regular tidal flooding. Some claimed you could catch a fish watching a movie. In 1974, a levy was built to stop flooding. Currently claimed as the world's oldest open air cinema in operation. Restored with the help of the unofficial, 'Lord of Broome'. Robert Alistair McAlpine. Streeter's Jetty was built for pearl dealer operations out of Short Street, in1886. A channel was cut through mangroves to Dampier Creek and provided access to Streeter's Jetty for pearl luggers. Streeter's Jetty is 69m in length and was rebuilt in 2022 for the fifth time because of water damage with high tides. Traveldriven TRAVEL DOWN UNDER ENTER CLICK/TAP MATSO'S BROOME BREWERY GOOGLE MAPS IN REALTIME MATSO'S BROOME BREWERY. Australia's most remote brewery. Alcoholic ginger beer. Two weeks in Broome including cruising the Kimberley IsIands. Ahoy Buccaneers cruise office in Broome. PREV SA/WA/NT NEXT HOMEPAGE

DAY 16 beware of the fierce Stone Warriors -fellow shipmate Many of the Kimberley Islands have waterfalls. Tendercraft were piloted up a rock weathered murky green coloured creek followed by a short hike to Ruby Falls . A water dip is safer in the higher shallow rock pools. Crocodiles are rarely seen on many of the islands preferring mangroves. The higher rock pools are considered safe swimming in the later half of the dry season. It's best to avoid the larger low pools and their darker water such as the base of Ruby Falls. Stone Warriors, Cruise Kimberley Islands An excursion highlight was to the Stone Warriors on an uninhabited island. Named Langgi Inlet. Remote and rarely visited. Hundreds of weathered rock outcrops appearing to the imagination as human faces and shapes. Even as animals. Best seen on the low tide. Stone Warriors overlooking this remote island shoreline in the Kimberley heat and sea breeze. The beach sand disturbed only by our footprints in this pristine environment. The Stone Warriors weren't a safety concern. Unless you fall off of one to get a better view. Perhaps with hindsight not the best idea. No medical aid is available in these remote islands. A lengthy drawn out helicopter evacuation the only option for serious accidents. We were cruising Kimberley Islands both large and small. Exploring by small tender. Tender craft navigating past swirling whirlpools created by the tides. Often multiple whirlpools in more open bodies of water are seen in between small island groups and their creeks. Dangerous waters ready to claim the unwary. Fishing by hand reel was largely unsuccessful. The Skipper occasionally anchored the ship above coral reefs so as to catch tropical fish. Use of depth and fish finder equipment to a large extent was unfruitful. Perhaps the bait, lures, or time of day were not suitable as few fish were caught. Any caught fish was cooked by Sue the ship's cook. Assisted by Brian. Traveldriven MV Oceanic Ruby Falls Don't go in the water Saltwater crocodile danger UP ANOTHER CREEK VISTING CATAMARAN CREW MEMBER ON TOP RIGHT ASSISTING A SHIPMATE RUBY FALLS SCENIC AREA SALTWATER CROC HABITAT UNSAFE WALKING THE TOP OF RUBY FALLS SMALL COOL ROCK POOLS TOP OF RUBY FALLS EARLY SUNRISE, SWAGS & FISHING BY HAND REEL PREV KIMBERLEY ISLANDS NEXT HOMEPAGE

DRIVE TO BIRDSVILLE OUTBACK QUEENSLAND 2024 Birdsville Track and Strzelecki Track. Two nights at the famous Birdsville Hotel. Birdsville is the most famous Outback town in all of Australia. Driving in a Toyota Land Cruiser. The start of the road trip is in Adelaide. No towed trailer or other vehicles. A small tour group of three organised by Desert Sky Tours in Adelaide, South Australia. Accommodation to be mainly in hotel units along the way. No camping. Driving through the Outback Flinders Ranges. Names such as Mungerannie and Innamincka in South Australia. Birdsville Track in Outback Queensland/South Australia and Little Red and Big Red (100 feet in height sand dunes), Edge of the Simpson Desert in Outback Queensland. Outback New South Wales, Tibooburra, Broken Hill, and through station country in outback South Australia. A return road trip of greater than 3,400 km (2,100 miles) with a few short detours to tourist sites. Over one third driven on unsealed outback roads and tracks. The outback tracks and roads can be life threatening to drive. Vehicle breakdowns do occur. Vehicles get bogged after infrequent rains. Review the tv news report below for the death of a young driver from extreme heat in a two car convoy. Both vehicles bogged in the Outback about one hundred km from the Northern Territory/Queensland border. January 17, 2024. https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=304643949245120 Traveldriven OUTBACK TRACKS 2024 HF RADIO IN VEHICLE FOR SAFETY SATELLITE PHONE IN VEHICLE FOR SAFETY RECOMMENDED FOR VEHICLE'S TO CARRY TWO FULLSIZE SPARE TYRES CHECKED & LOADED UP 4 WHEEL DRIVE V8 ROOFTOP LUGGAGE STORAGE ON TOP PREV PAGE NEXT

Tom Kruse MBE Birdsville Mailman The legendary Tom Kruse took over the mail contract paying 396 pounds per year to operate the Birdsville - Marree Mail Run from January 1948 to 1963. Tom held the mail run for 15 years, delivering goods and mail to Birdsville and outposts along the track through floods, drought, and drifting sand dunes. Driving a Leyland Badger built in the UK in 1936, his exploits resulted in the documentary: Last Mail from Birdsville - The Story of Tom Kruse. (2000) 54 minutes Birdsville Track The track had reopened a few days before allowing our Toyota Landcruiser to drive down the Birdsville Track. It had been closed for recent heavy rain. The Track is a distance of 517 km of dirt road. A few patches were encountered over the track of drifting sand perhaps fifty metres or so pulling the Landcruiser to one side a little. A few water crossings here and there. More like large shallow puddles almost the width of the track and all with a firm base. The Mungeranie to Marree section of road in much better shape being a well formed double road. Perhaps in the future this will be sealed? 205 km in length. Whilst the track was closed, a 4WD vehicle had driven up the track from Marree, making it all the way to Birdsville. The track was still very much water-affected from recent heavy rainfall. Because of this foolhardy individual, his vehicle had left deep wheel ruts the length of the two-way track. Most had now dried out, leaving behind very rough wheel ruts to navigate. Much of the driving needed to be done on the wrong side of the road to avoid the churned-up ruts in the road. Luckily, there are very few travellers along the track. Traveldriven Rain On The Track You won't get up to Birdsville mate. The inside tracks a lake; The Diamantina's running strong For that's the way droughts break. And if you drive from Clifton Hills Across the swollen creeks And take the outside, why mate, You'll be out for weeks. Refrain For there's rain on the track and there may be more. The grass will come as it did before, And even the cattle are water logged, There's rain on the track and the mailman's bogged. There's a glint on the plain where the creek-beds lie The dingoes whine 'cos they can't keep dry, So move on mate, for beyond that hill- Birdsville!! The country there is wide and lean, The gibbers look like blood; And when it's dry the sand is mean, And when it's wet there's mud. You won't get up to Birdsville mate, Or else you'll need some luck; You're down, and to the axle too- Well mate, I'd say your stuck. There's bitumen in Birdsville, mate A great artesian bore. It's in the beef and sugar State- You've not been there before? The brolgas dance at sunset mate, And street lamps light the town. It makes a kind of music When the Diamantina's down. And so you've got to Birdsville now Although you're two weeks late, You've left a tyre and pints of sweat, You're dug up half the State. Your car's a muddy juggernaut, Such roads you've never met. You'd better rest in Birdsville, mate, You have to drive back yet! .... by Max Fatchen DRIVE BIRDSVILLE TO MARREE BIRDSVILLE TRACK SIGNAGE RAIN ON THE TRACK WILD DINGO ON THE BIRDSVILLE TRACK BIRDSVILLE TRACK TOM KRUSE FAMOUS BIRDSVILLE MAILMAN TOM KRUSE PLAQUE, IN BIRDSVILLE PREV PAGE NEXT

Birdsville, Queensland Birdsville has been called Australia's most isolated outback town. There are paved streets, housing, and infrastructure unlike some remote small towns. There are twelve named streets in Birdsville. The Birdsville Hotel is on the corner of Burt and Adelaide Streets. Opposite the hotel is Birdsville Airport. There is a manned police station, and a small primary school. There is a non-grassed sports oval and tennis courts, a hardware store on Billabong Boulevard, and a couple of cafes. Birdsville Tourist Park caters to campers, and the Birdsville Bakery off Jardine Street sells the famous curried camel pies. There are a few ruined buildings and restored buildings such as the old hospital. CAMEL PIE I was going to buy a curried camel pie for a late lunch; however, the bakery had sold out. Never mind, the next morning was to be breakfast at the bakery. So, of course, I ate a camel pie loaded with tomato sauce on top for breakfast. Others did not think it was a good idea to eat a camel pie for breakfast. I enjoyed it and suffered no problems later. The pie was chunky, similar to a steak pie. Good taste. A little stringy. Still very good to eat. Standing in front of the Royal Hotel ruins, a ride-on lawn mower rounded the corner from Frew Street to Adelaide Street. The rider was intent on mowing one side of the grassed nature strip. I imagine it's a rare sight in Birdsville - mowing green grass. PELICAN POINT The Diamantina River flows on the edge of Birdsville township. A new bridge was built to replace the old Diamantina Crossing. Pelican Point is about one km from the bridge. Our Toyota Landcruiser driving at walking pace on a track towards a large wetland area bordering the Diamantina River. None of us expecting to see any pelicans. Edging closer to an expanse of water dozens of pelicans could be seen sitting on the water sheltered by a divide in the river. On closer approach the pelicans were spooked by noise and all flew further upriver. Empty horse holding pens for the Birdsville Races were scattered along the river's bank. Surrounded by green undergrowth waist high from recent rain. Traveldriven GOOGLE MAPS BIRDSVILLE CURRENT SEVEN DAY FORECAST FOR BIRDSVILLE BIRDSVILLE TOWNSHIP NIGHT LIFE IN BIRDSVILLE? WATER TOWER SUNRISE ON GRAHAM STREET BIRDSVILLE BAKERY ON JARDINE STREET FAMOUS CURRIED CAMEL PIE FOR BREAKFAST TOPPED WITH TOMATO SAUCE THOSE CURRIED CAMEL PIES AWAIT THE ROYAL HOTEL RUINS ROYAL HOTEL RUINS BUY FUEL AT THE SERVICE STATION & PLAY PIANO MESSAGE REWRITTEN BY TRAVELDRIVEN SEVERAL TIMES ANNOYED BY SWARMING FLIES BURKE & WILLS MOMUMENT, BIRDSVILLE AIRPORT BIRDSVILLE BIRDLIFE PREV PAGE NEXT

Each fire season in regional and rural Australia a bushfire threat exists to property, flora and fauna. Lives are at risk in these fire fuelled environments. The winter months of June, July and August are dry in Northern Australia and the summer months particularly in February are hot and dry in southern Australia. Pre season fire mitigation management can only go so far. Many call for more work to be done by authorities. The debate is ongoing with how much clearing should be carried out. Argument's for and against. Tourists and Australia Bushfires Fire Survival Wildfire and forest fire are called bushfires in Australia. Our bushland Eucalyptus trees and their bark and oils making them highly flammable. Often referred to as 'gum trees' these trees are very common throughout Australia. Along with dry grasslands a significant fire hazard exists. Visitor's to fire prone area's are safe as long as precautions such as listening for any media alerts and extreme weather alerts available via radio, mobile phones etc. are acted upon. Risk of death is possible or even likely if road blocks are driven around and then entered into in an active fire zone. Not all are manned. Due to limited resources. This does not mean the risk is lower. Radiant heat is the major cause of bushfire death followed by smoke inhalation. Both are deadly. Radiant heat is life threatening at a range of five times the flames height. A simplistic example: Flame height is a crucial factor in assessing the severity and potential danger of a fire. In the context provided, a flame height of five metres multiplied by five results in an alarming twenty-five metres, which is equivalent to approximately eighty-two feet. To put this into perspective, the height of a typical house does not exceed five metres, highlighting the immense scale of such flames. In Australia, where the standard two-way road width is 7.4 metres or 24 feet, the potential threat becomes evident. Even with a cleared roadside verge of ten metres (two times five metres), the proximity of flames of this magnitude poses a clear and immediate risk to life, especially for individuals in vehicles. It is important to note that the majority of bushfire flame heights far exceed five metres, making the situation even more hazardous. The intensity and speed at which a fire front can advance are also critical factors to consider. A fire front moving at speeds of up to twenty-five kilometers per hour or approximately fifteen miles per hour can rapidly engulf vast areas, leaving little time for evacuation or containment efforts. These statistics underscore the urgent need for robust fire prevention measures, early detection systems, and effective emergency response strategies to mitigate the devastating impact of wildfires on both lives and property. Bushfire Aftermath The small township of Pomonal of approximately 350 residents is about 240 km west of Melbourne, Victoria and borders the Grampians National Park. On February 13, 2024 a dry lightning strike started a bushfire in the Grampians park burning down the mountain range and into the edge of Pomonal. Forty-five homes were lost to fire on a day of high wind and forty degree Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) temperature. No fire deaths and very little livestock reported lost. The town general store, church, school, hotel, community hall and fire station were all spared. Fire impacted the town on all sides. All lost buildings were on the mountain range side. About 2,200 hectares burnt or 5,500 acres. The fire gained extensive national news coverage. Ten days later the public was granted access to the township's main through road. In the area smoke haze could be seen hanging in the air and smelt from another current bushfire this time eighty km distant and nearer to Melbourne also with homes lost. Media warnings of more extreme hot weather in the coming days and for all people to remain vigilante in the vicinity of the Grampians National Park. The last major fire to impact the area was in 2006 with two deaths in a car found on the main Pomonal through road. A few Pomonal residents are known to: Traveldriven HALF ROAD CLOSED ON ENTRANCE TO POMONAL A PICTUREQUE PLACE & BURNT ROADSIDE STAGING AREA ON OVAL OPPOSITE FIRE STATION BURNT BUSH AND MOUNTAIN RANGE BUSHFIRE BURNT OUT CAR BUSHFIRE BURNT OUT HOUSE PREV VICTORIA NEXT