BIRDSVILLE
Birdsville is rad. You should know that.
You should also know this.
Birdsville is located in the far south west corner of Queensland, Australia. It is a small town that sits on the edge of the Simpson Desert, one of the largest parrallel sand dune deserts in the world. In summer it is frightfully hot, we’re talking 45 degrees celsius in the shade, and in winter it can get somewhat chilly. Winter nights will regularly plummet towards the very low single digits, with the days anywhere between 15-27 degrees (SDU is held in winter). Birdsville has very little rain with an average annual rainfall of 150mm or 6 inches, and most days are cloudless. Great in winter; Satan’s lair in summer.
It is a neat little town though with a beautiful river and billabong (a body of water) on its doorstep. It sees a thriving tourist trade in the cooler months as people visit from all over the country to enjoy a beer at the famous Birdsville Hotel, or traverse the Simpson Desert by vehicle covering over 1000 sand dunes in the process.
While it may small, Birdsville has two service (gas) stations with both selling a selection of food supplies, a hardware shop that sells everything from poly pipe fittings to baking trays, a pub and a great Visitor Information Centre that we suggest you to check out upon your arrival. It’s well worth the visit to get an idea of the history of the town and understand how it came to be in such a remote place.
Birdsville is located approximately 1600km west of Brisbane, 1100km north of Adelaide and as the crow flies about 550km east of Alice Springs. All roads leading to Birdsville are dirt/gravel, with approximately 260km of it approaching from the east (Windorah), 500km from the south (Marree) and 70km from the north (Bedourie). While in good weather they are passable by most vehicles, it is recommended to have good clearance and take your time. If driving to SDU we recommend that you plan to arrive no later than Thursday the 4th of June and ensure you check the road conditions prior to departure.
