The Birdsville Track - Australian Traveller

Photographer Marty Schoo gets his wheels dirty on one of Australia’s most iconic and historic drives.

The Birdsville Track and the Australian Outback it crosses can be desolate yet so spectacularly diverse, with landscapes ranging from intricate red dunes and blazing gibber deserts to seasonal rivers and lakes filled with abundant floodwaters.

First opened in the 1800s as part of the route for transporting cattle south from the Northern Territory, the long and dusty track allowed hardy Afghan cameleers to open up Central Australia with supplies, and helped cattle baron Sydney Kidman make his millions. It also created legends like outback mailman Tom Kruse, who delivered mail once a fortnight from 1936. His famous Leyland Badger truck finally expired in 1957.

The Outback is currently greener than it’s ever been, so our first day’s driving takes us past a full Lake Harry (usually dust), a wet Clayton River crossing and a Tirari Desert ferry ride across a flooded Cooper Creek!

After an enjoyable day’s drive, the Mungerannie Hotel is a fantastic spot to refuel, set up camp and refresh with a cool drink, a tasty pre-booked meal and an evening dip in the hot springs – the local pool is fed by warm artesian water.

The next day we drive through the expansive, green-tinged Strzelecki and Sturt Stony Deserts before we arrive, exhausted by the meditations of the road, at Birdsville on the mighty Diamantina River.

We end our journey inspired by the track’s history, and invigorated by the wide open spaces. Less (traffic) really is more.

The route:

The Birdsville Track runs from Marree, SA, to Birdsville, Qld, 12km north of the SA border. The total road distance is about 510km, and it is best broken into a two-day trip. You can top up with petrol (and get new tyres if you need them) at the halfway point of Mungerannie, 210km north of Marree and 301km south of Birdsville. While 4WDs are still recommended, the corrugated dirt road provides a dream run compared to the early days.

The details

When to go

Daytime temperatures are at their most bearable from April to October. In December, January and February, average daily temperatures reach over 36°C – which would put any car’s air conditioning to the test.

Where to stay

Don’t get too excited: there are no flash boutique hotels or luxury lodges out here. Expect basic facilities offered with a good dose of outback hospitality.

Before you head off

Under new ownership, the Marree Hotel offers basic accommodation south of Lake Eyre. Railway Terrace, Marree, SA. Contact: (08) 8675 8344

Halfway

The Mungerannie Hotel has motel-style rooms with a shared ablutions block or campsites next to the Derwent River. Birdsville Track, Mungerannie, SA. Contact: (08) 8675 8317

At trip’s end

The historic, much-loved Birdsville Hotel has 27 motel-style rooms, three offering disabled access. Contact: (07) 4656 3244

The Birdsville Caravan Park , Florence St, Birdsville, Qld. Contact: (07) 4656 3214

For more information

Visit Wirrarri Visitor Information Centre, Birdsville, Qld. Contact: (07) 4656 3300

City buzz, gourmet trails, surf breaks and art scenes are all at your fingertips.

When it comes to planning a trip, picking a holiday destination is the easy part. The real dilemma is where to set yourself up for the night. Do you go coastal, city, or countryside? Somewhere remote and rugged, or right in the action? Luckily, the Sunshine Coast, and huge number of amazing Sunshine Coast day trips, have kindly made the choice for you.

Ditch the hotel-hopping and suitcase-lugging. Instead, base yourself at Novotel Sunshine Coast or Mantra Mooloolaba , where big-city culture, vine-covered valleys, and theme parks are all within a two-hour drive.

1. Sunshine Coast to Brisbane

Drive time: 1 hour 20 minutes (105km)

Shake off the sand from your sandals and swap the beach for the throb of the Queensland capital. Ease in gently with a bougainvillea-filled stroll through South Bank, iced latte in hand, before cooling off at Streets Beach lagoon – Brisbane’s answer to the coast (but without the waves).

Once firmly in big-city mode, hit up the Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) , home to Australia’s largest collection of modern and contemporary artworks. Dive into the past at the Queensland Museum, where prehistoric fossils of Australian dinosaurs and megafauna collide with First Nations cultural collections and interactive science exhibits.

All this learning got you hungry? Howard Smith Wharves calls. Here, riverside dining delivers breweries with meat-forward menus, Japanese fine dining and overwater bars. If you’ve got room for more, Fortitude Valley’s shopping boutiques await you and your wallet.

woman walking around Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) — Wander the Gallery of Modern Art. (Image: TEQ)

2. Sunshine Coast to the Scenic Rim

Drive time: 2 hours 15 minutes (170km)

Make your way inland to the Scenic Rim for the state’s best vineyards and age-old volcanic slopes. Start your day early (like, sparrow’s breakfast early) at O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat in Lamington National Park . Here, take a treetop walk through the canopy and hand-feed the wild birds who flock here.

Next, it’s your turn to eat. Here, the food scene operates where locally sourced produce is an expectation, not an exception. Order a picnic basket crammed with regional wine and cheese to devour next to the creek at Canungra Valley Vineyards . Or perhaps a grazing platter of vegan and non-vegan cheeses at Witches Falls Winery .

Feeling bold? Tackle the Twin Falls circuit in Springbrook National Park. Or keep the gourmet life going with a Scenic Rim Brewery tasting paddle, best enjoyed while taking in the rise of the Great Dividing Range.

woman with cheese and wine at Witches Falls Winery — Enjoy a cheese platter at Witches Falls Winery. (Image: TEQ)

3. Sunshine Coast to the Gold Coast

Drive time: 2 hours (180km)

Surf, sand and sparkling skylines might be the Gold Coast’s MO, but there’s more to Surfers Paradise and beyond. Kick things off with a beachfront coffee at Burleigh Heads, then hike through Burleigh Head National Park to look over the ocean and whale sightings (dependent on the season, of course).

Cool off in the calm waters of Tallebudgera Creek before chowing down on the famously buttery Moreton Bay bug rolls at Rick Shores . Travelling with the kids? Then you can’t miss Australia’s theme park capital, with Dreamworld ’s big rides and Warner Bros. Movie World ’s Hollywood treatment at hand to keep the family entertained.

aerial view of Tallebudgera Creek — Dive into Tallebudgera Creek. (Image: TEQ)

4. Sunshine Coast to Tweed Heads

Drive time: 2 hours 15 minutes (200km)

Dare to cross enemy lines? Then welcome to New South Wales. Tweed Heads blends the laid-back attitude of the Northern Rivers with high-quality dining, experimental art, and farm-fresh indulgence – a combo worth the drive.

Start strong with a long, lazy brunch at Tweed River House , then swing by Tropical Fruit World for exotic finds like red dragon fruit, handfuls of lychees and black sapote. Next, hit M|Arts Precinct – an art deco hub of micro galleries, artist workshops and one-off boutiques.

Round off the day with sunset drinks at Husk Distillers among the glowing cane fields, and order one with their famous Ink Gin. You’ll thank us later.

exterior of Husk Distillers — Taste the famous Ink Gin at Husk Distillers. (Image: Destination NSW)

5. Sunshine Coast Hinterland

Drive time: 1 hour (70km)

Strap on those hiking boots and make tracks inland, where volcanic peaks, misty rainforest and hinterland townships beckon. Ease in with the Glass House Mountains Lookout Walk, or, if you have energy to burn, tackle the Mount Ngungun Summit Walk for a 360-degree sight of the surrounding summits.

Next: Montville. This township delivers European-style architecture and old-world appeal. Nearby, settle in at Flame Hill Vineyard, where a large pour of estate-grown wine comes with encompassing views of the countryside.

Not ready to leave the hinterland villages just yet? Of course not. Meander past art galleries and indie shops at Maleny. Nab some fudge from Sweets on Maple for a sweet fix. Or go salty at Maleny Dairies with a farm tour and a chunky wedge of their deliciously creamy cheese.

End the day among the eucalypts and rainforests of Kondalilla National Park. Here, the Kondalilla Falls Circuit winds down through trees humming with life to a rock pool beneath a waterfall – as if designed for soaking tired feet before heading back to the coast.

view of Mount Ngungun on the scenic rim queensland — Take on the Mount Ngungun Summit Walk (Image: TEQ)

Start planning your Sunshine home base at all.com.