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.
Late Postie’s Truck at Mungerannie.
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!
Dunes at Lake Harry.
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.
Fuel Stop at Mungerannie.
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.
Birdsville Hotel.
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
Marree Hotel.
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
Exploring the world’s largest sand island starts with the perfect K’gari homebase.
The morning light is still soft, but it’s already a perfect sunny day. We left our K’gari homebase at Kingfisher Bay Resort with our guide, Peter Meyer, at 9 am to make the most of our time to explore all that the world’s largest sand island holds. The size of K’gari is hard to grasp until you arrive here. This is no sandbar. Stretching 120 kilometres, unique lakes, mangrove systems, rainforest, 75 Miles of beach, historic shipwrecks, small townships and even one of Queensland’s best bakeries are all hidden within its bounds.
Laying eyes on it for the first time, I’m finally able to confirm that the photos don’t lie. The sand is pure white, without the merest hint of yellow. The water fades from a light halo of aqua around the edges to a deeper, royal blue, the deeper it gets (not that it’s particularly deep, six metres at most). The surface remains surprisingly undisturbed, like a mirror.
Arriving with our guide before 10 am means that no one else is around when we get here. Which means we have the pleasure of breaking the smooth surface with our own ripples as we enter. As a self-confessed wimp with chilly water temperatures, my fears are quickly assuaged. Even in the morning, the water stays around 23 degrees – perfect for lazing about all day. But we have more sights to see.
Exploring K’gari
Relax in the warm waters of Lake McKenzie. (Image: Ayeisha Sheldon)
This was the Personalised 4WD tour offered by Kingfisher Bay Resort, and my absolute top pick of experiences. Over the course of the day, we had the freedom to create our own bespoke itinerary (plus a provided picnic lunch along the way), with an expert guide who had plenty of stories and local expertise to give context to what we were looking at. From the history of the SS Maheno shipwreck, which survived the First World War only to be washed ashore by a cyclone in 1935, to a detailed description of how an island made of sand could sustain such diverse flora.
If it’s your first time to K’gari, the Beauty Spots Tour is another great option. Departing daily from Kingfisher Bay Resort (you’ll start to notice a trend, as many of the tours do start and end here), an air-conditioned, 4WD bus takes guests to the island’s most iconic locations, including the best places to swim, like Lake McKenzie and Eli Creek. The latter offers a gentle current, perfect for riding with a blow-up tyre out towards the ocean.
The next day, for a look at a completely different side of K’gari, I joined one of Kingfisher Bay Resort’s Immersive Ranger-guided tours to kayak through the mangroves of Dundonga Creek. This long, snake-like stretch of creek winds its way inland from the ocean outlet we entered by, at times too narrow for three kayaks to be side-by-side. Small insects buzz from leaf to leaf, while birds call overhead. Occasional bubbles indicate we’ve passed some fish that call this place home.
Learn about the island’s mangroves from your Ranger. (Image: Reuben Nutt/ TEQ)
If kayaking isn’t for you – or if, like me, you simply want more – other ranger-led experiences include nature walks and a dedicated Junior Eco Ranger Program for kids ages five to 12 (these run every weekend, and daily over the peak December holidays). Just ask for a timetable of upcoming tours when you check in.
While during whale season, Hervey Bay Whale Watch & Charters operates tours from the hotel’s jetty to get up close to the famous Humpback Highway of Hervey Bay, from 7 November to 31 May, attention turns to the Aqua Oasis Cruise . Departing from the resort every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday for resort guests, adventure along the island’s remote western coast, pointing out wildlife like dolphins, turtles, flying fish and eagles along the way.
The cruise drops anchor so guests can jump into the water using the boat’s equipment – from SUP boards to inflatable slides and jumping platforms. Then refuel with a provided lunch, of course.
Unwind at sunset
Unwind at the Sunset Bar. (Image: Sean Scott)
As much as days on K’gari can be filled with adventure, to me, the afternoons and evenings there are for unwinding. Sunsets on K’gari are absolutely unbelievable, with Kingfisher Bay on the west side being the best spot to catch the colours.
The Sunset Bar , located at the start of the resort’s jetty and overlooking the beach, is the ultimate location for sundowners. Let chill beats wash over you as you sip on cool wines, beers and cocktails in a relaxed, friendly vibe. Personally, a cheese board was also absolutely called for. As the sun sinks, the sand, sea and horizon turn a vibrant shade of orange, with the jetty casting a dramatic shadow across the water.
When the show is over, head back to the hotel for dinner at the Asian-fusion Dune restaurant, or the pub-style Sand + Wood. But if your appetite is still whetted for more lights and colours, the evening isn’t over yet.
Settle into the Illumina stage for Return to Sky, an immersive light and sound show leading viewers on a captivating journey through K’gari’s stories and landscapes.
Indulge and disconnect
Find bliss at Island Day Spa. (Image: Jessica Miocevich)
Of course, there is a type of traveller who knows that balance is important, day or night. While Kingfisher Bay Resort offers more than one pool for guests to spend all day lounging by (they’ll even serve you food and drinks while you do it), you’ll find me at the Island Day Spa.
The masseuses could match the magic hands of any big city spa, and I felt the warm welcome as I walked into the light, breezy reception. Choose from a range of botanical facials, beauty treatments and soothing massages using traditional techniques (obviously, I couldn’t go past a relaxing massage). All products used contain organic, native botanical ingredients with nutrient-rich plant extracts to soothe skin and mind. To really indulge, try out one of the packages, couples treatment or even a pre-wedding day offering.
Getting there
The world of K’gari awaits. (Image: Jessica Miocevich)
Getting to K’gari is shockingly easy. Find daily flights into Hervey Bay from Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. Kingfisher Bay Resort offers a shuttle bus between the airport, their headquarters in Hervey Bay and the ferry to take you to K’gari.
