What's the best time of year to cross the Simpson?

[Flea LeCrowds Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Flea LeCrowds]

Prado Pointers,

I am planning a convoy drive across the Simpson sometime this year and though vehicle preparations have been going on for quite sometime the trip planning is only just beginning! I am interested in feedback from those that have done the trek on the best time of year to plan the trip and any advice that others may have that its likely I haven't considered. I also want to avoid the dates in and around the Birdsville races. My guess is the French Line would look like Adelaide's North Tce at that time of year.

I'm also interested to get some fuel usage from others that completed the crossing in a Petrol. I'm still trying to work out how much (if any) extra fuel to carry.

I appreciate any feedback...

[Corigator Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Corigator]

We did it in late Sept / Early Oct 2012. Temps ranged from 22 after a strong thunder / sand storm to 45C. Not a lot of opposing vehicles once we left the French line. Cooler temps would make Dalhousie springs most attractive.

[MDS69 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close MDS69]

We did it in early October 2012. Temps were unseasonally hot in the high 30's low 40's. We used 180L of unleaded from Mt Dare to the bottom of Big Red towing a CT in a petrol auto 120 on the Rig Road.

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

We went across the Northern Simpson in April 2 years ago, temps were in the high 40's although the week before and the week after our trip the weather was much more reasonable.

Best time depends on whether you personally want to avoid really hot, or really cold weather. Apart from that avoid School holidays if you can and just pick a date to suit.

I believe new rules are being introduced making sand flags compulsory, also regulating height, colour and location ofthe flags. I gather that info will come with your desert pass.

Keep your tyre pressures low and have a good time.

Cheers Andrew

[MickL Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close MickL]

Definitely the cooler months either side of mid winter. We ended up in Birdsville a week before the races and it was still quiet, only saw two groups on the crossing. I've been in Birdsville when it was touching 40 degrees and blowing a gale, unpleasant to say the least. Obviously the heat makes the strain on your vehicle greater too. As far as I know the new sand flag rules are as of this season (maybe contact Mt Dare or check there website) There are also new rules covering camp fires which you should check.

Mick

[K & M McF Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close K & M McF]

Mid winter is by far the best time for comfort. June to August is best. Also, what series do you have? Makes it easier for someone to advise about fuel usage. I went via Rig Road and used 3/4 of both tanks to get from Birdsville to Mount Dare. This was about 740 km I think. I did not drop tyre pressures at all and only had to give a couple of dunes more than one go.

[Flea LeCrowds Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Flea LeCrowds]

Thanks for the reply. I have a 120 series, petrol auto. From what I gather the 180L tank is sufficient to get me across from Dare to Birdsville assuming there are no hick-ups or turn arounds. I suppose what I was interested in is if others have or would advise carrying additional fuel 'just in case'.

[Beach Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Beach]

I'm planning this same drive in the next year or two, in a 2005 VX V6 auto. I'm always paranoid about running out of fuel, so I will be packing 2 x 20litre jerries.

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

Thanks for the reply. I have a 120 series, petrol auto. From what I gather the 180L tank is sufficient to get me across from Dare to Birdsville assuming there are no hick-ups or turn arounds. I suppose what I was interested in is if others have or would advise carrying additional fuel 'just in case'.

You say you are in a convoy, so you have back up if you do run low.

When we went across Madigan's (Northern Simpson) we took plenty of fuel so long as we had no major detours. Had we needed to make major detours for some reason we had plans to keep fuel aside for 2 vehicles, take those to the nearest fuel supply and fill up everything we could and return to the group. Fortunately we had no major detours and we all made it with fuel to spare, but a "B" plan is always handy.

Cheers Andrew

[prado2004 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close prado2004]

I'm planning this same drive in the next year or two, in a 2005 VX V6 auto. I'm always paranoid about running out of fuel, so I will be packing 2 x 20litre jerries.

I think if you have the space and the weight isn't an issue this is a good idea. All it takes is a broken fuel line, crack in the tank or something silly like that and you are stranded. In saying that AJ's advise is great, if in a convoy plan extra fuel like he did and you dont all have to carry excessive weight.

Have fun, I will do that trip one day!

[404pug Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close 404pug]

Agree- June to August outside school holidays if possible so fewer are out there. As to fuel I will check tomorrow but I think my VX V6 used about 160 l from Oodnadatta to Birdsville and we spent time on most of the tracks. When you hit the dunes try about 18 psi in the tyres and in the heat of the day [ We saw 35 one day in July] check them again and go back down to those pressures. Try high first in the auto and a steady 1600-1800 rpm for most of the dunes. You will find the odd one that you will have to back off and try low 2nd or 3rd and maybe a few more revs but not many. Slow and steady is the trick to not breaking things . Blasting over the top is a sure way to find that the track does not go straight ahead!

[JoshF Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close JoshF]

We did East to West (more taxing journey than the other way) across QAA and French line in Sept/Oct 2012 (when all the fires were raging in the NT) 38 to 40 during the day but dry heat and 5 ish overnight, from memory, approx 580 km Birdsville to Mt Dare. 2013 we did the Hay River track in June/July and temps were around 25 during the day and 0 to 3 overnight Birdsville to Poeppels to Jervois about 690km. My fuel usage is not relevant to this thread

[404pug Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close 404pug]

Update.I checked my figures......Oodnadatta to Birdsville-710 km, 141l of petrol, 19.5 l/100km. VX V6 auto. I did carry one jerry of petrol and it was actually used by someone else who was getting a little marginal.

[Mark from Brisbane Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Mark from Brisbane]

Did the crossing in 2011, came up the Oodnadatta Track, stayed a few nights at Dalhousie and went back in to Mount Dare to top up.

I had the full 150 litres when leaving Mount Dare and another 40 Litres on the roof (of which one Jerry went in the first day).....total fuel usage was 137 litres, so the extra was overkill BUT had the conditions been worse it may have been needed.

The Simmo was closed for a good part of 2011 as Eyre Creek was running at about 1.2 Metres, we actually arrived to go over thinking it was shut and in fact it had been until the very day before, so we were one of the first groups across that year.

The only negative was there was a group of about 20 T-Vans that went across just in front of us (probably a day ahead) so the dunes were very chopped up.

Weather was great, about 20 odd most days and bloody cold at night....perfect for a fire and a rum!!

[99snowy Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close 99snowy]

I did the Simpson at the end of july last year with a couple of other cars, the day tempretures were quite nice not too hot i'd say around 25 degrees and it wasn't to cold at night just a camp fire and jumper did me, we did it west to east and went the WAA then up knolls track then French and QAA, it wasn't to busy either only came across 2 groups heading the other way and only had 2 groups overtake us heading the same way. i have a 90 Series Auto and fueled up 150 litres in the tanks plus 60 litres in jerry cans, every night i'd top up the tanks to get the fuel out of the jerry cans and i made it to birdsville with over a third left in both tanks. When we got to birdsville it was still a month before the races and they had started setting up for it but it wasn't very busy in town except for the pie shop which was standing room only at times