Birdsville is special
Perched between the Simpson Desert and Channel Country
Birdsville is on the eastern edge of the Simpson Desert / Munga-Thirri National Park
Safe and Friendly
There is a permanent Nurse in town, and also a permanent Police Officer! You are very safe here. Any medical emergency, and the RFDS will whisk you away.
Did you know there is a permanent lagoon in Birdsville?
“Burtsville”
Birdsville was once called Burtsville, back in the mid-1800s, but somehow the name changed by the 1880s – and anyway, there really is lots of birdlife in Birdsville!
Wirrari is the Indigenous name for what is now Birdsville.
The Birdsville Hotel
You can’t visit Birdsville without having a meal at the famous pub! And you can stay the night at the Lodge
Birdsville Tourist Park is lovely
The Tourist Park offers delightful new cabins with kitchens and multiple bedrooms, as well as smaller rooms, and of course powered and unpowered camping sites
Town is hot in summer
Birdsville is delightful and mild for 9 months of the year! However daytime temps from December to February are typically in the low to mid 40s for several weeks at a stretch, very occasionally even approaching the 50 degree mark. Outdoor camping during this period is not recommended, and the Simpson Desert / Munga-Thirri park is closed.
Big Red sand dune is only half an hour out of town!
Big Red marks the de facto start of the Simpson Desert, and is a short drive out of town on a fully paved road. They say it’s 30 metres high! It’s where the wonderful Big Red Bash festival is held in July.
Get real Simpson Desert trip insurance
If you’re crossing the Simpson in your 4wd, forget insurance companies who won’t help you unless you’ve had an “accident”!
Instead, pop into the Birdsville Hotel before you start your crossing, and buy real insurance from the locals, who have the capability to retrieve your vehicle if necessary.
Simpson Desert Recovery Assurance: Peace of Mind Before You Go
Fly into town!
Birdsville Airport supports private planes as well as Rex flights twice a week! You can fly in from Brisbane, or just go sight-seeing when you get to town!
Cool off in the Billabong!
At Pelican Point you can hop in a canoe or go for a swim in the cool, clean water!
Delightfully cool!
Remember your sand flag!
If you’re driving into the Simpson Desert, bring a sand flag, or buy one from Not Just Hardware – Birdsville’s year-round store with everything you need! Forget Bunnings!
Welcome to Mars!
The austere gibber plains surrounding town, also known as “regs” in the Sahara, sometimes make you think you’ve landed on Mars!
The pastoral lease between Birdsville and Big Red is called Adria Downs, and you can see this landscape on the way out to Big Red!
Don and Judy Rayment | OBE Organic Australia
It’s hard to believe, but the cattle out here love the desert plant roots, and the cattle are much prized!
No, really!
You really could be on Mars!
Have a hit
Birdsville even has a tennis court!
The Roadhouse has fuel and food!
Birdsville Roadhouse is well-stocked! There is a piano out front and you can add your name to the visitors list!
Perk up at the Karrawa Wirinya Cafe!
You might even bump into a certain legendary Park Ranger in there!
Big Red Tours will get you out there
No one provides better and more knowledgeable tours than Alex. Trust Big Red Tours to give you a sunset to remember!
Birdsville Sunset Tours – Big Red, Simpson Desert Queensland
Town comes to life after a summer storm!
In Birdsville you’ll see rainbows from horizon to horizon!
Deon’s Lookout
You’ve arrived in Diamantina Shire when you see the sign to Deon’s Lookout. Don’t just drive past! Visit this spectacular and touching tribute.
See Council’s website for other attractions!
Homepage – Diamantina Shire Council
Stop for lunch
Find the mysterious table & chairs 30 min north of town!
The moon is huge at Eyre Creek
The moon around Birdsville is so much bigger in person than it looks in photos!
Sand and dust are a part of life in Birdsville!
From silent raised dust, to roaring sandstorms that sound like passing road trains – you have to accept dust as part of life in Birdsville!
Head for cover!
If you read “chance of raised dust” in the forecast, this is what it means!
Try your luck up Big Red!
There are a range of tracks up Big Red, from moderate to hard! You can also drive southwards and cross at “Little Red”, which is a much easier task! Get your tyres down to around 11-15 psi and you’ll be right mate! Many people assume momentum will get them over the dunes, but tyre pressure is far more important. Safe and steady is the way to go.
Fully paved out to Big Red!
It’s a spectacular, and easy, drive out to Australia’s most famous sand dune!
It’s so easy to get out to Big Red!
Look at the beautiful landscape and huge horizons! This is on Big Red Road, part of the short 30 min drive out to the Simpson Desert park entry.
Look at these thrill seekers!
You can meet all sorts out here. I met ex-special forces troops who were into extreme sports! The good thing is, everyone is always happy to have a yarn!
You can see Road Trains!
Look at this bloke! He’s just getting his load checked before heading out of town. If you see a road train, ALWAYS slow down and pull over if necessary! Don’t be a bloody idiot – keep the roads safe by giving way to road trains! They always have right of way! And they are top blokes too.
After rain the gibber plains turn into lakes and the sandhills become sandbars!
In the desert you can perceive the closeness of arid landscapes with aquatic landscapes! This is the road out to Big Red!
Such a fine line between desert and sea
This is what 150mm of rain will do to Channel Country!
You can see a Bush Plane!
Look at this champion! He touched down near the Dig Tree which is only about 400km out of town haha! Near Innamincka. What an Aussie legend!
There are lots of roads to Birdsville!
You can go from Quilpie, you can head up from Innamincka via the Arrabury Road, you can come down from Mount Isa and Bedourie, you can come up from Marree on the Birdsville Track… you can even pop in from Mount Dare across the Simpson Desert!
The drive up the Birdsville Track is fun!
Warning: It’s not actually paved!
Crack open Google Maps to see restaurants in the area!
Dalhousie Springs
If you come across the Simpson from Mount Dare or Oodnadatta, don’t forget to stop at Dalhousie Springs! The water is a bit warm but there are still fish in there!
You can hear the birds!
After rain in Birdsville the birds are loud and loving it! You can almost hear them in this photo! (Don’t mind the local Kite Hawks though…they circle you silently waiting for you to drop dead!)
Walk or drive to the top of Big Red!
It’s like you’re at a red beach!
Special note: Even in summer, you can still drive to Big Red and have fun on the sand dunes even though the national park is closed! Big Red is not technically part of the national park.
If you love long horizons, come to Birdsville
It’s good for your eyes to look at vast horizons!
The channels and the desert combine!
The contrast between the green creeks of Channel Country and the dunes and swales!
The snaking sandhills!
The low sandhills encroaching on Channel Country pass at different rates as you drive; it’s like an immense ampitheatre!
You can camp by the Diamantina River
You can even light a campfire!
Visit Betoota!
Betoota is only a few k’s off the main road on the way into town! Don’t miss it! It’s like Mad Max!
The sunrise is better in the Diamantina!
Sorry if that offends you but it’s true!
The moonrise is better too!
The landscape and colours change quickly!
It makes everything so interesting!
Birdsville is Beautiful!
Visit Birdsville!
And of course Birdsville is known for its annual events, drawing thousands of people from all around:
– The Big Red Bash! visit https://bigredbash.com.au/home/
– The Birdsville Races! visit Home – Birdsville Races
– The Birdsville Camel Carnival! visit Desert Champions Way: Outback Camel Trail – The Diamantina
– Lots more! visit Events – The Diamantina
Here are some useful links!
Bureau of Meteorology – Forecast and Observations
birdsville – – Search – Bureau of Meteorology
Simpson Desert crossing conditions – Mt Dare Hotel website! Always up to date!
Outback Track and Road Conditions Including Simpson Desert
Diamantina Shire Road Closures! Check before coming! Rain, or sheets of water flowing overland, can close key roads!
Road Closures – Diamantina Shire Council
Remote communications capability is really important in the Diamantina.
Grab a cheap second-hand iPhone 14 (or higher) before you head out.
Use Emergency SOS via satellite on your iPhone – Apple Support (AU)
This works all over Australia, right across the outback.
If you have one of these, don’t waste your money on a sat phone unless you have specific, and possibly unusual, requirements for voice calling via satellite. Otherwise the iPhone will do the job in an emergency (via SMS) in a much cheaper and easier fashion.
In terms of remote travel, the best single thing you can do is to tell someone when you plan to be at your destination; and if they don’t hear from you, get them to call the police station or 000.
And always stay with your vehicle! Think about how easy it is for an aircraft to spot a car out there. You’ll be fine mate! Just stay with your car.