Just out of Birdsville on the eastern edge of the Simpson Desert is a sand dune. Now there’s 1100 dunes that you’ll have to negotiate when crossing the desert, but this one is something special. As the name implies, Big Red is, well, rather large. Depending on the line you take, most 4x4s will struggle to make it to the top of this iconic destination, which offers 360º views of the surrounding landscape, which can change dramatically depending on the time of year you visit. Luckily, there’s a not-so-difficult line that you can take to the top which just about every vehicle could handle without too much fuss.
Getting there is easy. Simply head west out of Birdsville (after grabbing some supplies from the roadhouse and a pie from the bakery) and make for the first big dune you come to. Don’t be fooled though, this one is actually Little Red, drive up and over it and head down the other side and look for a track off to the right. This will loop back and put you on a course to tackle the very steep wall of sand in front of you that is Big Red.
Momentum and low tyre pressures are the order of the day if you have a hope of getting to the top, but once you’ve made it you can rest easy in the knowledge that you’ve conquered the biggest dune in the land and enjoyed one of the most iconic 4×4 desert experiences.
Don’t forget about the Big Red Bash either, happening on the 5th and 6th of July at Big Red itself. For more information, check out: http://www.bigredbash.com.au
