You can prep all you want for a Simpson Desert crossing, but when 350mm of rain dumps on the track in just three days, you’re not driving anywhere.
A South Australian bloke heading up the Madigan Line for what was meant to be a cruisy desert escape is now stuck, solo, in the middle of one of the most remote patches of dirt in the country. The reason? Rain. And lots of it. Birdsville’s copped a soaking, and the surrounding tracks are currently nothing but red soup.
Authorities reckon he could be there for up to two weeks – maybe five days if the sun gets stuck in and starts drying things out – but he’s not in danger. He’s got food, drinking water (cheers, rain), and crucially, a radio. He’s been checking in with the VKS-737 HF network daily and has a PLB ready to go if things go pear-shaped.
Birdsville police say the bloke did all the right things. He’s not pushing on and making things worse, he’s not trying to dig his way out to nowhere, and he made sure someone knew where he was. In fact, Acting Senior Constable Jeremy Moor gave him a bit of praise, saying, “He’s done the right thing in making sure he’s got supplies and has been in constant radio contact letting people know he’s safe.”
“He’s done the right thing in making sure he’s got supplies”
Meanwhile, there’s another group – three or four vehicles worth – that headed into the desert a few days ago and haven’t been heard from since. Birdsville cops and local rangers are chasing up any leads, but with mobile service non-existent and the tracks shut tighter than a pub on Christmas, there’s not a lot they can do right now other than try and raise them via radio.
“Our advice is to hold tight.”
It’s a wild reminder that outback travel isn’t just about making sure your tyres are aired down and your Engel’s packed with snags. It’s about watching the weather before you go, checking in at key stops, and knowing that in places like the Simpson, if it rains – you stop. That fine desert dust turns to clay real quick, and once it does, you’re going nowhere fast.
Even veteran Munga-Thirri ranger Don Rowlands – a bloke who knows the country better than most – reckons it could be weeks before anything’s passable again. “They can’t move anywhere,” he said. “Our advice is to hold tight.”
To his credit, the solo traveller’s doing just that. He’s parked up, staying put, and apparently getting a bit bored because he didn’t pack enough books. Let that be a lesson: always throw an extra novel or two in the glovebox.
Key Takeaways:
- All roads in and out of Birdsville and across the Simpson Desert are currently closed due to flooding.
- One man is confirmed stranded on the Madigan Line – safe and in contact via HF radio.
- A second group of travellers is currently unaccounted for, with police making inquiries.
- Over 350mm of rain has fallen at Poeppel Corner in just three days.
- Travellers are urged to avoid desert crossings until tracks reopen and conditions improve.
Got a Simpson trip pencilled in? Best sharpen your pencils for another date. The desert’s off-limits until further notice – and unless you’re looking for a story like this one, it’s worth heeding the warnings.
