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Mount Hope
One of the nicest places I've ever been! A pub, a tiny store and a few houses, that's Mount Hope. A typical Outback settlement.
Having a beer in the pub in the evening, playing billiard with the cattlemen of the neighboring stations, tellin' stories, ... just great. And before leaving next morning another nice chat with the owner on the verandah behind the house.

Cobar
Cobar
Cobar


The following routes should DEFINITELY BE AVOIDED by newbies. Only very
experienced cyclists should cycle these tracks !

Louth
A perfect example for yet another Outback settlement. Roadhouse / pub and a few houses, ... that's it.
To get an impression on how live goes on out here there's no better place. Just stay in / at / around the roadhouse for half a day / a day and you'll see and learn more than anywhere else.

Louth' Roadhouse beautiful sunset Track covered in bulldust; Louth - Wanaaring

Wanaaring
Settlement like Louth. Roadhouse, pub, some houses, ... that's it again. Oh no! Nearly forgot the police station and the hospital!

Sunset Moon bicycle in track Wanaaring - Bourke Track runs below trees

Bourke
Bourke
Bourke
Bourke is mainly known for its high criminal rate. Do you have a closer look at main street will you tend to believe the statistics. If you're staying more than just a day though, you will get to see the other Bourke: a Bourke of very friendly and helpful people.
Was actually in Bourke where I met some most amazing people!

Cunnamulla
Cunnamulla
Cunnamulla

Eulo
Eulo
Eulo is surely worth a stopover. Not only because of its very friendly people but also because of the "mud-springs" - natural valves of the artesian basin.

flooded road after Eulo Bicycle in Water between Eulo and Thargomindah shiny ranks

Thargomindah
Thargomindah
Last chance for inland-bound travellers to stock up on food.
Nice little town, perfect to relax and thoroughly enjoy the civilisation. 'Cause "after" Thargo, you'll find pure outback - even though it's paved for a few more kilometer. Out there you'll find nothing but a handfull of those legendary outback pubs.

Jabirus on the steppe

Noccundra
Everything that's left of old Noccundra is the hotel. It's as famous as those in William Creek or Overland Corner.
You can get an excellent counter meal, even stay at the hotel if you like, but stocking up on food is not possible. You have to buy the food for your whole trip - before!! - in Thargomindah (140 km) or Tibooburra (220 km). A few kilometers to the north is the turn-off to the track to Innamincka (paved as far as Naccowlah Oil Field). Take this one only if you're very experienced in cycling the desert !

Coming up: Noccundra - Innamincka - Birdsville


The following routes should DEFINITELY BE AVOIDED by newbies. Only very
experienced cyclists should cycle these tracks !
I know, it doesn't sound very difficult what I'm writing below - but bear in mind :

what if you gotta push through heavy sand for 50 km?
what if the track bifurcates and no signs around?
are you able to change spokes, repair your racks?
how much water will you take with you?

never forget rule number 1 :
a desert doesn't forgive mistakes


Track Thargomindah - Noccundra - Innamincka Track Thargomindah - Noccundra - Innamincka Track Thargomindah - Noccundra - Innamincka bicycle on parched ground on the way to Innamincka

Innamincka
Innamincka
Innamincka is most important for survival! It's the only store and pub / hotel within hundreds of kilometers! Desert all around. If you plan on having Innamincka as part of your route you should be very experienced in cycling the desert !
Distances from / to Innamincka (only for very experienced cyclists!!):

Lyndhurst (south, 450 Km), famous and longest journey "Strzelecki Track"
Noccundra (east, 300 Km), shortest journey
Birdsville (north, 400 Km), most interesting journey
Birdsville (west via Walkers Crossing, 350 Km), most difficult journey

sign forest Bicycle in front of Innamincka Store Billabong outside Innamincka Dune beside the track to Birdsville "road"condition having a rest

Birdsville
Birdsville
Between the thousand sand dunes of the Simpson Desert and the stony plain of Sturt's Stony Desert lies Birdsville, the starting point (or the end) of the famous "Birdsville Track". Formerly known as "Diamantina Crossing".
Birdsville its hotel is always worth a visit; and would it be only to have a look into the pub and listen to stories from the old times.
In winter (Europe and North America's summer) Birdsville becomes overrun by lots of 4WD tourists. Most of them (usually city people) see a journey to Birdsville in a 4WD as a challenge.

Camp in Birdsville little creek of a bore .. I gotta get through .. Bunch of pelicans on river

Bedourie
Bedourie
Bedourie is only good for a stopover. There's no reason (as far as I know) to stay for more than a few hours. Even the pub, usually a good source of info and stories, doesn't attract.

Tropic of Capricorn Flower in red sand

Boulia
Boulia
Don't miss a camp on the campground at the little river. If 'wet' will you surely enjoy the fresh climate - not only because of the water but also because of the otherwise very rare trees.

Dajarra
Dajarra Homepage (!!)
Small town with about 230 inhabitants. Complete services available. The pub's not only a source of ice cold drinks but also for the newest and most astonishing outback-stories!
In former times Dajarra was one of the biggest railway cattle towns in the world with about 90.000 head of cattle railed annually.

small termite hills

Duchess
A hotel, 15 people and lots of reminders of the "good old time", that's Duchess.
To name some of the reminder there's the mine the town got named after, a limestone quarry some kilometer to the north and of course the railway.
For most folks inhospitable does it take a place like this for the real bloke to revive. Eatin' dust on the way into town, linger over an ice cold beer in the nice little hotel and wash it all down the throat, then eatin' dust again on your way going on!!

Nightcamp on a bunch of sleepers

Cloncurry
Cloncurry
Cloncurry

Quamby
Quamby, the pub with its own opening hours. But no wrong conclusions! It's worth to wait a while til it opens! That is usually somewhen between 8am and 10am.

Burke & Wills Roadhouse
This is a popular halfway stop. Not only for cyclists. If you're interested in roadtrains, their driver and everything that's to do with it, this is your place.
Those in need of a regular shower will be happy. You even can have one without staying overnight.

Roadtrain

Normanton
Normanton
Normanton
One of the main attractions is the The Gulflander, some kind of rail bus. It does regular trips to Croydon and back.
Also worth a visit are the pubs and the artesian bore.

Depot of the Gulflander in Normanton the Gulflander in Croydon railtrack from 1890

Karumba
Karumba is the main center for barramundi and shrimp fishing. Out of town - at "Karumba Point" - will you find the only beach accessable by road.
Planning on going to Cape York? You may want to check the "Gulf Freight Service Pty. Ltd." as they run a freight ship between Karumba and Weipa.


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