This was our fourth time in Birdsville and we really do like the town. We haven't been crazy enough to do the famous, or should I say infamous, Birdsville races, however the town does have other attractions for us. While here everybody drives the 38k's West to see and "Conquer" Big Red, the largest Sand Dune in the Simpson Desert. It's so easy after decades of negotiating the real dune on Fraser Island before Nat Parks put in chained board ramps to make it easier. Before that the Sand Blow at Middle Rock on Fraser was a real test...about 10 times higher than Big Red....actually if you go to the Birdsville hotel.....and you must....there's a photo on the "Collage" on the wall of a blue Valiant/Dodge ute going over Big Red....so........ think about it..........still it's a nice drive out there. Also at the pub, if you're feeling hungry, order a Big Red Burger....a word of warning though, if there is 2 of you, order one between you.... HUGE.

Blue Poles Gallery and coffee shop was nice for a snack or lunch and a chuckle too. The Working Museum is an absolute must and roll up at the guided tour times for a real treat for well over an hour...worth every cent......a word of warning here too....when he says "Save your questions till the end of the tour"...he really means it.....if you interrupt him he will just walk off and that will be the end of the tour and the others on the tour will not be happy with you....very interesting tour... The town has a Bakery and also a couple of servo's.......the servo near the van park has a general store too for all sorts of supplies.

Now the van park has it's own claypan and waterhole so obviously this is why we like it.......did I mention that you can have a campfire by the waterhole too????? Birds aplenty and even pelicans and a sometimes a black swan.

Another word of warning here too....if you're camped down by the waterhole and the sky starts to look like rain...you need to pack up and move to higher ground as this is black soil down here and when wet, it turns to the stickiest goop you have ever encountered and "Yes, but I have a 4 wheel drive" I hear you say........maybe but the only thing that will get out of there when it's wet is a helicopter.

This is why they call it Birdsville?????	Black Swan cruises past.
Working Museum	A snippet of what's inside the museum

The towns water supply is from the Artesian Basin and it really rips out of the ground and boy is it HOT...they run it through drains to cool it down after they have used it to generate some electricity.

HOT shower anyone???????

This is where ya order ya "BIG RED" Burger

 Tomorrow we leave Birdsville and turn our rig North and head for new adventures on our way to the gulf.