Editing Birdsville Track

{{Short description|Track in South Australia and Queensland, Australia}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2015}}
{{Use Australian English|date=September 2015}}
{{Infobox Australian road
| type         = track
| road_name    = Birdsville Track
| state        = SA
| state2       = QLD
| image        = Birdsville_Track_sign_0789.jpg
| caption      = A sign at the northern end of the Birdsville Track
| location     = Birdsville Track 110216.svg
| loc_caption  = Birdsville Track route (blue and white)
| location_alt = Map showing the route of the Birdsville track
| length       = 517
| length_ref   = <ref name="gmaps">{{google maps |url=https://www.google.com.au/maps/dir/-25.8981904,139.3534717/-29.6514249,138.0714931/@-27.6562929,138.0795194,8.12z/data=!4m2!4m1!3e0?hl=en |title=Birdsville Track |access-date=30 May 2022}}</ref>
| direction_a  = North
| direction_b  = South
| end_a        = {{AUshield|NR|83}} '''[[Eyre Developmental Road]]'''<br />{{small|[[Birdsville, Queensland]]}}
| end_b        = '''[[Oodnadatta Track]]'''<br />'''[[The Outback Highway]]'''<br />{{small|[[Marree, South Australia]]}}
| exits         = {{AUshield|S|14}} [[Birdsville Developmental Road]]
| region       = [[Far North (South Australia)|Far North]]<ref name=FN>{{cite web|title=Far North SA government region|url=http://www.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/6905/Far_North_SA_Government_region.pdf|publisher=The Government of South Australia|access-date=16 August 2015}}</ref>
| permit       = not required
| fuel         = [[Mungeranie, South Australia|Mungeranie]] {{small|{{coord|28|01|7.28|S|138|39|48.02|E|region:AU-SA_type:city}}}}
| facilities   = [[Mungeranie, South Australia|Mungeranie]] {{small|{{coord|28|01|7.28|S|138|39|48.02|E|region:AU-SA_type:city}}}}
}}
The '''Birdsville Track''' is an [[outback]] road in [[Australia]]. The {{convert|517|km|adj=on}} track runs between [[Birdsville, Queensland|Birdsville]] in south-western [[Queensland]] and [[Marree, South Australia|Marree]], a small town in the north-eastern part of [[South Australia]]. It traverses three deserts along the route, the [[Strzelecki Desert]], [[Sturt Stony Desert]] and [[Tirari Desert]].

Originally the track was of poor quality and suitable for high-clearance [[four-wheel drive]] vehicles only, but it is now a graded dirt road and a popular tourist route. It is also used by cattle trucks carrying livestock. The track passes through one of the driest parts of Australia, with an average rainfall of less than 100&nbsp;mm annually.<ref name="ag">{{cite book |title=The Australian Geographic Book of Corner Country |last=Reardon |first=Mitch |year=1995 |publisher=[[Australian Geographic]] |location=Terrey Hills, New South Wales |isbn=1-86276-012-8 |pages=141&mdash;151 }}</ref>  The area is extremely barren, dry and isolated. Travellers should carry water and supplies in case of emergencies.

==History==
The track was opened in the 1860s to walk cattle from northern Queensland and the [[Northern Territory]] to the nearest [[railhead]] in [[Port Augusta, South Australia|Port Augusta]], which was later moved to [[Marree, South Australia|Marree]]. The pioneering drover credited with establishing the track was Percy Burt.<ref name="ag"/> Burt set up a store at Diamantina Crossing, today known as Birdsville, and used the path to bring cattle out of the [[Channel Country]] to the railhead at Marree that was completed in 1883. This [[stock route]] was at least 1,000&nbsp;km shorter than the alternative path to [[Brisbane]].<ref name="ag"/>

By 1916 enough [[water well|bores]] had been sunk into the [[Great Artesian Basin]] along the route that the movement of stock was much easier and safer than in earlier years.<ref name="ag"/> Bores were drilled at 40&nbsp;km intervals.

An isolated store along the track operated for several decades from the [[Mulka Station]]. The Mulka Store Ruins are listed in the [[South Australian Heritage Register]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://apps.planning.sa.gov.au/HeritageSearch/HeritageItem.aspx?p_heritageno=54 |title=Mulka Store (sometime Scobie Homestead) Ruins |publisher=Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources |work=South Australian Heritage Register |access-date=12 February 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160215212806/http://apps.planning.sa.gov.au/HeritageSearch/HeritageItem.aspx?p_heritageno=54 |archive-date=15 February 2016 |df=dmy }}</ref>

Over the years the Birdsville track became one of the country's most isolated and best-known stock routes, as well as a mail route made famous by outback legend [[Tom Kruse (mailman)|Tom Kruse]]. Tom Kruse and the track were immortalised in ''[[The Back of Beyond]]'', the 1954 documentary film made by [[John Heyer]]. Kruse's services ceased in 1963, replaced by an air service from Adelaide that started in 1970.<ref name="ag"/>

In 2006, as part of the Year of the Outback, the [[Governor-General of Australia|Australian Governor-General]], [[Michael Jeffery (Australian Army officer)|Michael Jeffery]], travelled along the track in a 5-day event.<ref name="abc">{{cite web |url=http://www.abc.net.au/rural/sa/content/2006/s1636312.htm |title=Up the Birdsville Track with GG |author=Annabelle Homer |access-date=2009-10-25 |date=11 March 2006 |work=[[ABC Rural]] |publisher=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]] }}</ref>

The route was earmarked to be signed as part National Route 83 in the original plan of National Routes. It was to start in southern SA before travelling north through to far-north QLD. The route was never fully signed, the Birdsville Track being still largely unsealed.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.raa.com.au/travel/blog/434 |title=Driving the Birdsville Track |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=2017 |publisher=Royal Automobile Association of South Australia |access-date=11 Nov 2017 }}</ref>

During the [[COVID-19 pandemic in Australia|COVID-19 pandemic]], the track experienced a boost in popularity among drivers taking the route to avoid [[New South Wales]] and possible quarantine.<ref>[https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-ideas/road-trips/birdsville-track-dubbed-covid-highway-after-influx-of-holiday-drivers/news-story/a047c48bcd130ac9079e09e1f57417fc Birdsville Track dubbed ‘COVID highway’ after influx of holiday drivers (news.com.au)]</ref>

==Today==
Up until the 1930s only stock and camel trains would take the Birdsville track. Today, it has become a very popular track. As a result, the track is reasonably well maintained and generally fairly smooth. However like any outback track, its condition can change, especially after rain.  Large stretches of the track can still be destroyed by flash flooding and drifting sand.<ref name="ag"/> 

In dry conditions, a shorter route at the northern end depicted on maps as the "Inside track" saves 35 kilometres in distance.<ref>{{cite map |title=Australia’s Great Desert Tracks SE Sheet|last=Hema |first=Maps|year=2006 |publisher=Hema Maps|location=Eight Mile Plains Queensland|isbn=978-1-86500-162-3}}</ref> Other than this, the road has no major intersections.

Fuel, supplies and facilities, including a hotel, can be found on the track at the [[Mungeranie, South Australia|Mungeranie]] station, 204&nbsp;km from Marree and 313&nbsp;km from Birdsville. It is linked with the [[Strzelecki Track]] via the Walkers Crossing Track, which is closed in summer and only traversable in dry weather.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://innaminckahotel.com.au/getting-to-innamincka/driving-to-innamincka/|title=Getting to Innamincka by road|publisher=Innamincka Hotel|access-date=12 December 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-04-06 |title=Birdsville Track Facts - How to prepare a trip |url=https://www.ritas-outback-guide.com/BirdsvilleTrack.html |access-date=2022-04-06 |website= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220406212446/https://www.ritas-outback-guide.com/BirdsvilleTrack.html |archive-date=6 April 2022 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Major junctions==
{{AUSinttop|state_col=State
|LGA_ref=<ref name="Outback NE road names">{{cite web |url=https://www.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/13496/Outback-Sheet-2.pdf |title=Outback Road Names - North East |access-date=1 October 2014 |id=Rack Plan 768 |date=21 January 2014 |author=A. J. Millazzo, Delegate of the Commissioner of Highways |publisher=[[Government of South Australia]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211227111421/https://www.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/13496/Outback-Sheet-2.pdf |archive-date=27 December 2021 |url-status=live }}</ref>
|location_ref=<ref name="gmaps" /><ref name="PLB">{{cite web |url=http://maps.sa.gov.au/plb/ |title=Property Location Browser |access-date=1 October 2014 |archive-date=12 October 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161012010923/http://maps.sa.gov.au/plb/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|length_ref=<ref name="gmaps" />|dest_ref=<ref name="Outback NE road names"/>
}}
{{QLDint
|sspan=2
|LGAS=Diamantina
|LGAspan=2
|location=Birdsville
|lspan=2
|type=trans
|km=0
|road={{AUshield|NR|83}} [[Eyre Developmental Road]] (National Route 83){{QLDcity|p=on|Bedourie|Boulia}}, [[Mount Isa]]
|notes=Northern terminus of track
}}
{{QLDint
|km=4
|road={{AUshield|S|14}} [[Birdsville Developmental Road]]{{QLDcity|p=on|Windorah|Quilpie|Charleville}}
|notes=
}}
{{SAint
|location_special=State border
|lcspan=3
|lcalign=center
|km=13
|place=Queensland – South Australia border
}}
{{SAint
|sspan=2
|LGA=[[Outback Communities Authority]]
|LGAspan=2
|location=Mungeranie
|km=314
|road=Mungeranie Roadhouse
|notes=
}}
{{SAint
|location=Marree
|km=517
|type=trans
|road=[[Oodnadatta Track]] (north){{SAcity|p=on|William Creek|Oodnadatta}}<br />[[The Outback Highway]] (south){{SAcity|p=on|Lyndhurst|Hawker}}
|notes=Southern terminus of track
}}
{{Jctbtm|conv=no|keys=trans|col=7}}


==In popular culture==
The miniseries ''[[Alice to Nowhere]]'' and the book by [[Evan Green (journalist)|Evan Green]] on which it is based, are largely set on the Birdsville Track. The show heavily features a mail truck which may have been based on the Leyland Badger driven by [[Tom Kruse (mailman)|Tom Kruse]].

==See also==
{{Portal|Australian Roads|Queensland|South Australia}}
* [[Highways in Australia]]
* [[List of highways in Queensland]]
* [[List of highways in South Australia]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.aerialvideo.com.au/simpson.html Aerial Video Footage of Birdsville and the track through the Simpson Desert]

{{Road infrastructure in Queensland}}
{{Road infrastructure in South Australia}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Highways in Australia]]
[[Category:Roads in South Australia]]
[[Category:Australian outback tracks]]
[[Category:Far North (South Australia)]]
[[Category:Gravel roads]]