Other Activities

4WD Driving

The most obvious activity in the Simpson Desert is 4WD driving. You can see the rare individual vehicle, but you are more likely to see groups of vehicles from 4WD clubs or Tag-a-long groups. The driving can certainly be a challenge through steep dunes, over boggy claypans and salt lakes, and stony ground through the gibber sections. Navigation is generally not a problem if you stay close to the main routes. Water, fuel and spare parts are the main considerations as you are a long way from help if you have a break down. Satellite phones should be carried as well as good maps and compass (GPS). There are great remote area camp sites not far off the track all the way across the desert and more established sites at Purni Bore and Dalhousie Springs. Other than those 2 areas you need to be self - sufficient with your toileting and showering facilities. As a word of being Simpson friendly, if you must make a fire, don't strip away shrubs if they are the only ones in the area. All kinds of birds, insects and reptiles use these rare pieces of vegetation. If you have to stop somewhere else where there is a better and more prolific source of firewood, do so. It's actually better to use a gas stove in vegetation poor areas keep the fires to places where there is more obvious firewood. Remember the old saying that the bigger the fire, the bigger the fool!

Birdwatching

Bird watching is a wonderful pastime - many of the small shrubs are nesting sites and you can see old nests right throughout the simpson. Bird life is prolific around Punie Bore, Dalhousie Springs and Eyre Creek. Gidgee forests are great for bird watching as there are so many more trees for the variety of birds that you will encounter. Generally any dried waterway where there are more shrubs or trees will be fruitful as will the swales in between the dunes, where moisture generally promotes more plant growth. Binoculars and a good bird field guide are necessary.

Photography

The Simpson is a photographer's paradise. Rather than rushing through the desert, take the time to enjoy the changing colours and sand patterns. Some of the themes which can be explored include: salt lakes, dunes, plants, animal tracks and sand patterns.

Walking the Desert

Taking a supported walk across the desert, either with a 4WD support company or a camel trek is a wonderful way of exploring and getting to known the desert better . The volunteer group Friends of the Simpson Desert run field trips to help support the SA Department of Environment. Make a donation and perhaps join one of their field trips.

Photography and display using a sand dune theme

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