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Report of a self-supported and self-planned bicycle tour on the famous Birdsville Track, Australia. Monsoon rains added an unexpected degree of difficulty...

Summer, Sun, Sand and Mud - cycling the Birdsville Track, Australia

Waltraud
2004-03-05 13:53:55

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some water. The swimming pool is locked and secured with a high fence, the taps in the public toilet are too small to fill our water bags efficiently, and there seems to be no free standing water tap. There we are – a bit puzzled. A flock of zebra birds makes some noise, and we are already wondering if we ended up in a museum.

Zebra birds find water – this is important to know in the Outback. We find a dripping tap behind a fence and see the zebra birds get water there. They have to get water every day and transport it even several kilometers to feed their young. With the help of our pliers we can open the tap and refill our water supplies, and the zebra birds will be able to take a bath.

Noon rest at the Wilpena Pound

From Hawkeron we are on paved road again. But the terrain is now a lot more up and down, we approach the flinders ranges. At nine o'clock in the morning it was already too warm, at eleven it is hot, and the hills make us sweat even more. Not only the terrain changed since Hawker, also the vegetation is now bushland in transition to a Eucalyptus-Callitris forest, typical for the Flinders Ranges. We reach the visitor center of the Flinders Ranges Nationalpark just before noon.

We are not the only visitors here, it is a popular place to visit. However, we are the only cyclists at this time of year. After a cold drink we go for a small hike in the forest. Larege River Red Gum trees and tall shrubs as undergrowth produce a cool microclimate. We even pass a few water holes and hear many birds in the trees and shrubs surrounding the water. Soon we reach a viewpoint from which we can overlook the rugged panorama of the hills and valleys. After having traveled through the monotonous landscape of the farmland, we now feel having arrived in Australia.

Another hot day

The lush green colors of the Flinders Ranges soon are forgotten. After a nice resting day in the forest, we now ...