Travel Tips & Links

Travel Tips

General

Munga Thirri Parks are closed from the 1^st December to the 15^th March each year.

Witjira National Park is open all year.

If you are crossing the desert from the west ie travelling east via Dalhousie Springs or crossing from the east via Birdsville you need to purchase a Desert Parks Pass. See link below for more information. . This pass also includes your camping fee at either Dalhousie Springs or 3 O’clock Creek.

While in the desert the minimum equipment you should have is a sand flag, a UHF radio tuned to channel 10, a long handled shovel, Max Trax or equivalent and you should reduce tyre pressures to between 15 and 20psi.

Reduced tyre pressures will make crossing the dunes easier on you and your vehicle and will also reduce the amount of damage done to the dunes.

If you do get bogged and have to shovel sand to get out please fill in the holes you created otherwise other travellers will also get bogged and this will compound the damage to the environment.

Camping

There are no fees for camping in the desert when you have a Desert Parks Pass. However if you are just passing through Witjira from the north or south you don’t need a Desert Parks Pass if you don’t proceed east of Dalhousie Springs but a camping fee of $15 per night at both Dalhousie Springs and 3’Oclock Creek campgrounds will apply instead.

No campfires are allowed in the Witjira National Park even if you bring your own wood, however fires are allowed in Munga Thirri Parks providing you bring your own wood.

Water

Within the parks limited supplies of potable water is only available at 3 O’clock Creek.

The best advice is to bring your own supplies.

Non potable water is available at Dalhousie Springs and Purnie Bore.

There is self-serve potable water available at Oodnadatta for $4 per 20 litres.

Fuel

In the west of the desert the nearest places for fuel are Oodnadatta and Mt Dare. See links below.

In the east fuel is available at Birdsville.

Communication

Widespread mobile phone communication is non-existent west of Birdsville and east of Coober Pedy. Oodnadatta currently has an Optus mobile signal and we understand Telstra will soon offer a service there. Check with Telstra for the latest.

UHF in simplex will only basically cover line of sight so range is limited. There are however repeater channels 2 and 4 in Witjira so if you are in trouble someone may hear you.

Also north of Oonadatta there is another repeater channel 8 that may help.

Your other choices are a satellite phone or HF radio if you want full coverage while in the desert.

In an emergency a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) may get you out of trouble.

See http://traveloutbackaustralia.com/personal-locator-beacon.html/ for more information.

Useful Links

Desert Parks Pass

https://www.parks.sa.gov.au/book-and-pay/parks-passes/park-passes-online

Go to section “12 month vehicle entry and camping for desert parks”

If you have a query ring DEW on 08 8648 5328

Track and Road Conditions

For more information on tracks within the parks go to the below link then click “opening hours” and under that tab you will find a link to the latest Desert Parks Bulletin for all the arid land parks.

https://www.parks.sa.gov.au/parks/munga-thirri-simpson-desert-conservation-park-regional-reserve#about

Trip planning, track notes etc.
www.ExplorOz.com

Temporary road closures, warnings and restrictions:
Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure

West Print Outback Maps
www.westprint.com.au

Useful Outback Information
www.theoutbackloop.com.au