What an adventure. After leaving Birdsville we made our way to big Red. If one was unable to climb big red the assumption was the challenges ahead would be difficult. That said, big red was only one of many tests for vehicle and passengers. We were travelling on the QAA Line then onto the French Line.

First night in the desert it rained. At least four electrical storm systems moved through giving this thirsty land a good water and changing the nature of the track and landscape. Pools of water, trenched dunes and boggy inter-dune stretches made for an unique experience. Keeping low in an electrical storm added to the adventure.

We past a number of salt flats some extensive in size. The track is badly dug up the blame is placed on the travellers with camper trailers. Trailers seem to dig out large holes into the dunes making for spectacular bronco bucking driving up dunes as one needs momentum to get over many of these more Eastern dunes, many pitted with large tyre size holes.

Day two sees the weather system heading further East again leading to changing driving conditions. Soft sand, badly churned up dunes makes more interesting bouncing driving.

The desert to many may seem empty but it’s far from the truth. Evidence of dingoes is easily found highlighting life does exist. There is vegetation sparse at first but increasing the further West we go. Birds of prey and elusive small birds exist out here. The honey eaters, white-winged wrens and grass wrens are particularly nice to see.

We make Dalhousie Springs after 3 nights. A swim in the artesian fed lake is wonderful and warm. Wildlife stalks the campsites looking for morsels abandoned or offered, the latter should be avoided. A visit to the spring in the early morning on a setting moon was very special.

On leaving Dalhousie the rear wheel falls off while we are in motion with a large thud and the wheel passing us by shortly thereafter. Thankfully Mt Dare Station has plenty of spares for Toyota vehicles and many thanks to the amazing mechanics from Mt Dare, the broken studs are replaced and we are back on the road.

While delayed, we still make the geographical centre of Australia at Lambert’s Centre and proceed on.

Enough said, the pictures and videos we have captured will show the story. We now in Uluru resting and enjoying a cool breeze and warm sun back in civilisation.