Clifford packed up ready to head off to the desert. There is a slight problem though - Cooper Creek and the Thompson River are both in flood and the roads to Windorah are cut. At present the plan is to head to Longreach and hope the Thompson River at Jundah drops and we can get to Windorah.

We didn't come direct to Chinchilla - we came via Brisbane and had lunch with Mum, Dad, Annette, Amy, Arthur and Kristien at Salisbury. It was Mum and Dad's hair cut day and coincidentally  their wedding anniversary.

We were quite late getting to Chinchilla and there were a lot of fellow travellers here but we still managed to get a water front site.

The weir was full and still overflowing after last week's rain - the same rain event that has the Thompson in flood.

This is in stark contrast to the last time I was here. I was in Chinchilla to do operator training during the construction of Kogan Power Station. The weir was bone dry then.

Augathella home of the Mighty Meat Ants Rugby League Football Team. I can't remember exactly what I read but some body saw the local rugby league team at training and described them as looking like a bunch of meat ants running around. The  name stuck and the team became the Mighty Augathella Meat Ants. I think the footy team is the inspiration for this sculpture by Amanda Feher in a park in the centre of town.

I suspect this mural is on the wall of the real Buchan's Garage.

Behind the garage is a large open area dedicated to camping with a pretty flash toilet block complete with shower.

On a short walk along Cavanagh Street I came across this fixer-upper.

Well we have made it to Longreach. We have caught up with Bob and Janet - tea at the RSL.

Looks like we can't get to Windorah through Jundah the Thompson River still has the road cut. We can get across from Winton to Boulia and then down to Birdsville via Bedourie. Not everyone in the party is in Longreach but when they get here in the morning we will set off for Boulia together.

Did get a bit of a walk around in the early morning light with my iPhone camera. The distinctive water tower right near the roundabout at the top of the Main Street.

Stumbled across this Whippet car complete with wooden spoked wheels and trailer parked in the main street.

We did make it across to Boulia this afternoon. Because of the late start in Longreach it was quite late when we got in. The sun was just going down so people camping did have time to set up before it was too dark. Driving over you could see the creeks and channels had been up; closing the road. The scenery was spectacular with the road  passing through rugged red jump ups covered with very green spinifex.

Windmill at quick rest stop on the way.

Sunrise above the Bourke River beside the caravan park in Boulia.

After enjoying the sunrise we travelled in convoy down to Birdsville. Travelling convoy is something a little different. Tony the tagalong leader up front and pointing out the interesting things he sees on the two way. Only problem that flock of budgies that he sees have long gone by the time we get there. 🙂

Road Bridge across the Bourke River.

The Bourke River Boulia.

The vastness of the flat gibber plains.

View from the Vaughan Johnson lookout.

Most of the vehicles in our tagalong group at the Vaughan Johnson lookout.

Just coming into Cuttaburra Crossing.

Cuttaburra Crossing - not sure the birds will let us drive through.

The birds at Cuttabburra Crossing.

A brief stop at Carcory ruins and bore.

The old Diamantina river crossing at Birdsville

Birdsville.

I did get up and take a few photos of the sun rise around the great Metropolis of Birdsville. The iconic Birdsville Hotel where we enjoyed our last meal before heading into the desert.

"Clifford" dressed ready to start into the Simpson Desert - Sand Flag and tyre pressures reduced.

Janet, Bob and Ann at the pull over area at the base of little red. Everyone pulled in here to put up their sand flags and reduce the air pressure in their tyres, ready for the dunes to come.

Having successfully driven over Little Red we drove along the base of the dune to Big Red. Here we were allowed to pause and look at Big Red. There was to be no attempting to drive up.  That is something we would have to earn by negotiating the thousands  of dunes in our double crossing.