Yellow Yeti ADV

Motorcycle Touring Destinations, Tours, Rentals & More

MENUMENU
  • About
    • About Us
    • Contact
    • Privacy
    • Affiliate Disclosure
    • Website Terms of Use
  • Yellow Yeti Travel
  • 0 Items
MENUMENU
  • Tours & Services
    • Guided Motorcycle Tours
      • Costa Rica
      • Eastern Europe
      • Europe
        • Iceland
        • UK
      • South America
      • Thailand
      • Vietnam
    • Self-Guided Motorcycle Tours
      • Costa Rica
      • Europe
        • Iceland
        • UK
      • Eastern Europe
      • South America
      • Thailand
      • Vietnam
    • Motorcycle Rentals
      • Ecuador
      • Iceland
      • Thailand
      • Mongolia
      • Scotland
      • UK
    • Rider Training
    • Motorcycle Shipping & Transport
    • Workshops & Parts
  • Routes & Destinations
    • Africa
      • Botswana
      • Ethiopia
      • Kenya
      • Lesotho
      • Morocco
      • Namibia
      • South Africa
    • Asia
      • Central Asia
        • Georgia
        • Kazakhstan
        • Mongolia
        • Tajikistan
      • Southeast Asia
        • Thailand
        • Vietnam
      • India
      • Mongolia
      • Nepal
      • Pakistan
      • Turkey
    • Australasia
      • Australia
      • New Zealand
    • Western Europe
      • France
      • Germany
      • Iceland
      • Italy
      • Norway
      • Portugal
      • Spain
      • Scotland
      • UK
    • Eastern Europe
      • Bosnia & Herzegovina
      • Bulgaria
      • Czech Republic
      • Hungary
      • Kosovo
      • Romania
    • Central America
      • Costa Rica
    • South America
      • Argentina
      • Bolivia
      • Brazil
      • Chile
      • Colombia
      • Ecuador
      • French Guiana
      • Guyana
    • North America
      • Canada
      • USA
    • Popular Routes
      • Adriatic Highway - Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro
      • Continental Divide Motorcycle Route - USA
      • North Coast 500 - Scotland
      • Ring Road - Iceland
      • Route 40 - Argentina
      • Route des Grandes Alpes (Great Alpine Road) - France
      • Simpson Desert - Australia
      • Trans Canada Adventure Trail - Canada
      • Transfagarasan Highway - Romania
  • Advice & Inspiration
    • Latest Articles / Blog
    • Adventure Bike Reviews
      • BMW F650GS
      • BMW F800GS
      • BMW R1200GS Adventure
      • Honda CRF1000L Africa Twin
      • Kawasaki KLR650
      • KTM 640 Adventure
      • KTM 1190 Adventure R
      • Suzuki DL650 V-Strom
      • Suzuki DL1000 V-Strom
      • Suzuki DR650SE
      • Triumph Tiger 800XCx
      • Buying a motorcycle in Southeast Asia
    • Adventure Motorcycle Touring Guide
    • Gear & Equipment
      • Motorcycle GPS Units
      • Choosing a Tent
      • Flying with Motorcycle Gear
      • Emergency Transmitters
    • Trip Planning and Preparation
      • Open Source GPS Maps
      • GT Rider Maps for Southeast Asia
    • Shipping & Transport
    • Motorcycle Insurance for Overlanders
    • Travel Insurance

Birdsville Track

Australasia, Australia, Birdsville Track
Routes & Destinations
AustralasiaAustraliaBirdsville Track
0 Reviews
Add Photos

Description

Riding the Birdsville track takes you on an adventure across three deserts, on one of the most iconic roads in the Australian Outback. Travelling for 517 km, you’ll experience varying scenery and some of the driest areas in the country. The road runs between the town of Marree, South Australia and Birdsville, Queensland and enjoys a rich history. Formally a stock route, it has evolved into a fairly well traveled, though tough, off road route, enjoyed by increasing numbers of 4×4 drivers and bikers each year. From the yellow dunes of the Natterannie Sandhills to the vivid red stones of the Sturt Stoney desert, it’s a ride worth taking some time with.

Planning your ride on the Birdsville Track

The Birdsville Track can be accessed from either end and many travellers tend to use it to cut across the country. From Birdsville one can ride to Brisbane and the Gold Coast, or Alice Springs. From Marree, the road can be accessed from the Outback Highway.

Around 200 km or so from Birdsville, the track divides into the newer outside track, which bypasses the floodplains of the Diamantina river. The inside track is rarely maintained these days and can be in a poor state of disrepair.

Road surface

In recent years the road quality has improved and riders can now enjoy a graded dirt track. While many 4×4 drivers may consider this just another highway, it can be dangerous and a little tricky on a bike. Thick layers of large round stones – gibbers – make up the majority of the road, which can become slippery. However, a road tourer equipped with the correct tyres should be able to handle it.

Traffic

While this Birdsville Track is remote, it is increasing in popularity and can be busier during peak months, April – October. You’re most likely to encounter 4×4 drivers, some of whom may be towing trailers. Stones can be kicked up so it is worth keeping your distance and taking it easy. The first weekend of September is usually busy as the famous Birdsville races are on over that weekend.

Fuel

There’s only one stop for fuel along the Birdsville Track. Indeed, the Mungerannie Roadhouse is the only place to stop of for food, drink and gas along the way. It’s located about halfway along the track, 205 km from Marree and 315 km from Birdsville.

Accommodation

While the Birdsville Track can be completed in one day, it’s worth taking a bit of time with it, in order to enjoy the scenery and see the sights. The Mungerannie hotel offers fifteen rooms as well as camping facilities. During peak seasons you may want to get there early to secure a spot! Both Marree and Birdsville also offer accommodation options.

Food

The only place to stop for food and drink along the route is the Mungerannie roadhouse. Despite the remote location, they serve a fairly varied menu from breakfast to dinner, including bacon rolls, burgers, meat pies, steaks and desserts.

Weather considerations

Avoid travelling this route during the scorching summer months (November to March) as the heat is almost unbearable. Rain is infrequent in this area but when it does rain, parts of the road are known to get washed out. Flash floods are not unheard of either and the general consensus is that if it’s forecast rain, you should postpone your trip. Signs at both ends of the track will advise whether any section of the road is closed due to flooding.

Sights

There isn’t a huge amount to see and do in this neck of the woods, other than enjoy the surroundings. That’s not to say it should be blitzed through however. Stop off at the Mungerannie roadhouse for a night or two, enjoy a cold beer in the pub or relax in the wetlands nearby. There are a few ruins one can visit, mostly old roadhouses and stores from days gone by. The Cannuwaukaninna Bore provides stunning wetlands and a great place to stop for a break. It’s also one of the most accessible of the many artesian bores along the route. The water does tend to pour out at near boiling temperatures though, so take care!

Photo Gallery

Birdsville Track - Welcome to the track
Birdsville Track - A roadhouse
Birdsville Track - Abandoned places
Birdsville Track - Welcome to the track
Birdsville Track - A roadhouse
Birdsville Track - Abandoned places
Australasia, Australia, Birdsville Track

Email Signup

Subscribe to our emails for inspiration and advice for your next ride.

Looking for your next adventure?

Check out Yellow Yeti Travel for a great range of ADV, guided and self-guided motorcycle tours around the world. We also have a range of rental motorcycles throughout the world that you can check out directly on this site.

Need motorcycle touring travel insurance?

Insurance is a minefield and while we can't specifically recommend companies, we look at some options here.

advmototravel

Very jealous of anyone at the Dust 2 Dawson at the moment. Managed to get there a few years ago and had a great time.
Caherdaniel Viewpoint off the Ring of Kerry route in Ireland. 📷 by Tony Webster on Flickr
Wooden bridges over glacier-fed lakes riding through Torres Del Paine National Park in Chile. 🇨🇱
Wide open road on the #continentaldividetrail. 📷 by Robert Tadlock on Flickr.
The view from 2100m on the Transalpina Highway in the Carpathian Mountains, Romania's highest road. 📷 by Camil Ghircoias on Flickr.
Don't always need a big adventure bike for a big adventure. Setting out on a DT350 for a weekend ride in Senegal. 📷 by Barry Pousman on Flickr.
4700 m pass in Tibet, shortly before crossing over into Sichuan. Going local to attract less attention when going through the multitude of police checkpoints. 📷 by Matt Ming on Flickr.
KTM 990 Adventure riding the country trails in Northumberland, UK. 📷 by Bryn Pinzgauer on Flickr.
Seeking out the end of the road up the Valle Del Cocora in Colombia. Famous for the tallest palm trees in the world.

Follow on Instagram

YELLOW YETI TRAVEL

Yellow Yeti ADV is brought to you by Yellow Yeti Travel. If you are looking for self-guided motorcycle tours or help with your next trip, check out the site and get in touch.

Email Signup

Subscribe to our emails for inspiration and advice for your next ride.

Popular Guides & Articles

Adventure Motorcycle Touring Guide, Best Motorcycle GPS, Best Emergency Transmitters, Tents for Adventure Motorcycle Camping, Travel Insurance for Motorcycle Touring, Motorcycle Insurance for Overlanders

POPULAR DESTINATIONS

Adventure Motorcycle Touring Guide, Iceland, India, Pakistan, Nepal, Norway, Thailand, Southeast Asia, Vietnam, Turkey, Africa, Europe, Eastern Europe, Romania, UK, Scotland, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, USA, Morocco, Georgia (Country),

POPULAR ROUTES

Darien Gap, Simpson Desert, Ruta 40, North Coast 500, Trans Canada Adventure Trail (TCAT), Great Continental Divide Motorcycle Route, Dalton Highway
Copyright Yellow Yeti ADV © 2022. All Rights Reserved

Login

Lost your password?

Sign up for Yellow Yeti ADV

Your personal data will be used to support your experience throughout this website, to manage access to your account, and for other purposes described in our privacy policy.