Simpson Desert and Trailers ?????

[BigJules]

Dave, the dude from the Mt Dare hotel, was interviewed by Carlisle on his 4wd Touring show. Dave recommended 4wd and said that he wouldn't tow a trailer out there.

Having read so many trip reports of folks who've done it with a camper I wouldn't hesitate to take a well built and prepared camper acorss there.

[torsion]

I am planning a trip along the French Line in Sept 2013 with camper.
Reading here "authorities" are discouraging it - which ones? Where is this reported?

We are planning taking a camper (kids).

[Tjupurula]

In all honesty I am sincerely trying to work out what is hard about going through any desert or remote area.  I have nigtmares driving in towns, but never in remote areas.  Low tyre pressure and chug along casually, never a problem.  Another advantage, the slower we go, the more chance of spotting some tucker along the way.
Regards
Tjupurula

[fishfinder]

In all honesty I am sincerely trying to work out what is hard about going through any desert or remote area.  I have nigtmares driving in towns, but never in remote areas.  Low tyre pressure and chug along casually, never a problem.  Another advantage, the slower we go, the more chance of spotting some tucker along the way.
Regards
Tjupurula

yep different to the city in that aspect every hundred meters there would be some kind of deep fried tucker to be found with neon lights flashing so it cant be missed

[torsion]

Agree....

[Carlisle Rogers]

Just to finish the story, Dave from Mt Dare also agrees wholeheartedly with me that towing a CT with properly deflated tyres was no issue, while charging dunes in a Fourbie with 40psi is an issue.
We came across a group last year that had the gall to insult our trailer towing group for scalloping dunes. They all had stock standard 120 Prados with 50psi in the tyres. I actually measures one while they were parked at Poeppels Corner. We listened to them attacking, and re-attacking each dune.
My 2 cents...
Carlisle

[Tjupurula]

yep different to the city in that aspect every hundred meters there would be some kind of deep fried tucker to be found with neon lights flashing so it cant be missed

Probably a little more different for me, as I have NEVER lived in a town or city.
Tjupurula

[Pling]

Steve. We did an article for 4Wd action on that and some one even wrote in to show their disgust that we had towed. Like the other said it is not that hard. We ran the MT MTZ at 14 psi for the entire trip and there was one tough , have three goes hill on the WAA line. We cam across a family that had rolled their tray on in that trip, two broken ankles of motor bike riders and they reckoned we were going to struggle. The action mob then did a lot of research and the official word was campers are allowed but recommended for HD Campers only and those with enough sense to be there. This family we came across had no Sat or Epirb and had been there since 11 am the day before we got there.

Anyway I think it's fine if you know how to drive and reverse down sand dunes 

Here are some pics

Steve and Viv

Was just looking at the pics you posted, do you realise there is one with a kid having a dump in the background?   WTF

Or am I seeing things?

[GeeTee]

I am planning a trip along the French Line in Sept 2013 with camper.
Reading here "authorities" are discouraging it - which ones? Where is this reported?

We are planning taking a camper (kids).

You may have trouble finding actual 'reports' but if you speak to some staffers in these areas you might get the hint they tire of having all-the-gear-and-no-idea city slickers bring their catalogue trucks out to remote areas and getting into trouble, or doing the wrong thing. Buying a nearly three-quarters-off-road trailer and a $49.99 recovery strap doesn't prepare a beginner for a remote area trek in challenging conditions but if you are trained/experienced, have bush/basic mechanic skills, current First Aid, comms gear, decent experience with your rig with prior treks in similar terrain and some common sense, you should be OK.

Pack tight, pack light and with a good tent and a 'minimalist' approach to equipment/junk you may not need the trailer!

Hope this helps

[gclan]

Steve and Viv

Was just looking at the pics you posted, do you realise there is one with a kid having a dump in the background?   WTF

Or am I seeing things?

Is this like 'where's Wally"?

So who else went looking for the kid in the background?

[MDS69]

Everyones mate MR4X4 has done it. As GeeTee says highly recommended you don't from the authorities but not forbidden.

At the risk of starting a war IMO an overloaded tug with high tyre pressures is just as bad if not worse than towing a CT with correct tyre pressures.

God I can see this turning into a **** fight or is that just exploreoz

5 days after I posted this I left for a 4 week trip which included a Simpson Desert crossing with CT. Obviously I knew at the time I was going to do this but it is a habit that I don't post on public forums that I am going to be away from home for 4 weeks until after the event.
Anyway we had no issues with nothing like adjusting tyre pressures to overcome an obstacle.

http://www.myswag.org/index.php?topic=25803.msg399247#msg399247

[gclan]

National Parks say on their website in the Desert Parks Bulletin that they 'strongly discourage' trailers crossing the Simpson Desert. This isn't a ban, yet, though many take it to mean so.
I love this forum because everyone can hold a civilised discussion whether for or against trailers, unlike another forum that damns you to hell for even mentioning the 'T' word.

Plans for our Simpson Desert trip changed last week, from a West to East crossing, to an East to West crossing so that we could attend the John Williamson concert on top of Big Red.
We are experienced 4wders travelling in a convoy of three vehicles, two of which will be towing full offroad camper trailers(a Kimberley and a Mountain Trail), with all the recovery gear, and we have experienced all kinds of recovery scenarios including on sand(good old Stockton) plus one is a diesel mechanic and my hubby is a pretty good boy scout as well. We've got a sat phone and epirb and will be allowing 5-6 days to cross, and although I'm pretty sure we'll be reversing down a fair number of dunes, I think we'll have less of an impact than an overloaded 4wd with tyres on 40psi. Our main concern will probably be heading against the main flow of traffic and having to face the steeper faces of the dunes, but I'm really looking forward to the adventure and am hoping that Mother Nature is still putting on a bit of a show after all of that rain

 

[gclan]

We all travel differently whether by need or choice, and some of us have very different and strong opinions on towing through the desert, but I could never see Myswag stooping to the level of the slanging matches on exploroz

[weeds]

National Parks say on their website in the Desert Parks Bulletin that they 'strongly discourage' trailers crossing the Simpson Desert. This isn't a ban, yet, though many take it to mean so.
I love this forum because everyone can hold a civilised discussion whether for or against trailers, unlike another forum that damns you to hell for even mentioning the 'T' word.

Plans for our Simpson Desert trip changed last week, from a West to East crossing, to an East to West crossing so that we could attend the John Williamson concert on top of Big Red.
We are experienced 4wders travelling in a convoy of three vehicles, two of which will be towing full offroad camper trailers(a Kimberley and a Mountain Trail), with all the recovery gear, and we have experienced all kinds of recovery scenarios including on sand(good old Stockton) plus one is a diesel mechanic and my hubby is a pretty good boy scout as well. We've got a sat phone and epirb and will be allowing 5-6 days to cross, and although I'm pretty sure we'll be reversing down a fair number of dunes, I think we'll have less of an impact than an overloaded 4wd with tyres on 40psi. Our main concern will probably be heading against the main flow of traffic and having to face the steeper faces of the dunes, but I'm really looking forward to the adventure and am hoping that Mother Nature is still putting on a bit of a show after all of that rain

if the eastern side of the dunes is slow going for you could always hang a left and cross via the rig rd

i swore and cursed guys towing camper trailer when i was out there esp the tossers that stopped me on knolls track and got fair into my ribs telling me that i wasn't following the rules of the desert.......

but i now own a camper trailer so all good and could be very well towing it across the simpson next year................................solo, oh no

[gclan]

Thanks weeds, will keep the Rig Rd in mind

[SteveandViv]

Is this like 'where's Wally"?

So who else went looking for the kid in the background?

Ha Ha.... I think it's funny. No offence meant to anyone. Just don;t tell Dan (My Youngest)

[weeds]

Ha Ha.... I think it's funny. No offence meant to anyone. Just don;t tell Dan (My Youngest)

i posted a similar pic years ago a another forum and copped a roasting for it..........he was distant in the pic and i thought it looked funny + he was either side on or had his back to us

[Pling]

Ha Ha.... I think it's funny. No offence meant to anyone. Just don;t tell Dan (My Youngest)

No offence taken here mate.... Its not "Wheres Wally" Its "Wheres Dan" next time you post pics! ;-)

[Brucer]

Much as I'd like to do a Simpson trip one day, this thread does little to encourage me. Whilst on the one hand there is plenty of general support to the notion of "just get out there and experience Australia" this is largely countered by the advice to the effect that "inexperienced city slickers have no business out there". Then there are the many mentions of abuse from other travellers on both sides of the trailers/no trailers argument, which I think is a real shame.
I'd be the first to admit I'm not what many swaggers would consider an experienced 4WD'er and camper. I take my family out as often as we are able. I am cautious and well aware of my own limitations as well as the limitations of my vehicle and equipment, but at the same time don't want to be too constrained. Each trip should offer new challenges that serve to improve my skills and confidence.
Eventually the day will come when I reckon I'm ready for a desert trip. I'll have all the gear, my 4WD and trailer will be setup properly and I'll do all the research I can to ensure a safe and enjoyable journey, but one thing I won't have is dessert experience.. not the first time at least. I'll probably make mistakes and when I do I sure hope that other travellers (or locals) that may happen by are civil enough to set me straight without resorting to abuse.

[weeds]

Much as I'd like to do a Simpson trip one day, this thread does little to encourage me. Whilst on the one hand there is plenty of general support to the notion of "just get out there and experience Australia" this is largely countered by the advice to the effect that "inexperienced city slickers have no business out there". Then there are the many mentions of abuse from other travellers on both sides of the trailers/no trailers argument, which I think is a real shame.
I'd be the first to admit I'm not what many swaggers would consider an experienced 4WD'er and camper. I take my family out as often as we are able. I am cautious and well aware of my own limitations as well as the limitations of my vehicle and equipment, but at the same time don't want to be too constrained. Each trip should offer new challenges that serve to improve my skills and confidence.
Eventually the day will come when I reckon I'm ready for a desert trip. I'll have all the gear, my 4WD and trailer will be setup properly and I'll do all the research I can to ensure a safe and enjoyable journey, but one thing I won't have is dessert experience.. not the first time at least. I'll probably make mistakes and when I do I sure hope that other travellers (or locals) that may happen by are civil enough to set me straight without resorting to abuse.

mate that sounds likea great approach.......just don't take too long to get around to it

i decided to do the simpson than started my research and started second guessing my decision....in the end it was a walk in the park

what really pissed me off was the guy that thought it was his right to give me a dressing down about whats right and wrong in the desert........if only he had taken a breath and joined a discussion instead i just selected first gear and drove off mid sentence, hopefully down the track he would have realise he was way over the top...nah i doubt it

[MDS69]

Much as I'd like to do a Simpson trip one day, this thread does little to encourage me. Whilst on the one hand there is plenty of general support to the notion of "just get out there and experience Australia" this is largely countered by the advice to the effect that "inexperienced city slickers have no business out there". Then there are the many mentions of abuse from other travellers on both sides of the trailers/no trailers argument, which I think is a real shame.
I'd be the first to admit I'm not what many swaggers would consider an experienced 4WD'er and camper. I take my family out as often as we are able. I am cautious and well aware of my own limitations as well as the limitations of my vehicle and equipment, but at the same time don't want to be too constrained. Each trip should offer new challenges that serve to improve my skills and confidence.
Eventually the day will come when I reckon I'm ready for a desert trip. I'll have all the gear, my 4WD and trailer will be setup properly and I'll do all the research I can to ensure a safe and enjoyable journey, but one thing I won't have is dessert experience.. not the first time at least. I'll probably make mistakes and when I do I sure hope that other travellers (or locals) that may happen by are civil enough to set me straight without resorting to abuse.

Now the problem with getting experience and ready for a desert trip is you need to drive in the desert. We did Fraser Island in 2011 and the Simpson Desert in 2012 thinking the sand driving of Fraser would prepare us but IMO they were totally different. I don't want to sound blasé but the hard part about the Simpson Desert is it is remote. If you are still apprehensive do a tag along.
With our Simpson trip I was confident (not cocky) I could handle most situations should they arise. The other family we travelled with hadn't done desert driving either but had done Fraser 3 times. I consider myself and the other male from the other family to be fairly level headed and rational people with plenty of common sense.
My spin on things when people say be well prepared and have a reliable vehicle is not because it is a dangerous place (well it can be with sub zero overnight temps and extreme heat during the day depending on the time of the year) is because it will cost you a shed load of money to be retrieved if you have a mechanical failure.
Not that you want to be a burden on other travellers but there are people out there to assist you if you require it. I believe the naysayers are a minority and you would be very unlucky to cop abuse from one.

[GeeTee]

Much as I'd like to do a Simpson trip one day, this thread does little to encourage me. Whilst on the one hand there is plenty of general support to the notion of "just get out there and experience Australia" this is largely countered by the advice to the effect that "inexperienced city slickers have no business out there". Then there are the many mentions of abuse from other travellers on both sides of the trailers/no trailers argument, which I think is a real shame.
I'd be the first to admit I'm not what many swaggers would consider an experienced 4WD'er and camper. I take my family out as often as we are able. I am cautious and well aware of my own limitations as well as the limitations of my vehicle and equipment, but at the same time don't want to be too constrained. Each trip should offer new challenges that serve to improve my skills and confidence.
Eventually the day will come when I reckon I'm ready for a desert trip. I'll have all the gear, my 4WD and trailer will be setup properly and I'll do all the research I can to ensure a safe and enjoyable journey, but one thing I won't have is dessert experience.. not the first time at least. I'll probably make mistakes and when I do I sure hope that other travellers (or locals) that may happen by are civil enough to set me straight without resorting to abuse.

It's awesome once you get out there, don't be discouraged.
But don't bite off more than you can chew, either, when enthusiasm overtakes sensibility! Minimise your chance for 'mistakes' by doing a 4WD course or two and doing a few shorter treks first. This will build your experience and skills

Don't be that person who needs to call for help to change a flat tyre

Hope this helps

[Brucer]

It's awesome once you get out there, don't be discouraged.
...
Don't be that person who needs to call for help to change a flat tyre
Hope this helps

Thanks for the encouragement GeeTEE. I meant I might seem inexperienced compared to many swaggers, e.g. the ones who've already been on Simpson trips, Cape York, etc. I think anyone troubled by the likes of a flat tyre really ought not to be 4WDing at all, let alone crossing the Simmo.
I guess my point would be that the more experienced campers shouldn't be too hard on those "giving it a go". Taking your family out to the great aussie wilderness is something to be commended and not everyone who sets out will be a seasoned veteran. We all have to start somewhere.
The first time I set out on a 4WDing camp with my two oldest taking the western approach to Bendethera, it was quite a step up in difficulty but well worth it. Just taking time, care and with thought and planning we had a great few days. The family has never looked back and we do a few days bush camping every chance we get.

anyway.. I'm getting off topic. 

[Pipeliner]

We headed out to Birdsville in August 2009 (2 Jeep Cherokees, 1 Grand Cherokee and 1 Prado) all towing CTs with the intention of doing the Simpson crossing E-W, but after heading (without trailers) over several dunes west of Big Red we made a consensus decision that the chances of getting into trouble were too great (and one of the party had recently had head surgery and still had balance problems which the rocking over the dunes aggrevated) so we went north and round to Uluru via the Donohue and the Plenty.

The Simpson crossing is still in our minds, but when we do it we will take a tent rather than the camper trailer.  And we are all ( well 75% are) experienced 4wders.  We made sure we had extra spare tyres and sufficient fuel and water, together with all the recovery gear (shovels, hi-lifts, MaxTraks, winches), HF radio, sand flags, etc.

[SteveandViv]

Like my pics show, there were others that should not have been out there. The roll over we saved had no means of helping themselves. We had a few saying we shouldn't do it but that was from a concern point of view, they didn't know how well prepared we were and people are like that. When we came upon the roll over they had been there since the day before and needed help. I found most people out there are the same. Please don;t take even 10 comment off a forum as the general feeling as it is not like that.

Go ot there and enjoy it. It is one of the best things you can do to cook a snag on a BBQ in the middle of the desert with a billion stars shining just for you.