Added: 09/21/2006 |
The Witjira NP Located in the Australian OutbackWitjira NP is a huge desert location within the Australian Outback Region. This park is 120 kilometres north of Oodnadatta and consists of gibber plains, salt pans, sand dunes, flat-topped hills, numerous mound springs and breakaway country.
The plant life in Witjira NP includes red mulga and gidgee trees, which are situation around the dry riverbeds. Melaleucas and palms are also located nearby, surrounding the springs.
The mount springs located in the Witjira NP area are part of the Great Artesian Basin.
The waters of the Great Artesian Basin are what sustain life in this area. One of the most well-known mound springs of this area is called Dalhousie Springs, also the largest in Australia. Its waters are just right for swimming, but no detergents or soaps are allowed, out of respect for the environment of the area.
The plant life in Witjira NP includes red mulga and gidgee trees, which are situation around the dry riverbeds. Melaleucas and palms are also located nearby, surrounding the springs.
Most people who enter Witjira NP usually do so through Oodnadatta or Birdsville. Oodnatta is one of the few outback towns in Australia that has not changed in spite of Progress in other areas. The name of this outback town derives from the Aborigine ‘Utnadata’ which means ‘blossom of the mulga’. This makes perfect sense, seeing how mulga is one of the main types of vegetation that grows in this area.
There is a cattle trail that follows through Oodnadatta. It was blazed by a man name John McDouall Stuart and followers. He used to send cattle along this road. Oodnadatta was founded as a railhead in 1890, and then later it became a center for mail and baggage which were sent on camel trains. This took place until the Alice Springs line was completed in 1928.
More recently the town of Oodnadatta has turned into the location for the Aranda community. Those who arrive to the Witjira NP area also can make their way into the Simpson Desert. This desert is made up of drifting sand ridges and is also bordered by areas of bare rock and rounded stones called gibbers.
It is within the Simpson Desert that the Witjira National Park along with Simpson Desert National Park and several other conservation sites. This desert was first visited by Charles Sturt in 1845, but it was not crossed until much later, in the 1930s. This desert was named after Allen Simpson, who was an Australian Philanthropist and geographer.
The Simpson Desert National Park is located in the middle of the Simpson Desert. An endless array of red sand dunes, salt lakes, spinifex grass, and gidgee woodland spread out over this area. In addition, varieties of wildflowers show up after bouts of rain that come rarely. Those who want to cross the desert can do so in a 4WD off road vehicle.
The stretch of crossing runs north to south for about 550 km. The most challenging part of this desert-crossing course is between Dalhousie in South Australia and Birdsville. Cyclists also join the 4WD’s in June during the Simpson Desert Cycling Classic.
Birdsville, The other main Witjira NP entrance, once developed into a centre for moving stock south. It the prime of this town’s life it contained three hotels, a custom house and quite a few other houses. Today it consists of only one pub and a store. Usually people like to take the main rugged road that runs right through Birdsville to Marlee. This little town is famous for its horse races in September.
Other times of the year, besides during the first few days of September, Birdsville remains quite uneventful for the most part. However, many people can enjoy just wandering through this little spot on the map, just for historical sake. The hotel and roadhouses take in the majority of the business throughout the year in this area.
There is one other somewhat promising facet of Birdsville, however. That is Caravan Park. However, this park contains no amenities. If you can live without the facilities, however, you can camp along the artesian waters, or the creek. In this area huge flocks of raucous corellas land. These animals are what many people think would have given the town of Birdsville its name. However, it is really more of an alteration of the name “Burt’s Ville” after the first storekeeper.
Outside Birdsville is quite a treat for those who like to walk. Nature lovers can stroll along the very old and rare Waddi Trees. These are 14km north on the Bedourie Road. Right now they are about 5m tall. Another attraction that visitors may enjoy outside of Birdsville is Big Red, which is 33km north. This is the largest Simpson Desert Sand Dune located at the beginning of the Simpson Desert. This dune is very steep and may require the use of a 4WD.
You can visit many more vast and magnificent desert sites within the Oodnadatta and Witjira NP area. This is one of the oldest standing areas in the entire Australia Outback region.
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