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Stretching 3.6 million hectares across three state borders (QLD, SA and NT), Munga-Thirri-Simpson Desert National Park is the largest national park in all of Australia. It’s a holy grail for outback road-trippers – home to the world’s longest parallel dunes, immense stretches of crimson sand, abundant wildlife, stunning wildflowers and endless desert skies. Now, for the first time since heavy floodwaters cut off access across the region, the desert tracks have finally reopened.
This monumental reopening clears the path for one of Australia’s ultimate 4WD adventures, restoring the vital link between Birdsville and the Diamantina – a remote stretch connecting Outback Queensland to the South Australia and the Northern Territory borders. Previously, severe floodwaters and waterlogged crossings had rendered these iconic desert tracks impassable.
Timing couldn’t be better, with spring being prime time to make the trek. Following exceptional rainfall across remote Queensland, the desert landscape is transforming into a wildflower wonderland. This rare event sees dusty red dunes carpeted with colourful blooms, including Sturt’s desert pea, paper daisies, bluebells and emu bush. Plus, with the inland waterways freshly filled, a birdlife boom is underway, drawing brolgas, black swans, pelicans and whistling kites in remarkable numbers.
To top it off, nearby Kati Thanda–Lake Eyre is experiencing its most dramatic fill since 1974. The best way to witness this “inland sea” is from above, with bucket-list scenic flights departing from the iconic Birdsville Hotel daily.
Note: The usual QAA crossing at Eyre Creek – located 59 kilometres west of Birdsville – is still closed, with all traffic to head north and use the Stony Crossing bypass. Munga-Thirri-Simpson Desert National Park also closes every year from December 1 to March 15 due to extreme summer heat. Check the latest travel alerts via the Queensland Parks website here.