Finke Desert Race Tour

Day 1: Birdsville to Erabena Track

After a big Birdsville breakfast, we head out west to meet the Unimog for morning tea.

We continue our adventure on the QAA Line. With some challenging tracks and dunes, we will stop for lunch at Poeppel Corner, the corner of state boundaries in Australia, where Queensland meets South Australia and the Northern Territory.

We continue along some great tracks passing Approdinna Attora Knolls. The rare gypsum outcrops were once the highest dune crests in the area and are of great Aboriginal and scientific importance. Turning onto the WAA line heading west then finally making our way down the Erabena Track for camp.

Day 2: Erabena Track to Mokari Airstrip

It’s an early start as the Unimog continues along the Rig Road for the abandoned Mokari Airstrip. We explore more of the Erabena Track and the Erabena 1 abandoned oil well. We then head west along the French Line finally reuniting with the Unimog at camp for dinner.

Day 3: Mokari Airstrip to Mount Dare Hotel

Today we leave behind the 1100 sand dunes and enjoy an easy ride to Purnie Bore for morning tea.

We then continue to the famous Dalhousie Hot Springs, a collection of over 60 natural artesian springs, for a dip and some lunch before setting off to Mount Dare riding along the old Ghan Railway.

Day 4: Mount Dare to Ooraminna Station… Then into scrutineering that night

Leaving Mount Dare, we ride along the Finke Track back to Alice Springs. It’s a challenging track and the whoops are relentless. You have the option of riding on the main gravel road if the track proves too difficult.

Arriving in Alice Springs we stop by our motel, The Diplomat and head straight down to the scrutineering area to check out all the competitors in the 2014 Finke Desert Race. It’s a great evening!

Day 5: Ooraminna to Prolouge

Today we jump back on our CRF450L’s and head out to watch the competitors fight for the best starting position in the race, so they’re out of the dust.

Mid-afternoon sees as heading back down the track towards Finke for camp, meeting up with other spectators and fans at the first stop.

Day 6: Camp at Ooraminna ride to track every day

Starting the day with a big breakfast we are back on the bikes. Today we follow the race and in certain areas will watch from the side of the track as the competitors make the blast down to Finke for the overnight camp.

We get permission to cross the track further south between the buggies and bikes as we make our own way south watching the competitors. Along the way we come across teams and crews doing maintenance who have the most fascinating tales to tell. Even the odd retired race winner is floating around.

Day 7: Camp Ooraminna with big farewell dinner at the homestead

We are once again blown away as we see the commitment and determination from the top level competitors across the whoops which just never seem to let up. Today we move around again from our camp watching buggies and bikes from flat in top gear sections to the big sandy dunes.

It’s a great few day’s moving around from our base at Ooraminna watching the racing. Finally we arrive back our camp and enjoy a Ooraminna Homestead meal and reminisce about the trip. Plenty of belly laughs and tall stories are on the menu.