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Simpson Desert crossing, Munga-Thirri-Simpson Desert (Birdsville, QLD to Mt Dare, SA)

Trips / SA

Munga-Thirri-Simpson DesertMunga-Thirri-Simpson Desert (Birdsville, QLD to Mt Dare, SA)

Simpson Desert crossing

About 1,200 parallel red dunes between Birdsville and Mt Dare, crossed on the QAA Line and French Line or the longer Rig Road, starting with the climb over Big Red. It is roughly 515 km without fuel, a sand flag is compulsory, and the parks close from 1 December to 15 March.

From Narangba1,690 km
TripExpedition
DifficultyHard
Longest fuel gap515 km
When to go
  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec
Red is the best of it; hatched is when tracks or parks are closed.
  • sand
  • dunes
  • corrugations
  • remote

Permits Desert Parks Pass from National Parks and Wildlife Service SA (mandatory for the SA parks); a QPWS camping permit to camp in Queensland's Munga-Thirri National Park beside the QAA Line.

Before you go Check the Parks SA Desert Parks Bulletin and ask the Birdsville rangers before you go; in 2026 the QAA Line's Eyre Creek crossing is closed after flooding, and traffic uses the Stony Crossing bypass. Fill up at Birdsville or Mt Dare.

1,690 km by road from the workshop Narangba

What the trip asks of your 4WD

In the order a fitter would raise them, each with the reason. Up to three parts that fit for each, the first already chosen; swap any of them, or mark one you don't need.

Build it for your 4WD

Your rego or your model, and every part below is one that fits it. Until then you see the gear that fits any 4WD; the parts made for one vehicle wait for yours.

Rego · fastest

We look up the make, model, series and engine from the plate. We keep the plate and the vehicle details, never the owner’s, for 90 days, so you aren’t asked twice.

Make & model

  1. 1 · Recovery

    Soft dune faces at 15 to 20 psi mean recovery tracks, a snatch strap and a compressor get used, not just carried.

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  2. 2 · Suspension & GVM

    Fuel for 515 km, water and camping gear load most vehicles to their GVM, and the suspension has to carry it over about 1,200 dunes.

    Build the suspension for your 4WDLift, load and the engineer's rules for your state, specced for the vehicle and what it carries.

  3. 3 · Storage & racks

    Several days of water, food and fuel need secure storage that survives the dune whoops.

    • View part
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    • 4 · Tuning & remaps

      Extra low-rpm torque gets a loaded vehicle over soft dune crests with less wheelspin and less need for a run-up.

    • 5 · Tow & rear bars

      A rear wheel carrier holds the second spare and jerry cans for the long run without fuel.

    • 6 · Lighting & 12V

      A dual battery keeps the fridge and communications running through three to five desert camps.

    • 7 · Intercoolers & cooling

      Hour after hour of low-speed dune climbing at full load heats the intake air, and a larger intercooler keeps power and exhaust temperatures in check on a tuned engine.

    Each of these is made for one vehicle, so the parts show once we know yours.

The trip asks for these; the rest of the rig is yours to choose. Build the whole rig for this trip.

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