Download - Andrew Harper
Straight across Australia from west to east following the Tropic of Capricorn. Across the Little Sandy, Gibson and Simpson Deserts. One man, three camels and a dog. No vehicle back-up. Raising funds for the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
The Expedition began on Anzac Day 1999 on the shores of the Indian Ocean in Western Australia . . .
and finished at the Pacific Ocean 229 days later.
Expedition Stats: Coast to coast distance along the TOC - 3780 kilometres Total distance actually walked – 4637 kilometres Total days – 229 Actual walking days – 187 with an average distance per day of 24.7 kms Greatest distance in one day – 49 kilometres Total number of days without seeing anyone – 84 Weight loss – 19 kilograms
The last day – walking along the pacific ocean beach, December 10th.
Departure day – April 25th 1999
The last dune in the Simpson Desert
In the Little Sandy Desert, Western Australia
Meeting schoolkids at Newman, WA
On the move
Typical camp – this one in the MacDonnell Ranges, NT
Using the HF Radio
Morgan at Durba Hills, WA
Outside the Australian Stockman’s Hall of Fame in Longreach
Wash-time!
The drought in the Simpson Desert, QLD
Termite mounds in the Simpson Desert, NT
Shadows of Capricorn
Full Moon camp, WA
Meeting schoolkids at Bluff State School, QLD
The way ahead. This was my view from the ‘dashboard’ as I walked across the vast Little Sandy Desert in WA
Near Rockhampton
Filling a container of Indian Ocean seawater on Day 1 . . .
and pouring that water into the Pacific Ocean on day 229
I now own the Outback Camel Company which conducts commercial treks & expeditions of discovery across all of our great deserts . . .
and am Founder & Managing Director of Australian Desert Expeditions, a Registered Environmental Organisation, conducting ecological & scientific surveys.
The Outback Camel Company and Australian Desert Expeditions
have walked tens of thousands of kilometres actively exploring the:
Simpson Desert 176,500 km²
Great Sandy Desert 284,993 km²
Gibson Desert 156,000 km²
Little Sandy Desert 111,500 km²
Sturt Stony Desert 29,750 km²
Strzelecki Desert 80,250 km²
Nullarbor 270,000 km²
Great Victoria Desert 424,400 km²
Approximately 70% of Australia is termed arid or semi arid with the ten recognised deserts comprising 18% of the mainland. Nearly three-quarters of Australia’s
biodiversity is yet to be identified and 45% of the mainland has never been comprehensively surveyed by scientists.*
*Source: Bushblitz 2010
.
OUTBACK CAMEL COMPANY Desert Treks & Expeditions
Established 1976
www.camelexpeditions.com
The Outback Camel Company’s signature journey is the Simpson Desert Expedition – a complete crossing of the desert from west
to east, each expedition blazing a new path across the dunes.
“adventure and hard eco-tourism at its very best. I’ve learned a lot about the Simpson, a lot about people, and most especially, a lot about myself
– the essence of real enriching travel” Alan Lane, 2000
The Simpson Desert Expedition
“Australia’s ‘horizontal’ Mount Everest”
Northern Territory to Queensland Distance (as the crow flies) – roughly 400 kilometres
Sand dunes to cross – about 900 Actual distance walked – more like 550 kilometres Amount of water loaded at departure – 1364 litres
Percentage of the journey that is uphill – more than 70
OUTBACK
CAMEL COMPANY
Desert Treks & Expeditions
AUSTRALIAN DESERT EXPEDITIONS Scientific & Ecological Surveys
Established 2007
www.desertexpeditions.org
Foundation Supporters Anita & Luca Belgiorno-Nettis Foundation Robyn Davidson – author & explorer John Wilkinson - cameleer Robyn Williams – journalist & science broadcaster
Corporate Partners
Australian Desert Expeditions uses a camel team to explore & survey the desert
which since 2008 has seen record rains and floods.
Australian Desert Expeditions was established in 2007 conducting their first Scientific Expedition . . .
Emu
Genyornis
Genyornis
Diprotodon
Megafauna Research Expedition
SIMPSON DESERT
ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXPEDITION 2008
2009 Eyre Creek Ornithological & Botanical Survey Trek
“in the ‘footsteps’ of Charles Sturt”
2009 Kalamurina Sanctuary Ecological Survey
Queensland
Ethabuka Ecological Survey Trek 2010
Ethabuka Ecological Surveys 2011