Birdsville Accomodation?
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Join Date: Jun 2002
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Birdsville Accomodation?
Giday There Lads, A good mate of mine has raised the possibility of heading to Birdsville for the races, and I ran the ruler over the software. Started to think though that to sleep under the wing, there is very little room in a typical GA Kite to stow enough swags. I wondered if those brave souls who have made the pilgramage can enlighten us about what works best to sleep on the stones under the wing at Birdsville?
Thanks Lucky
Thanks Lucky
Join Date: Dec 2006
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If you can find your tent/swag/aircraft amongst 200 planes...... you haven't had enough to drink 
Haven't been for a few years, but we always took a cheap dome tent, and a sleeping bag, always woke up sore but i don't think it was the bed.... you'll want to be up early anyway if you want a shower without spending 2 hours in the lineup.
Have fun its a great weekend.
Haven't been for a few years, but we always took a cheap dome tent, and a sleeping bag, always woke up sore but i don't think it was the bed.... you'll want to be up early anyway if you want a shower without spending 2 hours in the lineup.
Have fun its a great weekend.
Except that sleep will not happen for the duration of your stay is best. I went in a twin, had a huge tent, a sleeping bag and a foam underlay, the rocks were huge and numerous. Can get quite cool on the nights and the night I was there it blew a gale all night, so if you can't sleep from the stones the noise of tents flapping keeps you up!
Although I must say being awake for the night was hilarious listening to all the drunks trying to find their a/c in the dark, and the noises coming from the porta loos were at times quite disturbing and amazingly loud!
Honestly being completely blotto and collapsing is your only real chance of a good nights sleep!
Did Birdsville once, can say I've done it but haven't got a lot of a desire to do it again.
Although I must say being awake for the night was hilarious listening to all the drunks trying to find their a/c in the dark, and the noises coming from the porta loos were at times quite disturbing and amazingly loud!
Honestly being completely blotto and collapsing is your only real chance of a good nights sleep!
Did Birdsville once, can say I've done it but haven't got a lot of a desire to do it again.
"Did Birdsville once, can say I've done it but haven't got a lot of a desire to do it again"
That applies whether or not the races were on at the time of your visit.
Dr
That applies whether or not the races were on at the time of your visit.
Dr
Last edited by ForkTailedDrKiller; 1st Aug 2007 at 09:37.
Been there etc.
Used a tent fly as a cover. No real need for the tent unless it looks like a wet spell is coming. Bring some form of mattress! It'll insulate you from the ground & soften the bumps. I used a high density foam camping mattress which was comfortable enough. You'll need to dig the rocks out though.
Definitely a sleeping bag. It can get pretty bloody chilly overnight there. The fly helps with this - either nil wind & keep off the dew, or reducing the breeze.
Don't bring your best clothes...
Used a tent fly as a cover. No real need for the tent unless it looks like a wet spell is coming. Bring some form of mattress! It'll insulate you from the ground & soften the bumps. I used a high density foam camping mattress which was comfortable enough. You'll need to dig the rocks out though.
Definitely a sleeping bag. It can get pretty bloody chilly overnight there. The fly helps with this - either nil wind & keep off the dew, or reducing the breeze.
Don't bring your best clothes...
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We arrived one year without any planned acc. The refueller guy..god bless him...let us sleep in the flight planning/ storage shed next to the strip. Now we know the organisers and oh how sweet a nice cosy bed is....
Race 4 / No 1. Take plenty of cash!!!! You'll love it but whatever you do, dont go expecting to meet any women.....it has improved over the years I must admit...no offence ladies...I think the ratio would be close to 1:200 now
ah well, the steak sandwiches are fantastic, the beer is bearable XXXX, and the music at the pub in the beer garden is kinda modern only it has a country hillbilly beat to it that really fires up the locals.
Now this isnt everyones cup of tea but Fred Boothbys (Sp.?) boxing tent was unreal....young blokes have a good ol fashioned boxing match half cut...the crowd taking the underdog side....the memories are bloody priceless.
Cheers, PA
Race 4 / No 1. Take plenty of cash!!!! You'll love it but whatever you do, dont go expecting to meet any women.....it has improved over the years I must admit...no offence ladies...I think the ratio would be close to 1:200 now
ah well, the steak sandwiches are fantastic, the beer is bearable XXXX, and the music at the pub in the beer garden is kinda modern only it has a country hillbilly beat to it that really fires up the locals.Now this isnt everyones cup of tea but Fred Boothbys (Sp.?) boxing tent was unreal....young blokes have a good ol fashioned boxing match half cut...the crowd taking the underdog side....the memories are bloody priceless.
Cheers, PA
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Its a fun trip to make with your mates, if you have any other pilot mates get them to take aircraft up as well!
As for sleeping arrangements, a tent and sleeping bags with a li-lo would be the best space saving option, its what we did, though must admit they didnt really get used...
Cant say i remember there being a hell of a lot of rocks we couldnt kick out of the way either.
If you dont want to line up for a shower, have one at 3 or 4 in the morning "before" you go to bed! No one around at all to complain how long you take either!
Have fun!
Turbz
As for sleeping arrangements, a tent and sleeping bags with a li-lo would be the best space saving option, its what we did, though must admit they didnt really get used...
Cant say i remember there being a hell of a lot of rocks we couldnt kick out of the way either.
If you dont want to line up for a shower, have one at 3 or 4 in the morning "before" you go to bed! No one around at all to complain how long you take either!
Have fun!
Turbz
hahaha that pretty much sums it up nicely.
I was quite impressed with the sleeping arrangements of one guy who flew in. He had managed to fit a proper single bed mattress (albeit a cheapish, not too thick one) into the back of his 182. I didn't see how he managed to get it out, although I would imagine the door would have come off.
My advice is to score a charter where you take up workers for the bakery/pub who know people with a house. Nothing like sleeping in a proper bed at the Races!
I was quite impressed with the sleeping arrangements of one guy who flew in. He had managed to fit a proper single bed mattress (albeit a cheapish, not too thick one) into the back of his 182. I didn't see how he managed to get it out, although I would imagine the door would have come off.
My advice is to score a charter where you take up workers for the bakery/pub who know people with a house. Nothing like sleeping in a proper bed at the Races!
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Birdsville hey? I went four times. Good times goodtimes, bring a tarp, foam mat, heaps of repellent, boombox (with heaps of batteries) and one of those flashing bike strobes to find where your plane is at 4 in the morning. Oh yeah and heaps of $$$$$$$$. You'll need in. expect to pay double Syd prices!! Lots of fun, hopefully see you there this year.
and one of those flashing bike strobes to find where your plane is at 4 in the morning
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'Sleep under the wing' be STUFFED - if yer on a Charter, turf the seats out and sleep in the bird! (can guarantee it works a treat in the Chieftain or Aztruck, fit in a rolled up foam matress or an inflatable [MATRESS you deviants!] and chuck the pax seats under the wing.) If yer on a private jolly - sleep is for the loosers who can't drink - like the CHTR bloke snoring in the Chieftain Haven't been for a few years, so dunno how it will work with the new security regs though....
Don't do what the chump did a few years back - went to sleep on the main drag and got run over. Quite an achievement in BDV.....
(can guarantee it works a treat in the Chieftain or Aztruck, fit in a rolled up foam matress or an inflatable [MATRESS you deviants!] and chuck the pax seats under the wing.) If yer on a private jolly - sleep is for the loosers who can't drink - like the CHTR bloke snoring in the Chieftain Haven't been for a few years, so dunno how it will work with the new security regs though....Don't do what the chump did a few years back - went to sleep on the main drag and got run over. Quite an achievement in BDV.....
