Dig Tree trip advice
 

I have a group wanting me to fly them to the Dig Tree for an ultimate Burke & Wills experience. Have enough numbers to fill a PA31. Vision is to provide a good meal and expert speaker for a dusk dinner at the Dig Tree itself. Any advice on who I should contact to plan for food, accommodation, ground transport etc?
Are we best to base ourselves in Innamincka? I presume there is very little in the way of tourism facilities up there but dare i say money can make anything possible and I feel my passengers will be prepared to pay well for an experience to remember.

The Dig Tree is on Nappie Merri ( spelling? ) cattle station - ( previously owned by Stanbroke Pastoral Co ) they had some contract with some tourist mob to provide a guide there...There is an airstrip right by the Dig Tree and another strip a few miles away by the homestead...a few years ago there was an old mustering pilot based there who was very knowledgable on history...Probably he flown on...
Regardless, both are private strips so you need to ring the station and speak with the manager for permiton to land...and best he will be the person to talk to for all your other info...

I think you have three options. Either fly to Innamincka and stay at the pub or the caravans behind the general store, and get them to organise your road transport and dinner, or prevail on Nappa Merrie to look after you, or bring all your gear and camp on the airstrip by the waterhole if Nappa Merrie will let you.

Last I heard from Innamincka two weeks ago the road from Innamincka to the tree is rooted in the early stage, so if you want to do it from Innamincka you are going to have a rough night time drive back to the pub (45k's?). I have no information on the strips except that I think Innamincka had a windsock last time I was there. There are old photos of planes parked outside the pub, but I wouldn't try it these days - too many tourists.

In the past, the Nappa Merrie people have not been either helpful or too bright. They closed the ford, thus adding 28K's to the trip via the Burke and Wills Bridge, because they got sick and tired of pulling the odd 4WD out of the ford. We would all have been far better served if they had just put up a sign announcing the price for a tow was $200.

I think you should try Nappa Merrie, but don't be surprised if they tell you to %^ck Off. They have yet to understand that tourists are a great cash crop.

Anyway, I hope you get to the tree. Its a great spot, as are the resting places of Burke and Wills by the great Cullyamurra waterhole .

it is no drama to land at the dig tree strip. there is a box to leave a suitable donation for landing fees. bomber johnston may or may not be there. courtesy would be to ring nappa merrie for permission, but lots don't. strip is at least 1000m long on the north side of the cooper and west of nappa by about 3 miles.
it runs ene/wsw. if you have lots of time you can drive out from innamincka. the dig tree strip is a better strip than the innmincka town strip dimension wise. no good after rain though.
Peter Weir, who runs cooper creek boat cruises, can do a camp oven dinner. contact him through the innamincka hotel. the guys at birdsville hotel now own the innamincka pub. they have a much better focus on service. pm me if you need further advice. also talk to dick lang. as for uncooperativness, you will never have any problems if you leave things as you find them and always ask for permission. you will need to bring your own firewood as well. timber is a premium in the very arid areas.

And don't forget to thank Dick Smith for the dunny!

(read the plaque)

Never will be able to figure out how Burke and Wills perished so close to the Inniminka boozer.
Take lottsa RID.

Close, but not quite. It's Peter Ware, a friend of mine. Oh, & don't fall foul of the NPWS rangers up there either - nasty bunch!

DF.

Desert Flower, do you have a number for Peter Ware? No luck on the web. To all, thanks for the advice, some great leads.

Deckchair.

Innamincka has a new chef arriving shortly.
Previously at the Birdsville Pub, meals are fantastic, especially 'The Big Red'

Yep. (08)8675 9599. You might get an answering machine though, he's a pretty busy fella! One of Pete's cruises is a must.
Not sure if his wife is up there with him at the moment or not.

DF.

Desert..hmmm the famous Desert Dick still around?

Sure is! Currently has his business up for sale though, for around $377,000.

DF.