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