Women's Simpson and Madigan Line 4WD Adventure

What is a tag-along tour? A tag-along tour is one in which you drive your own (or a hired) vehicle following a lead vehicle. Your leader is there to help you develop the skills necessary for outback and desert driving including how to master the dunes. She is a skilled bush mechanic, able to solve many of the problems that people find themselves having in the outback, problems hat would typically result in the journey ending. She provides equipment and skill at recovering bogged vehicles. She also provides interpretive services, telling you all about the European and some of the Aboriginal history of the ares through which you travel. She provides some facilities with which to cook, a bbq plate, camp ovens and the like. She carriers extra water allowing for some kind of limited washing of ourselves, she provides the "shower tent" and toilet facilities and lots of knowledge and assistance when you feel out of your comfort zone. Vehicle hire companies will usually not permit a vehicle to enter the Simpson Desert unless on such a tour.

This Tour

Beginning in Birdsville we cross the Simpson Desert via the QAA and the French Line. (Our West to East trip takes a different track) and then we return via the Madigan Line.

The Madigan line, like many tracks in Australia is becoming more easily accessible, however it is still a serious undertaking that has a real sense of adventure.

A true desert adventure and experience, the Madigan has solitude, spectacular camps, and magical scenery. The night sky is a wonder to behold.

Named after explorer Dr CT Madigan, who made the trek on camels in 1939, the Madigan Line is regarded as the most challenging and interesting way of crossing the  Simpson Desert.

The Madigan Line is reminiscent of what the more popular routes were like decades ago. Get out and do it while it’s still unspoilt.

Usually tackled from West to East so as to crest the dunes from the ‘easier’ side, we warm up by heading across the Central Simpson from Birdsville to Mount Dare via the QAA and French Lines.

Traveling the Simpson Desert via motor vehicle is not for the inexperienced, that is why a tag-along tour is one of the best ways to experience the desert. I personally have witnessed a convoy of eight vehicles reduced to a convoy of just three due to inexperience. Given that vehicle recovery costs from the desert could be more than $4000, a tag along is a great investment.

Cross the desert the smart way, with our tag-along tour. Get your head out of the maps, and enjoy the scenery.

Birdsville accomodation can be booked out more than 12 months ahead. If you would like a cabin in Birdsville, book early.

Our Touring Philosophy

We have over decades developed a formula that keeps our tour participants coming back for up to six years, every year, That formula is based on a couple of simple concepts.

 ·       We endeavour to create a fun, informative,  life-changing experience.

·       We keep our camps simple, so that you can experience nature, the dark skies and the camaraderie of like-minded travellers.  Our goal is to take you as far away from your buy lives as we can, we take you back to a simpler way of life, our camps, apart from the vehicles and modern materials are very reminiscent of the simple camps my father and grandfather enjoyed as bushmen and stockman.  You get to experience the kind of life the early explorers may have had, if only they had 4WD vehicles and modern sleeping bags and tents.

·       This is not five star camping, this is million star camping. If you want linen table cloths and waiters, we’re not for you.

·       It’s your holiday, not ours. Small itinerary variations, by mutual consent of all participants, in search of particular experiences, are welcome. If we can accommodate, we will.

·       We are not in a rush. Our tours are paced in such a way that we can deal with most delays, without having to “make up time.”

·       We create a life-changing learning experience. Your tour leaders are very experienced desert travellers, knowledgeable about our history and Aboriginal culture and they know this country like you may know your back yard. Whether it's learning about that history, the geology, the flora and fauna or simply how to develop the knowledge and skills needed to travel unsupported in this desert country, your leader can help.

·       Our goal is to have you forget what day of the week it is.

Diversity and Inclusion Statement

Olsen’s Tours and Training has been a member of the ACON Welcome Here program for years. Kimberly Olsen has been influential in Diversity and Inclusion and cultural change in Australian corporations and Australian Health as a consultant and inspirational speaker. Her most significant work has been on the inclusion of transgender and gender diverse people within the recruitment process, her work on LGBTI inclusive service provision and the preliminary setup of the Pride in Health & Wellbeing program. We welcome all people on our tours and expect the same of our participants. Our women's tours are for all women.

Our tours travel through the traditional lands of Australia's First Nations peoples, often via invitation. A history of dispossession and colonisation lies at the heart of the disparity between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and non-Indigenous Australians today. We don't tolerate racism and ask that all of our participants show the deepest respect for our hosts and their homelands.