Birdsville

Birdsville is a small village with 115 inhabitants in Queensland, Australia. It lies on the border with South Australia on the eastern edge of the Simpson Desert on often dried Diamantina River.

Birdsville is part of the 95,000 km ² of the Diamantina Shire Council, which thus is about as large as Bavaria and Hesse together, but a total of only 307 inhabitants. In the village, English is spoken, mostly with Australian twist. But six of residents prefer private transport Afrikaans speaking.

Birdsville is considered a classic outback town. The nearest major town is 670 km away, known for its mining Mount Isa, which has around 20,000 inhabitants. At the state capital Brisbane and distance is almost 1,600 km. Birdsville represents the northern terminus of the Birdsville Track, a dirt road, about 500 km away, the South Australian town of Marree is at the other end. From there to Adelaide there are still another 700 km. Unpaved trunk roads also lead to the north and east coasts.

Climate

The average high temperature of the nearby 47 meters above the sea level town is 30.5 ° C, the minimum temperature of 15.8 ° C. The average rainfall per year amounted to 167.2 mm.

Historical

Birdsville reached its peak in the second half of the 19th century. In 1887, the city levied place served as a customs collection center for the trade and commerce between the states, which consisted mainly of cattle drives due to its proximity to the South Australian border. At that time Birdsville could also have three hotels next to the customs house and a police station.

With the elimination of customs duties by the union of the Australian colonies to the Commonwealth of Australia in 1901 finally was accompanied by a certain economic decline.

1973 was in place a memorial to Edmund Colson was built, which had in 1936 crossed the first white man the Simpson Desert.

Economy

Birdsville is despite the small population, the most important place within a few hundred km and thus has the function of a regional supply center for the extensive cattle farming based there. So, for example, the nearest gas station is outside of Birdsville after 1997 completed closure of the hotel, which included the gas pump, in the 170 km distant Betoota in the 200 km northern bedourie, where the management of the Diamantina Shire is located. About 300 km to the south there is another gas station in located on the Birdsville Track Mungeranie in the Strzelecki Desert. Birdsville also owns an airfield, a hospital and several shops and the only hotel for miles around, but offers just what beer in cans and bottles.

The water supply of the place and also the agriculture in the region is ensured by the largest underground water reservoir of the earth, the Great Artesian Basin. With the 98 ° C warm water of the pool is also a geothermal power plant with a capacity of 80 kW is operated.

Birdsville Races

Of great social importance to the region every year during the first week held in September Birdsville Races, a horse racing are also attracts numerous tourists. The population of the town swells in these two days to several thousand, and the 1700 meters long runway of the airport is then crowded with hundreds of aircraft. The proceeds of this event benefit the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia benefit.