The Big Burke and Wills Trek is a 330km, 11-day trekking challenge that follows in the faded footsteps of Burke and Wills through south-western Queensland and north-eastern South Australia, beginning at the Dig Tree (near Innamincka) all the way to Birdsville, crossing both the Strzelecki and Sturts Stony Deserts.

1.
The
Big
Burke
and
Wills
Trek
2014

2. The
Big
Burke
and
Wills
Trek
–
A
life
changing
journey
The
new
Big
Burke
and
Wills
Trek
is
Australia’s
most
historically
based
Trek,
following
the
faded
footsteps
of
Burke
and
Wills
from
the
Dig
Tree
on
Cooper
Creek
to
Birdsville
on
the
Diamantina
River.
It
joins
a
handful
of
exceptional
outback
trekking
experiences,
taking
participants
into
Australia’s
most
unchartered
frontier
land
where
original
indigenous
relics,
some
tens
of
thousands
of
years
old,
still
remain
scattered
through
the
intriguing
landscape.
The
Trek
covers
330km
over
11
days,
which
is
the
same
pace
that
Burke
and
Wills
travelled
on
this
part
of
their
journey
in
1860
as
they
started
out
on
their
“dash
to
the
Gulf
and
back”.
The
Trek
is
a
full
re-­‐creation
of
this
most
historically
significant
expedition.
The
epic
journey
crosses
2
deserts,
the
Strzelecki
and
the
inhospitable
Sturt
Stony
Desert,
travels
through
Innamincka
and
along
the
Diamantina
River
before
reaching
its
finishing
point,
the
Burke
and
Wills
Memorial
in
Birdsville.
It
doesn’t
follow
any
established
tracks,
roads
or
trails;
rather
it
forges
an
untrodden
route
following
as
near
to
the
original
route
of
Burke
and
Wills
as
possible,
a
landscape
barely
trodden
since
the
original
expedition.
Many
of
the
10
Trek
campsites
are
in
locations
where
Burke
and
Wills
were
known
to
have
camped.
On
20
August
2014
the
inaugural
Trek
got
underway
departing
Dig
Tree
on
the
same
day
the
original
Burke
and
Wills
expedition
left
Melbourne
in
1860.
The
2015
Trek
will
depart
again
from
the
Dig
Tree
on
August
16.

3. The
2014
Trekkers
were
supported
by
a
comprehensive
crew
of
medical
staff,
catering,
camp
management,
trekker
tracking
and
trek
operations
personnel,
with
sophisticated
communications,
IT,
mapping,
transport
and
logistics
support
–
a
200
year
improvement
on
Burke
and
Wills
expedition
and
with
detailed
planning
and
risk
management
to
ensure
everyone’s
survival
this
time.

4. And
of
course
there
were
6
camels
along
for
the
journey,
just
as
there
were
back
in
1860,
adding
to
the
authenticity
and
overall
Trek
experience.
Trekkers
absorbed
the
history
of
Burke
and
Wills
from
guide
Dave
Phoenix,
President
of
the
Burke
and
Wills
Historic
Society.
They
also
learnt
about
the
Aboriginal
history
and
culture
of
the
region
through
the
traditional
landowner
from
the
Yandrawandha
tribe,
custodian
and
guide
Josh
Haynes.
The
escorted
journey
through
his
sacred
land
revealed
the
little
told
story
of
the
lone
Burke
and
Wills
expedition
survivor
John
King,
who
was
saved
by
the
local
tribes
people
and
lived
with
them
for
nine
months
before
his
rescue
party
arrived.

5. The
modern
day
trekkers
encountered
a
great
variety
of
landscapes
along
the
way,
with
the
scenery,
topography
and
vegetation
constantly
changing.

6.
The
campsites
were
all
amazing
with
many
being
in
locations
where
Burke
and
Wills
camped.
The
dunes
of
the
Strzelecki
end
and
morph
into
the
Sturt
Stony
desert
–
a
known
campsite
of
Burke
and
Wills
Camped
on
the
edge
of
the
dray
lakebed
of
Lake
Toonman.

7.
The
trekkers
even
watched
the
original
Jack
Thompson
Burke
and
Wills
movie
on
the
camp
screen
in
the
middle
of
the
desert!

8. The
food
was
delicious,
with
freshly
cooked
breakfast,
lunch
and
dinner
courtesy
of
the
Australian
Army
catering
corp.
Burke
and
Wills
never
had
it
so
good!
Trekkers
learnt
about
the
history
of
Burke
and
Wills
from
Trek
guide
Dave
Phoenix,
President
of
the
Burke
and
Wills
Historic
Society.

9. Trekkers
also
learnt
about
the
aboriginal
history
and
culture
of
the
region
and
through
the
Traditional
Owners,
from
the
Yandrawandha
and
Yarawackarra
people.
who
guided
us
through
their
sacred
land.
There
were
many
aboriginal
artefacts
found,
examined
and
explained
during
the
Trek.

10.
Rivers
were
crossed.
Dunes
were
scaled.

11.
Sunsets
were
magnificent.

12. Deserts
were
defeated.
Fun
was
had.

13.
Campfires
were
enjoyed.
Friendships
were
forged.

14.
And
finally,
after
11
days
and
330km,
the
end
was
in
sight.

15.
Success
was
celebrated…
The
Inaugural
Big
Burke
and
Wills
Trek
was
a
uniquely
Australian
experience,
and
an
inspirational
life-­‐changing
journey
for
all
involved.
More
than
70%
of
the
inaugural
trekkers
said
it
surpassed
expectation
and
was
good
value
for
money
and
96%
said
it
was
well
organized.
We
cant
wait
to
do
it
all
again
in
2015!
"An
unbelievable,
life
changing
experience.
First
class
organisation,
in
a
remote
and
spectacular
part
of
Australia.”
Sally
-­‐
2014
Trekker
16-­‐26
August
2015
www.bigburkeandwillstrek.com.au
Contact:
Greg
Donovan
|
greg@borntorun.com.au
|
02
9949
8754
|
Check
out
the
2014
Big
Burke
and
Wills
Trek
video
here.