The Birdsville races should have started today but the track is underwater. The ABC reports …
Birdsville Race Club vice–president Gary Brook said the main Birdsville Cup race would now run on Sunday, a day later than planned.
“With the water that was laying on the track after 50 millimetres of rain overnight, we needed sufficient time to let the track dry, get the mud off, make sure the track was dry and safe and really, to race tomorrow – there just wasn’t sufficient time,” he said.
Roma-based pilot Andrew Luhrs flew nine people out to Birdsville, landing on the town’s main strip.
But he could not park his plane on the gravel cross-strip because of the risk of bogging.
He said he was forced to fly to Boulia, 400 kilometres away, for the weekend.
There is very little accommodation in Birdsville. About 7000 people were expected for the races almost all of those people are camping. Some are in the caravan park in town, the rest are out at the billabong or along the Diamantina River. Either way they are up to their ankles (at least) in mud.
No one will give up and go home … when the heavens open the roads close. How long will they be staying?
In 1986 the roads were closed for so long that the pub ran out of beer. The patrons were reduced to drinking Creme de Menthe and lemonade AKA the Green Lizard. Good luck, guys.
bobmcgee 