Tuesday 26 August 2014

Yunta, Peterborough, Flinders Range


The road to the border is still a high dry saltbush plain and follows the railway. Across the border (no quarantine!)  then to Olary pub. Was going to stay but not very inspiring and used Wikicamps to check Yunta. Looks much nicer so stopped there instead.  Some healthy looking goats around and a few horses sheep and cattle. Much healthier looking emus around here. The o/n camps have no road signs which is annoying – just the truck stops. Yunta is a nice spot with a 24 hour BP stop as well. Went to the pub for a chat, drink and fish n chips for dinner.

The quarantine station is 20km out of Peterborough – and not manned when I went through but I am told it is sometimes so not worth the risk. More saltbush plains but the hills getting nearer now. Then in to GRASS finally. Got fruit and veg in town then back to the camp east of town. Nice spot but near the railway. Trains ok though. Tried to get TV but only sbs so listened to the game on radio – 51-20 win – yippee. Would loved to have seen it!

Very foggy in the mornings around Peterborough. I do like this part of the country.
Headed towards Flinders. The country has been lovely rolling green – grass and grain crops, and gentle rolling hills. Then towards Craddock it becomes quite brown. The hills turn into cones of polkadot saltbush – almost wonder if it has been planted. Much drier and brown - but not like drought stressed grass - more of an alpine brown grass.  Stopped at Hawker for fuel – thought about staying but Wipena is only another 40 km. The ranges tower over you on the west and rolling red rock range on the east. Gentle rising all the way.  Very pretty along the road – back into river gums along dry stony river beds.
Then the land changed and into gorgeous confers with bright green grass under them! Excellent road all the way from Peterborough – nice change. Wilpena $10 = 10 day park pass and $8 p/n to camp (consession rate) – more if you want power. Large area with many trees and plenty of facilities. Big group of kids turned up - much excitement but quiet by 10 pm - thank goodness.
Headed north and was going to Bunyeroo Gorge but after 4km decided the road was too rough so carried on up the main road. An excellent road too. Stopped at Dingly Dell - lovely camp, then took the dirt road to Brachina Gorge - 20km. Was ok but not somewhere to be after rain as the road follows the river beds in places and there are many streams that cross it. After talking to people who had come in from the south I decided to be brave and take the road back to Bunyeroo and then to Wilpena.
It was fine most of the way but had to go slow. Surprising the number of cars on the road also.



Saturday 16 August 2014

Cobar, Wilcannia, Broken Hill

The road from Bourke south is good – mostly long and straight through very flat grass lands with scattered trees. Lots of sheep and cattle. Kidman way = Kidmans owned huge areas of this country – around Yowah as well. Evidence of the bores being closed in – lack of windmills and water tanks on mounds all over the place. Was a great scheme while it lasted – pity the gov has pulled the funding before it was finished. Capped the bores and piped the water to prevent waste from evaporation!!!
Pleasant evening chatting to Asian newly retired couple who are dashing around Australia in 3 months!!!
 Big mobs of cows and sheep – calving and lambing. Not much feed around though. To Mitchell Caravan Park – kiwi couple running it. Had shower, did lots of washing etc.  Neighbors had their very bright outside light on all night – ugh – and dogs barking.
Checked out first camp south – nothing but scrub and tracks. Same with the next one but stayed back in the scrub. much cleaner and quieter than the sealed roadside area. Chatting to a couple with Model A Ford and camper. A few others stayed the night. Very quiet.
 To Cobar. Such a good road most of the way, with gentle undulations., and heaps of goats. Got a haircut and some groceries then out to the 16,000 acre Fairview Station (NOT a farm - but a small station) on the Louth road for 6 days. Went for a walk until I found where I wanted to park. So many nasty burrs everywhere – settled on a clean bit of ground near the yards. All the children  are home schooled and are quite delightful. We all went up to the trig (Mt Buckwaroon) to watch the sunset and a huge moon rising after setting the traps around the holding paddock and dam.
 Went for a drive one day to a dam much further out. Checked for gold in a few creeks and around the trig. Nothing. About 30 goats in the trap pen – one old nanny put her head down and shot under the gate followed by her kid! I fixed a gate that had its bar knocked off. Saw a couple of roos, and more goats. The hingelock fence is certainly effective for stopping the goats. Went back to watch the goats being loaded on to the trailer. They are easy to smother it seems – stupid things. There were less than when I saw them before so obviously several know how to get out those gates!!!! Watched a DVD on problem solving for this sort of land. Very interesting and I certainly look at the countryside with different eyes now.Went to Cobar. Up to the mine lookout over it. Did laundry, had a face neck and shoulder massage – Vietnamese – includes hair wash and dry for $30. Lunch then washed ute. The 2 minute slots go really fast I decided. Bought hanging tomato plant things and strawberry seeds for the kids. 
Said a reluctant goodbye to the family after 6 days and to headed towards Wilcannia. Checked a couple of camp sites and stopped at a new area at Lilyvale. Will be finished in a week or so with toilets and covered tables on both sides of the road. More a truck stop I think but only 25km to camp areas off the road either side of this stop.  Decided to stay at Emmdale roadhouse - $10 for a key to loo and showers. Bit worried that if it rains I will get stuck at the free camps. Chatting to some Tasmanians 
Acacias starting to flower. Very undulating but straight road. Pretty good surface most of the way. Heaps of goats on side of road, and sheep in very bare paddocks.
Woke at 6.30 to the sound of gentle rain. Decided to shift to the sealed area! Had a shower, breakfast then on the road before 8!!! So many goats drinking off the road, also fat family of pigs, and a few roos. Nearly collected a roo who decided to shoot across between me and an oncoming car. Luckily I was going slow as I wanted to go around the dead one on the road ahead! 
Up gentle rises to the Maccullochs range camp by 8.30.  This is a great spot with a childrens playground, sealed parking and plenty of camping areas off to the side. Pity about the weather as I think there would be a great view from up here. Was going to stay but decided it was too wet and cold to camp so down to Wilcannia – new Caravan Park out of town. 
Went across the Darling Flood plain - hope this rain does not cause floods.  
Miserable wet day parked beside a billabong. A day for the computer I think. Rain did ease up a bit during the night but more rain in the  morning. Tried to tune TV so I could watch the Bledisloe Cup but no luck getting 10 yesterday so decided to shift the van up about 4 sites in the morning – a little better and almost have it! Did washing – but no driers here so place is like a chinese laundry. At least it is cool enough to have the heater going!

Stayed an extra day - still wet and cold then on to Broken Hill. Flat dry high plain with salt bush and scrubby scattered trees. Stopped at Netallie Hill and Dolo hill – both exposed truck stops and not at all inviting. After Dolo the road wound down a bit through wide gentle hills with more casiurina trees and salt bush. A few yellow, white and purple (Patterson’s curse?) wild flowers around. Stock look health though – sheep and cattle. Had Spring Hill stop all to myself so practiced backing and got tucked in behind the playground! Supposed to be phone here but not getting anything! So much for updating the sites I have photos of! Still a cold wind so a day for reading I think! Chatting to a few campers. Full overnight including some noisy ones.
Thought about staying an extra day but moved on to Tobar roadhouse. Not inspiring – big truck stop - and still no internet. More vast wide flat saltbush plains, (150m ASL) and more feed around. Closer to Broken hill the land is more hilly. The town looks very old with lots of small cottages, and lines of little old accommodation blocks. Built on hills and has deep drains and floodways at all intersections in town. 
Went out to Silverton – Penrose park. $10 pp plus $5 for power so staying a couple of nights. STILL no internet though. Very undulating road – am told 39 floodways in the 25km. Would not like to be out here in rain especially with the floodway road through the river with dirt piled up! Interesting large park with heaps of camping spots. No taps but plenty of drinking water tanks. Limited power sites also.
Did the tourist thing out to the sculpture - all rather unfinished! went in to a CP on the 3rd night then on to SA.











Wednesday 6 August 2014

Cunnamulla, Yowah, Bourke


Very pleasant drive from Bollon to Cunnamulla. Straight good road but so much road kill. Counted 23 in 7 km. Mulga trees all the way. At least the roadsides are clean so can see anything coming out. A roo raced up the road beside me at one stage. Dead roos, pigs, emus,  plus some skinny cows and goats. They have eaten the trees up as high as they can reach and some have been cut off at shoulder height for the stock to eat. I was surprised to see dams with plenty of water in them though.
Out on to the Mitchell grass plains before Cunnamulla. I stopped at the Warrego CP - lovely new park with perfumed rose gardens, herbs between each site and very good facilities. Happy hour down by the river.
Decided to go to Yowah as I was told the road is sealed. Stopped to take photos of a couple of camps on the way - Paddabilla Bore and Eulo then off the main road and 70 km to Yowah. Only a single lane of seal all the way but very little traffic and easy drive. Stopped at the free camp for 2 nights - artesian shower, dump point and toilet, then decided to go to the CP and stay 3 more. Dinner at the CP on Thursday was $15  for a 3 course meal. They fed about 50 that night. Money all goes to the Flying Doctor - visits once a week out here and has a purpose built room to do Chemo etc. Friday Fish n chips, and Saturday the Salvos did a BBQ. Sunday was market day - cheap opals there. I did a bit of fossicking but no luck. A very pleasant way to spend a few hours. Did the very informative mine tour and had happy hour with the lovely CP owners. Was taken out to their house one day as well.
The easiest way to get opals is to pay $1 and got to Tanya's house where you can take what you want from her off-cut trays.
There are artesian baths at the CP - free for anyone. 2 big old fashioned baths in each room - soak under the stars. The new pools will be open soon.
Worth a drive up to the bluff - great view all round.
Back to Cunnamulla to get fuel etc, and meet with friends. Traveled south towards Bourke. Was going to stay at the Bushtucker Inn but not paying $10 to park out the front in the dust where all the trucks stop. None of the $15 powered sites left as a roading gang staying. We thought the Oasis Hotel had a free camp but Camp7 is wrong - $20 CP there so on south to the next camp 60 north of Bourke. Several there overnight. Good drive again - gentle rises and falls all the way. Once again very little feed anywhere but big mobs of cows and calves, and also sheep. Plenty of emu walking the fence-lines looking confused!