Wallaroo

So far we have travelled 4,809.2km, used 886.11lts of diesel which has cost us $1,573.08.

Breaking it down: it cost an average of $1.775 per litre and economy rate of 18.42lts/100km.

Pretty good considering we are pulling the camper which weighs around 1,600 kilos.

Arrived in Wallaroo early Friday afternoon (19/4).  The caravan park is right on Office Beach so after we set up went for a walk along the beach and along the jetty where the locals were fishing for mullet.  Spent Saturday playing tourist around Kadina, Moonta and Port Hughes.  Went to Moonta Mines and checked out the Museum – lots of fascinating history there mainly around the Cornish miners.  Checked out some of the old miner’s cottages in Moonta – very nice, it’s on the potential settle down list.  Heavy rain and squally winds from early morning meant not much sleep and Sunday it was a matter of keeping dry and out of the wind – thank goodness for an eReader and Scrabble on the iPad.  Heading towards Swan Reach tomorrow but will be back in this part of the world around 23 May for the Kernewek Lowender Cornish Festival.

 

Ruins at Moonta Mines

The Yorke Peninsula

A fair few kms travelled since our last update.  We left Wilpena Pound on Monday 8/4 after a great couple of days – beautiful scenery, great weather – if you ever get the chance to spend time in that part of the world – do it!!!!!  Spent the next couple of days in Port Augusta.  I wouldn’t recommend it as a holiday destination but we did get a new back window fitted so all good.  It also gave us the chance to get rid of some more red dust from the truck, trailer and ourselves.

Headed for the Yorke Peninsula on Thursday 11/4 and spent the night in a beachside caravan park in Moonta – now that is definitely a holiday destination.  Beautiful old stone cottages, lots of history and very proud of their Cornish heritage – lots of Cornish miners came there when copper was discovered over 100 years ago.  They hold the biggest Cornish festival in the world there every two years – we’re going to head back that way for a better look.

On the way to Innes National Park we passed through the biggest wheat and barley fields I’ve ever seen.  We camped at the Pandalowie Campground for 3 nights.  Beautiful spot, not crowded and good fishing spots close by.  Michael caught a snapper big enough to feed us both for dinner one night and I almost caught a squid several times but it kept spitting the hook out!!! I have never seen dark like the nights there – no moon, cloud cover and no ambient light.  It was like being blindfolded.

Arrived in Stansbury Monday 15 April and booked into a Caravan Park right on the beach.  It was nice to have a hot shower after 3 days of bush camping.  Lots of fishing to be done off the beach – mainly Tommies and mullet – we might have a go over the next couple of days.  We’re here til Friday and then to Wallaroo which is back on the west coast of the Yorke Peninsula.

 Blue Morwong (Queen Snapper) - dinner!

 Pelicans on the run

 Stansbury beach - our back door!

 Seagull at Moonta

 Another seagull

 Innes National Park

Flinders Ranges

Only a few kms out of Leigh Creek and we could see the Flinders Ranges in the distance.  Back on sealed roads as far as Parachilna and then dirt through the Parachilna Gorge to Blinman.  The road was up hill and down dale and winding across dry creek beds – would be spectacular to see during, or just after, heavy rain but it would be totally impassably.  I’ve never seen so many dry creeks and rivers in one place before.  Crossed into the Flinders Ranges National Park and booked into the Wilpena Pound Campground for a couple of days. 

Spent most of Saturday doing the best of Flinders Ranges and Brachina Gorge 4WD trek.  The countryside is dominated by the enormous River Red Gums – some of them 300 years old.  You can also see geological formations in the shale which is over 600 million years old.  There are also lots of native cypress pine trees about but it’s the River Red Gums that dominate.  Brachina Gorge Geological Trail was also crisscrossed by dry creek beds – once again would be spectacular after some rain.  There was amazing scenery around every corner and we took lots of photos – hope you enjoy the sample we have included; again with a little of Michael’s creative license using Adobe Lightroom: 

 River Red Gum

 Red Gum and Cypress Pines

 The Cazneaux Tree

The Birdsville Track

Left Birdsville and its 85 million flies behind this morning and headed down the track towards Marree. Again the scenery was constantly changing – lots of different shades of ochre and brown with what looked like mesas in the distance – all we needed was cactus and we could have been in Mexico!  The track conditions were pretty good – some of the locals refer to it as the Birdsville Highway (maybe not quite that good). Lots of very healthy looking cattle grazing on the roadside and one scrawny dingo – see photo.  Stopped for a roadside coffee and noticed that the Anderson plug had come loose and worn away on the road surface!!  Oh well!!!  Got to the Mungarannie Hotel mid-afternoon and decided, after a couple of cold beers, to spend the night.  Good choice – what a character the pub owner is – a story for every occasion.

Next morning off towards Marree through brown, red and mustard dust, scrub and every now and again patches of vibrant green trees with sand dunes and big hills off in the distance.  Yet more grazing cattle and the first sheep we’ve come across on the track.  Going along nicely and then “bang” there goes the back window of the Prado – one very small stone lots of damage!!!  Stopped in Marree for fuel and coffee and managed to pick up some cardboard boxes to cover the rear window until we can get it fixed.  Stopped in Leigh Creek for the night and covered the rear window and made arrangements to get the window replaced when we get to Port Augusta next week

Photos follow care of Michael’s creative license:

 The Birdsville Hotel

 Edward and Dafydd

 The dog fence