"To The Back Of Bourke And Then Some" PAGE 4 - { REDBANK GORGE NT TO LAWSON NSW } FRI 5/6/1998 Good sleep. After breakfast I had a chat with Hans, who was the only other camper there. We decided that we were travelling and looking at the same things, we may as well stick together until Alice Springs, at which time I will be headed down the Stuart Highway, and Hans wants stay at Alice Springs for a while. Hans is sixty-five
years of age and friendly sort First we walked up
to the Redbank Gorge, along the very sandy bed of the Fink River, until we
came to where the gorge narrowed to a few metres wide. I guess because the
water when in flood, must cannon through the narrow gap between the
cliffs, there was a deep pool of v Upon getting back to the cars, Hans was backing out, when the left front wheel locked up. We pulled the thing off, only to find a small rock, had lodged between the break calliper and the rim, the rock was gone, but you could see the marks, there was no damage done much to his relief. We stopped in at Glen Helen and had a look at the pool there. A fairly large pool, with plenty of vegetation around it. This place is significant for the part it played in the aboriginal and early explorers and camel trains that relied on it as the only permanent water hole in drought conditions.
When we arrived Hans found that he had left his good shoes that his wife had given him, at Redbank Gorge, so he left his trailer and went back to get them, and I continued on to Omiston Gorge, which was only eleven kilometres further on along Namatjira Drive. Just as well, because the bitumen runs from here all the rest of the way to Alice Springs. The place was nearly full of tourists already, at five dollars per person, but by spreading my gear out a bit I was I managed to save a place for Hans, when he arrived about one and a half-hour later.
SUN. 6/6/1998 We had a look at
Omiston Gorge after Just as we were about to climb out of the creek-bed I discovered that I had left my haversack about half a kilometre back along the creek where we had stopped to take photographs, so leaving Hans to wait my return, I retraced my steps. After a little searching I retrieved it. On getting back to where Hans was waiting we continued on our way along the walking track, that led back up the walls of the gorge to the top. The rock formation
was spectacular, with the layer of red brown rock, We made our way to the high point, and what a magnificent view it was. We could see all the way from the camping ground- along the river to the entrance of the gorge and along the bottom where the sandy creek bed sported a couple of large water holes and large boulders. Lifting my eyes, a panoramic view extended one hundred and eighty degrees, over the surrounding mountains, rock formations, and bush.
On getting to the camping area we set up camp and for me it was the first time that, as the night got cold we sat by a camp fire and yarned, whilst drinking numerous cups of tea- Very Pleasant!
To day we visited Serpentine Gorge. After a short walk, where the cliffs became narrower we came to a small but deep dark pool of extremely cold water. Although the water was icy cold there were thousands of green tree frog tadpoles swimming about, which would suggest that the ecosystem hereabouts was in pretty good shape.
What we found was
what looked like some sort of a holding complex for prison inmates. There
was a steel cage with a roof about five by My guess is that there was prisoner labour camp here and probably the prisoners were used to construct the various trails and steps through the area. Where we are travelling for the past few days is all in the Macdonnell National Park. By the look of things the compound may not have been used for ten to twenty years, although the equipment that was there looked in quite good shape. Anyway something different and something to stimulate the imagination. On getting back to the cars we left and headed for Big Pool, at which we arrived and set up camp at around four O’clock. Being again Sunday I also set up the eighty-metre dipole antenna which created more that a little interest from the other campers. After setting up the antenna we wandered down to big pool, only a three hundred metre. It was by far the biggest pool out of the ones we had seen in the past four or five days, the same dark water- stained by gum leaves and bark from the ghost gums that ringed the banks. It would be a great place to lay on the sand with a good book, also swimming is allowed and the water is not as cold as other pools. The fee at the camping ground was two dollars fifty and the same provision for collecting the money was employed as the previous camps we had visited. The contact with
Ralph and Brian was good although I had to terminate the contact about
half past nine due to the other campers going to bed. MON.8/6/1998 I had a sked with
Ralph on twenty-one megahertz at twelve noon so I did not accompany Hans
on the one and half hour walk but stayed in camp and fixed a broken pole
from my tent- that the wind snapped a couple days ago. The rest of the
gear already packed, Hans said he had got lost as the track was not clearly marked and as he was climbing a hill to see where he was he noticed a dingo off to one side pacing him for a couple of hundred yard before disappearing-. (Probably decided he was too big to eat!) After getting going we then headed for Alice Springs and booked into Hearitree Gap Out Back Resort Caravan Park. Hans booked in for one week, I for two days, Hans will now head north and I south. It has been great having a companion for a week and we have become good friends. TUE. 9/6/1998 We went shopping and I bought another three-pound hammer to replace the one I lost about a week and a half ago, as well as stocking up on perishables. I took Hans to Adelaide House, I had visited it before, and he was impressed with it, he also appreciated the technical and vision that went into it, and we then got a cup of tea given to us by the elderly couple volunteers that were on duty. In the evening we went up to the caravan parks social centre to see a demonstration of snakes and lizards. The show consisted of one bearded dragon, two blue tongued lizards, two black snakes and a brown snake. The brown snake was red in colour because it came from the red centre and the brown snakes from there have adapted to the land colour, also another snake (Cant remember its name.) that wasn’t as docile as the others, a relatively new member of the group I believe. The handler showed us how snakes strike at movement. They have not got very good sight so if you stand still a snake will not see you so they wont strike. At the end of the demonstration he brought out a twelve-foot python, and that was the end of the demonstration. The show continued with damper cooking lessons and music but we left at this point and returned to where we were camped as neither of us had tea, and I was leaving next morning. On the way back we stopped to watch the rock wallabies, which come down to feed on pellets supplied by the caravan park, they are small only about eighteen inches high, and I can see that the python we had just been shown could easily swallow one. WED.10/6/1998
Sked night so I set up the antenna early and had an easy afternoon or what was left of it. Good contact with Ralph on eighty metres, put skeds back to eight O’clock on eighty metres from now on, next sked with Ralph made for twelve noon next Sunday on twenty one point one seven zero megahertz and then at eight PM. on three point six seven zero megahertz. THUR. 11/6/1998
I turned left to Oodnadatta on a reasonable good gravel road, but still I had to keep my eyes peeled for rocks in the middle of the track big enough to hit the sump- of which there were a number. I was driving along
enjoying being back in the open country again I have camped about five metres off the road behind a hill twenty kilometres west of Oodnadatta. I felt quite unwell around midday, My heart erratic and missing beats and then racing and had me quite worried. I have been a bit slack taking my pills only getting around to taking one instead of the three that I am supposed to take, anyway after pulling up and taking one and resting for about half an hour I felt a lot better. A beautiful sunset tonight- Golden streaks stretching from the west to east and north, really lovely. The nights are getting really cold over the last couple of weeks and the last couple of nights I have had to put on the Thermal underwear as well as all the blankets I have with me and two shirts and two track pants. FRI. 12/6/1998 A lot of wind during the night and I checked and tightened the tent ropes and pegs several times, the last time being just before daybreak. So I gave sleep away and had an early breakfast and had every thing packed up relatively early. I had a bit of trouble finding the road because the ground was hard and rocky and I lost my tracks. For a while I was headed away from the road but I soon realised this by the position of the sun, so headed off in the general direction until I came upon the road again, then headed for Oodnadatta and arrived about half past nine. Oodnadatta started life as a construction camp, for the overland telegraph line in the eighteen fifties. It became a town when the Ghan railway line reached it from Adelaide in eighteen ninety-one. Oodnadatta remained as the railhead for Central Australia, until the line was extended to Alice Springs in nineteen twenty-nine.
The train was called the Ghan in recognition of the service of the Afghan camel drivers, who till the railway took over where the main suppliers of goods to Central Australia from eighteen ninety one to nineteen twenty nine. The line closed in nineteen eighty, and the last train to travel it was in nineteen eighty-one, to pick up the last of the equipment. The town still struggles on, but is a mere shadow of its former self and seems to rely on tourist trade, as well as fuelling for truck transport and supplies for out-lying stations. There is still one hotel and two caravan parks, two stores, an aboriginal school- (I don’t know about any white kids), a small hospital that was founded by the Reverend John Flynn (of the inland) and a police station. To go through the small museum that is there, you have to get the key from the store. Then you can wander through on your own, which I did and found the old photos and relics very interesting. The town still has a small airport. After looking around for some hours I left and took the Oodnadatta track South. When I first saw the embankments that carried the Old Ghan tracks I got out of the car and stood where the tracks had once laid, trying to visualise the track on there Ironbark sleepers, and sitting in the train and watching the country slip past- A great feeling. I stopped at North creek rail-bridge and had a cup of tea. I was surprised to see that the topping on the concrete abutments had fallen off, the underlying concrete was quite soft and looked more like lime had been used rather cement
The bridge is still intact, including rails and sleepers; it is National Trust classified. At this stage is in good condition with a layer of surface rust that should be treated now, but I guess like a lot of other things that should be done it won’t, and in another twenty years it will probably be to late- A pity! There was another young couple camped next to me, and later they invited me over to their fire for a cup of tea. I had about half of some fruitcake left, so I took that over with me and shared it with them.
It rained most of the night so things were decidedly damp when I poked my nose out in the morning, can’t complain though, this is only the third or forth time it has been any rain on the whole trip. It remained overcast and drizzly all day. After breaking camp I had another look at the bridge- about fifty metres from the Oodnadatta end and on a small hill there are three graves only one of them has any identification. He was a worker who drowned. It did not say whether he was working on the bridge, but I would think it was likely. After looking around I wandered over to the other side of the old line, and had a look at an old open cut gold mine diggings, that had obviously been worked by hand. There were a few foundations left one, which could have been some sort of smelter. After this I headed off again, but stopped on the other side of the bridge, which incidentally was the longest bridge on the Old Ghan. On the other side of the road east from the bridge and down the river a bit; I had a look at some large pools of permanent water. The next place I stoped at was Warrina (ruins) I spent a couple of hours looking around, looking through the old fettler’s stone and iron roofed huts. About one kilometre north of the huts there is an old well with water about six metres down. There was once a spur line running to cattle yards, the line is gone, but the cattle yards are still being used by the locale cattle station. Now instead of being loaded on to steam trains, they are put onto road cattle trucks. Around the fettler’s huts there is evidence of other buildings spread over a large area. I believe that there were around one hundred people living and working there at one stage. I walked about three-quarters of a kilometre to the north east of the cottages to an old graveyard. There were only three graves That was still obvious there, two with inscriptions. One was a young stoker who according to the inscription was killed in the line of duty. The other was a fifty three-year-old man, I guess he must have died of natural causes.
I went straight to where
the fettler’s huts are; there I made camp out side this section, and after tea I made a fire in what was left of the fireplace.I took my light and writing materials in and wrote, while having a cup of tea and listening to the Queensland election results on my all-band receiver, but I will feel a lot safer to sleep in the tent where crawlies can’t get me. SUN 14/6/1998 Listened to Australia all over on short wave. Things still damp, a
couple of light sprinkles The water bores around here and I think to Marree are salty. Here there is a well (shaft bore type) down on the other side of Edward’s Creek to where I camped, it is covered with a corrugated iron shed in quite good condition. On going into the shed I looked down the well which is open. There is an iron ladder going down, but I would not try to go down, although both the ladder and the timber shoring seemed to be in good condition. I satisfied myself in leaning over and taking some video shots while dropping a rock. It took about two and a half seconds to reach the water. The water used to be pumped about three-quarters of a kilometres, to the desalination plant at the Edward’s Creek Siding. This is still mainly intact. It consists of a steel cylinder, about seven metres across and thirty metres high. There are three compartments at different levels, and a inner cylinder going up to the top, with a system of rotating paddles. The water was drawn of the top and filled a overhead cast iron tank that was separate and next to the desalination plant, which the steam engines would get there water via a pipe and over head faucet. There are the
remnants of two fettler’s huts as described yesterday, day plus three
ruins of houses By what was left of the ruins I could ascertain each ruin was the remains of a weather board cottage of two bedrooms lined with a type of fibrous plaster. The frames and roofing are all collapsed and laying higilty pigilty on top of the foundations. In the same row, at
the end there is another cottage build of cement blocks. The main walls
and roof and floor are still intact, there is another small building of
the same structure. Opposite this there is the remains of once was a
platform, only the foundations left. There are also numerous ruins of
sheds and out houses. All these building were of later origin than the
fettler’s cottages, which were same style as the others I have visited,
built out of local stone. I would think constructed along with the
original rail track. There is a ladder going up
and around the desalination plant, which although rusty was safe. I
climbed to the top and got a terrific view of the surrounding country,
much to the annoyance to some small wren type birds, which had taken up
residence inside the tank. Before I left I set up the radio, for the sked with Ralph on twenty one point one seven five megahertz. A very poor contact and we terminated the contact after fifteen minutes. I got into William Creek late in the afternoon, and topped up with petrol. All there is, is an old road house/hotel, a few houses, a workshop, which runs joy flights in a small single engine plane. Eighty dollars per person for one hour flight. It takes in the surrounding country and Lake Eyre. Not in my budget unfortunately I also bought another hat for twenty-five dollars, my last I hope. I have lost three so far, as well as a lump hammer, electronic organiser, pocket knife and kitchen knife. There is another one of those desalination plants next to the bore, the same as the one at Edward’s Creek; I will have a closer look tomorrow. Had an easy tea
opened a tin of stew and mixed it with a cup of instant noodles. MON. 15/6/1998 There were a lot of Screaming Owls around last night, but after shining a torch on one to confirm what was making the noise they no longer worried me. The scream sounds like a woman screaming.
I had just backed up, when some other tourists started to arrive. An American couple tried out the warm water of the bore. Before leaving I
climbed the desalination tower. A bit more difficult than the last, seeing
the first part of the ladder was missing, but by putting the car under,
and climbing on to the antenna poles that I have tied to the roof racks, I
managed to make it, and as before the view was really good. After getting
down and looking around for about half an hour, I resumed my Journey I took a side road
off the Oondnadatta track, to the left for six kilometres to see a couple
of mound springs. These are caused by water being forced up from the
artesian basin, through faults in the rock. Over a long time as the water
bubbles out it carries with it silt and minerals then deposits them around
the perimeter. This gradually builds up into a sizeable mound of many
metres high with a pool at the top. When I got to Gurdmurka (ruins), I found that there has been, and on a continuing bases restoration work being done with the aim of preserving this site. There are working toilets and bore water available. There is still a lot of work to be done, but already it looked so good from the road that I was hesitant about driving in, because from a distance it looked like it was inhabited. Because there was a stretch of railway line still there, I was able to measured the gauge, which turned out to be three foot six inches, or one point seven metres.
On the way I passed and stopped and had a look at Lake Eyre South. Lake Eyre is the lowest and driest area in Australia and is twelve metres below sea level. I could not find a
suitable camping area, as it was too sandy to leave road at all. The
fettler’s huts that were adjacent to the road, were too dilapidated, or
taken over TUE. 16/6/1998 I had quite a day- I looked through the car to see if I could find my kitchen knife or pocketknife, both of which I have spent many hours honing to a good shape and sharpness, but no luck. I will now have to add these to the list of lost items, which is now three hats, one electronic Organiser, one kitchen-knife and pocket-knife, eighty dollars cash, about two hundred and twenty dollars worth. Both he and his wife look to be over eighty. Eric looks after the Caravan Park and she looks after the roadhouse. Both have seen the Ghan from steam through to diesel and to the end of the service.. Last night was very windy but getting very cold now, most people here are headed north and I am headed south. O! Well I seem to be on a different track most of my life to other people, so I suppose that must mean that at least I am stable. WED. 17/6/1998
I got off to my usually
slow start after a cold night, in which I wore triple clothes to bed. I
said good bye to Eric who looked pretty sick with the flue, he has had it
for some time- hope he will be all right. Thirty-five kilometres south and I came onto the ruins of the town of Farina, which once had a population of three hundred, and boasted of two hotels, post office, police station, bakery, Brewery and dozens of other buildings. But on the closing of the Ghan, and eighteen years later, it is a town of ruins, only the bakery, which is more or less intact, resembles a whole building. The bakery was built so that most of it is below ground, the reason appeared to be to insulation the ovens which were intact, except for the door which was missing, the oven is totally under ground level. The Farina Station Homestead borders the old town, and as I was wandering around this afternoon after setting up camp, in the camping ground provided a short distance from the ruins, I met the owner of the Farina Station lease, Kevin I think his name was. After we had chatted for about fifteen minutes, he said it would be all right for me to come up to the homestead and have a look of a block plan of the old town. He also talked about the New Ghan. It turned out that the original line ran close to the town, but because the line got washed away with every flood. A new line was laid some distance to the east. The problem as far as I understand, wasn’t just confined to this area. It was the unstable nature of the country that led to the whole of the line being abandoned. It was not unheard of that the train would leave Adelaide and arrive at Alice Springs several weeks late, after being stuck at a bridge or track, that had been washed away. I got so engrossed
with my wanderings, When I first got here around twelve O’clock, I followed the sign to the old cemetery, which is two kilometres from the town. There are dozens of graves in rows, only a few withidentifiable head stones. Right at one corner of the cemetery, well away from the rest are three Afghan graves. What makes them stand out is that they are not running square with the boundary or the cemetery, as are the others. The reason to my mind seems to be that the Afghans may have been buried facing Mecca, also as well having headstones there were footstones as well. Good contact with Ralph on eighty metres.
THUR.18/6/1998 It was very cold last night -ice on the water in the billy. I went up to see Kevin and his wife Anne (The leaseholders) and had a chat with them. The block plan was a bit hard to copy so I took particulars as follows- The town was originally known as “Government Gums- Water Hole / Farina.” The plan is registered with The Department of lands South Australia; Adelaide would be a good starting Place. After the name there was written; “Out Of Hundreds” also on it was written; “Gas. 28/3/1878” and the number DR212 “28/2/1978” 20 From what I understand the town was supposed to be the centre of a great wheat district but the surveyors must have been there in a good year because according to Kevin, in a wet season the grass can grow waist high. The normal is very dry, and when I was there it indeed looked very desert like. I had to be careful taking the tent down, because of very strong winds. It was well after midday when I finally got on the road again, and after a few stops to look at things, I arrived and booked in at five dollars per night at the Copley Caravan Park. There was no wind when I erected the tent thank goodness. I lit a fire and cooked tea on it, and the sat by it after, till about ten O’clock before putting on triple clothes and crawling into the tent.
FRI. 19/6/1998 I had a good night, it was cold but not as freezing as the night before, but as the sun rose so did the wind, and the day turned out to be cold and blustery. I had to pull the tent down the same way I did yesterday. That is collapse the inside first, then pull the poles out, and collapse the fly with the guide ropes still attached to the pegs. Only then releasing the guide ropes at the same time rolling the fly up. The last thing is to release the corner pegs while rolling up the tent. It is the only way to do it with out breaking the flexible poles. Putting it up in an extreme wind is another matter. A few kilometres south of Lyndhurst I stopped off and had a poke around an Ochre Pit- it looked like at one time it was used commercially- there was no signs, so I have no idea wether it has any cultural significance
I stopped and had a look at what appeared a old farmhouse dam windmill etc. From here you can plainly see the stockpile and equipment at the mine. I believe that the original township of Leigh Creek may have been situated in this vicinity I headed off for the Cammon Ranges National Park in the Flinders Ranges. On the way I passed an aboriginal run camping ground, so I called in and had a chat with a sixty-seven old aboriginal fellow, who was running it. He speaks his own language, but said that few of the younger people do, and are not interested in learning. He can remember his grandfather telling him about the Dreamtime. The old tribal boundaries are governed on the boundary of were the bush orange grows. The story goes-. That the people of the tribe decided to visit a related tribe, but on arriving they were not welcome and told to go back to there own land. The bush orange represents the people spreading out Another story is- to do with a giant snake Akurra, who lived in the main water hole. One day he travelled to the plains looking for water. He came across the Lake Frome and Lake Callabonna, he drank them dry. Because the water was salty Akurra became bloated and his trip back to the ranges was slow, as he went he carved out the Gorges where the creeks run. Where he stopped he created water holes. The first of these is at Akaroola springs. Akurra crawled right back into the ranges past main water springs to a water hole called Yaki Awi. The heat from the sun worried his bloated belly and it made rumbling sounds that can still be heard to day. The people are known as the Adyamathanka People.
As I started up the bank both back wheels kicked out the rocks and the car went down in the loose gravel. Unlike getting bogged in sand, all that there was, were rocks, and any hasty movement would do nasty things to mufflers and petrol tank etc. So for the second time on the trip, I had to resort to the hand winch. After removing the largest of the rocks in front of the rear wheels I started to winch it out carefully, till the diff that was sitting firmly on a large rock came clear. Luckily unlike two and a half months ago, when I got bogged in sand near Cameron Corner, there were plenty of trees within reach of the ropes that I carry, and the front of the car was already a few feet up the creek bank. It was just a matter of using the winch to pull the car forward. Then shortening the rope or changing to another tree, and starting again, which I had to do around four times till I got the car to the top of the bank. The track that I was on was not used, so if I got into trouble I would have to rely on the transmitter to get help. Having it with me gave me the courage to carry out adventures such as this. Though I still fully realised that if for some reason, that I was incapable of setting the gear up, I would be in serious trouble. It took about an hour of heavy work on the hand winch, before I finely had the car sitting up on top of the creek bank. Now deciding that I had better not go any further. I first walked back through the creek bed and removed any large rocks, that might foul the sump, and on turning the car around did the return journey faster and smoother, so the wheels would not kick the rocks out again. The creek bank on the return was not very steep. So with much relief I arrived back on the opposite bank without further incident, and eventually back to the main track.
There is a car parked here full of gear. At first I did not take much notice, but now that it is ten o’clock at night and nobody has returned. I wonder if they are all right. There is an eight hour walk that can be done here. I can’t remember if that is eight hours to its destination or eight hours round trip. Maybe they made provision to camp out, though it does seem strange to leave a car unattended over night There are joggers and track pants, on the front seat as though some one has changed into something more suitable for walking. What I will do is not take off to early but stay here and do my sked with Ralph on twenty-one Megs at twelve O’clock. If they are not back by then I will take down the particulars and report it somewhere. The night is heavily overcast, so as I sit by my fire, it is pitch black outside the ring of light, made by my twelve-volt florescent lamp. There is one big Ghost gum tree within the ring of light, and with the reflection, off the smooth white trunk and branches, it appears as my only companion. There is hardly any wind, so except for the radio, which is also keeping me company, the night is silent. I saw one kangaroo in the creek bed, and plenty of signs of many more. So although the bed of the creek is dry, there must be water holes up or down stream from here. SAT. 20/6/1998 Seeing I had a sked with Ralph at twelve noon, I could not see much reason to hurry, so I just took my time and set up for the sked. I tried for about half an hour but no contact. After leaving I saw, and called into the ranger’s station that was just up the road, to tell them about the yellow Toyota. But they said that the couple called in a couple of days ago and said they were going walking, so they new and did not seem concerned. I still don’t think I would have left all my gear unattended, for days in the middle of the bush. I headed off under ever darkening skies, and took the road south towards Lake Frome, but turned towards Flinders Ranges National Park. I saw a windmill and tank, so I pulled up with the intention of filling a water container for washing etc. So saving my drinking water. Upon getting out of the car I saw that the left hand rear tyre was flat, the trouble being that on roads as rough as the ones that I am presently travelling, there is very little difference of the feel of the car with a tyre flat or not. when I felt the tyre it was quite warm, but not hot, so it was an amusing bit of luck that I stopped for a unrelated reason. While I was taking the wheel off, a couple with a boy pulled up to see if I was all right. The man was aboriginal and his wife was white Anyway I said I was fine, and if I could not fix it I had a spare. As it turned out the injury to the tyre was caused by a stone that had bruised the wall of the tyre and left a small split. So I was doubtful in mind whether a plug would hold, but never the less I but one in, and re-inflated the tyre, and it did stop the leak. I caught up with the couple that had offered to help the woman and the five-year boy had gone for a walk up a hill, the man was sitting in the car listening to the football. It turns out, he works on a local station, and his wife teaches at the Nepabunna school, and that is how they met. He is in the process of buying his own station, he wasn’t sure how many acres, but said it had eight thousand sheep. He agreed that the country runs one sheep to the acre, so I guess it might be around be eighty thousand acres. He has worked on stations all his life, so as far as working the station I guess he is well qualified, and his wife being a teacher she should be able to keep the books. I asked him was the land where his future station was, traditional tribal land and he said it was. The aboriginals in this part of the Flinders- that is the North Flinders at least, are very much assimilated. Though the other fellow I was talking to yesterday, indicated that a lot of younger ones did not see why they should work, when the white man pays them to anyway. As I said before, he was sad because even his own grandson did not want to speak their language. I talked with both
for a while when his wife and son got back from there walk, before
continuing on my way after checking the tyre, and it was fine. When I arrived at Blinman, a small mountain village, it was getting late. I had a look at the little caravan park, but the ground was mainly rock, and it did not look like I would be able to hammer the tent pegs in, and besides that the wind was blowing a gale. I decided to continue on another twenty kilometres to Glass gorge that a couple at the Caravan Park told me about. When I finely arrived, I found it was as they described it to be. On the approach there are hundreds pine trees, and along a track through the trees there were evidence of old campfires, so I soon had the tent pitched and a good fire lighted. If the weather holds I might spend another night, and have a look around tomorrow SUN. 21/6/1998 Well it rained quite a bit last night, and on awakening things were decidedly damp and muddy. I was worried that the creeks, which are numerous in the area, might start to run. Which they are prone to do, in this part of the country when it rains. Five hours after the rain stops, they would be down again. But if it rained for days, I would be stuck in a very cold and wet situation. So without having breakfast, I did a record fast pack up, about half an hour, and started off. The creeks were just
showing signs of running, and some sheep and Feral goats were drinking
from the puddles. A bit of a treat, seeing the only water available for
them is from bores normally. Also there were plenty of kangaroos out. One
I passed The road was somewhat slippery in places, and it wound in and out of hills and creeks. I had to exercise great care. On getting back to the bitumen road that runs between Leigh Creek and Hawker. I turned south and decided I would head straight for Broken Hill, which I did via Hawker, Peterborough, and then along the Barrier highway to Broken Hill. Where I booked into a local caravan park, at the cost me ten dollars for the night, the price certainly higher once you hit the tourists trail. They were going to charge me twelve until I complained. They probably reduced it two dollars to shut me up. MON. 22/6/1998 It rained a little bit during the night. I did my washing last night, and for the first time used the parks clothes drier. I was in a hurry to get off, and I wanted things to dry off this time, before packing them up. Eventually I got going and took the car to a tyre shop, to get a tube in the tyre that I had put the plug in. The fellow that did the job said I had made a good job of inserting the plug. Which is a bit of a surprise to me, seeing it was the first time I had tried it. Cost of tube and fitting was twenty dollars. After I drove out towards Silverton. Five kilometres out I saw a sign, which said, “To Daydream Mine”. So after turning off, and two kilometres and three gates later I duly arrived. It is run by a couple who lease it off the last owner’s widow, and it turned out to be one of the highlights of the trip. A prospector, who arriving at the hill, where the silver ore body has been forced to the surface through natural forces, discovered the mine. He was fairly tired and was leaning against a tree half asleep, when he realised that what he saw wasn’t a dream, and that is why it was called The Daydream Mine. The mine turned out to be rich in silver. Much richer than the Broken Hill mine, which was discovered much later.
Because the ore was shipped as it was dug out, with out any refining to England and Germany to be processed only the richest ore was sought, and anything of a lower grade was bypassed. When the last owner bought in recent times, there was, and still is a commercial quantity of ore left. The mine is one of the few freehold mines. The last owner mined it him self and used compressed air drills, and also installed rail lines. Eventually he died, and at the present time his widow owns the mine. I do hope that when she dies, some big mining company does not buy it, and open-cut it, or some other destructive method, to get at the ore. The history here is non-replaceable so here is hoping.
TUE. 23/6/1998 I pulled the Carby to pieces, but could not find any blockages, although there was a bit of silt, in the bottom of the float chamber. After putting it back I went for a run, it was better, but still not right. I then went up to the town and found some fire wood along the creek The car looked a bit weird with bits of branches tied to the roof racks, but I got it back to my camp, and then went back to have a look around. By this time the museum was closed, so I went around the corner and had a look at the pub- (quaint!), but I cant see anything too special. The town was a ghost town, and is 25 kilometres north west of broken hill, but is well on its way to being restored for the tourist trade. The railway used to run out here from Broken Hill. In its hay day as a mining town, it boasted of three thousand people, but now has a population of around fifty. Over recent years it has been a popular place to shoot scenes in films, such as Mad Max two, Razorback, and a town like Alice, plus numerous documentaries and commercials. Some of the better-restored buildings, includes the church, which overlooks the town, Council chambers, the jail which houses the museum, which I will have a look at tomorrow. I ran out of videotape this evening, so that is it as far as the video is concerned. After to day I will be heading towards home so it won’t matter much. I have mixed felling
about it, now that the trip is drawing to a conclusion. I hardly feel like
three months have slipped by. The only regrets that I have, (Except of
course the amount of money I now don’t have.), is that I did the trip on
my own, and apart from Ralph, that kept me going via short wave, and to a
lesser extent Brian. No body I think will appreciate or for that matter be
very interested in my adventure. A fire makes a lot of difference to the quality of life, and I had an enjoyable evening, and cooked damper in the frying pan on the coals. WED. 24/6/1998 I had another look around Silverton. The jail, which is the museum, was outstanding, I don’t remember seeing a more comprehensive and well set one as this before. The town as it is with so many others, that is build on the railway. When the railway goes, and in this case the mining The town rapidly falls into ruins. But in this case, the Broken Hill Historical Society was instrumental in setting up a trust, and from nineteen ninety six to nineteen ninety-eight, the jail and Historical Museum was opened. After looking through the museum I drove the twenty kilometres further to Mundi Mundi Look Out, which gave a good view to the north to south through the west. Now the journey home begins, and I drove straight to Wilcannia and camped at a third rate Caravan Park, that charged first rate price (Eight dollars). Only thing good about it was that there was wood supplied, so I had a good fire to keep me warm. It rained quite a bit during the night, but I kept dry enough in the tent. THUR. 25/6/98 I had a look around Wilcannia, (A Disappointing town) and after getting a few things in the way of food, Headed west again. After going through Cobar, I started to get sleepy, and after nearly hitting a guidepost decided to camp. This turned out to be rather difficult, because unlike the bulk of the trip where I travelled through mainly open country, there is now a fence both sides of the road. However I eventually found a place on a curve in the road, where the railway line that had been following, and the road cut away, and with it the fence. The area between was heavily wooded, so by camping half way between the road and the railway, I was screened from both. I have already made a fire and had a cup of tea, and it is only a quarter past four- but if the sky remains clear, there is every chance that it may be the coldest night yet. Tomorrow I am due at Brian and Sandra’s place, I hope he has not forgotten. FRI. 26/6/1998
I checked the Carby on the car again, and discovered that I had left a return spring off the throttle disconnected. I had to remove the carburettor, to put it on. The engine ran better after, but still played up under speed. I will change the fuel pump before I leave Brian’s. So a late start. I did not get away till about twelve, and arrived at Brian and Sandra’s around four p.m. The cup of tea Sandra made me was gratefully received I can tell you. After an excellent tea and contact with Ralph, I went to bed in a real bed for the first time in quite a while. MON. /29/6/1998 Quiet day. Sandra and their daughter Amanda went down to the Blue Mountains to see their other daughter Kim. So during the day, I showed Brian some of the trip on video that I had shot on the way round. SUN. 28/6/1998 I but the new petrol pump on the car, then showed Brian the rest of the videos. Sandra and Amanda arrived home about five. MON. 29/6/1998 I left for home when Brian went to work, and followed him as far as Dubbo. The problem with the car seems solved. I arrived home about four. No sign of the cat MON. 6/7/1998 (Last entry) And the cat came back- Thursday 10 O’clock in the morning and after a little hesitation, became for the next two or three days, very attentive, but now is back to normal. The car is washed, and all the red dust is washed away, so now I guess the trip is finally over. Now I have a bit of work to do, to type these notes into my computer and edit the tape. I will probably never again be able to do the same kind of trip again, but the time and money spent over these last three months is well worth the experience, and will be with me for the rest of my life. -THE END- CLICK BACK ON BROWSER TO RETURN TO PREVIOUS PAGE OR CLICK TO GO TO |
of a bloke. His wife did not come
with him on this trip, as they usually go by caravan. Hans wanted to take
five months and see the things that they before did not, because they
could only go where it was suitable for it.
ery cold
water, cut out of the rock by the turbulent torrent. I filled the two five
litre containers with the water from here that I had brought with me for
this purpose, it will be used for washing etc. to save the drinking water.
After putting a container each in our respective haversacks we headed back
for the parking area.
breakfast. It was about a
kilometre and a half hour walk to the gorge along the creek-bed, varying
from sand to rock and boulders all the way liberally scattered Ghost
Gums.
standing up hundreds of feet, towering above us at
crazy angles. Looking as if the whole thing could collapse at any moment,
but of course it has many millions of years been there, so one would be
slightly unlucky to have the thing fall over, while one was under it. The
track back climbed out of from the creek and we were soon making our way
steadily in an upward direction. The wind at the same time was becoming
increasingly stronger. The path at times was narrow, with a precipitous
drop to one side. One gust sent my hat spinning from my head, it landed
some six or seven yards away caught on some rocks, right on the edge of
what 
must have been at that point, a hundred
metre drop. The slope leading to my hat was strewn with loose rocks and
gravel, and it was a bit scary retrieving it in the howling wind. Luckily
where it landed was a bit of a hollow and missed the wind, being the
reason too, that the thing did not continue on its way, gaily sailing over
the edge, so I was able to retrieve it without incident.
After returning to the camping site, we,
having already packed up, set off for the Serpentine bush camping area,
stopping off at the Ochre pits on the way. The river had cut into the
banks exposing vertical layers of red, brown, yellow, and white ochre-
which started there life as horizontal sedimentary layers of silt many
millions of years ago, before being lifted and folded by movement and
pressures of the earth to there present shape. The aboriginals of the area
used it for painting and ceremony in time past- Interesting!
SUN. 7/6/1998
Beyond the pool through the narrowing gap in
the cliffs was a virtual garden of Eden- unspoiled by interference.
Firstly aboriginals who would not venture to close because of the giant
mythical serpent that inhabitant the pool. In fact only in extreme
emergencies would they even drink from the pool, and then only after
leaving their weapons well away and singing special songs, could they
drink with out being killed. As for white people now visiting the place
the water is far to cold to swim in and that being the only easy way the
sanctuary that can be seen through the cap remains undisturbed with few
visitors. So remains a refuge for a huge variety of animals, plant, and
bird life, not forgetting insects.
On the way back we took a track that led to a look
out which turned out to 
be nearly
too much for me. Although Hans has had a heart attack also he recovered
without too much damage and did not have any trouble climbing the hundreds
of roughly fashioned steps to the top. I eventually did make it however
and again the view was superb, there was a railing around the lookout,
which enabled me to get some good video shots, and the climb down was a
pleasure. After getting to the bottom and resuming our way back along the
main track we soon came on to a small track leading off to the left and on
following it for a short distance came upon a fence and a sign stating
Department of Prison- Trespassers will be Prosecuted. So we climbed
through the fence to see why.
five metres, as well as a shed that looked like it
could have been used for eating and sleeping, and a fairly large yard made
of wire mesh topped with several strands of barbed wire. There were
floodlights around the perimeter, although no sign of an alternator set
though there were signs of where one could have been mounted once. There
were also water taps that seemed to be connected to a tank that was
situated up the side of the hill next to the compound. 
so I set
up the transceiver and at twelve Ralph came on and we had a good contact
until Hans got back. 
After saying my good byes to Hans I headed
south along the Stuart highway and got to my camping spot the last area
before crossing into South Australia at about two O’clock. I did not stop
on the way as I think I have enough fuel to get to Marla.
Got going about ten thirty and went through
to Marla, put fifty-one litres of fuel in. It is four hundred and fifty
nine kilometres from Alice to Marla, near enough to nine kilometres to the
litre. Got bread and a paper, I thought I had got the Telegraph but when I
got outside it was an English Telegraph so I went back and changed it and
got a refund for the difference.
when a flock of small red wren like birds flew
across and unfortunately one glanced of the bonnet of the car and caught
under the windscreen wiper. When I stopped and got out I found it was
still alive although in shock, and because I have always wondered whether
I did the right thing knocking the Kite on the head early in my trip, I
carefully extracted the wren and nothing seemed broken. Although the way
its eyes kept closing I though it was going to die then and there, but I
took it over to the side of the road and tried to get it to sit on a log
but it could not. I then looked around and found an old pair of shorts
lying on the side of the road so I made a rough nest in a small tree and
put the little fellow on that. I watched it from a distance for about
twenty minutes and at the end of that time it had recovered sufficiently
to be standing up and had a grip with its feet bracing itself against the
wind. Although I did not see it fly I left it, as my presence would not do
anything for its recovery. I think it has a good chance as it did not get
hit on the head and there did not seem to be any thing broken- anyway I
hope the little thing recovers. 
I
camped at the Algbuckina Bridge on the Neal River, and because it was only
half past three, I had got the camp set up and had my tea it was still
light enough to have a look at the bridge. It looked rather large from
where I was camped. When I got there I found it was about three to four
hundred metres long. 
SAT. 13/6/1998
There were plans in the early days to build a town
here but it never was.
All the fettler’s cottages are of the same design,
and built of local stone, made up of two or three units with kitchen and
two rooms.
After leaving there and about twenty
kilometres further down the track, I came upon the Edward’s Creek ruins-
There was some sort of a settlement here, but I will look around
tomorrow. 
are two
of them with three units each. In one the roof and ceiling in two of the
rooms are largely intact, although there is no glass in the windows and no
doors
in the
morning. I did not get 
away till
after twelve noon South Australian time.
with only the white painted
brick chimneys standing. Last night they looked rather ghostly with the
moon light shining on them during a brief break in the clouds, as they
stood out like three ghostly sentries guarding the ruins.
I went on to Beresford Siding (ruins). After
setting up camp the tent for sleeping in, and the table and every thing
else into one of the rooms in the fettler’s huts, which are in the best
condition of all the ones I have seen so-far. I had a bath under the
flowing bore, which is running from a fifty-millimetre pipe, and warm
around thirty-two degrees. The best shower I have had, the water is salty
but lathers beautifully. 
A good
contact with Ralph and Brian on eighty metres, which I set up in the room
that I was using, and although there are no windows or doors in situ, with
a fire going in the fire place it is quite cozzie.
In fact because of the abundance of water flowing
from the bore there are great verities of birds around.
towards Marree.
The desalination plant and the over head
tank, were leaning towards each other at quite an alarming angle, as
though they were trying to console each other in their declining years.
Because of this, plus the fence and sign, stating they were in a dangerous
condition. I decided not to attempt to climb them, and left soon after
intending to camp at some other site.
by sheep and birds. But at
any rate I arrived at Marree at about five thirty, and booked into the
caravan park. I will properly stay over tomorrow and do some shopping.The
evening turned out to be cold and windy, so far I am glad I decided not to
camp out in the desert. The camping fee is only five dollars per
night. 
I bought another kitchen knife at the Marree
roadhouse, which incidentally is owned by the old couple that owns the
Caravan Park. They have been in the area most of there lives and owned a
cattle station in the area, before selling up and moving to Adelaide, for
a ten year period, then getting home sick for Marree. Bought another sheep
station here at Marree. They eventually sold the lease to an adjoining
station, but the homestead and shearing shed were in the town limits, and
were freehold which they still own. At the moment the staff that they have
working in the roadhouse live there. The old fellow’s name is Eric
Oldfield and there is a some what younger picture of him, in a book that I
bought there called Australia By Rail- The Ghan From Adelaide to Alice, by
Jim Downs and Berthhold Daum.
that it was only when I had
walked the kilometre back to camp, and seeing the tent, and no car. I
remembered that I had drove the car up to the ruins, and had got out
leaving the keys in the ignition and the doors unlocked, to video the old
pub, I then had wandered off to other building, and after talking to Kevin
I forgot about the car. Anyway after walking at a very brisk pace back, I
found every thing as I had left it and drove back to camp.
As I proceeded I noticed a lot of open cut
mining on a large scale. I found out later that indeed it is an open cut
coalmine. Coal was first discovered in the area in 1888 but has been
operating on a large scale since 1944. It supplies the to the power
stations at Port Augusta. 
After leaving there I saw a track leading of
the road to the right towards some peaks in the distance. Despite making a
resolution some time ago that I would not go wandering off the road, I
decided to see where it went. At the start it was not two bad, it was just
a two-wheel track, and seamed to follow Fink Creek. After managing to
cross the dry stony creek bed several times, I came to a very wide
crossing about seventy five metres across and was going fine. Until I got
to the other side where the bank coming out, was a lot steeper than it
looked from the side I started from. There was also deep gravel mixed with
rocks, up to two hundred and fifty millimetres across. 
After stopping a few times to look at old
windmills, and ochre pits. I arrived at Italowie Gorge, where making camp
I found that one of the water bottle tops, had not been put on properly
when I filled it- (Don’t know who to blame!) But about a litre of water
had leaked out, and part of my mattress was ringing wet. As were part of a
rug that I use for a blanket. So the first thing I did was to make a more
that normally big fire to try them out, which I did, so that was fine.
was eating grass between the road and
an embankment, and it did not even stop chewing as I went past.
Mainly Welsh miners worked Daydream mine, and was
dug using hammer and drill. Black gunpowder was used for blasting. It is a
walk in mine, and after getting the gear, including helmet lamp on.The man
that is running the show led us through a narrow entrance into the mine.
It was amazing- some of the drives are under one metre high. Where the ore
was, there is ample room for the eight people in our party to stand, while
our guide explained about the mine. 
After leaving the mine I drove on to Silverton,
just before the bridge there is a turn off to the right, where the is a
council park which has showers etc. and provision for camping. It only
cost two dollars fifty, plus a dollar in the shower. It cost me two,
because it was so cold I had a double shower, before putting triple
clothes on to go to bed. Now a days if I get to cold, I can’t get warm
again, with out some sort of imported heat. Although there are fireplaces,
there is no wood around here for a fire, which I will rectify tomorrow you
can be sure. I intend to stay tomorrow pull the carburettor out of the
car, to see if I can find out what is making it play up the last couple of
days.
I counted
twenty-five Kangaroos on the oval across from my camp this evening, and on
walking past them at about twenty-five metres’ distance. Half of them kept
on eating and the other half stood up watching me. I noticed that when
they are feeding and move forward the support them selves on the front
legs and tail, and move there two hind legs together to the next position.
I also noticed the after eating the green grass, they go under the trees
and eat the dry stringy bark off the ground. Maybe they need the roughage
after all the green grass.
I was right about the cold night, it is the
first time that I have seen the tent covered with frost. I think if I had
bent the fabric it would have cracked, that is what it looked like at
least.