GOING FERAL: Notes kept by Ivor Morton from 3/4/2005 to16/5/2005

 

Yes, on the third of the fourth, in the fifth year of this centaury, Paul and Ivor decided to leave our lives of domestic bliss and set out to conquer the wilderness. Well it wasn't quite like that, but we had a four-wheel drive vehicle, (Well Paul actually), that was fit and primed for action. Two way radios, refrigerators, sleeping bags, tents, boxes of provisions, bottles of water, spare wheels, petrol in Jerry cans and two bottles of whisky. The wild could do what it liked with us, We Were Prepared.

From the smiles on the faces of `The women we left behind' it was not before time, quiet days with no interruptions were looked forward to, and there was hardly the sign of a tear as we set out.

Perhaps certain robustness from the muffler was noticed but that was to be fixed at Dubbo. We grew accustomed to the hum of wind through the wire basket on top of the vehicle and before we reached Bathurst the first road kill (a grasshopper that flew into our windscreen) was recorded. It was on towards Orange when the charge rate from the alternator was noticed. Checks soon revealed the problem was in the alternator itself and assistance would be required next day at Dubbo.  A rest break in Orange City was welcome but I whacked my head on a ledge of the toilet and returned much to Paul's consternation with a goodly flow of blood trickling from under my cap. Paul quickly discovered that I bleed from any scratch and so gave me little more sympathy.

It was on to Eumungerie, north of Dubbo to Brian and Sandra Lesllie's place. A few hundred acres near the small township. We had a great welcome from Sandra and her dogs and cats and birds and chooks and ducks and geese and sheep and goat. Brian was away at a firefighter's rally, but he returned within the hour and we went to the Pub. It was fun meeting the locals. (Even if I did make a fool of myself asking the Publican if he was a local or a traveller). The young lass behind the bar never missed a beat. She had a word for everybody, knew what kind of cigarettes they wanted, what they drank, answered the phone calls from their families, followed the football on the TV, filled up the soft drink machine, emptied the ash trays, washed the glasses and took out the empties. I was impressed.
Paul and I are considering buying a trailer.

4-04-05.

Early into Dubbo had muffler fitted quickly but have to wait for the alternator till tomorrow. Bought a trailer for $900 odd and can pick it up after registering tomorrow. We had more beer, this evening at the pub with Brian. Getting up to date with phones and will be ready, touch wood, to start trip from Eumungerie the day after to-morrow.

5-04-05.

Picked up trailer and alternator fixed. Packed up again and ready to leave early to-morrow. Paul made me a cup of tea when were back with coffee grounds in the teapot to the amusement of all. Social evening at pub and then home.

 

 

6-04-05.

Trailer is well balanced and runs well.  Our first stop is Trangie, almost a ghoast town. The Chemist was an elderly Chinese who asked us how we would cross the ocean to get to Western Australia.

 

We are driving through very dry country, with very little stock to be seen except goats, they seem to be doing very well. Drove through Nyngan and took photos of the `Drover’ memorial.  Filled up with fuel at Emmvale?  Have been warned not to stop at Willcania but have not been able to get off road to camp so have decided to take a chance.
Fate has made bigger decisions for us. Our trusty Pajero has blown a head gasket. Got to camping ground by the skin of our teeth. So far all helpful. Campsite beside river, amenities O K. Town very degraded, only one mechanic but he will help us, Awaiting verdict on car. Quiet night.

7-04-05.

Went to town but unable to use only public phone. Mechanic let me have call but Dee not home. Paul took vehicle to mechanic banging and blowing water everywhere. Set camp up properly and sorted things to make for easier access. Learning a bit about town tensions. Large section of town demolished and indigenous sent to campsite whilst new dwellings built. Intertribal tensions, black, white tensions. Large scale riot a few years ago. School group came down (11 children about ten years of age, one white boy.) for art lessons. White lady teacher and Uncle Cyril. There were a number of lovely colours to be seen though some to shy to show. Good talk with teachers, invited to golf club. Lady teacher said reputation blown out of all proportions and was angry at negative attitudes. Phoned Dee late afternoon and updated. Maria seems very upset by our problems so Dee was glad to have better news to tell her. A few more people in camp. Aboriginal came to camp asking if we would be interested in paintings Talked for some time. Quiet night.

                                                8-04-05:

Pajero motor has blown head gasket. Needs new gasket and it is recommended that we get shims to help reduce the compression. Also some talk of a water injection system at the Carburettor. Not certain of cost but it will take some time, possibility up to a week and we may have to curtail some of our trip. Will see.

Early morning walk to the riverbank was rewarded with a sighting of a lone black swan, one crane and a pelican. The river is very degraded due to the cotton farms, flow minimal and a far cry from some of the pictures that are engraved on metal plaques in town. The old bridge was barricaded; it’s lift section and lifting machinery a point of interest whilst the river was far below. We had a fellow camper who seemed be a world authority on everything with many good things to say. Steel tempering in ancient China & Japan. Petrol resources, the Titanic and how it sunk. Camels being the only imported animal that has not affected the Australian bush, Tattooing, Old barge moorings, ‘Sick Country.’ His ‘Lovely Partner’, who was packing their vehicle, whilst he talked, gave him an earful when he finally responded to her calls for help. By the look of the body language as they drove away, he may have been learning a few more facts.

The locals seem to come and thoroughly check us out, the ladies generally stop and talk. Kids on pushbikes go through the bush surrounds, perhaps to a swimming hole whilst others kick footballs.

We have had good sightings off, Red tailed black cockatoo, White cockatoo, Corellas, Magpies, Crows Ravens, Apostle birds, Emu, Black swan, Pelican, various Cranes, Pee wee, Grass parrots, Lapwings. There are some brilliant coloured parrots and unidentified small birds, I will walk in the evening with book and bino’s and try to work them out. (Alas no luck).  Have also seen Grey Kangaroos, Frogs, (in Toilet) and a Brown yellow-bellied snake,

Wilcannia seems to be a good `take stock’ place. We have time on our hands and observations are easy to consider and revise if we need to. I am amazed at the efficiency of the transport system as far as the procurement of spares for the vehicle. (`If you have to break down, break down in the bush’) is a saying we have heard on our way. A phone call brings a delivery next day and all parts are assembled and repair effected. The wide-awake eyes of our mechanic notice that one of the trailers wheels is the wrong size and he looks out for another. In his travels he found a heap of tie down straps on the side of the road. A set graces the newly packed trailer.

OLD BOB: I didn’t see him arrive, thought Paul said I should have. Apparently he had a swag on his shoulder and a dog at his heels. He moved to where there was an old caravan available for the passer by. We saw a small light in the evening but nothing of him. It was next morning that I was really able to believe Paul, there was a little smoke at the camp and after some time we were able to make contact. He bore the resemblance of the true battler, bowed legs a slight limp old shorts faded blue Singlet a face that had been around scarred by skin cancers and a scar on the cheek and a dog that never left his side. Formalities were slow but finally he accepted a cupper and stood leaning on tree near our tent. We found out little but he also was suffering from a blown gasket in his car, quite apart from having hit `A bloody roo’ that had done `The old banger a heap of no good.’

Just how much no good were soon to see for he told us he `Had to get up town for a little.’ His return was in the vehicle towed by our long-suffering mechanic. Bob, as he introduced himself was not getting a new gasket as he had a number of `them bloody cars’ at home and would wait till his son pulled one to pieces and send him the gasket. The panel repairs would have to wait until he was home from Queensland. `Had a small place up there’ and needed to check on the cattle. Owls at Wilcannia.

10-04-05.

To Broken Hill. Called in and saw Brian at the service station before making our way towards Broken Hill. Time change. Red Flowers in Broken Hill Caravan Park   
                                             11-04-05.

Silverton. Check for permit at Broken Hill and do town over before going to Silverton and Daydream Mine. (Story of mine and describe happenings) Silverton museum in old police station and gaol. Great exhibits and incredible work done by earlier people.

 

 

 

12-04-05.

Left Broken Hill. (Paul and Paddles, stories of building the expressway north of Hornsby.) Got petrol and gas, also money and set out towards South Australia. Very flat country following the railway. Few goods wagons and a station wagon checking the rail lines for adjustment passed the India Pacific at about 2-oclock. Country very dry and saw our first sheep roundup of the trip. Passed through S A border and then saw beautiful Red Gum with a girth of 10.89M.and estimated to be 500 years old. Made our first bush camp a few Kms along the way. Pretty spot and good for camping, shared with all the flies in S A. Birds and lizards in good numbers. (Check on towns passed.)                                    

       13-04-05.

Ivor not well and has very sore toe. Called in at Port Augusta Hospital. Blood at 10. Otherwise ok. Camped at Port Augusta. Drove around town, saw Dryland Park and waterways.                              

 

     14-04-05.

Showers in morning, hardly more than a drizzle. Phoned from Pimba, took photos, very flat and barren, salt lakes. Passed many repeater stations. On to Glendambo, more photos, left highway for Kingoonya. There was a huge windmill near road and many road signs warning of penalties on some roads. Country dry and some old ruins. Got a good welcome at Kingoonya but had to return to Glendambo (For Petrol) as I read the map incorrectly. Pushed on to camp a few miles short of Tarcoola.

 15- 04-05.

I had shakes and fever in night and my toe very bad. We are going back to Port Augusta so that I can see Doctor. Paul said it was cold night. The sound of the windmill comforting but the dust would make it no place for Dee. Passed an Emu with 2 chicks and came across `Tag a Long’ tour that had come up Goog’s Track. We saw many eagles along the road and the trees were almost all dead. As Paul says, `within 2 metres from the summit we abandoned the climb!’ 100 klm actually.

Saw Doctor in afternoon and Diagnosed with Gout. Got pills and have been told that healing will be quick. Camped Port Augusta again.        

                                      16-04-05.

Good sleep and toe much better for the drugs. Had a long look for key. We are going on the coast road past Iron Knob. Plan to go up to Cook. Sparse country bur saw first cattle for a long while. Solar rigs on pipelines and treatment works. No petrol at Iron Knob due to change of owner at station, he has ideas but looks to have a battle on his hands. Mine site and slag heap, not open to public. Sheep kill on road, flat country to Kimba where we got fuel. Into wheat country, silos etc though very dry. On to Ceduna. Big town, port for export of Wheat Gypsum and Salt, Manufacturing of pipes and steel products, also a fishing port. Camped at Shelly Beach. 

Lay day at Shelly beach. Look at town and do some shopping. Fixed up a/c and photo list. Check vehicle. Hot day but cold night, heavy dew. Still a bit wobbly but feeling much better. Phoned Dee, Paul having trouble with mobile. Paul taking movies of sand hills. Had a swim in ocean, cold just a splash. Decided to go to Cook, no need for permits. Ceduna quite a large township. Extremely long jetty, lady fishing and seagulls trying to take bait as she threw in. Abos wandering the town. Have decided to call money in fridge `frozen assets’. Cash is hot money. Good happy hour. Talking with people in camp. Some huge rigs. Several caravans have large satellite dishes so women can play games while the men are away fishing or 4w driving. Cool evening and good sleeping.

                                                18-04-05.

Left Shelly Beach 9. 45. Watched 3 girls with incredibly loaded Discovery. Sleeping in swags on ground. Talked to lots of people about tracks, many different suggestions. Fuel and watered up. Soup for breakfast. Paul and chocolate. Driving through greener agricultural land to Penong. Ploughing but country dry. Lunch spot. Dead cars on road to Yalta. Camels. Kangas and Wombats. Fuel at roadhouse. Good spot to stop if travelling the coast road. Dingo in rubbish tin. Sign saying eastern end of treeless plains.

 

 Went to Great Australian Bight Marine Park. Buildings nearing completion, rammed earth, solar and wind power, wonderful views of sand hills and cliffs, good whale watching. Workers beards and hair red with dust. Phoned Dee from roadhouse, Hank died this morning. Cook turn off 41 k’s past roadhouse. The adventure begins. Tried phoning home but no answer, high dingo fence, lots of eagles. Camped about 50klm in from road.

 

 

                                                19-04-05.

Wind on the plains, lovely. Woke to great dawn, magnificent expanse, beard wet with condensation. Grey of saltbush and brown of smaller shrub. Paul wants a song. Eagle nests in old windmill stands. Soil very fine and red. On to Cook, great free camping and `If your crook come to Cook’ sign. Township nearly deserted, only 4 residents but quite a few changing workers. Train crews change here but keep to separate time schedules for eating and sleeping. Small curio shop, some lovely photos, lovely sky. No flies but a bit of clutch trouble. Want Chris to phone earth. Left camp 10. Found that `windmill’ frames were earth beacons used for surveying. Cyprus Pines and Pepper trees at Cook station. Paul considering leaving road and try finding more of interest. Trailer going well but need to check wiring and bearings. Have brought too much gear. Bought quite a few odds and ends at tourist shop. On our way, road dusty and rough. Telstra repeater stations. 3 roadways to choose from.                                           

                                                20-04-05.

Camped near repeater station, cold and windy. Heavy dew in morning. Saltbush and burr bush. Taking photos. Paul saw dark red dingo last night. Sandy road. Unmarked grave in a rock structure. A tree growing nearby. Saw a very lame old dingo, would have tried to shoot it if we had a gun. Photos of nest structures. Another dingo. Came to W A and S A border. Photo. Rail worker suggested we try road on other side of the rail, much better. Blowhole by rail, strong cool breeze. Buzzed by Helicopter. Great welcome at Forest. Camped near amenity block, showers, small Museum. Asked to come in for afternoon tea. Paul boiled jets on stove and they are making cooking better. Hank’s funeral sat, old Joe Petersen dead.                                  

                                     

21-04-05.

Trip to caves, wandering road, rough in places. Honeycomb depression at Homestead cave. Hut built by cavers. Toilet away to blazes, Lots of photos but I did not go down to the caves. Birds in the cool recesses. Back to homestead to another welcome and tea, Darrel who appears at teatime. Vehicle recovery, would not take police. Bought 20 litres fuel at $2.25. Expensive recovery of vehicles. Sleeping in amenities block as we have packed up for a quick getaway to-morrow.

 

                                      22-04-05.

Away early, dingos. Road so so, stacks of broken sleepers, specially formed for rails. Rails welded. Shellback lizards on road. Loongana mining pit. Shed full of Thermite. Travelling at about 30 klm per hour. 4 Camels. India Pacific passed as we were stopped. More camels. Fenced in dam, National Park. Roos on road and I ran over a black snake, hidden in bottom of corrugation. Cattle trucks. P O W camp. Rows of stones all that remain. Horses and cattle seen. BULL DUST, great driving by Paul. Camp near Telstra solar panels. Rather a miserable camp. Tired and dusty. `Limite’ mine.

23-04-05.

Left dust camp 9.45. Paul had an embarrassment as two trains caught him in a squat. High fence lining the road. Wedge tails, much better road. Very dry and drought stricken, no grass in sight. Loongana Lime ltd. Own rail siding, big mine. Modern Day boundary rider in well set up 4wd. Emus on road. Camp in bush at Hawk Hill. Enjoyed `Old Putney’. Caught up with thoughts, talked about Chris. Good camp.

                                                24-04-05.

Left camp 9.45. Wire for trailer from wreck in bush. Cool and overcast. Bitumen road. Lakewood mill and treatment works. Old bridge, slag heaps and washes water.  Huge mullock heaps and dump trucks. Drive through to Kalgoorlie. Camped in Caravan Park. Set up and a swim in pool. Phoned Dee and heard about Henk’s funeral

 

                  

                                                25-04-05.

In Kalgoorlie. , Photos of Pat Hannan. Information centre, wandered up main St. and then to Museum. Incredible display. Model of working mine. Carving of Emu and Kanga, Lots of inventions, wooden bike. Old fire brigade, coach, rebuilt old houses with furniture and utensils. Old bank. Lots of photos. Paul has sore feet. Rebuilt boardroom, ceder and red gum furniture. Masonic and Council regalia. In visitors book people before me were Christians from Norfolk Island. Super pit, huge, worked al day every day. Alan Bond. Immense hole, old mine holes in wall. Mining town everything centred on this industry. Splash in pool, balmy nightfall darkens quickly but great moon and stars.

                                                26-04-05.

Shopping for supplies, Paul shoes check on vehicle, girl in office and talk of brothel and tour. Aboriginal artefacts, Chinese woman in earthmoving office, hadn’t a clue on the things she had. Dee phoned. Trip around town. People in kitchen, swim. Gold shop. Lady in office and fellow selling `button’. Ready for early getaway.

                                                27-04-05.                                               

   

Out from Kalgoorlie, Mt Charlotte and water supply. Many deserted mines, outskirts looked depressed. Photos on road to Menzies. Menzies, historic clock, machinery, old typewriter, beautiful yellow gum tree flower.  Part of the historic tour. Straight roads, shrubs and occasional tree. After Menzies ground cover gets sparser. Lots of road kills, stench, painted rocks, stock watering points. Hillier as we get closer to Leonora. Grubby town, culture centre to get permit, police. Aboriginals in force. Into saltbush and Spinifex country. Emu ran in front of truck. Bush camp. Changed oil in vehicle. Photo of camp.

                                                28-04-05.

Bought fuel at Cosmo Newbury. Aboriginal reluctant to sell artefacts, women’s business? Could not get price. Had to see women everything $50. Got basket, Paul got Emu egg. Photo of Dingo Hills, Road pretty good, not much road kill. Paddy Melons. Fuel at Tjukayirla. Blackstone Aboriginal Community. Bought spoon for Jean, petrol security, and big semi trailer. Picture of toilet key. Two flat tyres on trailer.  Security Officer travelling road. 2 flat tyres on trailer. Saw Bustard. Road dusty and corrugated. Camped about 100klm from Warburton. Nice hilly camp eerie wind.

 

                                                29-04-05.

Took lots of pictures of camp and surrounding hills and cliffs. Pretty spots, many camp sites, cross in bush. Evidence of petrol sniffing. Lizards and crows. Left camp at 8.30. Low sand hills, poor visibility on hilltops, rough road. Lots of dead cars no wheels, Mosaic burning, rough road to Warburton. Petrol locked up. Poor facilities but very welcome. Set up camp and then bought tube and set about repairing punctures. Helped by Robbo from building site. New police service centre being built. Police area bigger than Texas. Went looking for more tyres in local depot, hundreds of dead cars, no wheels or tyres. Robbo will get for us. All tyres fixed thanks to Robbo. Has poor opinion of Abos and wont employ. Abos in large circle, mattresses on ground, dogs people and kids all together. Kids running free and naked, look lovely. Settlement depressed me. Went to Cultural Centre, saw a little nice art and bought a hand woven headpiece. Did washing, tried to tidy up. Had meal in Kitchen and heard another chaps feelings about Abos anxious to learn and work. Funny glasses. Paul tired and has sore back. German tourist in Britz van with flat tyre, felt a bit mean that I didn’t offer to help. Saw him further along and all seemed well.

30-04-05.

Left Warburton at 9.30. Called to see Robbo and had smoko, left our stainless steel thermos there. Kids seemed happy, lots of dogs. Photos going out. Not many flies. Seem to have an electrical problem, found a faulty fuse causing fridge battery to not charge. Burning, some trees have interesting pattern after burn, branches all curled up like umbrella. Got to Giles, (Meteorology station,) just in time to see balloon go up. Saw over weather station and daily record keeping. Bedel’s old grader and memorial. Looked at old weather sighting device. Changed clock by 1.5 hours. Phoned Dee, Maria in hospital all well now. Warrakurna roadhouse closed but were able to get fuel. Camels in bush, they look very well. On to aboriginal run campsite, basic but O K. Had camp shower. Good nights sleep.                                               

                                                1-05-05.

Campsite very dusty but water pipes running through. Had walked around. Birds drinking at leaky tap, Spinifex pigeons, magpies, ringneck parrots. Left camp 10-00. Driving into Peterman ranges. Next stop Lassiter’s cave, very dusty road. Must shop at Yalara, out of fresh stuff. Abandoned trailer with broken U-bolt. Cars abandoned on road, doors open. Lots of rock ranges, great colour, very rugged. Stockyards of steel and timber. No one at settlement where Lassiter’s cave is, people calling in in numbers. Windmill. Muwa or Shaw River in Puta Puta country. On through the Petermans, wind in oaks as we had lunch. First view of Kata Juta as we drove was magnificent. Had quick walk through the valley of the winds. Shopped in Yulara, Uluaru looking beautiful. On to a campsite that Paul knew off. Had noisy neighbours but it was a peaceful camp. Unable to phone Dee but contacted Maria who is still not well.

                                                2-05-05.

Early flies, pied butcherbird drinking at Paul’s washing water. Left camp at 9.30. Stopped at Mt Conner, dog rounding up people and cars. Hands and nails dry and cracked. Found loose wire in fridge. Maria not answering. Photo, looks great in distance and settlement seems very attractive. On to Curtin Springs. Good campsites. Bitumen road, more kills eagles and crows. Abos begging diesel, on to Earldunda. Petrol. Maria better and Dee eating sardines. Into S A at 2.30. Pinky horse, pictures of eagles. Fuel at Marla. School group with broken down bus. Turned off to Oodnadatta. Trailer has a broken spring. We must return to Marla.

 

                                                3-05-05.

Back to Marla, can get second hand springs fitted by evening, heavy duty. Cleaned up and packed gear   ready for to-morrow. Did washing, decided to go to Mintibi an opal town. Dire warnings about trespassing. Town like a moonscape, old cars and machinery. Open cut mines, roads everywhere, buildings higgledy-piggledy. Opened up by Balts and Croats. George miner. Shop and Post Office, lady selling opals, some nice pieces. Paul bought one for Maria. Seems a harsh place to live. Good time in camp. Shower and shower and shower. 2 Ladies camping, very precise. Great stars at night, especially Scorpio. 

                                                4-05-05.

Pack up a bit of a muddle, off to Oodnadatta, good road, great day, dry but cattle about, very thin. Smoko in creek bed, lots of birds. Creeks and dams dry. Low flat topped hills, substantial homestead with airstrip. Communication towers, stony plains and old `Corner’ post for old telegraph line. Definite frontier town, worst campsite yet, pink roadhouse. Interesting museum great sunset. Photos at high point, stony fields. Camel breeding station, Old Abo limping (Kicked by a Horse). Shopkeeper employs backpackers in store, can work for 4 months and then move on. Truck drivers with hands on hips, talking and pointing. Clear evening, going to pub for dinner, no stout, Paul did not get his egg and they gave him a cask of wine. No stout. Girls from shop called in late. Usual bar drinkers, interesting evening. Stone in window.

                                                5-05-05.

Away by 9.00. Following old Ghan railway line. The pink maps are useful, old bridge headwalls stone packed in slurry and then plastered. Steel stanchions substantial. Dry creek beds but obviously fast flowing.. One owner says 2 more weeks before having to de-stock. Photos of bridges. Fettler’s cottages all to same plan. Good stone work over doors and windows and chimneys and high walls. Bogged in bore drain, had to use trailer buried in sand to get out. Photo of hills at Dutton. Bull ant camp. Salty waterhole, very silty soil.

 

                                                6-05-05.

Leave camp at 8.40. Strong wind. Stonework on fettler’s cottage. Photos of red bridge site. Photo of Kangas near dead Joey, very sad. Ruins, tank stand and chimney. Desolation and old rails.

Spacemen on motorbikes in red suits (Japanese). Quartz field, picture, orange black. Photo near Peake ruins old transmission centre. Almost a town, baker, blacksmith and accommodation. Coper mine, smelter and storehouse. Dingo, threw her a slice of bread, quite tame. First of mound springs, damp bur hard to find flow. Photos and movies, grey kangas. Edwards’s creek fenced off, cross country to check on bridge. Pratincoles. Desalination plant, pretty creek. Graves, no inscription, beside Rail Bridge. Large windmill, water flowing over, one very fat and pregnant cow. Nearly dry bogged in sand. Red cattle in very good nick but on what? Into Williams creek, set up camp. Arranged for flight to-morrow, bar talk and ok meal. Large group of travel agents, mostly French.                                               

7-05-05.

Clear day, light breeze, water very hard. Each business has own electricity generators. Early flights gone. Irish chippies going on flight and then want to drive to Perth to day! Stock management carefully done with culling and turnover of about ten percent each year. (Kidman station) Good collection of bottles and insulators and gnomes at waiting house for flight. Pilot Tina, Cessna 207. Wrightair @Wilcreek. Have some great videos, Lake Eyre is 12M below sea level. Talk of people perishing because of lack of knowledge. Walking away from vehicle. Great colours in desert. Cupper after flight. Paul a bit queasy.  ? Black poly piping with Paul. On to Coward Springs. Quite an oasis, trees animals and hot spring. Corellas everywhere. Talk with owner at springs, problem with legal liability. Home looks great and nursery work.

 

                             8-05-05.

Camp at Curdamurka. Slow start. Mother’s day. Pretty dawning, birds (Sparrows) and budgie. Wind in trees ghostly, door swinging. Black pipe from bore. Telephone in round concrete pipe. Square box on concrete pipe, some sort of recorder. Water stencil on some sites, graffiti and snake from lake. Paul had heard screech owl in night. For some reason we sang The Marsalas and Red flag. Strange art work along road, dog tank, half Kombi gates. Eye catching scenery. Alberiee Creek. Wangirriau Township. More railway ruins. Callanna Creek. Off to Marree. Paul’s friend away. Good camp in dry. Scattered town Dust dropping stations John Payne at office. John’s story, Cheryl, 12 May. S.A. orchestra, Dog Kilo, Star. Ashes on Hyson trail. Bogan Fleas, dogs, cattle talk and annual droving re enactment. Artesian Flow. Aboriginal statement on misuse of the land. Trucking yards, Railway collection. Two story pub. Talk of capped bores and the water coming from Great Dividing Range.    

                                      Monday 9:

Left Marree at 9.30. Dry and dusty. Road camp, machinery watering road 7 days a week, Farina, a ghost town, camping area, plans for a large town, wheat growing. Unsuitable. Hotels, Banks, Post Office, schools and shops and many town sites. Graveyard. Number of graves outlined in stones. Split timber fences, wire fences, Split shale headstones. `Nothing in my hand I bring. Simply to thy cross I cling’. Afghan cemetery in corner. Graves facing Mecca. BEBE MIRIAM / GOOL MAHOMET. WILLIE MAHOMET. 12 YEARS 5 MONTHS. SHOOTING ACCIDENT. `Governors Gums’. Streets, names and numbers. Underground bakery. Exchange Hotel with large cellars. Drypak stones and rammed earth. Railway buildings and fettler’s cottages, all gone. Unsuitable for wheat. Goodbye Farina. Lyndhurst, Copley, Leigh Creek, shopping. On to Arcaroola road. Hyson country. Trees in gullies between rugged hills. Past Aboriginal Echo camping centre, looks as though achieving the` western way’.

Camped in gully near road.

                                      10-05-05.                                                                  

Itallowa Gap, Balcoona. Drive to Arcaroola through wonderful hilly country. The road is god. Find meaning of the word Pound. We need to get fuel and water. Arcaroola Gap. Echo Bend and Ballacoona bend. Nat parks shooting goats and laying poison. Rangers on four-wheel drive bike, Gun scabbards. Bird’s nests made out of spider’s web. Arcaroola desert resort, very expensive but good displays. Flat tyre. Sean tried but buggered tube, finally fixed, going to check out gullies and then retrace journey to camp at same place as last night to look for Paul’s knife. Another flat tyre on way out. Park closed due to shooting goats, magnificent gums. Heard shot as we searched for knife and then plaintiff bleats from a kid. Another shot and silence. We did not wish to camp there.  Returned to Leigh Creek though it was a long way. Camped in council park and had dinner at the pub.                                         

                             11-05-05.

 

Away from Leigh Creek ninish. Going to Hawker and then inland. Called at Parachilna, no Tex. Busy pub. Going to go to Blinman and then through to Junta. Lovely driving and great scenery, Blinman needs more time to see it all. The Hyson walk looks great, took photos and drove on. The

 

 sound of the wind. Noted 12^th and Cheryl for John. Going east, Pete’s corner lots of roos. Down to flatter sheep country. Most trees dead. Lower hills and sheep. Substantial homestead and shearing shed. Light plane mustering sheep. Camped on hillside, fairly windy. Road dusty but being worked on and surface good except for a little bulldust.    

 

                 

1-05-05.

Cooler morning, windy clear day. Pale sunrise. Away at 8.30 Flat to undulating hills. Koonamoore, sheep, emus, bore. Stock look well. More road kill. Waukaringa, old smelter, mine entrances smoke stacks and air shafts. Covered water tank, stack of Hydrated Lime. Many photos. Old hotel ruin, cellar. Monster 6 wheel drive vehicle, travelling the road. Real overkill but impressive. Lots of road work but surface good. Saltbush country. Big homestead. Lots of fencing. `Teetulpa’. Yunta, camels one black, emu nonchantly walking the highway. All ore removed from mine and only a new process of separating low-grade ore would make mining viable.  Bitumen road to Broken Hill. Mistrals and Quatrains? Picked up tyres at garage and camped at same place. Camp was rowdy in evening. Fancy 4WDs preparing for trials. Very expensive machines, incredible accessories.

                                                13-05-05.

 

Lay day. Washing, Paul fixed trailer wiring. Cleaned as much as we could. Into city and went to the Sculptures about 10klm from town. Very moving and wonderful work. Lookout was great. Talked to other tourists and then back to camp. The competition vehicles are reaching a fever pitch. Have had to be examined before the trials to-morrow. Long talk with young Dutch couple who are travelling the country

 

                                                14-05-05.

 

Pack up to go on way home. Talk to people in Caravan Park, discuss their rigs and hear of their hopes and plans. Cause to wonder if everything finishes as planned. Seeing some of their ideas makes me wonder. On road and eagles are busy with road and rail kills. Sheep on the road look well. Pipeline along the road. Truck drivers. Cross on road. Treeless plains into Wilcannia. Town busy. See Brian at garage, and Gordon at the shop. We are trying to use up the opened food. Long straight road. Plan to throw out things each week hen we get home. Camp aprox where Paul camped, Apostle birds, Estimate that we will have travelled 9000kms. (9333Actualy).  Not much feed on way to Cobar, lots of goats. Aboriginal art at Mt Grenfell. Last camp under the stars.

 

15-05-05.

 

Drive to Brian and Sandra’s. Nyngen and on to Eumungerie via Gilgandra. Got a couple of flagons for Sandra. Arrived at about 3.30. Brian at burn off in town. Dropped trailer at house, had a cupper and then went back to pub for a yarn. Donna still working wonders, locals grizzling about changes to rules for timber cutters in Forestry reserves. Great dinner with family. Paul and Brian talking on radio schedule. Computer talk. Will be home to-morrow.

 

                                                16-05-05.

 

Away with Brian, 7.30 ish and into Dubbo. Called at trailer shop as they were opening and got a cheque for $50. Travelled at a leisurely pace and phoned Dee from Lithgow. We were about 3 hours ahead of our schedule, and put the ladies in a bit of a flap.

 

It was a great trip.

 

Future trips: Take less of everything. Special pack for crockery and cutlery. Square containers pack better. Removable handle for frypan. Found the trailer useful but would need to be dust proofed. A special map storage.