Sunday 1/8/2010 Yowah to Bourke

(Yowah to Bourke)
Up at 0800hrs and left by 0910hrs! Wow, how good is that?

Took a short cut on a dirt road that was 23km in place of 100km by tar.
Saw emus, 3 kangaroos and hundreds of goats. There were 2 goats and a kid on the road. The 2 adults jumped the fence leaving their baby behind. The kid was screaming it's little heart out.

Col caught it and put it over the fence with it's mum.
Jordan was crying because the kid was crying so loud from being left behind and from being chased by Col and Jack. It was so scared.
Saw lots of kites. Passing Lake Bindegolly saw galahs, ducks and large white water birds.
Our next stop was at the Bulloo River at Thargomindah. A couple we met at Quilpie told us about the pelicans here.
Lots of water in the Bulloo of course.

We saw our pelicans, in the outback breeding. This is one of their stopping points on their journey back to the coast. There were lots of different water birds here. Had lunch by the river.

After getting fuel, we headed east across the river, then south on a dirt road (closed) to try to get to a lake area where huge flocks of pelicans seemed to be landing. There was an emu with 8 babies right next to the road. I guess it has been closed for some time.

So cute! Apparently it is the male emu that sits on the nest.
Had to turn back. It was too muddy. Clay slide. Like driving on ice. Therefore heading back towards Cunnamulla as the roads to Hungerford are closed from all directions.
We stopped for a while at the newly huge Lake Bindegolly. The locals had never seen it this large. Again, such a haven for birdlife. Even swans.

Just passed a bearded dragon on the road.
There is a property for sale, 127 000 acres. Doesn't have the price.
Drove through a cute little town, Eulo, right on the river. There were three trucks set up for boar shooting, and passed a dead boar on the side of the road (road kill).
Just drove through Cunnamulla. It is a big town on a very wide deep river, Warrego River.
As we can't go to Hungerford, we're going straight to Bourke instead to stay 2 nights. We've also decided to skip Lightning Ridge (similar to Yowah) and stay 2 nights at Peter and Anthea's in Tamworth. "Yay!!!" say the kids.
Left to their own devices, Jordan and Jack are playing "comprehension". Jordan is reading anything (for example the info off a chip packet), then testing Jack with questions.
They are also studying the ingredients on everything.
It's been a very educational trip.
I think they now have both the travel and 4WD/adventure bug.
They're now playing spelling test.
Seeing emus, galahs and lots of kites.
Arrived at Bourke at 1830hrs, then turned back to North Bourke to find Kidman Camp. Booked in for 2 nights and were setting up by 1900hrs.
The kids cooked tea (rehydrated some pasta and 2 minute noodles). I downloaded photos and checked emails and the bank account. We have a powered site.
Off to bed late. Freezing. Slept with a beanie on.