Day 20, Saturday 16/7/2016, Montecollina Bore, Strzelecki Desert

 It's cold and windy. Col was up pretty early today. He had a face to face encounter with a dingo at the dunny. Then had a sunrise walk in the wetlands.

Col, Jordan and I had a soak in the thermal pool. First you have to make a dam wall with a small outflow pipe (so the dam wall isn't breached). 40 degrees C! Amazing for the muscles!

It was a day of food. We made custom mini dampers for lunch again. 

We had some lovely chats with a few other travelers, then Siân and Jack had a few exploration walks while Jordan had an afternoon nap.

Col, Jack and Siân checked the water and oil levels on both cars and then blew out the dust from the air filters (using the air compressor).

After more soccer shots, I went for a sunset walk at the wetlands, then did the veges.

Everyone loved tea tonight. We each wrapped our own potatoes and cooked them in the coals, with other veges and chicken schnitzel on the Biji BBQ. 

Siân has mentioned 5 times how much she loves her Rekorderlig cider and seems to be a little giggly. Col has finished 'Inferno'. Jack is onto the 2nd book of his 'Century Trilogy' and Siân is onto the 3rd 'GoT' book. Jordan has read the desert textbook as she didn't bring her kindle and has also been quite into the photography. Very cultured!

We have the whole place to ourselves tonight. We went for a night walk and found lots of yabbies near the warm water. Dingoes howling in the distance.

Day 19, Friday 15/7/2016, Montecollina Bore, Strzelecki Desert

 I slept as long as my bladder would allow, 0800hrs. Col cooked some bacon, and I whipped up some scrambled eggs for breakfast. Col then provided us with a private bird show as he threw some left over egg, and the whistling kite did a wonderful dive for it.

The kids were looking bored after that, so I sent them off to explore the dry Strzelecki creek bed. It was a lovely day of exploration walks that included the creek bed, thermal pools and wetlands. We enjoyed reading by the fire for quite a while. I made a damper for tea and then Col helped me to put a stew in the coals to simmer away for tonight.

In the afternoon there were soccer shots at goals, another walk to view the wetlands, then snuggling around the fire at sunset.

The damper and stew were scrumptious! We have been entertained by our kites again. 

There are about 4 other groups camped in the area, but quite spread out. Another chilly night and I went to bed quite early.

Day 18, Thursday 14/7/2016, Coward Springs to Montecollina Bore, Strzelecki Desert

 Back down to -2 degrees C last night. There was ice on the swags and the kids' swimmers were frozen. All the clouds of the last few days are gone.

We skipped the mound springs board walk and headed straight to Lake Eyre South Lookout.

Spectacular! It's 12m below sea level and is a glowing salt pan with a patch of water seen way further out. It's a pretty thin layer of salt here, with orange mud beneath (Halligan Bay has a thicker salt base, is easier to walk on and has multi-coloured wind-swept salt-sculptures).

Everyone was again suitably impressed, and it was a great way to end our time together. I loved the poached egg daisies. There were heaps of them.

After a quick toilet stop at Marree, we also walked across to the old Ghan station to see the Tom Kruse truck. We then all topped up fuel at Lyndhurst, had lunch together, and said our farewells. Morgans/Davies are making a quick 3-day dash back home from here on the tar to get back to school. Parkes clan will head up the Strzelecki Desert and across through Cameron's Corner. This is our 3rd attempt to get there, as we keep getting flooded out of it. All roads are open.

It is so green that it doesn't feel like desert. We can see the north end of the Flinders Ranges to our right and are passing lots of emus.

I talked Col into stopping so I could get some footage of them, and Jordan was straight out to get some photos. Siân chased them so we could get some action shots. Jack sat in the car reading, and Col sat in the car watching us.

It was mostly gibber plains (although green) until just before Montecollina Bore where we started to see some small cream/yellow sand dunes with bushes.

The pond that has formed from the bore's constant flow is beautiful with trees, bushes and birds galore. There are three whistling kites circling, and they all missed a rabbit that I saw making a dash.

I did Col's dunny photo by sunset (one with Jack modelling) and Siân appreciated the reverse sunset colours with me.

Jordan then dragged everyone out to kick the soccer ball for a bit, until it was time for a card game, fire, dinner and books. A few yarns spun by the fire in the chilly evening and dingoes howling overnight.

Day 17, Wednesday 13/7/2016, Ackaringa Station to Coward Springs

 It was a lot colder last night. Back down to 2 degrees C. Pack up was even quicker this morning with everyone done by 0745hrs!

Our first stop for the day was the viewing spot for the Painted Desert which is on your right, just east of the property. Just beautiful with a moonscape look. Black to orange gibber, multi-coloured mesas, and all with sunrise lighting.

We had a quick stop at River Neales where we camped last time. It is fenced off on the NE side now, but could camp on the SW side.

Next was a 12km diversion north up the Oodnadatta Track to see the Pink Roadhouse, before heading south along the old Ghan Railway route of the Oodnadatta. It was well graded and we were travelling at 80km/hr.

Col spotted some Sturt Desert Peas on the side of the road and we had a photo stop for this. There were heaps!

Next stop was Peak's Ruin, an old Ghan Railway siding, then on to William Creek Hotel for burgers and a drink.

It's $250 for a Lake Eyre flight which no-one did.

Our camp was an hour south of that on a privately owned heritage listed property called Coward Springs. There are trees, date palms, mound springs and an old sandstone museum. It's $12.50 pp (half for kids). 

The Parkes crew were set up by 1600hrs and saw that there was a lineup of nine 4WD at the gate waiting to come through. We quickly jumped into our togs and had a soak in the very small sleeper-lined thermal pool assuming it was about to get pretty popular. It's a lovely mineral soak in warm water that's 29 degrees C (feels lukewarm), and comfortably fits only about 6-8 adults. Col and I had a quick soak and then left the kids to it. Peter and the girls then wandered over, so I showed them the pool before heading off  to have a shower and wash my hair.

Leah and Gary were just finishing setup when I got out. Leah took the girls to the pool, so I went along to keep Leah company while she supervised. Eliza and Amara had made a little friend that they went in with.

The older kids bought an old railway sleeper for $10 and we had a wonderful fire for our last night all together. There were lots of mozzies. Glad we brought the Aeroguard.