Day 5, Monday 25/06/2012, Mt Ive Station to Loche Claypan

We got up too early today because Col’s iPhone had reverted back to Newcastle time. This was a bonus as I saw a lovely sunrise. Michael and Jamie had another melt down this morning. They can’t handle cold, early mornings.  Col took Jamie to see the baby goats, but I had to go and save her because Col can be a bit ‘scary’.

It is a lovely hike up a creek bed to see Cath’s Castle. Kangaroos were watching us from rocks just above. Passed several waterholes and if you look backwards an amazing view down the valley. Peter didn’t do this trek as he couldn’t manage with his broken foot, although most of the time you wouldn’t even realize he had it.

Poor Jess! Not a happy Williams family. Jess accidentally deleted all of their trip photos so far.

Lake Gairdner was as spectacular as ever! Wow. Amazing white glow with perfect reflections. This time we walked out which was an experience we missed last time. I was amazed by the thick, rock hard salt crystal floor. The white had a real glow to it, and the water was crystal clear and freezing. Just step out and your foot instantly dries white with a coating of salt

As soon as we left here I downloaded my photos and backed them up on a flash-drive.

Williams volunteered to run the keys and mud maps back to the property once we were back through the locked gate, and Jordan had another hour long drive from Mt Ive Station.

We found our amazing bush camp site at Loche Claypan (Salt Lake). The T-Van managed the sandy bush drive without a problem. It is perfect. Isolated with amazing views across the claypan, where the kids were instantly running wild. There were emu, kangaroo and wombat prints everywhere and 3 huge wombat holes. The adults hiked out into the middle trying to get to the water. It gets muddier as you go. Clay feet. Great sunset shots here, and then the best bonfire. Bruce went for a walk to check the wombat holes, but all still asleep.

Sadly the rain chased us to bed prematurely.

Day 4, Sunday 24/06/2012 Mt Ive Station

I went for a walk around the farm with Michael this morning.  There weren’t any puppies this time, but we did find an emu in the chook pen! I took a photo of Michael using his camera, on the old farm cart, using his magic panoramic function.

It was just a partial pack up this morning. We’re camping here tonight, but have to pack up our rooftop tents to go for a drive.

The Flight Path was a 32km 4wd track that takes you touring around the expansive sheep station. I wouldn’t rate it as the moderate to difficult written on the mud map. I would say easy with a few tricky spots that would rate moderate crossing some of the steeper banked creek beds. If you’re up for some real excitement though, drive the multiple creek crossings in the wet! Maybe this would be the difficult rating.

It was fun to head off in a convoy, 4wding in some absolutely amazing scenery. We all let our tyres down a bit to 30psi to reduce the chance of punctures on the rocky track. It was a fun day had by all exploring the 900km2 property. There were sheep, goats and kangaroos galore. The Williams family had a lamb that decided to adopt them. Jess cried when they had to leave it there and drive on with it screaming after them.

Amazing contrast of green shrubs with the orange rocks. Little pillars everywhere, but the most impressive being the Pete’s Pillars. They are rhyolite rock formations formed by volcanic activity millions of years ago.

It is so much more exciting when you have a turn driving and Jordan agrees. She’ll be better at 4wding than most by the time she gets her ‘Ps’.

It took most of the day with lunch at a rocky creek bed near Pete’s Pillars.

Back at camp and out came the nibblies for ‘happy hour’. A bit of exploration and photography around the property. The baby goats were so cute. One was stuck, so Jess convinced Col to go and save it.

Thank goodness Lisa and Stuart stopped for firewood. It was beautiful sitting around a warm fire. Bruce decided to get out the old bottle of Port.

Day 3, Saturday 23/06/2012, Olary Creek to Mt Ive Station

True to form, Olary Creek was a freezing  -2°C last night! Everything had a white coating of ice and poor Jamie was crying with aching, frozen fingers while having brekkie.  Finally I had a decent sleep last night. The first one for 3 nights. Thank goodness I’m on the mend!  It was lovely to enjoy a walk along the creek bed at sunrise with Fiona and the kids.

 

After stopping at Oodla Wirra to throw out our vegetable scraps at the quarantine station, we stopped at Peterborough for morning tea. It is a lovely old railway town from the 19^th century. The kids had fun playing on the old steam engine, the women photographing old buildings. I managed to update my blog, and received a text message off Leah about her photo not winning, but voted popular choice! Well done Leah.

Jordan is now driving us into the Flinders Ranges. We left earlier than the others as her speed limit is lower.

We took our third photo of Jordan and Jack at the Flinders Ranges lookout. The first one being 10 years ago and one 2 years ago.

We had to go grocery shopping at Port Augusta, especially for fruit and vegetables. The park in the town square made a great place to have some lunch while the kids, large and small let loose in the playground.

Fiona and I found some Sturt Desert Peas to practice photographing. Unfortunately we didn’t get away from here until 3pm, making for a late arrival at Mt. Ive Station.

Woohoo, nothing but sightseeing tomorrow, 4WDing and great scenery!

It was a fast 80km/hr drive along the dirt road to the station. It’s an extremely well maintained dirt road. The biggest challenge was avoiding the plethora of animals at dusk. Sheep, goats, kangaroos, emus and a fox. The Gawler Ranges were bathed in an orange glow from the sunset.

There was only one other person in the campsite, in a caravan, but several Asian students were staying in the shearers quarters.

It cost us around $140 for 2 nights plus all sightseeing. It gets you mud maps of the 4WDing and a key to the gate for Lake Gairdner.

We set up around a beautiful group gazebo with light, table, chairs and BBQ. We enjoyed hot showers from the “donkey” heater and found out Peter’s battery was dead again!
Bruce and Col did a bit of a check, and all we can say is “Great Job boys from Tamworth”.  The correct sized cable sudden stopped short and went to ¼ size and wasn’t even soldered, only taped.

A repair job coming on in Ceduna.  How handy to have jumper leads and an electrician on board.

Sunday 4/7/2010 Olary Creek to Mount Ive Station

(Olary Creek to Mount Ive Station)
Our first night at Boppy Hill was 2 degrees C and we were all warm in our beds. Last night I was cold most of the night, with thermals on. There was a huge amount of condensation in our tents. The camp chairs looked white from frost and even the olive oil was frozen like a slushy. I'm not sure what the temperature was... minus something!

It seemed to take us ages to pack up today. Sunrise wasn't until 0715hrs, and we didn't leave until 0900hrs (SA time).
The internet was available via Telstra at Olary Creek.
We head through the Flinders Rangers today, finishing with our first off road driving to get to a station at Mount Ive in the Gawler Ranges.
Due to brilliant planning, we had no vegetables or fruit to throw out at the border quarentine at Oodla Wirra.
Our first stop was at Peterborough, a quaint, neat historical rail town, where we had an early lunch. Yum! Hot pies, coffee and hot chocolate by a fire in a cafe.

So we set off through the Flinders Ranges all thawed out.

We had the same photo taken here in 2002 when the kids were 8yrs younger. Still cute! After heading straight through Port Augusta, we turned right off the Ayer Highway at Iron Knob (huge BHP steel mining town).

Our first taste of dirt.
Easy 70km/hr driving through the well graded roads north of Gawler Ranges, to Mount Ive Station.

Driving through sheep stations. Didn't pass many cars. Mount Ive Station is lovely. We didn't have a booking. Turned up at 1630hrs and paid. Set up camp and had our first shower. Lucky they had hair dryers so Jordan and I didn't freeze with a wet head.
The kids are having a lot of fun now. They are especially enjoying the property and the 7 little pups.