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 11, Sunday 1/07/2012, Lake Eyre to Oodnadatta

Lisa, Fiona and I awoke at 0630hrs to go and watch the sun rise over Lake Eyre. Heading further north and then out towards the centre was much better as there was a harder crust of salt here. We froze our butts off but it was worth it for the amazing lightshow we experienced.

 

Heading back out towards William Creek, we all pulled over to help Lisa find her lens cap that she lost yesterday. We had no luck, only to find out it was in her car all along!

The Oodnadatta Track is an easy, well graded dirt road that we were able to travel 80km/hr along, through treeless scrubland and the occasional cattle grid. It is quite wide and not too much corrugation. The conditions change dramatically if wet though and it is occasionally closed when very wet.

Jack didn't even notice this bull watching him go!

Wow I’m in shock, Jordan is studying maths!

The Oodnadatta track follows along the old Ghan Railway. It is the equivalent of driving along a museum. The railway was built from 1890 to 1935 and named after the Afghan cameleers that were pivotal in its construction. It was only pulled up in 1981. It is amazing how quickly the sidings have gone to ruin.

The first one we stopped at was Old Peake. The kids and photographers enjoyed exploring the old ruin, but it wasn’t long before the boys took up a game of catch with a paddy melon.

Next was the Algebuckina Ruins where we had lunch. Haley is so funny, she was in the ruins moving rocks around stating that she had to tidy her house. Michael and Jack were dressed as bandits, running and hiding, with sticks as guns. Jordan had Madison and Jamie posing for her photos and Col, Fiona and Bruce went for a walk along the old track. There are still a few railway pins to be seen.

It’s a shame we didn’t save lunch until a couple of hundred metres along as the Algebuckina Bridge is beautiful and spans a permanent waterhole. It was the largest single span bridge in SA in its day with 18 sections spanning 30m each. Even a flock of pelicans flew over. Everyone ended up spending quite a bit of time here exploring, possibly too long as we were supposed to see the Painted Desert later today.

Heading north again we passed a convoy of 12 vehicles heading south, throwing dust everywhere. 6km south of Oodnadatta we headed west on Kempe Road hoping to see the Painted Desert. It was decided that we should camp as close to Oodnadatta as possible for our big drive tomorrow into the Simpson Desert. Therefore it would be a drive out then back along Kempe. Knowing we didn’t have enough time to make it back before dark we only drove halfway, missing the Painted Desert which is seen best close to Ackaringa Station.

Bruce and Fiona decided not to do this drive and waited at our camp site. Lisa, Michael and I were particularly disappointed but there was beautiful scenery none the less and as they say “the show must go on”. There was gibber country on our left and red clay on our right with distant red clay hills with the sunset glowing off these on our return trip. Mini Painted Desert.

Peter ran out of fuel. His fuel gauge doesn’t work so he had no warning and had to top it up using his jerry can supply.  

The camp site was a particularly beautiful one at Hookey’s Hole, a permanent waterhole on Neales River. There was birdlife everywhere especially galahs and kites. I had a glass of wine by the waterhole with Fiona and then went chatting to other campers with Lisa while Fiona took Chelsea for a play. Jordan, Jessica, Jack and Madison stole my camera for a sunset shoot and Michael, Jamie and Haley played by the water.  Meanwhile Col and Bruce ducked in to Oodnadatta roadhouse to get some plastic and duct tape. Poor Peter and Anthea! They can’t catch a break. Their rear window smashed from a stone hit, most likely rebounded from the T Van.

While discovering the broken window, 2 other vehicles drove in to the site towing trailers, with cardboard taped to their rear windows.  Such bad timing. If only we had this hint earlier. Col says he didn’t forget about trailers and rear windows, but thought that the angled plate on the T Van had allowed for this nicely. Anthea exclaimed, “we just weren’t supposed to be on this trip!”

It was a lovely evening around the campfire with everyone seemingly in good spirits despite the window.