Day 17, Saturday 7/07/2012, Poeppel Corner to Birdsville

I was up at sunrise today getting a gorgeous photo across the salt pan to the west, getting the reverse sunrise colours and the setting moon. It was a chilly morning with ice on the swags again. A bit of a record today having packed up and left by 8.15am for our adventure to Birdsville! This first encompassed driving along the edge of, and then crossing a huge salt pan.

Then there were large swales of gidgee forest, gradually widening as you head east. We kept running into the group (3 vehicles with a homemade trailer and a T Van) that we met at Dalhousie. News from the radio chatter is that yesterday an 80yr old lady came out to Eyre Creek to scatter her husband’s ashes. While there she had a heart attack and had to be medi-vacced out.

It was a very busy QAA track today. Groups of 4wds heading both directions. At one stage we passed a group of motor bikes heading west. One idiot didn’t think his brain was important enough to protect it with a helmet! Next was a lady hiking east towards Birdsville with a “Spot” GPS strapped to her arm. She was hiking the Simpson Desert to raise money for the RFDS. We spent half the day pulling off the track to let others pass by.

There is a gorgeous eucalyptus forest for the final 10km before Eyre Creek.  The creek bed itself made for a lovely lunch stop, under the shade of a coolabah tree...... Unlike the bonnet high water of 2 years ago, the creek was bone dry!

There was another unscheduled stop just before getting to Big Red to make yet another rubber bush for Lisa and Stuarts’s suspension.

The crowd at Big Red was huge. People and cars everywhere. There were 4 tracks up with the left hand track near vertical. Only empty 4wds were attempting this with half not making it. Stuart had a couple of attempts at No2 and made it. Peter and Bruce had a couple of goes at No2 as well but had to end up using No3.

Col got up No2 first try. Go the Landy! Lisa and I then decided to have a go and we both got up No2 first go. Girl power! The crowd were fun with spectators all watching and cheering everyone on. Speaking to people we ascertained that only about 50% of the loaded up vehicles seemed to make it up No2. The rest used No3.

Our Dalhousie friends were nice enough to take a group shot of us on Big Red. The lake was still there on the east side of Big Red, but quite a bit smaller. It is such a beautiful wetland full of birds.

Once you are around the lake detour it is a quick and easy drive to Birdsville.

The very friendly Kim checked us in. We had the exact same room as last time. The others are all jealous as it is also the largest room (sorry not our doing). We do have a family of 4 adults though after all.

Instead of dinner in the dining room we have been relegated to the beer garden for a stew and desert set menu. The dining room was saved for a bus group. I don’t think everyone’s happy about the cold outdoors for eating again but I’m sure the atmosphere will be fun.

After a quick shower and putting some washing in the very convenient hotel laundromat, I had a very scrumptious lamb shanks with vegetables and sticky date pudding.  There was no allocated seating. Some locals and heaps of people from the caravan park were all there for dinner as well. So we all kind of ate in shifts when and where we could. It’s a shame they didn’t reserve tables for those already booked in through the hotel. I was sad not to all sit down together inside the Hotel next to a lovely fireplace. We ended up sitting inside in the front dining room for a drink next to the fire after tea, then as parents took the little ones off to bed, Col, Bruce Fiona and I had a bit of a drink in the Hotel proper. It was packed! We discussed future trips (a shame we don’t get more annual leave). Fiona and Bruce gave me an opal charm for my Pandora bracelet and a card to Col and I to thank us for all the work we put into planning and organising this trip. Thanks so much. I’m glad you appreciate it. I hope you are enjoying the experience. You didn’t need to do that but I do love it!

Back to the Parkes’ suite for tea and coffee with Peter and Lisa joining us. The teenagers had been watching TV in here and everyone else is in bed asleep.

It was another late night trying to do some blogging. It’s just too difficult to keep it up to date when my computer won’t hold a charge long enough to get the typing done as I go. I ruined a good night’s sleep in the hotel trying to catch up. I should just leave it until I get home instead.

Happy birthday Katie.......we love you and miss you!!

Day 16, Friday 6/07/2012, Poeppel Corner

What a gorgeous rest day, starting with a sleep in and then eggs on toast for brekkie. The kids decided to build Coober Pedy which became the entertainment for the entire day for the littlies. Jordan, Jack, Jess and Madison started it off with a bit of help from Col. It wasn’t long before Michael, Jamie, Haley and Chelsea came along to join in.

One of my favourite parts of the day was when our whole group went for a walk together, through Queensland, South Australia and then across the salt pan in the Northern Territory. Chelsea was so close to walking while playing on a fence wire on the salt pan.

Then it was time for the boys to potter around the cars, changing another bush on Stuart’s Pajero suspension. Bruce is desperately looking for something to fix under his car, then checking out why his winch didn’t work. Col needs to look at our water tank leak (maybe using the ‘magic tape’).  They also might have a play with Peter’s 12V outlets that are shorting out. Peter is topping up his oil again.

Fiona went for an extra walk, coming across a camel sculpture memorial amongst some amazing wild flowers.

After ‘happy hour’ around an early fire, Lisa, Bruce and I played with some night shots including sunset flash photography with the little kids.

It was such a lovely fire tonight which kept us warm while we had a fun game of charades. Talk about million star accommodation

 

Day 15, Thursday 5/07/2012, Lone Gum to Poeppel Corner

We were up in time for the sunrise over the Lone Gum (Box Eucalyptus Tree) and dunny. It wasn’t quite as cold last night. No frozen pipes. We fell asleep to the squeaking of little marsupials. Poor Peter and Anthea though, they can’t catch a break. The little marsupials had a party on their rubber ground mat, leaving droppings everywhere and they must like the taste of rubber as there were holes the size of coins in the mat.

Lisa was lovely enough to lend me some coffee this morning. The 4yr olds were a bit crazy so I sent them up the track in a running race to burn off some energy. Fiona had some to burn as well and set off for a big hike, to be picked up later as we leave.

I was able to entertain Chelsea with the Lone Gum, but particularly the kites in the tree. She’s good at saying “bird”! Another solo couple came up from the south and stopped to chat for a bit then Jack and Jess drove along the swale back to the Rig Road.

Anthea’s having a turn driving today which is awesome. She’ll get so much more out of the trip having a go. You should see the grin, and she’s a natural!

Heading east on Rig Rd there were a couple of camel carcasses. We were lucky enough in our car to be entertained by Aspire practice singing again.

Everyone got out to stretch their legs on a beautiful salt pan that 2 years ago was a lake. This is the southern end of the lake that cuts off the eastern end of WAA track after rain. We enjoyed a bit of a play here and then Jordan drove the 30km up the Knolls Track. Cool! There were salt pans, sand dunes, gidgee forests and gypsum rock outcrops. She did brilliantly. She even managed to do a hill start in high diff lock on a steep sand dune! Go girl!

We had a very dusty lunch at the base of the Approdinna Attora Knoll, an old gypsum encrusted dune. The gypsum hardens to rock and protects the dune. The views from the top are fantastic, surrounded by salt pans, gidgee forests, white glittery gypsum and orange sand dunes. We ran into the other couple again here, Matt and Heidi. They made it across the WAA Line to the Knolls, but still had to divert north around the lake as it was wet, with signs of recent boggings. They only did a really quick hike up to see the view as they decided to stick with us to Poeppel Corner.

Wow, so much fun heading east on the eastern end of the French Line! There are some fun dunes here. The bushes are also a bit more sparse so you get to see that orange dune look.

 

There was the occasional dune that needed a second attempt by some, then quite a steep one where the track veered to the left near the top and an unused old track straight over. A challenge that was calling to us! Lisa gave it 2 mighty attempts, almost making it. Col gave it a try, bottoming out on the amazingly soft sand on the crest, unable to go forward or back. He used a shovel, reversed back down, gave it another go and made it over with lots of cheers.

Williams’ turn. Not quite to the top, reversed back down. Second go bottomed out in the same place Col did with wheels spinning and sand flying. Bruce’s window was down and Jess got a lapful!

Col attempted to winch him over the top but it sounded as if the front end was ripping off Casper. A few people went to give him a push back down only to get a face full of sand. Matt couldn’t jump in his car fast enough. He was pretty excited to be able to use his recovery gear. He pulled Casper back using a snatchem strap. Left hand track for Casper. One for the Defender, yeah!

A bit further east we passed a group of about 10 cars, then we got a call from Matt to say he was bogged. Col and I went back to pull them out. We had to drive back through the 10 other vehicles. They were pulled off to the side as the track was blocked by Matt. I couldn’t believe they were just sitting there rather than pulling Matt over. I think they had already had “happy hour”. We only had to give Matt a little nudge over the crest of the dune with a snatchem.

There were several salt pans to cross before arriving at Poeppel Corner, setting up camp in a huge sandpit. After cooking tea we socialized around the lovely fire made by the teenagers. Matt and Heidi came and joined us, bringing their cask of wine to share and plenty of yarns were spun! The moon was late to rise tonight so it was a great opportunity to grab the tripod and get a few night shots.