On Track in the Outback

Coober Pedy, Lake Eyre, Flinders Ranges

South Australia

March 20 to 31, 2016

It was a swift exit from the Northern Territory: whoosh 700km south to Coober Pedy. And what a curious place it is. Of course, it's all about opal mining in Coober Pedy, purportedly a derivation of the Aboriginal expression "Kupa Piti" meaning "white man in a hole". Mostly everyone works and lives underground in "dugouts". Above ground the landscape is pitted with gapping shafts and mounds of mullock (discarded rock and sand). It's not a pretty sight. All this chatter about our ancient, fragile land and this is how we treat it. It doesn't make sense. Environmental rehabilitation is not part of Coober Pedy's agenda. 

A veritable moonscape. 

Mining mullocks aplenty as we approach Coober Pedy.

The disappearing town ... disappearing into the hillsides.

At least 50% of the population of 3500 live underground where the temperature remains a constant 25C.
Can you see the proliferation of air vents protruding out of the hillside? The hill is a human warren.

On site at a working opal mine.

Trying our luck at finding those elusive opals.They might be elusive for us but Coober Pedy and the surrounding area account for 85% of the world's opal supply.

Faye's Underground House.
It took Faye Nayler and two female friends 10 years to excavate this six-room home out of the hillside. 

Three bedrooms. The house was strangely appealing. 

Nice addition: The indoor pool is above ground.

Speaking of pools, I loved the pool at the caravan park. It is built in a water tank and remains beautifully cool all day. Delicious.

Back to Coober Pedy. Did I mention it is a quirky town? Some quirky bits.

The first tree in CP made from burnt out truck parts. 

Space shuttle crash landed?

 Petrified Forest? 

The Opal Bug didn't bite us. 

Me mate the miner. 

Getting the lowdown on the history and geology in the Underground Museum. Fascinating.

Central Australia had received about 80ml of rain the week before we arrived and many of the outback tracks were closed. Fortunately, William Creek Rd reopened while we were there so we were able to scoot across to catch our flight over North Lake Eyre. The lake - also known as Kati Thanda - was receiving strong flows from the Neale and Warburton Rivers, a phenomenon that occurs about once a decade.  We couldn't miss this spectacle.

Off we go. The road so far is looking good.  

The stony desert springing to life. 

About 30km into the 160km trip we met two 4WD vehicles splattered with mud. They pulled up and gravely told us that about 40km ahead there was a water crossing about a metre deep. "But you'll be right, mate," they assured us. "Stick to the right-hand side and keep going." Thanks buddy, we breathe, and begin to plan our strategy.

We attach Pedro's snorkel and plunge on. 

This truck had come a cropper despite being high and dry. 

Lots of deep wash outs .... but where is this raging torrent?

Finally, we come to it. Hmmm. In Garry's words: "They had their hand on it, Jen."

A cooling ale for the intrepid outback travellers at William Creek. 

We had booked a dawn flight over Lake Eyre. Sooo beautiful.

Almost immediately we could see the water pooling across the land.

It's not often you see Central Australia crisscrossed by rivers and streams.

Lake Eyre shimmers in the distance.

The Neale River gathering pace as it approaches the lake.

And here she is in all her water-soaked glory. 

The black dots are flocks of pelicans.
Hundreds of birds migrate to the lake when the rivers flow, some from as far away as Papua New Guinea.

Masses of water but still not enough to flow into South Lake Eyre . 

All too soon our two-hour flight is coming to an end ....

.... and we are heading back to William Creek.

Back on the ground. Great trip.

The Oodnadatta Track beckoned. What a delight it proved to be. It is the original track north from Adelaide to Alice Springs and the first Ghan railway runs alongside. The line was abandoned in the early 1980s and a new Ghan route built to the west but there are still lots of old rail tracks, bridges and sidings to mark its former path.  

Old Ghan gone but relics such as this railway bridge remain.

Ghan Hover Bus Service in the middle of a dry creek bed?

Plane Henge. These bizarre sculptures/installations appeared out of nowhere. We found out later it is called Mutonia Sculpture Park and is the creation of mechanic turned artist Robin Cooke who returns every year to build a new one. 

Woof woof. An original water tank with a suspended car to create this canine image. Brilliant.

South Lake Eyre. It had some residual water from the rain but mostly just a salt pan.

Sea gulls a long way from the home.  

Hundreds of cockatoos hanging out in the trees.

Back to the Dog Fence. I photographed Garry impersonating a dingo at the start of the fence near Dalby in Queensland more than eight months ago. Here we are in South Australia and the 5600km fence is still going. 

The ruins of Farina were our overnight stop on the Oodnadatta Track. The town was proclaimed in 1878 and was the rail head for the Ghan from1882 to 1884 before the line was extended to Maree. It was the end of the line for Farina and its 300 residents when the Ghan changed course in 1982. A group of volunteers are doing a marvellous job preserving the stories and buildings of Farina.    

The Transcontinental Hotel. Another pub with no beer but Wally's a good sport.

Our campsite. One of our favourites.  

Wild budgerigars everywhere. 

A fire pit and a full moon rising. Bliss. 

We pushed on towards the Flinders Ranges the next day and were delighted to overlap with nephew Tom, girlfriend Jas and their red heeler pup Lenny. We last saw them in September when they were working as rangers in Kakadu. They were en route to Alice Springs this time. Great to catch up.

Jas, Gaz and Tom. Lenny is just 10 weeks old and big on the licks. 

Onto the Flinders Ranges. We camped in Parachilna Gorge the first night. Another big fire, another full moon. Just beautiful. 

River gums in the gorge's dry creek bed.  

Admiring his fire.  

Moon rising above the escarpment.

We based ourselves in Rawnsley Park Station just south of the Flinders Ranges and explored from there. An amazing national park. Our camp site looked across to Rawnsley Bluff and I was able to chronicle the changing colours as the sun went down. So special.

 

The next day we hiked through Wilpena Pound and were entranced by the views.

Getting high again. A selfie at Wangara Lookout.

Old Wilpena Station. Amazing stories of pioneers trying to farm in such a difficult environment. It's looking lush and beautiful now but the green hue is transitory. 

Brachina Gorge, home to the endangered Yellow Tailed Rock Wallaby.

Can you see her/him in the scrub?  

Emerging on the rocky outcrop. 

Just a few more pics of the ranges catching the last of the light.

 

We left the Flinders Ranges and made a special trip to Christies Beach, just south of Adelaide to spend a birthday with our on-the-road friends the Hannay clan - Raylene, Paul, Ethan and Mikayla. It was Ray's birthday on March 29, the same day as my darling Muma. What a wonderful way to spend a special day.

Birthday bunch: The Hannay Clan. 

The gals chilling over  a glass or two.  

The guys giving the pool table a work out.

Lots of laughs and fun times.
Christies Beach was a spontaneous diversion.
We're back on track again and heading towards the Eyre Peninsula.
 Hoodle Doodle until next time.