Birdsville to Batchelor

10/7  We woke up to a freezing cold morning and rugged up till the sun came out and became a beautiful day again.  We were considering heading back across to Inniminka today but realised it would make the trip a rush so we decided to continue North.  We grabbed a great coffee and cake from the Birdsville Bakery, highly recommended if you are ever in the area!!  

Rugged up at Birdsville

 As we stopped off at the hotel, just to get some cash out this time, we saw another roof top tent just like ours, a Gordigear tent.  As we looked closer there were 3 of them, all parked up next to us, right outside the Birdsville Hotel.   It was quite amazing.  Steve took the best photo he could whilst we chatted and found out the group were all from Adelaide heading to Cape York.

Gordigear Convention at the Birdsville Hotel!

We had a lovely drive from Birdsville up to Mount Isa.  The Marshes were full of birds and water lapped at the roadside.  We found a suitable camp spot just 40 klms short of Mt Isa.

11/7  Mount Isa is the first bit of ‘civilisation’ we have had since leaving St George  so it was great to get a bit of shopping done in Woolworths, visit Bunnings and do the washing.  We didn’t linger though and just drove on to Cammoweal Caves.

Unique Private Road sign

Bush Kitchen!

Wedgetail Eagle with Damaged Tail Feathers

Struggling to get airborne

12&13/7  Cammoweal Caves was lovely.  It was by a river, nice and quiet.  We made friends with our temporary neighbours, a family of 5.  They were really lovely people and we joined them for drinks the first night and then for a lovely stroll to the caves the following day.  It made the stay better for having met them.  It was extremely windy the second night and we didn’t get any sleep.  We were glad to get up and move on!!  The wind has been a real problem over the last week or so, but at least it is warmer now.

Zebra Finches

Camooweal Waterhole

Budgerigars 

Camooweal Caves

Cockatiels

Brolgas

Flock of Budgees

14/7  Again we drove as far as we could and camped up just past 3 ways.  A road side camp sight, absolutely packed, but we found a little place to tuck ourselves away, light a fire and we were snug.

15&16/7  We had a surprisingly good nights sleep and drove to Mataranka.  We had been looking forward to this stop having had good reports from numerous people.  They were right.  The hot springs were fantastic and suddenly we had the hot weather too.  It sort of happened over night and we struggled a bit to get used to it.   We chilled, read our books and enjoyed he warmth.

Mataranka Hot Springs

17,18,19/7  We had planned to stay at Katherine Gorge and canoe down the river but there are crocs around so no canoeing or swimming allowed.   We didn’t want to pay $34 to stay the night unless we could do the canoeing so we got provisions and continued North.  Our lovely friend Stephan had recommended a place called Umbrawarra Gorge.  It was 20 klms down a dirt road and turned out to be a great choice.  It was busy and by nightfall more and more people had turned up.  We stayed for 3 days in the same place!!

We read our books, walked up the Gorge, rock hopped and swam in the hot sun!!!

Yellow Throated Miner Bird ?

Water Monitor

One of the many swimming holes at Umbrawarra Gorge

Nest

20/7  Arrived at Batchelor and will be here for about 12 days for the skydiving boogie.

Farina to Birdsville

4/7. Decided to have breakfast in the 'town' and very nice it was too.  Did the shopping, posted the Grandkids postcards etc, stocked up with alcohol and off we went.  Lyndhurst was one of those amazing disappointments but we have got used to them now.  We got to Farina and it is a lovely spot.  We will probably stay for two nights and just chill.  Then off to Lake Eyre- so close to where we have been wanting to go for a long time.

6/7. We did stay for two nights at Farina.  It was such a lovely place.  The ruins were amazing and I took lots of bird photos, no surprise there!  Saw my first Letter Winged Kite, what a beautiful bird.  Steve took some night shots of the ruins. 

In Maree we saw Tom Kruse's truck, he was an Outback Legend delivering the mail to Birdsville across the desert, sad to see he had passed away only the week before aged 96.   We headed for Lake Eyre but had to stay about 45 klm away in a place called Mulroonia by the Frome River.  Top spot again.  Lots of birds and a quiet place too.  Listened to the State of Origin, a night to remember eh!!!   (Pete....)

7/7. So, Lake Eyre.  Amazing place, nothing there, but a spectacular nothing if that makes sense.  We walked 1.8 klm to the waters edge through salt encrusted mud.  We paddled in the lake and Steve set the Spot It going so you could see we were there.  It was like Christmas Day.  I took a photo of the one bird we saw which is a bit ironic as one of the main reasons for going was for the birds!!  Too salty though.  It didn't matter.

We left LE and drove to a place called Clayton on the Birdsville Track.

8/7. This was a good stop.  We had a quiet night and jumped in the Artesian Spa bath (bush version) the next morning.  It was so hot and just fantastic.  What a treat.

The Birdsville Track is in very good condition and we just scooted along.  We only found out a couple of days previously that the river had flooded again at Cooper Creek so we got to cross the river on the boat after all.  Another tick in our box.  It was lovely there and Steve got his fishing rod out again and I got a photo of a Black Shouldered Kite.  It kept us both happy.  

We then got back on to the Birdsville Track and drove to our next camp spot at the Mungarannie  Hotel.  This was next to some marshes and became a very busy camp site.  So many people stopped for the night.  There aren't too many places on the Track to stop!  it proved to be very cold and we ended up with frost on the tent again.  A big brrrr .  It took us a while to defrost. 

Next morning we passed a natural hot spring beside the track, thermometer measured the water temperature at 92 deg C !!!

Doing the Birdsville Track the hard way!

9/7. We arrived at Birdsville quite late after a long drive from Mungarinnie.  It didn't stop us walking the 2 klms to the Birdsville Hotel though.  We had a couple of drinks, saw another note lamenting the passing of Tom Kruse, and spent a cold night in the middle nowhere!

Across the desert!

Sorry it’s taken so long but this is the first time we have had internet for 9 days.




For those of you that would like to see a map of where we are, click the link below, 
http://fms.ws/5FeIU/30.58835S/138.40904E

If the above link does not work, try this link: 
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=-30.58835,138.40904&ll=-30.58835,138.40904&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1 

23/6.  Eventually got going today.  First stop at Inglewood by the river. Peter Seaward sent us a song, The Wobbly Boot, and we danced to it like a pair of loonies!  It's cold.

24/6. Woke up this morning to a very cold snap.  The roof of the truck had ice on it.  We were snug.

25/6. Stay at Bollon was lovely and lazy.  Lots of birds to photograph. Hot showers.

26/6.  Woke up to a lovely day and got the fire going again.  Waited for the tent to dry and headed into Eulo.  Nice friendly place.  Got provisions, including a local Port and some figs.  Delicious.  Stopped at Lake Bindigolly, another great place.  

Took more bird photos, had lunch and headed for Noccundra.  Managed to get a shower enroute.  

Arrived Noccundra, another great spot.  Herons and Kites everywhere and I'm in my element.  

Lots of mice here due to the wet.  They were running over our feet, up the ladder of the tent.  We had to stuff the holes of the tent up to stop them getting in!!

27/6. We stayed an extra night .  Just chilled out.  Steve fished and I took photos.  Went for a walk and I even read my book.

28/6. Headed off early and drove to the Corner Store, Cameron Corner.  

A nothing place really so we carried on to the Yellow Bus.  

Nothing there but a bus and a tree but it was fantastic.  We loved it.  

Cute little Marsupials running around, not mice!!!  We got a good nights sleep.

29/6  We got up to a lovely sunrise.  Steve took some great photos.  Put our clocks to SA time and headed across the desert.  Steve hurt his finger this morning so I'm the designated driver.  Driving over the sand dunes was interesting even though it was just scrub.  Arrived at the Arkaroola in the Gammon National Park / Flinders Ranges. Stayed 2 nights.  Lovely walk and a great drive.  Fabulous scenery.

1/7  Drove down to some bush camping in the Gammon Ranges National Park.  Lovely walk up the Gorge.

2/7  Headed off to Grindells Hut just a short drive but rough so 30 klms took us forever.   Rained through the night and looked very threatening so we decided to get out before it got too muddy.

3/7  Drove to Leigh Creek and are camped up again but in a proper camp site for the night.  Got some washing done, used the camp kitchen and are snug sitting on the sofa having a drink – doing our first blog!!!