9/8 Camped off the Stuart Hwy South of Elliot, just followed a track into the bush. It would have been great stop but for the mozzies. I retreated to the safety of the tent at 8 pm!
10/8 We didn't stop at The Pebbles on our last trip so that's where we headed. Not a patch on The Devils Marbles but we had a wander. Unfortunately 8 loud youths descended on the campsite and spoilt the peace and quiet. Maybe we are just getting old!!!!
11 and 12/8 We were looking forward to getting back to Camooweal Caves and we weren't disappointed. We had two great nights and vowed to go back one day. There were more Cockatels to photograph.
13/8. We found out there was a big Rodeo event on in Mt ISA which meant everywhere was packed. We decided to get the provisions we needed and drove out as quickly as possible. Our route out was via the dirt road to Duchess and what a great decision. There was nothing out there and it was lovely because there was nothing. The cattle were thin and were feeding on the meagre grass. We saw Brolgas and Bustards. Another track took us deep into the bush for a great night. We cooked dinner on the fire and Steve made us a cake in the camp oven.
14 and15/8 Kings Creek at Cluny was one of our best stops of the trip. The river was full of every water bird you could imagine (or so we thought at the time). We had stayed on the other side of the road on the way up and were headed for the same spot, but thankfully we took a track on the other side of the road, Good choice. We didn't want to leave. Steves shower arrangement works so well in places like this. It was so restful.
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| Nankeen Night Heron |
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| Nankeen Night Heron |
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| Wood Swallows |
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| Fishing??? |
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| Swallow? |
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| King Creek Sunrise |
16/8. We have been really surprised to have got so far South and still be warm. We provisioned in Birdsville. Had a coffee and cake again and headed off for Innaminka. Unfortunately it was blowing a houlie, a hot one, but it was unpleasant. It was a great dirt road and we made good time. We found a track by a creek called Cuppa Cuppa Creek so we did just that, made a cuppa. The winds died down so we put up the tent for the night.
17/8 At 4 am the wind was so bad again we hade to pack up and head off. We drove a long way that day but how fantastic to be out in this nothingness!! We arrived at Innaminka much much earlier than planned due to our 4 am start. It was blowing a houlie again but this time a very cold wind. There was nothing there really, I was disappointed with Innaminka. The people were unfriendly and unhelpful. The track to Coongie Lake was closed so we did the touristy thing and visited Wills Grave (as in Burke and Wills). We camped on the Common in the cold, rugged up.
We didn't want another 4 am wake up call so we put our trusty little tent up. I was cold and uncomfortable. My thin bit of sponge is great as an extra bit of comfort on the mattress in the RTTent, but on a hard gravel surface, it made for another sleepless night.
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| East from Birdsville |
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| Desert Flower |
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| Sunrise on the Cordillo Downs Road |
18/8. Joy, the wind had dropped. Still cold, and we are still rugged up, but no wind. As the track was closed and there was precious little else in Innaminka, we left. I was disappointed. I had been looking forward to taking photos of the birds, especially after Lake Erye but......... We found the most amazing place. Soaring high in the sky, hundreds of Pelicans. We were crossing the Cooper Creek, full of birds. Thousands of birds. We set up cam and just watched in amazement, all day. It was like nothing I have ever seen before. I had to put the camera away, but there was always just one more photo. It was like a busy motorway, tooing and froing. Squabbling, argumentative birds trying to pinch the fish from the mouths of others. Fascinating. It was like watching a wildlife movie.
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| Eagret |
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| Duck |
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| Millions of Pelicans on the Cooper |
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| 32min exposure |
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| Boiling the Billy |
19/8. A bitterly cold morning.
Sue & Steve
