Chasing Emus and Dodging Lizards

Wednesday - We were lucky to get showers in Eulo.  I shared mine with five frogs.  One after the other they climbed out of the drain, but it was too much for me when they started climbing over my feet!  We headed for Hungerford.

Outside the Royal Mail Hotel, Hungerford

Currawinya Nat Park

Chasing Emus

The Granites, Currawinya NP

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Perfectly framed!

  What a lovely tiny place, full of character and characters.  The drive out to the lakes was rough but worth it.  It was so hot, about 40C but by evening a change came through and we got caught up in high winds on the edge of a storm.  We tried to get out of the wind but were not very successful so the decision was made to drive to St George and find a hotel room or cabin.  Absolutely nothing available!!!

Victoria Hotel, Goondiwindi

Thursday - We woke up this morning after an horrendous night, and after driving such a long distance to get away from the high winds it got us anyway. We ended up getting lost in the dark and eventually found a camp site at 8 pm.  When we got up the next morning someone had stolenThursday.  It's Friday???  We lost a whole day somehow.

Sunset in the forest

Glenlyon Lake near Texas

Red bellied black snake

Female satin bowerbird

The final end of the hat!

Anyway, we set off to finish our last couple of days through the Sundown NP and the Richmond Ranges and Home.

The Dusty Diamantina

Brown Falcon ??

Birdsville Flags

Sand flags, hidden 4x4's

Thursday - What a fun day.  Little Red was easy but Big Red (Australia's biggest sand dune) was impossible, for us anyway!  I told Steve I would close my eyes and scream going up but after the fourth attempt all I was screaming was GO FASTER-:).  We had fun trying although I didn't much like going down backwards. 

Climbing 'Little Red'

Floodplains

A setting in the middle of nowhere

 A long 150 km drive in the heat followed before we reached one of our favorite bush camp sites at Cluny.  No one else there-:) 

Friday - It was too hot with a constant bombardment of flies.  Steve got in the river twice to cool off but it was very muddy and I didn't much fancy it so there were  a couple of cool showers for me.  We didn't do anything else.  I didn't even want to take bird photos!

Diamantina Bird life

A cat on the prowl

Pelican by the  'Jump Up'

Trying to Chill & get the washing dry

Saturday - After two nights at Kings Creek we re-provisioned with fuel and water at Bedourie and drove to Hunters Gorge in the Diamantina, a long dry hot and dusty trip.  we were within 50 kms when we first realised something was wrong with the truck.  It kept losing power.  At one point it stopped completely even though Steve had the accelerator pedal to the floor.  It was woorying to say the least.  We managed to kangaroo (appropriate terminology) our way to the Devenport Station, a property on almost 1,500.00 hectacres, (3.6 million acres)' and found an amazing guy called Phil.  He looked at the truck, climbing underneath it and eventually said he thought it was a fuel problem, did we have a spare fuel filter with us.  Steve carries a reasonable amount of spares but not a fuel filter.  This guy goes off and comes back with a filter, fits it and charges us $30!!  This was the only place in the whole of that area where we could get help, and he helped us without question.   We eventually got to the campsite but it was still not right.  We think it was dirty fuel bought at Bodourie and we are now worried how the hell we get out of the NP!!!  306km (about 180 miles) to the nearest garage-:(

Corellas

Sunrise

Camped with Trish & Iain

Sunday - We sat in the awning out of the sun and flies and shared some time with some fellow campers whilst we waited for Trish and Iain. They arrived mid-arvo, it was good to see them.  

Monday morning we were all up early and had a great time out on their inflatable boat.  It was really good fun.  Then came the moment of truth.  Would the truck start; would we make it out of the park? Hell yes!  It went like a dream and 5 hours later we were camped up just South of Windorah.  Hooray-:)

The' Cooper'

Cruising through 'Corner Country'

BIG POINT TO MENTION.   Our article on Tassie has just come out in the Camping Guide magazine.  It looks great.  Available at all good 'Australian' newsagents!

The Old Bridge outside Bourke

Thursday - Arrived at  Bourke, or the 'Back of Bourke' as some say.  The 'town centre' has about 20 shops and among them was a good coffee shop so I was happy.  Had a look round and found a camp spot by the Darling River.  It was so hot and muggy.  We were going to head for the Currunwinya Nat Park near Hungerford  but heard there was a horse and motor bike event on over the long weekend so that was a no brainer.  Instead we made tracks for the Sturt Nat Park.

Major Mitchell!

Who are you looking at?

Lost on the floodplains with a storm brewing

Storm approaching

Friday - The road out of Bourke was dreadful with unpleasant corrugations. We thought we were being clever in taking  a 'short cut' but it turned into a bit of a nightmare and we ended up driving across the floodplains, often  loosing the  'track'.  It became a real worry when we could see storm clouds forming. We didn't want to get caught out in a downpour on a floodplain and it wouldn't have taken much rain to make it muddy and wash away any trace of our meagre track I kept thinking we would have to find some high ground but there wasn't any - flat as pancake obviously!  Eventually we got back on to the main road and within 10 mins the storm came through.  We were very lucky.

Sue

Plover

Door repairs

Saturday - Trouble with the back door.  These roads are so dusty it has clogged up the mechanism again, much like in 2009.  Steve fixed the problem but we have a lot more red dust to drive through. Camped up in the bush.for the night.  Great spot,  Sturt Nat Park tomorrow.

Fairy Wren

The Old Woolshed at Mt Wood

Sunday.- Sturt NP is dry and barren.  The roads are rough and camping with park fees was going to cost us $17. We didn't stay. The Gorge was just a valley really. Other than the old wool shed it was a little disappointing.  We left and headed for Tiboobura and hid ourselves away in the bush again.
Monday - Provisioned at Tiboobura.   29 truck convoy at the Fuel station.  We can't think of anything we would least like to do.  Coonigie Lakes is still closed at Inniminka so we decided to divert to Hadon Corner and bypass  Birdsville till after The Diamantina.  

Chilling

We travelled all day and headed for a stop we made last year where there were hundreds of water birds. what a contrast this time.  3 Pelicans and maybe a handful of other birds.  It was still lovely and we got the hammock out again and chilled.

More Chilling

Which way??

29 Vehicle convoy at Innaminka

Then we realised we wouldn't have enough fuel and water to last us a week so had to go to Inniminka.  When we got there the 29 truck convoy were all cued up in the shop and pumps so we left and headed for Birdsville.  One of those days!  Visited The Dig Tree, worth a visit for the historical factor but not much to see really.  

Eastern Barnowl

Wood Swallow

Breakfast at the Billabong

Wednesday - We  managed to find another delightful  water front spot last night.  There I was minding my own business when I looked up and saw the most beautiful Barn Owl.  You've never seen me move so fast to get my camera.  There were two of them and they are the highlight of my trip so far.  Well those and the Major Mitchells!  Today we are in Birdsville and have had a kangaroo  & burgundy pie and coffee in the Bakery.  Off to see Big Red (sand dune) tomorrow.  Oh, and it's hot and muggy with lots of flies!