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!