From one extreme to the other!

Bushfires out of control

Says it all really

Cooler weather didn't happen for a couple of days and was a contributor to numerous fires in SA.  We were almost evacuated from the camp site in Laura when a big fire was headed our way.  We were being showered with ash and we watched with growing concern as several fire trucks went by.  Thankfully the wind changed and we were finally able to put the tent up.  Next day we took the train & went into Adelaide.  Compared to the emptiness of everywhere we've been over the last few weeks it felt really crowded!

Hahndorf - German Village in SA

We had an enforced stop in Mt Barker due to car problems. We managed to get the truck booked into the Toyota garage and with help from Dean & Gavin of Cricks Motors on the Sunshine Coast it all got sorted; you guys rock! Whilst we were frustrated at loosing another 2 days we were able to hop on a bus and visit Hahndorf, a pretty little German Village.  Having experienced temps of almost 48*C we bloody froze that night with 8*C

Rail & Road bridges over the Murray River - at Murray Bridge!

Sue at Wentworth

The 'coffee & cream' colours of the Darling & Murray Rivers joining

Moving on, and I guess homeward bound now, we stopped by the Murray River in Berri.  We thought at last we could just relax in peace and quiet, no people and no traffic, it should have been heaven.  Unfortunately we have been plagued with flies and ants, both have tried to eat us alive!  To cool down we got in the river but were then nibbled by fresh water prawns - getting their own back no doubt!  The only respite has been my kayak!

Outback advertising!

The drive from Wentworth to Pooncharie was lovely and we spent Australia Day in the nearby Mungo NP looking at the sand dunes, referred to as 'The China Wall'. Then back to Minindee where the water level had dropped by about 1 metre.  I had read just a few days earlier about the concerns of water releasing from the lakes, and hard it was on the bird life, but to see it for ourselves!!!  We went back to the same camp spot and didn't recognise it.  The water had receded by about 30 metres.  

We took the dirt road all the way from Wentworth to Bourke and saw just a handful cars over about 620 Km (approx. 390 miles).

Whilst having coffee in Bourke we met a man called Jack Bennett.  Well, we did a really lovely walk in the Gundabooka NP up to Bennett's Gorge on Christmas Day, and it turns out he was the Jack Bennett it is named after.  A lovely man with some amazing stories & yarns to tell!

Who're you looking at?

One more night and one more canoe suddenly found us driving home.  A very long 9 hours. 

Where next I wonder ??

Starting to warm up a bit!

Sleaford Bay near Port Lincoln SA

Port Lincoln NP managed to keep us holed up in a lovely little spot right on the waters edge for 3 days with more canoeing, swimming and chilling.  Steve wanted to do the 18km Sleaford - Wanna Dune Access drive which he thoroughly enjoyed, even with me wingeing in his ear about being careful in the extremely soft sand and then hanging on to the door for dear life . It wasn't that I didn't enjoy it, but just not as much as he did!

Crossing the sand dunes, Port Lincoln NP

Recovery time - bogged in soft sand with the front wheel off the ground!

Sue - chilling in Coffin Bay Nat Park

By this time the temperatures were beginning to rise a little, but it was still lovely.  We moved onto Coffin Bay NP, which although just 70 km away was very different, more rugged tracks with soft sand and very tranquil waters.  It was a 50Km lovely drive up to Point Sir Isaac, part of it across Seven Mile Beach and were glad to be in the car with the air con on.

Shells

Coffin Bay

Coffin Bay

Seven Mile Beach, Coffin Bay

Sea Eagle

Pacific Gull

Tuesday morning we took the canoes out early and all was well, we had a lovely time, but within half an hour of being back on land the temperature started to rise.  I had to leave Steve to finish putting everything away so I could sit in the car to cool down. It was really oppressive.  It's hard to explain, but my skin felt like it was on fire and I was suffocating. I had already felt unwell but the sudden heat just tipped me over the edge and that was it for me, I just wanted to lie down, anywhere!! Trying to get away from the searing heat became a real priority so we tried a night at Venus Bay as the storms went through, but the heat stayed, so we headed for Port Augusta, yes the hottest place in the World with 47.7 degrees, and booked into an air conditioned cabin for two nights.  Hopefully tomorrow will be the start of some cooler weather and we can start enjoying our holiday again!

Sunset through the storm at Venus Bay

After the storm

2014!

We have had some great stops over Christmas and New Year with mega hot temperatures, but with Broken Hill and the dry barren landscape now behind us, we are headed for the Flinders Ranges.  Hopefully there will be some birds to photograph!!

Camped by the lake at Minindee

Dunny in the Desert

Star trails over the Waukaringa Hotel ruins

Desert Flower (s)

Hard at work

The stop at the Waukaringa Hotel ruins was really lovely and the drive to the NP was so pretty and interesting.  Hills, ruins an old well. Twisting and undulating. We drove across lots of river beds and creeks but none of them have had a drop of water for a very long time. A pleasure to drive and memorable.  We arrived at the NP and paid our dues for 3 days!!

Flinders NP

Dry river bed

Flinders NP

Wedge-tailed Eagle

Rainbow Bee-eaters

Fossilised river bed

Yellowfooted Rock Wallaby

Wedgie on takeoff

Gorge in the Flinders

Water Crossing

Flora

View from Stokes' Hill

Howling winds have kept the mornings bitterly cold.  Using the drop toilets has been a new experience.  The wind just howls up the 'tunnel' and slaps you right where you don't want it first thing in the morning, or any time of day for that matter!!!!  The scenery is lovely and the walks too. The highlight was seeing at least a dozen Yellowfoot wallabies!  We drove round to the other campsites and I doubt there were more than a dozen campers in the whole park!! We took delight in finding the one and only 'puddle' that we have seen since leaving home and I was instructed to drive through it 3 times just so that we could get some photos.  

Fitzgerald Bay

Pelican Sunrise

Paddling on Spalding Cove

Misty morn

Sunrise at Spalding Cove

Ok - it's Friday.  3 weeks gone and we have hit the beaches of The Port Lincoln NP.  It is quite lovely here.  Nothing more to say.

True Aussie  style!

Up and off early on Friday.   We decided to head back to Bourke for provisions and then take the road to Wilcannia on the other side of the Darling river.  

The new set up!

Chasing Emus

 It was little more than a track, with deep cracks appearing due to the erosion from the sudden storm and the road was muddy and slippery in places.  You really do start to get a feel for how the farmers must be feeling.  It was 41 dgrs with a hot wind.  The cattle were huddled under small trees for what little shade they provided.  We were glad to be in the air conditioned truck and reluctant to stop.  

One of the locals

Woodland campsite by the Darling River

Pelican

Sue on the Darling

 Finally we found a caravan farm stay , and in true Aussie style, although closed for Christmas, they took pity on us and allowed us to camp up for the night.  We headed straight for the river and jumped in!!  What a beaut spot!   It cost us $10 and it was well worth it.  Steve realised he'd forgotten the camera battery charger, I lost Marks flask and Steve got stung by a bee - otherwise a great day😄

Birdlife on Lake Peery

Roos by Lake Peery

Sue in the shade

Steve in the mud!

Red Necked Avocet at Lake Peery

 The Paroo-Darling NP reminded me of The Sturt NP, dusty and barren!  The drive there was so hot with temps reaching 47 dgrs.  Thankfully Lake Peery had water in it so we slowly walked the 500 mtrs.  Steve decided to take a dip and ended up getting so muddy he had to walk another 250 mtrs just so he could get in deep enough, above the knees, to rinse off!!  

Our 'Dug Out' in the underground Motel

 We wanted to check out the underground living accom at White Cliffs so we booked ourselves into the motel for a 'unique' experience!!  The Motel is the largest underground Motel in the World and whilst it is 'unique' I personally didn't enjoy it.  It was claustrophobic.  The wind was absolutely howling and the air vent was almost being ripped off the roof.  Steve had to climb up to the roof, on ground level of course, and put loads of rocks on top of it just so we could get a goods nights sleep.  The alternative was the dry, dusty, totally open, no shade caravan park up the road, with winds doing about 90 k an hour!!  The other benefit at the Motel was the pool, coffee and a cold beer!!!  A no brainer.

Sunset over the lake at Menindee

Sunrise 

Early morning from the kayak

Scary spider - made Sue jump!!!

 Leaving White Sands we headed to the Minindee Lakes where we were hopefully going to keep cool.  We made a short diversion back on the road to Bourke to suss out a camp site in one of the Paroo-Darling NP's.  Again we were able to put the canoes in the river and have a great stop.  The NP held little of interest, just a barren landscape, so we made tracks for Minindee and the sanctuary of the cooling lakes!  We spent 3 days there and it was a great NY!!

The old woolshed

Lake Menindee, almost dry

Thursday 2nd - A drive round the Minindee NP showed us just how dry this part of the Country is with the Minindee Lake mostly empty.