The run Home...

We broke camp at Beresford, and continued down the track.  






We passed through Marree, …...we've been to Marree a couple of times before.....If you have ever been to Marree...more than once….you pass right through!



On the way out of town we caught up with a road train carting cattle......we give him a fair bit of room.....







We stayed the night at the Leigh Creek Caravan Park, a chance to top up the water supply, refuel the vehicle and have a general tidy up.

We departed Leigh Creek and headed south.   The weather report for South Australia was to say the very least....grim.   Predicted strong wind, rain and with the SES offering free sandbags for anyone who wanted them, I decided that home was probably the best option.   There was one bright side to the weather..

So after a long day on the road we free camped just east of Tailem Bend, striking distance from home.    Even on the roadside the weather was rough, strong wind, rain, and after the weather of the previous 3 weeks...bloody cold!



We woke to a blustery, wet morning, and steered the rig towards Hamilton, as the day progressed the weather deteriorated, and we arrive back home, with just sufficient time to unpack the main stuff from the van.....before the heavens opened...


The trip....6915 km, 27 days, $2108 in fuel, a shed load of photos, camels, lizards, cows, dingos, horses, rocks, scrub, free camps, desert racers, new places, met some great people and generally had a great time....

We will probably do something similar again......stay tuned

Ooooooodnadatta.....

After a quiet nights camp, we packed our gear and hit the road (again).   Saw a couple of the locals as we travelled towards Oodnadatta.  

Some were a bit shy, others not so...

We continued along the road, elected NOT to take the turnoff to Dalhousie Springs and the Simpson Desert….

 Before we knew it we had arrived in the metropolis of Oodnadatta...….and the famous Pink Roadhouse.

After a cuppa and a feed, we took a stroll around the highlights of the town...……

 Including the cinema, the museum and the...….and the.....playground.

We left behind the hustle and bustle of Oodnadatta, and again hit the road...er.....track.   

If you thought we were mad for doing the Oodnadatta track...cop this bloke.....

The Oodnadatta track follows the old Ghan Railway, there are some remarkable feats of engineering along the way....

Including the Algebruckna Bridge, which remains the longest railway bridge in South Australia.

There are numerous ruins along the way, some are railway structures, workers quarters and the like, others the remains of abandoned pastoral runs.

We decided to make one such site our second camp along the track, the remote Beresford Siding.

The remnants of the water tower and desalination tower remain as a reminder of the importance of water to the Ghan Railway.

As the afternoon wore on the light got better and better.....I love a good sunset....

A great little camping spot.

So long to the Springs, Southward Ho....

We are back in the land of the technologically advanced, we have internet!!

We departed Alice Springs on Sunday morning, and made our way south. We saw a squadron of caravanners heading north and as much as it would be nice to chase the good weather……

Anyway, we continued south, over the border back into south Australia.    

We had heard various reports on the condition of the Oodnadatta Track, we checked the government web site (which basically says it’s a gravel road and you should be careful - who’d of thought?) We spoke with several travellers who had recently done the track. 

So we refuelled at Marla, then turned onto the Oodnadatta Track.

The plan is to have a couple of nights free camping along the track.





The track was in good condition, although the surface varied quite a bit.

We pulled up for the night about half way between Marla and Oodnadatta. 

It was a very secluded spot, off the road among the scrub. Camp fire, a few drinks, and a relaxed evening under the stars.

Around the Alice..

      This morning we took a short drive out to the spot on the Stuart Highway where the Tropic of Capricorn Crosses our path.

      We also took in the opportunity to have a quick look at the Ghan, which was in town for the day.

We also visited Simpsons Gap, another fabulous rock formation in this area.    

      This evening we went to the twilight market in the Todd Mall, which is part of the Finke Desert Race activities.  Saw the first all electric vehicle to compete in the race, which is driven and co-piloted by a female team from Europe.

There was also a number of more conventional vehicles.

School, Speedsters and Signposts...

This morning we went to school…. The School of the Air to be exact.  The school of the air is the way kids in the remote areas of the N.T. receive their education.  The school yard is 1.3 million square kilometres, and approximately 104 students, up to year 9.

When the service started it was operated using the same radio network used by the RFDS.   Initially it was the teacher speaking to the students, without the students being able to speak back.   

Today the school utilises the most up to date network via the internet, so that the kids may participate in classes in real time.  

The students have a get together 3 times a year in Alice Springs, which gives the kids a chance to meet, talk and play with their classmates, some of whom may live up to 2,000 km apart.  

This afternoon we took a drive out to Chambers Pillar, a magnificent natural stone edifice, discovered by Charles Stuart, and utilised as an important waypoint for many explorers and pioneers that followed.

On the way to Chambers Pillar we took part in the Finke Desert Race……well we drove part of the track and dodged a few of the participants.   The Finke Desert Race is one of the most gruelling on the calendar.    Competitors race motorbikes, quadbikes, cars, buggies and trucks from Alice Springs to Finke and back, about 425 km.  

It is no wonder that Chambers Pillar was used as a landmark by so many, it is pretty hard to miss.   








Many early visitors left their mark on the pillar, including John Ross, who was one of the advance party for the overland telegraph.





















And it was well worth the 340 km round trip, when you see sunsets like this....

East McDonnell Ranges...

       After completing the daily chores, we decided to have a look at the East McDonnell Ranges….and what a good decision that was.

       The East McDonnell Ranges are amazing.  There are some stunning gorges and more in the way of vegetation.

 

First we visited Emily gorge and then moved on to Jessie Gorge.  

We later moved on to Corrobboree Rock, another of the stunning rock formations in the area.

We moved on to the John Hayes Rock Hole....a short 4 km 4 x 4 track......when I say track......river bed, rock climb, sandy track to this.....

Then we moved onto the Trephina Gorge....another beautiful spot.

We then moved on to the Ross River Homestead, for a light lunch, before heading back to Alice Springs.