Another Change of Plan

Posted on July 24, 2014 by Kevin & Ruth Sheather

When we bought our current van we had warmer climes in mind, so we didn’t pay much attention to heating. Cooling was more important, so air-conditioning was fitted. Heating is now provided by either aircon on reverse cycle or the $20 fan heater from Bunnings. The $20 heater wins hands down.

As a consequence of about 10 consecutive mornings of around zero degrees, and that our travel plans, if followed, would require several nights away from power, a new plans was called for. We were already on Plan B so Plan C was essential to our cumfort. The answer was a no brainer, of course. Go north!

A monument to John McDowell Stuart beside the highway north from Alice Springs. Reminders of Stuart’s explorations are scattered through the area

Research on the Weather Channel app indicated that to drive 500 km north to Tennant Creek would improve the minimum temperature by about 10 degrees. Alice Springs is quite elevated. Most mornings it felt like it was above the snow line.

A solitary sunset watcher on one of the highest Marbles

So we headed north. Last time we departed Alice Springs heading north we were travelling in company with friends who had a need to return to Brisbane, so we put in a couple of long days with them. This departure was more leisurely.

Piles of “marbles” lit by the setting sun

On an impulse and because of the promise of higher minim temperatures, we decided to try for a space in the camping area at the Devil’s Marbles. We were successful, getting the second last

A cap stone not likely to fall any time soon

spot from the far end, by a nose. We were attracted to the Marbles by folk who wax lyrical about the wonder of sunrise and sunset light on the unique naturally rounded rocks.

See! I was up early.

Once again my imagination was missing. But having now been there, I think much of the appeal is to those with younger bodies who climb to the vantage points on the highest marbles to watch the sunset. Noticeably fewer climbed to see the sun rise. Perhaps about 8 degrees and a cool breeze had something to do with it.

The old Tennant Creek Telegraph Station. The history of the Center is so involved with the Overland Telegraph Line that reminders are everywhere

Next day we started out across the Barkley Highway that crosses the Barkley Tableland. This was our second Barkley crossing this trip having crossed it further south via

The caravan parking area at Barkley Homestead

the Donohue and Plenty Highways. About halfway across, at the junction with the Tablelands Highway, Barkley Homestead offers its services to the travelling public. It is a homestead no longer, but a roadhouse, superior in quality to many similar establishments in the area, and offering a full range of price competitive services. Even petrol prices were in line with those of Tennant Creek and Mount Isa, slightly higher, but reasonable

Water lilies on Camooweal billabong

The next night was spent beside the Camooweal Billabong with a substantial number of Australia’s caravan owners. As a stopover for free campers the place is legendary. And with good reason! It hosts huge clumps of water lilies and a range of water birds. Of particular interest was a pair of pelicans doing a synchronized feeding dive as well as a pair of preening brolgas. But they are on video and not immediately available.

All this on the way to a return visit to Adel’s Grove and the Lawn Hill National Park.

Tranquil waters of Lawn Hill Creek as it flows through the gorge

We first visited this natural gem four years ago as a follow on to our first visit to the Red Center. On that occasion we left the van at Burke and Wills Roadhouse and stayed in the cabin accommodation at Adel’s Grove. This time we went in from Camooweal. Of the total distance of about 290 km about half is gravel and rather rough in many places. That made for a slow and dusty journey with frequent oncoming traffic, speeding at the head their personal cloud of dust. A cross wind meant that our dust blew clear of the road while their dust blew into our path often totally obscuring our view of the road. And whatever has become of the once practiced courtesy of slowing down to reduce dust and flying stones.

A local resident taking the sun

There are two choices for staying in the Lawn Hill area. NT National Parks have a camping area at Lawn Hill Gorge and Adel’s Grove offers a range of accommodation options. Adel’s Grove is located 10

A natural barrier of calcium divides the lower and middle gorges

km before the gorge is reached and is our choice as a place to stay. When we were there it was also the choice of a large team of paleontologists who were there for a dig at the nearby Riversleigh fossil sight. So there was

Another view of the gorge

not enough hot water to go around and the restaurant was booked out for the two nights that we were there.

But there are improvements since we last visited. A new amenities block is

One of the two cruise boats moored in the creek near the resort

a great improvement and a take away shop sells fish and chips and other deep fried food that is probably not good for you. And a brand new service, a cruise boat on the gorge and another on the creek at the Grove. In the past the options for viewing the gorge were canoeing or walking. Now a solar powered boat takes up to 10 people at a time upstream through the gorge to the natural dam that divides the lower and middle gorges. To take the cruise is an hour well spent. At $35 per adult it is good value. The range of small coach tours has been expanded and now include one to the nearby Century zinc mine.

We departed Adel’s Grove to the east through Gregory Downs and the intersection of the Burke and Wills Developmental Roads. The 70 km of gravel was in much better condition than the road in from Camooweal, particularly after you pass the turn to the Century Zinc Mine. We travelled back south to Cloncurry where we spent a night before going back west to Mount Isa for a few days.

The John Flynn Memorial Museum in Cloncurry

The overnight stop in Cloncurry provided an opportunity to visit the Dr. John Flynn Memorial Museum. The first Flying Doctor flight took place in Cloncurry. H.V. McKay of Sunshine Harvester Company fame had left 2,000 pounds to Flynn to start the service, to be available if the Presbyterian Church raised another 3,000 pounds. With fund raising complete, Hudson Fysh (later Sir Hudson) who had commenced the air service that became Qantas, made an aircraft available and what we now know as the Royal Flying Doctor Service was born. Flynn! McKay! Fysh! All towering figures in their fields! No wonder the R.F.D.S has become such a success.

If you visit Cloncurry, the museum is worth some of your time. It tells the story in detail and is supplemented by a fine art collection. We have visited Flynn’s grave near Alice Springs, the memorial to him by the Stuart Highway north of Tennant Creek and the small town of Beltana in South Australia where the R.F.D.S concept was born in Flynn’s mind. To finally visit the memorial museum was a very special experience.

The West MacDonnell Ranges

Posted on July 12, 2014 by Kevin & Ruth Sheather

To drive from the East MacDonnell to the West MacDonnell Ranges on the same day provided an opportunity for comparison that we did not have last visit, as the visits were separated by two days of rain. Today we couldn’t miss it. The difference in the topography of the areas is striking.

The first real MacDonnell Range after leaving Alice Springs

Mountains in the eastern section are predominantly bold red rock structures with massive rocky mounds descending to less prominent lower slopes. By contrast, the western ranges are mostly lightly vegetated lower slopes that comprise perhaps 85 to 90 percent of the height with the remainder a crown of reddish stone perched at the top, like a Great Wall of China. For much of the distance along Namatjira Drive, the mountains are away from the road, giving a feeling of space while for much of

The more distant ranges of the West MacDonnells

the Ross Highway the mountains totally dominate with each break in the rocky range revealing yet another red rocky row. But that doesn’t mean that the western end of the MacDonnells is inferior. Not in the least. Just different!

But the MacDonnell Ranges are different in another way. Unlike most mountain ranges, the rivers that flow from them do not have their source in the mountains themselves but in the generally flat, but more elevated country, to the north. The passages

The Finke River enters the gorge at Glen Helen via a large waterhole

through which the rivers and creeks flow are called gaps if they are so short that you can see right through or gorges if you can’t. Some of the gorges are quite long and twist through the ranges.

Glen Helen Resort has been developed from an outstation of Glen Helen Station. It has operated as a resort for many years, so it is old and its camping facilities are basic, but it has power and hot showers and that is all that mattered with morning temperatures near zero.

Glen Helen Resort faces the Finke River and the dominating red cliff

The resort buildings are located on the banks of the Finke River overlooking a permanent waterhole and facing directory into the red cliff of sandstone that is the river’s southern bank. A few hundred meters downstream the river turns right, forms a lagoon and passes through a gap in the cliff into the Glen Helen Gorge. It is a very attractive place.

Just four kilometers back towards Alice Springs, a sealed road gives access to the most spectacular gorge and the one

The waters of Ormiston Gorge

most developed for tourism, in the area. Ormiston Gorge is upstream of Glen Helen on the Finke River. The entrance to the gorge contains a large permanent waterhole which is vital for wildlife and makes it possible for a ranger station and a substantial camping area to be accommodated. There is also a commercial kiosk providing snacks and supplies.

Ormiston Pound from the Ghost Gum Lookout

Walking tracks of varying levels of difficulty are provided. The walk to Ghost Gum Lookout involves a bit of a climb, including several flights of stairs but the view from the top makes it all worthwhile. The well defined path can be followed further into the gorge, finally reaching the bed of the river for the return journey. A longer walk traverses the Ormiston Pound, a natural feature near the main gorge..

The Finke River, as viewed from the lookout, is the heart of the gorge

The staircase to Ghost Gum Lookout

Ellery Creek Big Hole

There are many other attractions in the area. Most involve gorges, gaps and streams. Located nearer to Alice Springs Simpson’s Gap and Standley Chasm are popular with tourists, the latter particularly at midday when the sun is directly overhead. Tourists wait and watch while the west wall moves into shadow and the right wall is slowly illuminated.

Billabongs in the Finke River between Glen Helen and Ormiston Gorge

Further out Ellery Creek Big Hole, Serpentine Gorge and Red Bank Gorge continue the gorge theme while the Ochre Pits are neither gap nor gorge but the banks of a stream rich in the pigmented material. It is a tangible link to Indigenous history. Further west still Tyler Pass provides excellent views and Goose Bluff shows what happens when an asteroid collides with the Earth. We didn’t venture that far west.

We called in at Simpsons Gap on our way to Palm Valley

With the exception of Simpson’s Gap and Standley Chasm, which are accessed from Larapinta Drive, most features are located along Namatjira Drive, which diverges from Larapinta Drive about 50 km from Alice Springs and runs generally west. If you follow Larapinta Drive you will pass the turns to the 4WD only areas of Wallace Rock Hole and Boggy Hole and ultimately, about 80 km further on, reach Hermannsberg, best

The area that inspired painter Albert Nanatjira

The area that inspired painter Albert Namatjira

known as the home of Aboriginal artist Albert Namatjira and the location of the pioneering Hermannsberg Lutheran Mission. A memorial to Namatjira stands beside the road just east of the town and the historic mission buildings are open for inspection for a modest fee.

The road runs through the bed of the river

But south of Hermannsberg, and also on the Finke River, lie the wonders of Palm Valley. This visually stunning place is, because of the roads, is restricted to 4 wheel drive access, so tourists who lack such a vehicle need to hire one or take a tour. The part of the valley where the palms are found is only 20 km from Hermannsberg but the drive took about an hour each way. The road mostly follows the Finke

A challenging part of the drive

River and then Palm Creek. It is often in the bed of the stream, alternates between upgraded gravel and sand and towards the final destination negotiates huge rocks that are neither gradable nor movable.

The Finke River Gorge is the longest such geographical feature that I have ever seen that gives so many wow experiences for its length. The river bed takes most of the width of a wide river valley. It is confined by two facing almost continuous lines of rocky cliffs, deep red in colour and of infinitely different and changing shape. The driver is continually conflicted between the imperative of the road and the demands of the views.

A stand of the rare Red Cabbage Palm that are unique to the area

After 12 km the road leaves the Finke Gorge and follows the smaller Palm Creek. Two km further and you reach the day use and camping areas. The final information shelter is a further 4 km. The challenge to the driver increases as the journey progresses. We drove through Cycad Gorge, most appropriately named, to within a kilometer of the objective and I walked the last kilometer and walked a further 500 meters or so along the combined route of two of the walks.

The start of the walking track that leads to the palm trees

If I knew than what I know now we would have started earlier and not looked at other things on the way. From the lush green of the Australian Red Cabbage Palm to the array of reds that emphasise the walls of the gorge, there is so much to see that it is hard to know what to look at first. Our original plan was to take the van in to the National Park camping area, but we could not get satisfactory information on the road. Having now driven the

The church building at the Hermannsberg Mission

road I am still a bit undecided but on balance I think we would have got in and back out without problem.

The first view of the sun illuminating the Chasm

As a final tourist participation in the Red Center, we visited Standley Chasm, timing our visit to coincide with the sun reaching its zenith. I took the walk on my own, as it was a bit rough for Ruth’s knee. It was school holidays, of course, and children were everywhere, one large school group and numerous family groups as well as other oldies on their own. Like all days lately the sky was cloudless blue but the chill wind blowing through the chasm had most seeking the sunny side of the narrow floor area. Wind resistant clothing was the norm.

Colours in the rocks behind Standly Chasm

The chasm is a wonder of nature. It becomes a water course when it rains. You follow a stream to reach it. From that point of view it is just another gap in the range but certainly one that has caught the attention of the public over a long period of time. It is interesting to watch the west wall move into shade and the sun slowly bathe its eastern counterpart in light, and the claimed fantastic colours were worth waiting for. Interestingly it is the rock face immediately behind the chasm itself that produces the most striking colours. Perhaps the narrow chasm has the effect of concentrating light on the south facing rock face beyond its limits, but one thing is clear. It is a photographers paradise.

The sun starts to illuminate the eastern face of the chasm

More of the rocks behind the main chasm

The East MacDonnell Ranges

Posted on July 5, 2014 by Kevin & Ruth Sheather

Our plan had been to take the van into the East and West MacDonnell Ranges and spend nights in various National Park camping facilities. But on our first morning in Alice Springs I woke with cold feet, so checked the Weather Channel’s app to find that the temperature was zero, but felt like – 3. The forecast made it clear that there would be no improvement over the next week or so. So the imperative become to find somewhere with electricity.

Fortunately, both areas have bush resorts with caravan parks attached that have powered sites available. So the new plan is fixed. The Ross River Resort for two nights, then Glen Helen Gorge Resort for two more and then back into Alice Springs for a final two nights.

Emily Gap from the north or “other side” of the mountain

We have covered this area before, but had missed some attractions through rain that had derailed our plans. There is, however, nothing wrong with a revisit or two. So for a start we revised Emily and Jessie Gaps. One of the unique features of the MacDonnell Ranges are the gaps that cut through them. These gaps take the form of creeks that carry water from the higher ground on the north side of the range to the lower south side and ultimately to the desert. Both flow into the better known Todd River.

Aboriginal carvings of sacred catapillars

When we were here four years ago Jessie Gap was full of water but this year both are dry, as is Trephina Gorge, which was to have been our base in the area, until the cold weather sent us looking for electricity. As an alternative, we had planned to have lunch there, but the road in was quite rough so we decided to put the van on site at Ross River and return later in the day.

Trephina Bluff overlooks the gorge

Trephina Gorge is worth a visit at any time. Trephina Creek runs a twisted course between rust red rock cliffs under the watchful eye of precipitous rust red mountains, including Trephina Bluff that provides a backdrop for campers. The mountains are decorated with green vegetation which includes white boughed ghost gums that really stand out against the vivid red of the rocks.

A very dry Trephina Gorge.

Four years ago Trephina Creek was flowing, but this time it is completely dry. But the lack of water allowed us to walk further along the creek bed and gain a much better understanding of the area above the gorge.

Ross River Resort is like Gemtree Caravan Park, in that it is situated on a sealed highway part of which becomes a link between two parts of the very unsealed Binns Track. In both cases a section of the Binns Track ends at the highway and it is necessary to travel a short distance on the highway to reach the next part of the Track.

A rutted start to this section of the Binns Track

Ross River Resort is an older bush establishment sighted around the original station homestead with basic accommodation in older style cabins. About one kilometer away, on the opposite side of the Binns Track the very spacious camp ground is almost tucked in between two mountain ranges. Facilities are basic but clean and everyone is friendly.

Mountains on the drive to Arltunga

In addition to places already mentioned we had on our list the N’Dhalia Gorge which is only a few km down the Binns Track from Ross River and the Arltunga Historical Reserve, about 40 km to the north. N’Dhalia Gorge was scratched when I baulked at a water crossing where the track crosses the Ross River just near the camp ground. I am not confident with water crossings and found later that this one was OK, but by that time it was too late in the day. Arltunga was a different matter.

Arltunga Visitor Information Center

The old gold town of Arltunga was the first European settlement in Central Australia. Explorers found what they thought were rubies so a ruby rush started. But the gems were almost worthless garnets. Two of the disappointed miners decided to look for other minerals and found gold. South Australia now had its very own gold rush. South Australia had responsibility

Restored managers residence at Government gold processing facility

for Northern Territory at that time. The gold find and subsequent development of the town of Arltunga lead to the SA government deciding to commit to Central Australia. They established the town of Stuart the name of which was later changed to Alice Springs.

Arltunga was 800 km from the rail head at Oodnadatta. Miners had to find their own way along the route of the overland telegraph line to

Restored police station and lockup

Alice Springs and then travel through the East MacDonnell Ranges to Arltunga, a further 100 km or so, often pushing their meager belongings in a wheelbarrow.

Because the area is so isolated, when the gold ran out the residents simply left and the process of deterioration commenced. Nothing was built in its place. Buildings were constructed from the stone of the surrounding countryside so have been easy to rebuild. There is an information center that does an excellent job of telling the story and also supplies excellent maps and other material.

The now closed Arltunga pub

Buildings have been restored at the site of the government ore processing battery while the police station and lockup look ready for the return of officers and miscreants. Gold mining was both alluvial and underground. Two underground mines are available for inspection by those who remember to bring a torch.

Another roadside mountain range

The drive from Ross River to Arltunga is superb. The road goes through a pass that follows the course of the dry Bitter Springs Creek and then runs along adjacent to the northern face of a most picturesque red mountain range. Turning northeast it parallels another range of a different hue, crosses a plain and reaches Arltunga at the foot of the next range of hills. The gravel road varies from a few areas of vehicle destroying corrugations to smooth surfaces, but most of the way it was like most gravel roads – light corrugations that can comfortably be taken at 60 mph.

The Binns Track south towards D'Halia Gorge.

The Binns Track south towards N’Dhalia Gorge.

The East MacDonnell Ranges tend to be overshadowed by their Western counterparts, probably because the latter have more marketable features that attract the “been there done that” and the “bucket list” people. But I am more an ambiance person. I like just being in the East MacDonnell Ranges, because of the atmosphere that results from the colour, form and variety of scenery that makes the place so unique.

No Rainbows but Big Holes

Posted on July 5, 2014 by Kevin & Ruth Sheather

Our previous trip to the Center was impacted by rain. One of the casualties was Rainbow Valley, so it was a must this time. We took advantage of the weekend prior to spending a couple of business days in Alice Springs to make good this omission. For good measure we included the Henbury Meteorite Craters and a one night stay at Stuarts Well Roadhouse.

We had been warned that the access road was rough so expected the 22 km trip in to be fairly slow but the grader had been at work so instead of a rough ride we enjoyed highway comfort.

Rainbow Valley – with sunset approaching

I had envisaged Rainbow Valley as being tucked in between rocky hills of sufficient colour to resemble, in some way, a rainbow. But it isn’t. While admittedly there are valleys behind the main attraction, they are not accessible to visitors. The main attraction is, in fact, a single hill. But it is a spectacular hill.

Like Uluru (Ayers Rock), much is made of the effect of sunrise and

Mushroom Rock

sunset light on the surface of the rock, so we spent the night in the small camping area to allow us to see both. We did the walk to Mushroom Rock, is so doing passing a clay pan and entering the only small valley accessible to us. We returned via the path that leads to the highest vantage point. We joined a group of observers, including a photographer, taking a time lapse series of photos.

Edge of main rock and neighboring mountain

Places like Rainbow Valley require a reasonable level of imagination. Perhaps I don’t have enough because I did not see anything that remotely resembled a rainbow. The rock face is multi coloured but the shades of colour are subdued and didn’t change much as the sun set. They just got darker, as you would expect. The photographer said that the light was not particularly good and that the best light seemed to occur when conditions were very cold. Still, it was interesting to watch.

Last shot at night

The rock formation faces west so at sunset is in direct light. At this time of year, from the official observation point, the sun rises a little to the north of the rock face. At first the face of the rock is in shadow, but as the sun rises it’s rays start to pick out the most prominent features until ultimately the entire edifice is bathed in morning sunlight. I found this aspect a more interesting

Before sunrise

spectacle.

I am not sure how cold it needed to be to get good colours. The morning was quite cold. I dressed in my warmest woollies but it took the brisk walk to the viewing point to get some warmth into my system. But then it all quickly dissipated in the cool breeze that accompanied the sunrise.

After sunrise

But it was worth the effort to go there. It is a beautiful place.

We took the short drive back to the highway and a bit further south, to the Stuarts Well Roadhouse and parked the van for an overnight stop. They have power and showers. Then, as an afternoon activity, we drove a bit further south to inspect the Henbury Meteorite Craters. Many thousands of years ago a meteorite, travelling towards earth at great speed, broke into several pieces and hit the earth on what is now Henbury Station. The result was three large holes in the ground, two of which have weathered into one larger hole. There is no record of the number of dinosaurs killed.

Two craters became one

Over time the elements of wind and rain have softened the damage and changed jagged to round. Soil produced by erosion and seeds, probably transported on the wind and by birds, has generated trees and grass. The smaller depression has captured the flow of a small intermittent stream to produce quite lush vegetation for such an arid area.

The green crater has a creek flowing into it

The meteorite produced some smaller fragments that lost momentum and fell short. They are far enough distant to not be part of the main exhibit, which involves a pleasant stroll of about 1.5 km. As is usual, the Northern Territory authorities have provided picnic facilities, a toilet and designated spaces for caravans and tents. But the area is exposed to the four winds and there is no shade other

The National Parks camping area

than in the picnic gazebos.

And there are no souvenirs in the form of meteorite fragments. They are all long gone.

A Drive on Binns Track

Posted on July 2, 2014 by Kevin & Ruth Sheather

A flock of feeding galahs

After spending the morning doing general maintenance on van and car, we decided on a drive. Gemtree Caravan Park provides mud maps for local drives. We were given a choice of two drives but one was a bit long for the time available so we set out on the shorter alternative. Both included part of the Bins Track, a favorite with the hairy chested 4WD set. It starts near the western side of the Simpson Desert, finally joining the Stuart Highway south of Tennant Creek. The folk who helped winch our travelling companion from the bog on our way to Windorah said they intended to use Binns Track to get as far north as possible.

Strange diggings near the fossicking area

This section of Bins Track turns south just 8 km east of Gemtree and, like most gravel roads, was corrugated, but not badly so. The first thing for us to look out for was a fossicking area where garnet and zircon can be found and the bush camping area nearby. There were no obvious diggings, but the ground was littered with sparkling stones, quartz and the like. The camping area is in a lightly treed paddock with no facilities. But people come in significant numbers and stay for long periods, such is the lure of gemstones.

The mountains that were our destination

Back on the Bins Track we passed through several closed gates (that had to be closed agin after our passing through) and some Indigenous land where to leave the road required a permit. The road was basically a single lane track but that didn’t mean we had it to

Typical hill in this area

ourselves. As we climbed a small hill and entered bush, on a very narrow section we met a large shiny black 4WD towing an even larger black and grey off road van. It looked a bit out of place. I pulled off the single lane track to make way and wound down my window to offer a greeting, but these luxuriously equipped adventurers just passed by with barely a glance.

Old mining equipment

Tailings from the copper mine

The hole in the hill was probably the old mine

Collapsed bore head tripod

At the end of our journey we found relics of an early copper mine. The trip had a title of “The Mad German’s Mine” but that was not really the objective. We were out for a drive through sweeping semi desert lands dotted with those rocky topped mountains so typical of this part of Australia.

Back at camp, between four vans we provided enough fire wood for a magnificent camp fire. I don’t know about the stars, though. I was too busy cooking the steak on the Barbie plate over the fire to notice.

Keeping the camp fire warm

A Changed Itinerary – Part 2

Posted on July 1, 2014 by Kevin & Ruth Sheather

When I walked into the office at Tobermorey, two young people were standing near the counter, but there was no vehicle outside. It turned out that the couple had stayed at Tobermorey the previous night and had left that morning bound for Alice Springs, but 53 km along the way had rolled their car. They were both uninjured but were worried about their belongings that they had been forced to leave beside the road, when they accepted a ride back to Tobermorey in a road train. Except for the lady in the office all station staff were out mustering.

Tobermorey Homestead

In remote Australia you expect help and you give help. So we unloaded our car to make as much room as possible and the young German student and I set off to collect their possessions. That’s how I know that the accident took place 53 km along the road. The car, an aging Toyota Prado, had rolled once and landed on its wheels. Their belongings had remained in the back and two surf boards on the roof rack were undamaged. How does that work?

The wrecked Prado

The young man’s English wasn’t perfect so I had not understood about the surf boards. Surf boards heading for the Red Centre? He told me later that they were going to Cairns via Darwin. Surf boards don’t make much sense in Cairns either, but he didn’t know that.

We were scratching our heads about attaching two long surfboards to my roof rack when three 4WD vehicles pulled up. They were camping road side before Tobermorey, but would be happy to drop the surfboards off the next morning. We spent the evening with the couple, Germans studying in Sydney, trying to keep our selves warm on a rather cold night by a camp fire.

If I ever accuse anyone of speaking bull dust I will now do so with greater authority. We encountered much of it on our way to Jervois Station, our destination for the second day of our off road trip. We left Tobermorey at about 9 am after saying our goodbyes to our young friends and almost immediately met the folk delivering the surfboards.

Plenty Highway Corrugations. There were plenty of them.

We stopped at the side of the road for morning tea. A station hand, driving a utility with all manner of equipment on the back, stopped to make sure we were OK. He was on for a chat and knew about the accident, as it happened on the station for which he worked. Roads go through and not around out here.

On a deteriorating road we passed the derelict Prado and soon started to come across bull dust patches. They had hardened with the rain so were not too much of a problem. For substantial distances half the road was corrugated gravel and the other half bull dust with heavy tyre marks embedded in it. Driving through it threw us around a bit but with reduced speed the bull dust gave a better ride than the corrugated gravel.

Ruth with ants nest

A little further on, after passing huge roadside ants’ nests, we reached the point where graders were working on a highway upgrade. Two graders, working in tandem were grading long stretches and

Jervois Station on the banks of the Marshall River

producing long sections of super highway. With the improved road we reached Jervois Station earlier than expected and settled in as the sole tenant in the red dirt camping area. Jervois Station takes its name from the

Our van viewed from the bed of the river

Jervois Range to its north. The camping area and homestead are on the banks of a wide, sandy and very dry Marshall River, which flows, when it contains water in sufficient volume, south to the Hay River which in turn flows into the Simpson Desert and disappears. Jervois is best known to Simpson Desertophiles who use it as a refueling point after completing a south to north crossing.

The dry sandy bed of the Marshall River

The final leg of this first long trip over unsealed roads was 220 km to Gemtree in the Harts Range. The name of our destination suggests gem stones, a commodity for which the area is world famous. Gemtree is a caravan park that specialises as a holidays location for gem hunters. But we will not be gem hunting. After five solid days of driving the time had come for a break.

The leg to Gemtree was a relatively easy drive. The early part of the trip was, like late the previous day, freshly graded, but as we progressed onto previously graded road the more previous it got the rougher it got, to the point where I was not unhappy to reach the sealed road just before Gemtree.

The administration building at Gemtree Caravan Park

So tomorrow we may ask for one of the park’s mud maps and do a bit of a tour of the local area. Or perhaps not! But we probably will go out to find some wood to feed the fire place beside our site so that we can spend the last night of the Donohue /Plenty crossing under the incredible array of stars that are visable when there are few lights to interfere with the view.

We have produced a video that covers this segment of the trip and the segment that precedes it.

https://www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&video_id=czHbkrloHVc

Kevin & Ruth Sheather

The Mobilesheathers – exploring Australia

Monthly Archives: July 2014