July 2nd

Despite a forecast of rain for this area we have had an early morning clear sky with a brilliant orange sunrise.
John has now exchanged the problem tyre for one of our spares. Driving is much more comfortable. We have a wonderful wide red gravel road to travel on. The surrounding country is covered in healthy bushes and flowers... Emu bushes, mulga trees, mint bushes, white everlastings, desert grevillias, grass trees, spinefix, silver cassia, cotton bush and Hakea Francisiana.

There was only one section of rough and bony road otherwise we have had an excellent run with a few kilometers of bitumen on the Goldfields Highway before we entered the Wanjarri Nature Reserve where we have camped this evening. Again this is an abandoned property. The old corrugated iron home must have made for very simple living. There is one huge room with a large fire place in the middle. John has lit the fire which persists in smoking but he has the camp oven over the flames...cooking our dinner of beef stew, I hope.

There is a resident goanna living near the house. He is in and out of his hiding hole and we can see his tracks about in the sand. He is very camera shy.

The evening is cooler with a bright moon.

Winjarri deserted Homestead

Cooking dinner over inside fire

Goanna with beautiful markings