Saturday July 10th

We left at about 9.30am, going north to  Eromanga.  The road was bitumen all the way which was a very pleasant change. The country side showed quite a lot of variety of green, dried and dead trees, quite a few cattle of red, white and black. We stopped at the waterhole the Bellalie Water Hole to have a late morning read of our books as well as lunch. After this we came on to Eromanga where we have booked into a very poor camping park. However I have been fortunate to be able to make several phone calls to friends.

About 2.00pm we drove our to the Eromanga Dinasaur Museum. We found this interesting and joined an hour long tour of the precinct. I am not at all knowledgeable about dinosaurs but certainly learned a little about these huge creatures that roamed our country 90 -100 million years ago.

Friday July 9th 2021

 Our night was not so cold but we woke with a clear sky. We headed north for about 90 km to Noccundra. The country was flat with many places quite green. Many dams had water in them and we did see cattle yards and a few cattle along the way. There were many dead trees which often had birds’ nests in them.  Finally we came upon the Wilson River which flows by Noccundra.

We have camped on the Wilson River which is a very good stream at present. This river begins out of Grey Range to the east.

We have visited this hotel before, but now the tiny settlement has grown with a tennis court, a hall and other small buildings.

We enjoyed out evening meal at the pub with a few other visitors.

Thursday July 8th 2021

 We were late leaving camp this morning mainly because John went for a long early morning walk longer than where we went last evening and I daresay just as rough. Luckily we were able to fill up with water and be on our way north.

We crossed into Queensland at 10.45am @ 11.00degrees. The roadside country is remarkably green with water in both large and small dams. Some road signs caused us some consternation but John sorted them out successfully and we were soon going north to Noccundra via the Warri Creek  campsite which John had read about. We enjoyed our lunch under a coolabah tree!! Very appropriate, I thought. Here we are enjoying warmer than usual weather beside the tree lined creek with our washing on the line and an afternoon off from travelling. As yet (mid afternoon) no one else has settled in for the evening. 

Wednesday July 7th, 2021

  10.00am was our starting time which was a little later than usual. We travelled north on the Silver City Highway up to the Olive Downs Campground. It is quite a pretty place to camp not far from the Queensland border. After lunch we went for a drive to the ‘Jump Up’ Lookout and explored all the Jump Ups. It is interesting to see these land formations. The arid climate of Sturt National Park has contributed to the geological formation of a variety of distinct landscapes. From this point it is possible to see a number of these Granite Jump Ups. They are formed quite distinctly from a variety of different coloured rocks and soil.

The walk we did this evening was very rough and stoney and I wished I had my walking stick with me. It took us across the surrounding hills and returned into the campsite. We were the only people to camp in this site overnight.

 Jump Ups from 'Jump Up Loop Road'

 

 

 

 

Monday July 5th & Tuesday July 6th 2021

 It was cool at Milparinka this morning. We left this tiny town about 10.00am and travelled to Tibooburra where we did a little shopping…not everything is available. We have camped about 2kms out of this town of nearly 200 people at a very pretty camping ground called ‘Dead Horse Gully’ camping ground. There are goats about as well as various types of birds. The day is cool with a little sun and quite a lot of clouds. There are many acacias in bloom as well as cassia bushes.

 

 

 

Flowers in this camping ground around our rig.

The second day  we took the long drive from Tibooburra around the loop road to Mt Wood. In fact we ate our lunch at the area where we gained a full view of this pointy topped mountain/hill. It was quite a distance away. We drove through several creeks, visited old shearing sheds and shearers quarters. In fact it was quite an historic drive.

                                           Mt Wood which looks more like a hill to us!!

Sunday July 4th 2021

 This morning we left our campsite a little early and have travelled south from Fort Grey to Milparinka on a different road which took us through a number of station properties. Waka, Lake Stewart, Hewart Downs, Yandama and Theldarpa. The morning was very cold at minus 1.5 degrees. Hope tonight is a little warmer. We plan to eat in the Milparinka Pub this evening. It is great to have a little internet connection as well as being able to ring with Telstra.

Along the trail of Sturt’s Steps there have been many gates to be opened ..about 90 gates in fact. Luckily I did not have the responsibility of opening all of them. It was good to share the load with Anne & Sue.

Saturday July 3rd 2021

 Another clear sky with a temperature of 2.2 degrees. Again we were glad of the heater in our van. At about 9.00am we set off to visit Cameron Corner which acts as the joint corner for Queensland, South Australia and New South Wales. We have been here a couple of times before…in fact I have a photo of John Yeo, at 7 months sitting on Cameron Corner Post. We visited the shop and took some photos at the corner post and travelled east to Fortville Gate  where we enjoyed our lunch. We had actually camped here in August 2006.

June at the corner post at Camerons Corner

 After arriving back at the Fort Grey Camping Ground we went for  2.8km walk along the lake but in the opposite direction to where we went yesterday. Walks are good for me, but they do make me weary!!

We are now settling in for the 3^rd night at this very attractive, treed campsite.

Friday July 2nd, 2021

 We still have our camp set up at Fort Grey Camping Ground on Lake Pinaroo. During late morning we walked out to the peninsular on the lake and returned along the lake’s edge. It is quite a large lake with many birds in and around the waters. Miners, Budgerigars, Cockateels, Spoonbills and ducks. After a good 3km walk we were pleased to return to camp for lunch.

Anne & Steve Kline left us early this morning to return to Milawa after being away for over 3 weeks. We have been on tour for 2 weeks today.

The weather is again very pleasant with a slight breeze. 

The following 3 sculptures are very cleverly made and a delight to see in this north west corner of NSW. 

Western Quoll sculpture from wire netting

 Bandicoot sculpture made from wire netting 

Bilby sculpture also made from wire netting.

Thursday July 1st.

 

We are currently working on our computers prior to travelling north to Fort Grey to meet Anne and Steve for dinner and our last night of camping together. 

 

Wild flowers near Lake Pinaroo

Wednesday June 30th

 The  remainder of the day was spent in Tibooburra where we camped in a very crowded Caravan Park. Having said this it was great to have a laundry to do a load of washing. (drying it is another thing!)  It was a short distance from the Family Hotel for dinner. This provided us with a pleasant change.

It was good to be able to fuel our vehicles again and also work on our computers. I have not been able to post my blog because of the lack of internet access.

Tuesday June 29th,

 

 We  travelled to Milparinka then out to Depot Glen to camp the night. A place where Charles Sturt and his band of explorers spent 6 months while they searched for the next 'watered' spot. Poole was buried there. The grave spot is marked with a Hakia tree. We had a peaceful place to camp. The following morning we drove and walked out to Poole and  climbed the small mountain which had a cairn on top in memory of Captain Charles Sturt. Eventually we returned to Milparinka where we lunched and then drove onto Tibooburra.

Monday June 28th

 A short distance this morning to Pincally Station where we met Matt & Zanna Gale and two of their lovely daughters, Lucy and Millie.

 We were shown to a great place to camp in the bushland on an empty lake. The whole family came down at 5.00pm to enjoy drinks with us. They encouraged us to drive around some of the tracks on their property. The following morning we went up to the house to say our farewells and were immediately invited in for coffee. We found them to be a wonderful family who we would love to welcome them into our own home.

Thursday June 24th & Friday June 25th

 We continued north to Pine View Station Where Jen Lacey hosted us. Our camp was in the bush amongst Eucalypt/Box trees. The following morning we drove west out to the Dog fence then returned to the Station sheds and home where we were given a map and directions out to Yellow Waterhole which is on Flood Creek. Captain Charles Sturt and his men camped in this area while they searched for water which they eventually found after 6 weeks. I felt privileged to have lunch in this area. It was Barren with dry trees and now water while we were there.

Entrance to Pine View Station.

Tuesday June 22nd & Wednesday June 23rd

 A great visit to Silverton where we spent a long time enjoying the contents of an excellent museum. We enjoyed lunch at Umberumberka Reservoir and then headed north to the Eldee Station. The camping area was clean although showers and toilets left a little to be desired!! We stayed 2 nights. Steven, the owner/manager provided a meal each evening. the drive around the property was interesting but at times the roads were dangerously poor.

Monday June 21st

 The weather was warm which made it most enjoyable for looking around Broken Hill doing washing and generally enjoying the day.

Sue’s friends came for nibbles by the fire but it was so very cold. Anne made a pasta and salmon dish and so we slept!

Sunday, June 20th

 

 Sunday, June 20^th has been warm and sunny with an enjoyable drive north on the Silver City Highway to Broken Hill. We found our 4 travelling companions already settled into the Broken Hill Tourist Park. It is fully booked so there are people, vans and vehicles everywhere. This afternoon we looked at the Broken Hill Gallery and found a number of Artist’s names and their paintings on  show…including Ian Marr who had magnificent lettering on stone plinths.

This evening we are planning a Chinese meal which will be great change.

Safari - Saturday June 19th

 

I plan to make a blog entry while at each camp. This should make for easier reading.

Our first night was spent at Wood Duck campsite between Taminick and Chesney Vale. The camp site was open forest and very peaceful. We did have a restless night which I put down to the ‘first night out’ and the fact that we got rather cold toward morning. Thankfully we have a wonderful heater in the van.

The laugh of a kookaburra welcomed our day as well as magpies and mud larks.

We left camp at about 9.00am under a clear blue sky. Firstly we travelled north, then turned west at the Boweya school. It was surprising to see Nick Derrick attending a working Bee at the School.

We have had a long day of driving  a total of  527 km, crossing the Murray River at Tocumwal and travelling along the Murray River in NSW through Finley, Deniliquin and Balranald 

 We are now camped near Monak at the Bottle Bend Turn-off. It is a flat and dry area and not far from the Murray River.

The trucks on the Sturt Highway did disturb us a little.

Safari - June 17th & 18th

 We are preparing the caravan and truck ready to leave late on June 18^th. We are hopeful of finding the escape through the border of NSW and Victoria quite simple. Let us hope that Covid restrictions have settled a little by then because the rules have been quite changeable over the last few weeks. 

Our plan is to head to Broken Hill where our friends, Sue and Stuart Read as well as Anne and Steve Kline will be meeting us. From there we plan to follow a new Tourist route which has been set up to follow some of the areas which Captain Charles 'Sturt' explored during the early 1840s. It is very interesting to read the book 'Sturt's Desert Drama' written by Ivan Rudolph. There are a number of properties along the way on which we are able to camp.

This a map of the area, sadly it is a little difficult to read. However, if you search for Sturts Steps on the web you should find a better image. We will roughly follow the marked yellow track. The map shows an area of north western NSW which takes in the stations between Broken Hill and Tibooburra.

I plan to make a blog entry while at each camp. This should make for easier reading.

We are preparing the caravan and truck ready to leave late on June 18^th. We are hopeful of escaping through the border of NSW and Victoria. Let us hope that Covid restrictions have settled a little by then.