This map shows Safari 2013 in red. The remaining dark lines indicate our trips from previous years.
Sunday, November 17, 2013
Thursday, September 12, 2013
September 12th,
A beautiful blue sky dawned over the Terrick Terrick National Park. We left this very pretty park before 9.00 am in preparation for the final day of Safari 2013.
We travelled north to check out Kow Swamp which is now a lake/water storage for the area. The lunettes or dunes on the edge of the swamp have been the site for some significant archaeological discoveries of very early aborigines. Between 1968 and 1972 nearly 40 individual skeletons were uncovered around the edge of Kow Swamp. Radiocarbon dates from bone and charcoal associated with the burials, show that the burials span a period from about 13000 to 9500 BP. There was nothing available for visitors to actually see but it certainly appears to be a very valuable historical site.
Onward via Echuca then through dairy farm lands to Shepparton. through Pine Lodge, Dookie and the Warby Ranges .to Milawa. I really enjoyed the drive along the roads of Pine Lodge as I spent my first year of teaching, 1959, at the Pine Lodge school. The school is no longer standing but there is a Commemorative Stone which marks the site of the 'Pine Lodge School No 2099' which operated from 1878 until 1995.
Watch this space for my final entry which will be a map of the route we took over the last eight weeks.
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| Kow Swamp |
A beautiful blue sky dawned over the Terrick Terrick National Park. We left this very pretty park before 9.00 am in preparation for the final day of Safari 2013.
We travelled north to check out Kow Swamp which is now a lake/water storage for the area. The lunettes or dunes on the edge of the swamp have been the site for some significant archaeological discoveries of very early aborigines. Between 1968 and 1972 nearly 40 individual skeletons were uncovered around the edge of Kow Swamp. Radiocarbon dates from bone and charcoal associated with the burials, show that the burials span a period from about 13000 to 9500 BP. There was nothing available for visitors to actually see but it certainly appears to be a very valuable historical site.
Onward via Echuca then through dairy farm lands to Shepparton. through Pine Lodge, Dookie and the Warby Ranges .to Milawa. I really enjoyed the drive along the roads of Pine Lodge as I spent my first year of teaching, 1959, at the Pine Lodge school. The school is no longer standing but there is a Commemorative Stone which marks the site of the 'Pine Lodge School No 2099' which operated from 1878 until 1995.
Watch this space for my final entry which will be a map of the route we took over the last eight weeks.
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
September 11th
Heading east..ever east and homeward bound. After leaving the Big Desert Wilderness Park this morning our first stop was at Ouyen to enjoy a morning break of Coffee and 'Vanilla Slice'. The slices are large so we shared one between us. We don't really need a vanilla slice but because Ouyen is renowned for them we thought we would indulge. Actually they are not the current champions of the Vanilla Slice competition but it tasted very good..in a small amount.
We have travelled roads, today, that we have not travelled before, some of which were very rough bitumen. New farm lands are always interesting though.
Tonight we are camped in a very attractive spot amongst White Cypress Pines in the Terrick Terrick National Park which is four km north of Mitiamo and 60 km north of Bendigo. The mild weather has allowed us to go for a very pleasant walk. The birds are very chirpy as they settle for the night. We also sighted two black wallabies.
Heading east..ever east and homeward bound. After leaving the Big Desert Wilderness Park this morning our first stop was at Ouyen to enjoy a morning break of Coffee and 'Vanilla Slice'. The slices are large so we shared one between us. We don't really need a vanilla slice but because Ouyen is renowned for them we thought we would indulge. Actually they are not the current champions of the Vanilla Slice competition but it tasted very good..in a small amount.
We have travelled roads, today, that we have not travelled before, some of which were very rough bitumen. New farm lands are always interesting though.
Tonight we are camped in a very attractive spot amongst White Cypress Pines in the Terrick Terrick National Park which is four km north of Mitiamo and 60 km north of Bendigo. The mild weather has allowed us to go for a very pleasant walk. The birds are very chirpy as they settle for the night. We also sighted two black wallabies.
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| On top of Mt Terrick Terrick |
September 10th
Our first challenge this morning was to cross the Murray River on the Swan Reach Ferry. From there we travelled gravel roads down to Lameroo on the Mallee Highway. We saw only one car the whole way which made it an easy drive through farmlands. Cropping and sheep seem to look very happy. The Mallee country around Pinaroo is always pretty to drive through. Some areas have had more rain than others. Both Lameroo and Pinaroo are small, very well cared for towns.
We crossed the border into Victoria, a little south of the Highway, then turned south toward the Big Desert
Wilderness Park. There were a surprising number of dunes, with deep sand, to cross. We found one track that was very muddy in one spot and generally very narrow. We turned back because 'narrow' does not suit EC. We then followed another track which was much easier to drive on. We have ended up camping in a lovely camping area called 'Red Gums'. It is a slight depression surrounded by Red Gum trees. There may even have been a lake here many years ago. This is the fourth camp site in a row where we have been amongst Red Gums.
The Big Desert Wilderness Area is immediately inside the Victorian border. It consists of many low sand dunes. The bush is thick with a variety of bushes and trees- several types of eucalypts, wattles, heaths, casuarinas and melaleucas.
Our first challenge this morning was to cross the Murray River on the Swan Reach Ferry. From there we travelled gravel roads down to Lameroo on the Mallee Highway. We saw only one car the whole way which made it an easy drive through farmlands. Cropping and sheep seem to look very happy. The Mallee country around Pinaroo is always pretty to drive through. Some areas have had more rain than others. Both Lameroo and Pinaroo are small, very well cared for towns.
We crossed the border into Victoria, a little south of the Highway, then turned south toward the Big Desert
Wilderness Park. There were a surprising number of dunes, with deep sand, to cross. We found one track that was very muddy in one spot and generally very narrow. We turned back because 'narrow' does not suit EC. We then followed another track which was much easier to drive on. We have ended up camping in a lovely camping area called 'Red Gums'. It is a slight depression surrounded by Red Gum trees. There may even have been a lake here many years ago. This is the fourth camp site in a row where we have been amongst Red Gums.
The Big Desert Wilderness Area is immediately inside the Victorian border. It consists of many low sand dunes. The bush is thick with a variety of bushes and trees- several types of eucalypts, wattles, heaths, casuarinas and melaleucas.
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| Red Gum camp site |
Monday, September 9, 2013
September 9th
We had a very hot night for sleeping with a warm morning to follow. As we progressed south it became a little cooler especially at Clare where it is higher. However we are on the Murray River this evening and it is very warm again and extremely windy. It was a long day of driving..over 300 kilometers. The country has been interesting with crops looking lush and some starting to ripen.
The main industry around Clare is vines and wine with a few olive trees. The old buildings through the area have been constructed from stone of a lovely orange/beige colour. Many have been left to tumble down but a few have been cared for with repairs keeping them usable. German people settled this part of Australia in very early times. Churches are obvious in the communities..probably for Lutheran communities..
As we left the Mt Remarkable N.P I photographed a huge River Red Gum and here we are this evening looking across at the waters of the River Murray through River Red Gums!
We had a very hot night for sleeping with a warm morning to follow. As we progressed south it became a little cooler especially at Clare where it is higher. However we are on the Murray River this evening and it is very warm again and extremely windy. It was a long day of driving..over 300 kilometers. The country has been interesting with crops looking lush and some starting to ripen.
The main industry around Clare is vines and wine with a few olive trees. The old buildings through the area have been constructed from stone of a lovely orange/beige colour. Many have been left to tumble down but a few have been cared for with repairs keeping them usable. German people settled this part of Australia in very early times. Churches are obvious in the communities..probably for Lutheran communities..
As we left the Mt Remarkable N.P I photographed a huge River Red Gum and here we are this evening looking across at the waters of the River Murray through River Red Gums!
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| River Red Gum at Mt Remarkable NP |
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| River Red Gums on banks of the Murray River |
Sunday, September 8, 2013
September 8th
A very warm day in the Mt Remarkable National Park. I am pleased we had a good walk this morning with a cooling breeze. The track led us along Mambray Creek with good interpretive signs about the aborigines and the beautiful River Red Gums. Some are very old trees..maybe 600 or 800 years old. Their trunks are huge..up to four metres in diameter.
I think we must be early for wild flowers in the park. I did not see any orchids and only a few Chocolate Flowers and Blue Bells.
There are kangaroos and emus grazing in the park. They seem happy with us nearby. An emu came close to our rig and found a large goanna near by..he was not happy to have Mr Emu investigating him and climbed a nearby tree. He was about a meter in length with beautiful markings. A common bird in the park is the Adelaide Rosella Parrot which we have not seen before.
A very warm day in the Mt Remarkable National Park. I am pleased we had a good walk this morning with a cooling breeze. The track led us along Mambray Creek with good interpretive signs about the aborigines and the beautiful River Red Gums. Some are very old trees..maybe 600 or 800 years old. Their trunks are huge..up to four metres in diameter.
I think we must be early for wild flowers in the park. I did not see any orchids and only a few Chocolate Flowers and Blue Bells.
There are kangaroos and emus grazing in the park. They seem happy with us nearby. An emu came close to our rig and found a large goanna near by..he was not happy to have Mr Emu investigating him and climbed a nearby tree. He was about a meter in length with beautiful markings. A common bird in the park is the Adelaide Rosella Parrot which we have not seen before.
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| Walking path in Mt Remarkable NP |
September 7th,
A rather uneventful day as we travelled east and south to Port Augusta., The country in this area always lacks significant growth and can be very grey in colour. This year because of winter rains the scene is quite green.
The main interest for the day has been the train line. We camped about 30 metres from the line last night at Kingoonya. Three trains went through in the dark hours..we certainly heard them and saw the their lights.
After completing Googs Track we first crossed the line at Malbooma. We were close to the line all the way down the Stuart Highway until this evening.. about 28 hours. In that time we saw 19 freight trains. Some have had two engines at the front, some have an engine at the front and another at the rear and we even saw one with three engines. The trains can be up to two kilometres in length. Some are servicing mines around Coober Pedy transporting ore south to be processed.
The line runs to Perth, Western Australia and to Darwin in the Northern Territory with the junction at Tarcoola. The Ghan Train and the Trans Continental Train travel twice a week but we did not see them. Often the train drivers gave us a cheery 'toot' of their whistle as we watched them go by.
Arrival into the Mt Remarkable National Park caused us both to think of the 'Parklands'; property where I grew up at Greta, Victoria. The RiverRed Gums....eucalyptus camaldulensis are huge and old with colouful trunks. We look forward to exploring it more tomorrow.
A rather uneventful day as we travelled east and south to Port Augusta., The country in this area always lacks significant growth and can be very grey in colour. This year because of winter rains the scene is quite green.
The main interest for the day has been the train line. We camped about 30 metres from the line last night at Kingoonya. Three trains went through in the dark hours..we certainly heard them and saw the their lights.
After completing Googs Track we first crossed the line at Malbooma. We were close to the line all the way down the Stuart Highway until this evening.. about 28 hours. In that time we saw 19 freight trains. Some have had two engines at the front, some have an engine at the front and another at the rear and we even saw one with three engines. The trains can be up to two kilometres in length. Some are servicing mines around Coober Pedy transporting ore south to be processed.
The line runs to Perth, Western Australia and to Darwin in the Northern Territory with the junction at Tarcoola. The Ghan Train and the Trans Continental Train travel twice a week but we did not see them. Often the train drivers gave us a cheery 'toot' of their whistle as we watched them go by.
Arrival into the Mt Remarkable National Park caused us both to think of the 'Parklands'; property where I grew up at Greta, Victoria. The RiverRed Gums....eucalyptus camaldulensis are huge and old with colouful trunks. We look forward to exploring it more tomorrow.
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