Harlequin Mistletoe

June 28th

A lovely walk over the hills to see a panoramic view of wonderful hills, rocky outcrops, cassia and even a some of fossil imprints on rocks. We found some Harlequin Mistletoe which give very clear prints on silk fabric..I am looking forward to trying it out on fine wool fabric.

We arrived in Alice Springs about midday. The beginning of the big shop has been done. We will be away from large Supermarkets for about 4 weeks!

We are parked near the home of Gary & Deb Renkin, Darcy and Abby. They are very welcoming hosts.

June 28^th

An early walk to the rocky top of a nearby hill which gave us a wonderful view of the nearby areas..all rocky with wonderful colours. I was able to collect the pods and leaves of the grey cassia bushes with the hops they will transfer some colour to my silk pieces.

The morning drive through hills was amazingly beautiful with changing trees, spectacular ranges and rock formations, sand dunes and an inland atmosphere that you can really feel!

Onward north after lunch until we came to Santa Teresa Aboriginal Settlement. This is a very clean little township which is obviously well organised. We were fortunate to be able to visit the Art Centre and Church.

Range Country south of Santa Teresa 

The road out was very dusty so it took some time to find a suitable camp site and then we were thrilled to enjoy and red, red sunset in the west with a lovely pink reflection in the east.

June 27^th

Our camp just north of Old Andado was delightful with Coolabah Coolabah Eucalypts all around us. As usual Cynthia and David were up very early to watch the sunrise with their cameras.

We travelled a short distance along the swale and stopped for more photography and some painting on my part.

The next stop, and most interesting for the day was the Mac Clarke Conservation Reserve for the preservation of Acacia Peuce which is a rare acacia and only seen in a few places in Australia. It is better known as a ‘Waddy Tree'. In the past Aboriginal people made waddies from this incredibly hard wood. The waddy is a fighting club. The trees are unusual in shape and it is believed they live hundreds of years. They have very large seed pods.

Also, we were interested in the burrows of the Night Rats. They are all linked by little ‘highway’ like tracks where the rats run around on at night..what fun it would be to see them!

Acacia Peuce Trees

After lunch we continued north along the Binns track and eventually stopped for the evening under some wonderful rocky hills. There are lots of Golden Orb Spiders in the light bush. Mulga Parrots are obvious as they fly in and out of the camp site.

June 26^th

What a road of bones this morning..rocks and corrugations. It took an hour to drive the first 40 kms.

We visited Mt Dare Hotel which is a well organised establishment and would be very helpful to travellers. Corellas were in abundance..in fact there were so many they looked like flowers on the trees!

The Binns track began at Mt Dare and we have followed this through some very pretty  desert country featuring healthy bushes and trees, salt and clay pans and a better road. 

We went close by Andado Station and on through some beautiful red sand dune country which is on the western edge of the Simpson Desert.

John and I had visited old Andado Station 14 years ago and had met the owner Mollie Clarke. She would have been in her late 70s at that point. She now lives in Alice Springs. Her old home is being maintained by volunteers as a heritage feature of the area. It is amazing how Mollie lived alone in such conditions.

Old Andado Homestead

Red Sand Dune of the Simpson Desert

We continued on a short while and made camp among the eucalypts in a swale between 2 dunes. A great spot! There was a flock of about 30 Major Mitchell Cockatoos sleeping in a nearby tree. They gave us an amazing display as the flew along in front of our vehicles.

I am pleased with the latest eco dyeing example..now hanging in a nearby tree to dry.

June 25^th

Our coldest morning at minus 1.3 deg.

An early stops to view a stand of Mini Richi /Red Mulga trees with their wonderful curly red bark. Next we came upon a very lean dingo near the roadway.

Dalhousie Ruins and Mound Springs  were next along the road. It was good to see maintenance men working on some of the ruins to make them more stable.

Dalhousie Springs provided a spot for lunch and a long swim in the warm pool which is fed by the Artesian waters. The park area of Dalhousie has been developed considerably since we first visited 15 years ago.

We have a small water leak in Earthy so we have camped earlier than usual. Luckily John was able to find the problem connection and hopefully there will be no more water on the floor. The roads are extremely rough, rocky and corrugated so it is to be expected that we have a few rattle and rubs on the rig.

The Victoria Wattle found in this area is at the early stages of producing its pale cream globular flower heads. There is another wattle as well with much deeper colour in the flowers and it produces a very pungent aroma. Acacias are very hard to identify.

Tonight we are camped in another creek bed and Roast chicken is sizzling in the camp oven.

River bed camp

Camp Oven dinner with some Eco dyeing

June 24^th

What a wonderful camp site on the Neales River. Cold frost again!

The Whistling Kites fed their 3 young this morning. We watched as  one parent bird carried a rabbit into the nest. The young are quite large and obviously preparing to fly as they took turns to perch on the edge of the nest to flap and stretch their wings.

We drove in to see the Algebuckina Railway Bridge. A huge construction built during the 1880s. We climbed the steps and walked a short distance along it.

A visit to the Oodnadatta Pink Roadhouse is not to be missed. It is a very well known establishment of the outback.

Wild flowers are beginning to appear…Grevilleas, Sturts Desert Pea, Butterfly bush, Cassias, Wattles and here where we have camped there us an abundance of the spectacular Parrot Pea.

Algebuckina Bridge

We have camped in a creek bed between Hamilton Station and Dalhousie and enjoyed a camp oven stew with dumplings on top. 

June 23^rd

By the time I came out of Earthy the table was icy with frost!

Take off time was a little later than usual and our first step was Boorthanna, an old railway siding. It proved to be very interesting with many relics to pickup and examine.

Lunch at Warrina, was brief before we took the turn, on another very rough track, which took us out to Peake Hill where we walked around the Old Telegraph Repeater Station as well as an old Copper Mine and Smelter. John and I have visited this point of interest before but it was good to see how well it is being maintained.

Tonight we have camped at the Algebuckina Waterhole. Across the water we have watched, with great interest, a Whistling Kite’s nest with three large fledglings in it.

Another cold night. 

Peake Hill Telegraph Station