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A lot has happened during the last couple of days. On our 2nd day in the Flinders we went for quite a hike. We set out to reach St Marys peak, which is the highest point and has a 360 degree view of the mountains. It was going to be a 14km trip, 7 km out and 7 km back. However the 7 km was extremely tough and steep, so instead of going back the same way, we took the long way which made the whole trip 21.7 km and took 8½ hours. We were all quite exhausted when we returned to the campsite, but we all agreed it was worth it - the view was spectacular and we saw lots of wildlife; many kangaroos, emu families and lizards. Next day we set off, driving through the National park and Brachina Gorge - it too, was very beautiful. The National Park has 610 million year old limestone etc, quite fascinating.
We continued through Leigh Creek where we did some last minute shopping before we reached the first bit of outback. We haven't had any mobile connection since Leigh Creek. Next we came to Marree, which was once a very busy place until they stopped the railway in 1981, now it was pretty empty with just a hotel, a petrol station and a sad looking playground.
From Marree we continued along the Oodnadatta track. A whole lot of Bump-e-di-bump-e-di-bump of nothing. Flat desert with only very few low bushes. Once in a while we would see a letterbox and something which looked like a track, but the house was too far away to spot. The old Ghan railway used to run this way and so we did see a few ruins and a lot of sleepers.
We passed the bottom of Lake Eyre South. No water, just white salt. 124 KM west of Marree we reached Coward Springs and this is where we camped for the night. Coward Springs is an oasis in the desert - it is a campground on a private property with toilets and showers.If you wanted a hot shower you had to light a fire first and wait 30 min. We all had a dip in the natural hot spring spa - it was beautiful. Surprisingly enough the campground was quite full with a lot of families with small kids camping in tents. Were do all these people come from, you would think the Oodnadatta track was as busy as the Hume highway! We made eggs for breakfast on the campfire.
Friday we continued to William Creek - what a place. A Hotel, a campground and a Scenic Flight company. Only 3 people live there permanently. The couple who run the hotel and a guy called Peter who used to run the camp ground. However he left town a while ago and now the Hotel-couple was taking care of the campground as well. The woman behind the bar was not in a good mood, but we found out, she hadn't been out of Willam Creek since February. No wonder she was cranky. We arrived on a very busy day. 40 cars from Dubbo Police Bush safari had just arrived, so the campground was pretty full. We had hoped for power, but some tourist had broken the power circuit a couple of weeks ago and it hadn't been fixed.
Our plan was to leave our camper and take a daytrip drive to Halligan Bay by Lake Eyre. However, we were told it was a very rough track and to be sure to bring extra tyres and a shovel and that there was no water just by the bay. Therefore we decided to take a 1 hour scenic flight instead. The chief pilot was helping out at the hotel, where we had our lunch and of course Paul talked him into giving us a good price.
So this morning at 8:00 am we boarded a very small plane - only room for 6 passengers - I must say, I was a bit nervous, but it was great. There is not much water left at all and the water had kind of a reddish- purple colour due to algae. We didn't see any birds, but we did see the part where the Pelicans come from. To get to Lake Eyre we flew across Anna Creek Station owned by the Kidman Cooperation, once the biggest cattle family in Australia. The Station (farm) is the size of Belgium, but only has 4000 cattle on it at the moment (instead of 10000), due to lack of feeding possibilities. It was hard to spot the green grass - we mainly saw desert sand and rock. Only 3 people are employed to look after this massive property.
We packed up and have just arrived at Coober Pedy where we both have Internet and mobile connection. The trip to Coober Pedy was 166 KM and we did not see a single car on the way. Here in Coober Pedy we have power, but no water!
Danish:
Der er sket meget i løbet af de sidste par dage. På vores 2. dag i Flinders var vi igen ude at vandre. Vi satte os for at nå frem til St Marys, hvilket er det højeste punkt og med en 360 graders udsigt over bjergene. Det var en tur på 14 km, 7 km ud og 7 km tilbage. Men de 7 km var ekstrem hårde og stejle, så i stedet for at gå tilbage samme vej, tog vi den lange vej, der gjorde hele turen 21,7 km lang og tog 8 ½ time. Vi var alle helt udmattede da vi kom tilbage til campingpladsen, men var alle enige om, at det var det hele værd - udsigten var fantastisk, og vi så masser af vilde dyr og planter; mange kænguruer, emu familier og firben. Næste dag, tog vi af sted igen og kørte gennem nationalparken og Brachina slugten - det også var meget smuk. Nationalparken har 610 millioner år gamle kalksten osv., ganske fascinerende.
Vi fortsatte gennem den lille by Leigh Creek, hvor vi handlede for sidste gang inden vi ramte The Outback. Vi har ikke haft nogen mobil forbindelse siden Leigh Creek. Derefter kom vi til Marree som engang var en meget travl by, indtil de nedlagde jernbanen i 1981, nu var det temmelig tomt med kun et hotel, en tankstation og en trist legeplads.
Fra Marree fortsatte vi ud ad Oodnadatta jordvejen. En hel masse Bump-e-di-bump-e-di-bump kørsel og en hel masse Ingenting. Fladt ørkenlandskab med kun meget få lave buske. Engang imellem så vi en postkasse og noget, der lignede en jordvej, men huset var for langt væk til at vi kunne få øje på det. Den gamle Għan jernbane løb langs Oodnadatta vejen, og vi så derfor et par ruiner og en masse af sveller. Emma blev ved med at sige "Er dette virkelig det samme sted som Melbourne"
Vi kørte forbi den sydlige del af Lake Eyre - en kæmpe saltsø, 15m under havets overflade. Intet vand, bare hvidt salt. 124 km vest for Marree nåede vi Coward Springs og her slog vi lejr for natten. Coward Springs er en oase i ørkenen - det er en campingplads på en privat ejendom med toiletter og brusere. Hvis du ønskede et varmt brusebad, var du nødt til først at tænde et bål og vente 30 min. Vi tog alle et dyb i den naturlige varme kilde - det var skønt. Overraskende nok var campingpladsen helt fyldt med mennesker; en masse familier med små børn, der overnattede i telt! Hvor mon alle disse mennesker kom fra? Man skulle tro at Oodnadatta vejen var en almindelig hovedvej! Vi lavede røræg til morgenmad over bålet.
Fredag fortsatte vi til William Creek - et besynderligt sted. Et hotel, en campingplads og et fly firma. Kun 3 faste indbyggere. Et par, der havde hotellet og en fyr der hed Peter, som passede campingpladsen. Men han forlod byen for et stykke tid siden, så nu passede Hotel-folkene også denne. Kvinden bag baren var ikke i godt humør, men vi fandt ud af, at hun ikke havde været ude af Willam Creek siden februar. Ikke underligt at hun var mærkelig. Vi ankom på en meget travl dag. 40 biler fra Dubbo Politi Bush safari var netop ankommet, så campingpladsen var temmelig fuld. Vi havde håbet på el, men nogle turister havde sprunget sikringerne for et par uger siden, og de var ikke blevet skiftet.
Vores plan var at efterlade vores camper og tage en dagstur til Halligan Bay ved Lake Eyre. Men vi fik at vide, at det var en meget ujævn vej og at vi skulle sørge for at medbringe ekstra dæk og skovl, og at der ikke var noget vand lige ved bugten. Derfor besluttede vi, at tage en 1-times flyvetur i stedet. Chefpiloten hjalp også til på hotellet, hvor vi spiste frokost og naturligvis fik Paul ham overtalt til at give os en god pris.
Så her til morgen kl 8:00 gik vi ombord på et meget lille fly - med plads til 6 passagerer - Jeg må sige, jeg var lidt nervøs, men det var fantastisk. Der er ikke meget vand tilbage i søen og det var alt for salt til at der var noget dyreliv. Vandet havde en rødlig-lilla farve på grund af alger. På vej til Lake Eyre fløj vi tværs over Anna Creek station, der ejes af Kidman Sammenslutningen, tidligere den største kvæg familien i Australien. The Station (gården) er på størrelse med Belgien, men har pt. kun en besætning på 4.000 kreaturer (i stedet for 10000), på grund af manglende fodringsmuligheder. Det var svært at få øje på det grønne græs (tørke på 10. år)- vi så primært ørkenens sand og sten. Kun 3 personer er ansat til at passe denne massive ejendom.
Vi pakkede sammen og er netop ankommet til Coober Pedy, hvor vi har internet og mobil forbindelse. Turen til Coober Pedy var på 166 km, og vi så ikke se en eneste bil hele vejen. Her i Coober Pedy har vi el - men intet vand!
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