A strange accident at Epping

Saw this at Epping outside the Post Office this morning, had to take photos to show.  A car was sitting with its rear end on one of the bollards. Civil defence and police were busy trying to lift it out and eventually had to use an air bag.  How did it happen?  I could only guess that being a front wheel drive vehicle the driver had pushed the pedal a little too hard while in reverse gear. It pushed over a small tree and mounted the bollard.

Outback #7 From Eromanga back to Longreach

We took a slightly different route back to Longreach from Eromanga, passing through small places like Yaraka.  We had a couple of days at Longreach where we enjoyed the new attractions including the stagecoach ride and Thompson River cruise and lightshow, not mentioning the kind hospitality of Pete and Mary.

Eagle roadkill.

A brolga bird taking off.

Yaraka welcome.

A view from Mt Slocombe near Yaraka.

Stagecoach ride, Longreach.

Bustling Longreach.

Tourists at Longreach.

More photos of the journey back to Longreach from Eromanga CLICK HERE.

Outback #6 Strzelecki Track and Beyond

The Strzelecki Track from Lynhurst to Innamincka stretches for more than 460 km. We stopped at Innamincka for two nights as there were quite a few historic sites to visit, many relating to the ill-fated Burke and Wills expedition. Innamincka has a permanent population of about a dozen, but there were many more stopover visitors. After Innamincka we went on to Eromanga, which is relatively large as it has a population of about 50.

Strzelecki Track seemed even more barren than Birdsville Track.

Montecollina has a bore.

Many eagles around, they looked awesome.

Gas plant owner Santos not trying to be helpful, though the facilities brought mobile phone signal for some distance.

Strzelecki Track was quiet until we got to Moomba.

Historic Innamincka pub.

Cooper's Creek waterhole.

Barren land full of oil and gas.

Finally finished with the desert country at Eromanga.

 

 

 

More photos on the Strzelecki Track and Eromanga CLICK HERE.

Outback #5 Akaroola National Park via Lynhurst

From Marree, we headed south to Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary via Lynhurst.  Arkaroola is a privately owned park in the North Flinders Ranges.

Ruins of Farina. The rain did not come often enough, and the town died.

Ochre quarry near Farina - A source of colour dyes for local aborigines.

A coal mine and an abandoned house near Leigh Creek.

An aboriginal Community along the way.

Sillers Lookout - Ridgetop tour, a highlight of our visit to Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary.

North Flinders Range.

Rare yellow-footed wallaby.

 For more photos of Farina ruins, ochre quarry and Arkaroola, CLICK HERE.

Outback #4 Marree and Lake Eyre

Marree is at the other end of the Birdsville Track. It was once an important railway town for movement of people and goods, including cattle for the Adelaide markets. The last train left Marree in 1981 when the main line to the north was moved. Marree is now a quiet town with a hotel and a roadhouse. 

We drove to the southern edge of Lake Eyre via the Ooodnadatta Track and also took a small plane flight from Marree to view it from the air.  The lake was largely dry while we were there.

Historic Marree hotel.

End of the railway for Marree

An abandoned house.

Some distance up on the Oondnadatta Track - a view of Lake Eyre in the distance.

Unusual exhibits at "Plane Henge" (Multonia Sculpture Park), Oodnadatta Track.

On the shore of Lake Eyre (More than 10m below sea level).

Salt on the shore of Lake Eyre.

One of them was the pilot.

Goyder Channel joining Lake Eyre North to the South, from the air.

Plane's shadow on the salt pan of dry Lake Eyre.

For more photos of Marree CLICK HERE.

Outback #3 The Birdsville Track

The Birdsville Track stretches for more than 500 km from Birdsville in Queensland to Marree in South Australia, across the Tirari and Sturt Stony Deserts.  In between, there is only one service centre where supplies are available, at Mungerannie near the halfway point.

A few kilometres from Birdsville is the Queensland - South Australia border.

The road condition was quite good.

Some travel in convoys.

Attractions of the Birdsville Track include abandoned objects. Large ones.

A mirage.

Tea break under a rare shade.

Lunch at the Warburton Crossing. A year ago this was under water.

Hard to believe there is a cattle industry in the desert - near Warburton Crossing.

Waterhole from a bore at Mirra Mitta; the water was hot to touch.

The iconic Mungerannie Hotel. There is an attached accommodation facilities and campsite.

Our tents at the Mungerannie Hotel campsite.

Ruins of Mulka store.

Many stories, some sad ones.

The Dog Fence to keep out unwanted pests (dingos and rabbits).

Marree at last, end of the flat deserts.

Video taken near "Lake Harry".  Note the trench from sand bogging at the beginning of the video; a vehicle had probably wandered off the compacted track onto the softer fringe.


Birdsville Track.


For more photos of the Birdsville Track - many more of the flat open spaces,  CLICK HERE