Cleaned up after lunch, and then headed off on the Gorge Loop Road, heading for South Myers Tank. In the outback, a tank is essentially, a large, manmade pool or pond, that captures water during rare rains—water that would otherwise simply run out into the surrounding desert and dry up. This tank is a birding “hot spot.” More than 100 species of bird have been spotted here. Among the many we saw, most abundant were pied and black cormorants, pelicans, and a variety of ducks. Plus there were gorgeous butterflies.
Continuing on, we crossed gibber plains, surrounded by sampfire plants, gidgee trees (a type of acacia), dry river courses lined with river red gums, coolibahs, emus, and rocks—lots of rocks. Stopped at Horton Park, an old sheep station now in ruins but used as recently as the 1950s. Passed the South Torrens Bore, which marks the southern edge of the Artesian Bore. Miles and miles of rocks—it amazes me that this area ever got explored, let alone settled. Kangaroos—reds. Actually, the males are red, but the females, called blue flyers, are blue/gray. And more emus. Males incubate the eggs and raise the young. (I’ve seen more emus in the last two days than I’ve seen in my three previous trips combined.)
Richard noted that these gibber plains are known as Mitchell grass plans in the spring, when they are green.
Stop at Mt. Wood Station, a historic site begun around 1890. Still standing are the homestead, shearers’ quarters, shearing shed, and wool scouring shed.
Continuing on, headed for Tibooburra, Richard commented that the road to Tibooburra used to be considered one of the worst roads in Australia. Hard to imagine how much worse it could be and still be passable. Lots of rocks.
In Tibooburra, stopped at the Charles Sturt memorial at the Pioneer Park. Sturt came through Tibooburra as he searched for a route north—and for an inland sea that he felt must exist. The memorial includes a copy of a boat that Sturt brought along on his exploration, just in case he found that sea, which he never did. (If you’ve read my book, Waltzing Australia, you may remember the poem I wrote titled “Sturt’s Revenge,” when I got trapped in an outback flood.) Took a few photos around town and then back to our camp site.
It’s a beautiful evening. The sky is cloudless. Galahs and magpies keep flashing through camp. The sun is setting, making the already beautiful spot absolutely magical. I’m so glad we spent a couple of days here.
Richard has the maps out and we’re planning tomorrow’s journey up the Strzlecki Track toward Innaminka. Before he became a bush guide, Richard was a history and geography teacher, so he shares more information than just directions. Then it was time to fix dinner.
Euros are feeding nearby, a magpie is begging for handouts, galahs are chattering in the trees. Wonderful. One young euro was right at the edge of our camp and didn’t seem to even notice when Nikki turned the flashlight on it. Must be used to campers.
The Milky Way is unbelievable—so dramatic in this hemisphere. But now it’s time to go to bed, as we have an early start tomorrow.
Waltzing Australia 