Tag: explore Australia

The branches of the shrubs shook. Growls and grunts disturbed the usually quiet Australian bush. Scuffling of feet on the rocky surface ran towards where we stood on the trail. More commotion. We did not know what it was. We guessed feral goats. Wild pigs? Koalas? Emu? Dingoes? Something more sinister? There are feral goats in the Ikara Flinders Ranges National Park, but this was no bleating. And although koalas can make very scary noises, I wasn’t sure if they inhabited this area. Emu make more of a drum sound. We didn’t stay around to see what wild animal appeared from the bushes.

Another day while we were descending from Mount Ohlssen – Bagge in the same National Park we were surprised by another totally different and unidentifiable sound. Mick thought it sounded like a door slamming, but up on the side of this mountain there were no buildings, structures, or roads. I thought perhaps goats jumping hard onto a rock or butting a tree with its horns. Maybe it was rocks falling or being thrown from above. It was the sound of a hard blow onto rocks one at a time and spaced with imperfect regularity. We paused on the trail. What was that strange out-of-place sound? We did not linger or go any closer to the sound to investigate.

The Ikara Flinders Ranges National Park is in an ancient landscape and a geologist’s dream. Striped mountains reveal various rock formations and illustrate the story of how this land was formed. Atop one mountain ridge is a natural wall of rock battlements. Wilpena Pound is a great campground with walks and hikes of varying standards and challenge. The walk to the rim of the Wilpena Pound crater is a lovely stroll beside the dry creek-bed beneath the huge old white-trunked gums. At the rim is the old homestead where early settlers came and tried to farm sheep and wheat within the sheltered crater. Droughts drove them away eventually and the natural flora and fauna has recovered thankfully. The lookout shows the saw-tooth ridges of the crater walls and a lush valley.

We drive further north to Blinmin where we have coffee and pies at the pub. We take a dirt side road to a dry gorge where the remains of dislodged trees are stacked high after recent heavy rains. Back at the camp it is busy due to ANZAC Day and a long weekend. People are up before sunrise to pay their respects to soldiers, one lone bugler hitting the notes perfectly.

South Australia has a lot to offer tourists, as there is so much variety. We drove across the border with rain falling steadily to the relief of the farmers and locals. We avoid driving to Adelaide and head north along the Murray River finding a free camp on the banks at Walker Flat. It’s cold but this does not dissuade the water skiers who are happy behind ski boats as the sun sets weaving around the houseboats that putter up and down the river.

Then inland further we head towards the winemaking region of the Clare Valley. The towns are small but delightful with stone houses and stone buildings in the main streets. It is very picturesque. We camp at the caravan park in Clare. It is still cold and raining. We taste some local wine at the Kilikanoon Winery.

We drive out to Martindale Hall at nearby Mintaro. It is an old stone mansion, a sheep station of yesteryear, now in the hands of the National Trust. It was used as one of the buildings for the film Picnic at Hanging Rock. Inside the opulence is on show with decorative touches on every surface. It welcomes visitors into a lovely internal space with a grand staircase. Each room is decorated with unique pieces on display. The smoking room has a unique and interesting collection of souvenirs from around the world. At the old pub in Mintaro we stop for a local wine under the verandah.

To take care of some personal documentation we visit the local library in Clare where I can do printing and scanning. The staff are typically helpful as all library staff tend to be, and the library is tidy and well organised, a lovely local place located just behind the main street.

We drive further north towards the Flinders Ranges. This landscape is like something from Mars. We close a loop of our travels from the previous year when we scurried “home” for the first lockdown.

After enjoying the remoteness of the Flinders Ranges, we have to drive south back to Port Augusta before we go north once again towards Coober Pedy and the Northern Territory. This is the Australian Outback and there is nothing out here. Just flat plains, sparse mulga, red dirt, and blue sky forever. We see a couple of emus, lots of kangaroo roadkill, and huge eagles feasting on the fresh meat. We camp overnight at the Mulga Well Rest Area. There is no one else at this camp and it is a bit unnerving, but worth it for the colourful sunset and sunrise. During the night, a big bright moon lights the landscape, but we see no movement.

The next day we reach Coober Pedy. We have been here before about twenty-five years ago, and the town has grown. After a quick drive up and down the main street we decide to stay at the caravan park on the outskirts of town. It has an underground campground for those with tents and swags. We are above ground but under the shade of a garage.

We take the guided tour of the mine and the underground house at the caravan park. It is interesting to learn about opal-mining and the different techniques and costs involved. We drive out to the place outside the town perimeter where daily mining is underway, seeing the machinery and the piles of dirt extracted from underground. Then we watch an old timer cut and polish an opal while he describes what he is doing and what he is looking for. Then we try our luck noodling on the piles of stones placed there for the tourists. Mick goes back for a third try the next day.

From here we will go north into the Northern Territory and out to Uluru and Kings Canyon.