About this album
This was our adventure trip to the Outback of Australia. The cool spring weather was beginning to warm up and spring flowers were starting to appear after the rains. We headed off from Clunes, making our way through various the various country towns and over the dividing range into the flat country beyond. We watched the landscape slowly change as we drove the hundreds of kilometres each day.
The biggest drive was on our first day when we travelled 825 km from Clunes -> Casino -> Tenterfield -> Glen Innes -> Inverell -> Moree -> Walgett -> Brewarrina. The second day was a little more slow going due to the poor condition of the roads we travelled on, getting us to Bourke -> Wanaaring and then to our second nights camp spot about a 100 ks east of Tibooburra (about 413 ks).
The third day we made it to Sturt National Park and all the way to Cameron’s Corner before heading back part way back towards Tibooburra.
The next day got us quickly to Tibooburra and then the long crawl south toward Broken Hill. We turned off just before the town and headed towards Mutawintji National Park, which is of aboriginal significance. This is definitely a detour worth taking for the breathtaking views (about 404ks).
The fifth day we headed finally to some decent roads, the Barrier Highway and made our way to Wilcannia -> Cobar and Nyngan where we spent the night (about 520 ks).
The sixth day we headed to Warren -> Gilgandra then to the Warrumbungles National Park. It had great ‘reviews’ but when compared to where we’d just been, it felt a little over-rated. We headed through and ended up in Tamworth where we spent the night (about 441 ks).
The seventh day was a little more relaxed with a trip to Armidale and then some little detours before spending the night beside the Nymboida river just out of Nymboida (about 270 ks).
We finally made it home the next day after just over 3000 over kilometres of travel.
Family of Emus
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The Red Centre
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Driving Along the Gibber Plains
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Driving into the Sunset (dust creation)
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Our travel route in light blue
Our first outback curiosity - someone's rather eccentric front yard
Canola - but not under cultivation. There appears to be a problem with seed spread into the environment (West of Moree)
Nevertheless, it makes a pretty sight as one drives along
A short break to take some photographs (West of Moree)
Another 'escapee' from the fields, this time it's cotton (and we have the heads)
Heading towards Walgett and the landscape is now mostly flat country
Our first nights' campsite - about 4 ks out of Brewarrina on the Barwon River
Leaving the campsite in the morning
A taste of the flat country
We saw many flocks of Cockatiels. This is one small flock we managed to capture with the camera
Was shaping up to be a hot day
Finally we arrive at Bourke
The post office in Bourke
Bourke was a major inland port that utilised the Darling River. The old wharf has been rebuilt here for the tourists
Heading out literally to the back of Bourke
The last of the sealed road from Bourke
The start of the unsealed road to nowhere
Long straight red dirt roads
One of those 'towns' that are made up of just a pub.
The first of the red dirt and dead trees from lack of moisture - although it did rain just a few days before we arrived
Our first lizard sighting - this is a bearded dragon
Vehicles were few and far between.
Some desert roadside grasses
The desert flowers were just coming into bloom. These are helicrysums
A male emu and his chicks. See video of them running
The tufts of dead grass provide the quintessential Australian desert look
Break for lunch
This kangaroo (amongst others) lost its life attempting to get at the last remains of water in this artesian water well
The ubiquitous windmill that pumps up bore water - this one wasn't working
Not sure what the story is here, but death seemed quite common in the desert
Love the red and blue contrast in colours
Long straight dirt roads that seem to go on forever
These small 'gibber' stones form the many gibber plains in the desert (also creates a very bumpy ride). Gibber stones are the crumbled remains of ancient mountains.
Despite the seeming lack of water, there was plenty of bird life and we saw dozens of bird nests. This one belongs to a falcon
More pretty desert flowers
Lizard tracks
Emu tracks
Hardened surface of what was once a dam
Dead trunk of the Mulga tree - these are the main trees found in the region
Young crow just on the verge of leaving the nest. It flew off for the first time that evening
The hue of sunset where we camped the second night ... along a dusty lonely road
We had a great view of the sunset that evening
You can just about see how the aboriginal flag came about
My interpretation of the previous image
Sunrise the next morning
Another one of those nests, but note the two Mulga Parrots to the right
Another emu family, this one with younger chicks. I want one!
Dad walks, chicks run
Large family group of Apostle birds feeding by the side of the road
Creek beds were usually dry
Not sure why anyone farms sheep in the hot desert
Finally we arrive at Sturt National Park where the 'corner country' resides
More emus - by now, they were becoming a little 'ho-hum' as we'd seen so many along the way (nearly ploughed into one when it ran in front of the car)
Tibooburra - a frontier goldmining town on the edge of the Sturt National Park.
Zebra finches near a watering hole
Finally, we get to see wild budgerigars up close
A big Red male
Short billed corellas in a tree
and in flight
The 'Jump ups' more like falling down - crumbling moutains of a very ancient continent
At the top of the Jump Ups
People live here!
Gate to Queensland - part of the dingo fence that divides NSW from QLD and attempts to keep the dingoes where they belong - in QLD!
Dingo fence
Another gate through the Dingo fence - this one opens into South Australia
Finally, at Cameron's Corner - the post marks the point where the states of New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia meet
After a drink at the only pub in the area, we head back into NSW
We arrive at more middle of nowhere
Sunset on our third night - in a dried out dam this time
The camp spot in the morning - the hardened base of the dam was as smooth and hard as concrete (well, almost)
We stopped at a dam (this time with water) for breakfast
A Pink Eared Duck creates a little ripple as it swims across the pond
Crested doves arriving for a morning drink
Pointing to nowhere
Just plenty of flat treeless land (180° view)
After the decay of a moutain, the quartz component of the rocks remain, leaving a white stoned landscape
'Ruins' of an early pionner family home at Milparinka
A very large salt pan lake that went on for several kilometers - and yes, the 'water' is just a mirage
More helicrysums (or better known as paper daisies)
Think this was a kangaroo
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