Wednesday 9 July.

We are still in the Flinders Ranges near Wilpena.

We have just got back from a few hours looking around the country side.

Most of the day has been raining along with a cold wind.

Most of the hills are hidden with low cloud so you do not get the full view of the country side and mountains. Hard to get good photos.

We had a look at some indigenous art petroglyphs at a place called “Sacred Valley” about 20 min up the highway. Some old carvings in the silt stone/slate that lines a creek bed for some distance.

They are reported to be very old and many have almost faded away.

 Circles  in rock

 assorted carvings

 AN OLD TREE TRUNK IN THE CREEK NEAR THE ROCK ART

 ONE OF THE LOCALS WATCHING US PASS BY

After the rock art we travelled a loop up through the Wilpena pound park then on through the Brachina Gorge with all it's many rock formations dating 590 plus million years back.

Apparently there were many small land owners in the area back in the early 1800's but a long drought wiped most of them out. The land owners now are huge in comparison and have more than just sheep to keep them afloat.

A CLEAR SHOT BETWEEN RAIN DRIZZLE

UNUSUAL ROCK FORMATION

Thursday 10

An early start today as the power to the camp ground went off yesterday before lunch and we had no heating and only torch lighting to cook dinner and get ready for bed.

A cold cold night.

After breakfast we went on touring the gorges again this time further north

CAVE IN SIDE OF HILL

At least we can see a bit better today as the cloud has lifted a little,

On our travels today we saw quite a few kangaroos and emus all looking very healthy.

Almost had kangaroo for dinner as a young one skipped across the road just as I was concentrating on a sharp rock ledge on the road. Just a bit slow to collect him on the bull bar for dinner

Almost had a problem as at the end of some gorge travel I pulled into Parachilna to refuel only to find they stopped selling fuel some three years ago. So much for latest maps.

Luckily there was a small village some 17km away that were able to fill up the less than a quarter tank I had and get back to camp.

Friday 11

Left the Flinders today and headed up the Oonadatta track.

AN OLD TOWNSHIP ON THE WAY

GOOD TO HAVE A PLACE NAMED AFTER YOURSELF

 Reached Maree today and made camp there. By lunch time the weather had fined up and it became quite warm. The manager of the park informed us that today was the warmest day they have had for three weeks. Bit rugged compared to some other camps but slept well until about 5.30 when the cold crept in.

THE DELUXE CABIN AT MAREE

The road to Maree is about half bitumen and the remaining section stoney and bits of bitumen in the dips where the flood water crosses the road.

Saturday 12.

Left Maree and reached Coober Pedy.

The track is a bit rugged until you reach William Creek.

About 2 hours out of Maree we came to an outdoor art exhibition.

Not sure of who and why it is here but it is quite good.

DONATED PLANES SHIPPED OUT HERE FOR FREE

QUIET LITTLE CHAP

WHICH ONE IS THE IRON MAN

William creek has grown from the last time I was here, 25 years ago when it was a pub and the small planes used to land in the street in front of the pub. Today it is a pub which is bigger, a cafe a couple of houses, and the planes have their own landing strip. It looks like the Aeroplane people run the cafe and they have two planes on the deck. I suspect that the joy flight business has grown due to Lake Eyre having water in it for the tourists to have a look at.

DIFFERENT PUSSY WILLOW

After William Creek and a home made pastie for lunch we carried on up the Track.

About 30km up the Track comes in very close to Lake Eyre South and you can see that it looks to still be half full of water. It is half white salt flat, with a blue spread of water going into the distance.

LAKE EYRE SOUTH

Past William Creek the track changes into a far better road surface with stretches of sand instead of the stoney surface of the morning. Instead of averaging about 70km an hour we were almost up to highway speed and good travelling. In places here and there we came across patches of wild flowers.

CATTLE CROSSING ROAD

Had a strange noise start up here and not sure of cause maybe loose jack or spare wheel.  Stops once you get going.

.We arrived in Coober Pedy about 4.0pm and set up camp ready for an early night.

Coober Pedy is an overnight stop and heading up the Stuart Highway tomorrow, probably to Kulgera which is on the SA/ NT border.

Sunday 13

Well, today after a good drive following two road trains for a hunded or so kms we arrived in the Striking, blistering, sunburnt , Northern Territory. The road trains were sitting on 100kms an hour so I just sat behind them and followed along.

The rain started as we crossed the border and now it is pouring down.

We chickened out of setting up camp in the rain and we are settled into a motel for the night at Erldunda. About 70km North of the SA border and quite a nice place very well appointed and warm and dry in the room.

Tomorrow we are off to see how far Alice Springs.!!!

About 200km up the road.