Last Post for the Gibb River Trip

Reflections on the trip.

Jo and I reflected on the trip as we drove in. We have camped by:

Pubs, waterholes, lagoons, rivers (including the Jordon),in gorges, on a race course, in National Parks, in Conservation Parks, on stations, among sand dunes, bores, in caravan parks. We have camped on grass, stones, red dust, white dust, sand and the worst camp site was Renahans Bore.

We have become quite adept at setting up and taking down the camper. We have even started problem solving when things go wrong. Overall, it has been an odyssey. When people see us pull up, we often get “Two women travelling together? That’s unusual!”

We have now covered over 10 000km of mostly dirt roads so we are a little over red dust!!!! Can now take the: 

Donahue, Plenty, Parts of Binns Track, Tanami, Canning Stock Route, Gibb, Oodnadatta & Strzelecki off the “Bucket List”.  

Noccundra - Cunnamulla

 Pelicans in the Wilson and Bulloo Rivers.

28th July Noccundra - Cunnamulla

28^th July Noccundra – Cunnamulla

Had a late start as we watched part of the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games before we started. Our first stop was the Noccundra Waterhole on the Wilson River. Pelicans and other water birds everywhere. It was the same when we crossed the Bulloo River at Thargomindah. Pelicans everywhere. 

Innamincka - Noccundra

Cooper Creek at Innamincka

Back in Queensland

Burke & Wills - Dig tree

Carving at Dig Treee

Sunset near Noccundra

Montecollina Bore - Innamincka Sand dune

Steam from bore at sunrise

Wedgetail

Fluffing his feathers

Sign along the track

Sand Dunes alongside track

Innaminka Trading Post

Jan at Innamincka Hotel

Jo - Innamincka Hotel

27th July Montecollina Bore - Innamincka- Noccundra

27^th July Montecollina Bore – Innamincka  (Total Distance of Strzlecki 469km) – Noccundra

The road to Innamincka seemed to follow the flat land between a series of  red huge sand dunes. Quite enjoyed the drive and the work going on in the Mooba Gas Fields astounded us. The work in the Eormanga Basin is just as astounding. The other big surprise was the fact that except for 23km the road from the Qld border is now all sealed.

Jo & I can both smell home so when we arrived in Innamincka and the road to the Coongie Lakes was closed due to recent rains, we decided to keep going and ended up at Noccundra Hotel after 6PM so we took a room for the night. Great place to stay. The hosts were great.

Lyndhurst - Montecollina Bore

Cuppa at the Dog Fence

On the Strzlecki Track

Bore - Montecollina

Water in bore run off

Camping in dunes

Sunset on the Strzlecki at Montecollina Bore

26th July Lyndhurst – Montecollina Bore

26^th July Lyndhurst – Montecollina Bore

We had been given mixed accounts of the conditions on the Strzelecki but we found it in pretty good condition. As we left Lyndhurst, we crossed a number of rocky hills and the road was rocky but after that it was good. Had recently been graded so we saw the best of it. Stopped at the Dog Fence for a cuppa then arrived at the Bore by 2.30PM. It is situated among some large sand dunes but these dunes are white. There was a sort of spa at the bore head but it was a bit chilly. The runoff from the bore provided a wonderful wet environment for the wildlife. We actually had a shower of rain during the night.

Maree - Lyndhurst

Maree Hotel

Emus  cross our path

Furina Ruins

Creative Festival

Lake Eyre South

Mound Springs - Curdimaurka Ruins

 S[rings