Flinders Ranges
25th – 29th July 2022
We left Hawker in the morning, after topping up the fuel (only 20 litres, but get it when you can), and headed to Wilpena Pound. We went for a lovely 3 hour hike into the national park to the Hills Homestead and up to the Lower Wangara Lookout. Beautiful scenery.
We decided to drive to the Yanyanna Hikers Hut for the night. In the middle of nowhere down a rough dirt track. we were the only ones out there until a lone hiker turned up to sleep in the hut.
Back to Wilpena in the morning to attempt a coaching call for Beverley, and then heading to Arkaroola.
We saw a sign to Chambers Gorge and turned off. It was a very rough road to get there about, a 20 minute rattle. We parked at the 2nd camping area (4wd only) and went for a long walk. The Gorge is known for Aboriginal writing and pictures on the rocks.
We went off on a tangent (as usual) and followed the river bed. We were very lucky to see a family off Emus going for a walk along the river. A parent (apparently the Father) and 7 little chicks.
On the way back to the van, there were goats on mountain top, Kangaroos hopping, lovely azur blue skies.
Driving back to the main road we later saw 2 different families of Emus, with about 7 chicks in each, crossing the road (why?)
Back on the “main road” to Arkaroola, we stopped after hearing a bang under the van. A stone had kicked up and broken the fittings attaching the hose pipe to the water tanks. All the water in the tanks was pouring onto the ground. Another job to fix later.
We got going again and decided to stop in at the Gammon National Park rangers station for a look.
After a quick toilet stop, Brian noticed that we had a flat tyre. The air was still hissing out of the hole, so it had just happened on the way into the station. It turns out that the area is renowned for flat tyres.
After a bit of fun changing the tyre to the spare, it was off to a hot shower and a night in the ranger station car park.
The road to Arkaroola was pretty bumpy. Amazingly there is a tyre repair center in Arkaroola (go figure). We got a temporary patch done, but the tyre needs replacing, so Brian called the garage in Copley and ordered a replacement for the next day.
After a short walk, we decided to go to a talk about astronomy that evening. It is so dark up there that the whole sky appears alight with stars.
The next day started with a big bang. Beverley was sitting in bed doing her morning meditation when she heard a big explosion.
Brian was lying naked on the floor between the driver and passenger seat, butt in the air and glass everywhere. He was dead still. So I called out to him. Fortunately, he replied and hadn’t been thrown by the blast.
He had been checking the battery levels whilst his coffee was brewing in his Turkish coffee pot. The pot had exploded, shattered the induction hot plate and glass sink top. Fortunately most of the glass was inside the sink, however the whole van was plastered with small splinters and bathed in coffee.
We took a moment to recover from the shock, quickly dressed and got work cleaning.
Dear Abbey looks squeaky clean again.
Not for long. The journey ahead we know will be dusty and the van has been covered with red dust, on our computers, dining table, all surfaces and even in our cupboards and wine locker.
We spent the night at Copley caravan park after picking up the new tyre. Met a friend of Beverley’s, Di who lives there. She said the red dust also gets everywhere in her home. The population is only 70 people so you get to know everyone very quickly. Sat by a camp fire for pre-dinner cocktails with Di’s friend John, who stays in the campsite for approximately 9 months each year to escape Melbourne. The red sunset was amazing and we also spent 30 minutes star gazing post dinner.
