DAY 11 FROM SOUTH TO NORTH - TOP END (NORTHERN TERRITORY) TRIP

5 May 2010

OODNADATTTA TRACK - BERESFORD SIDING, WILLIAM CREEK, PEAKE RUINS

We like to go awandering with an Oka on the track
On the tracks in the outback with accordion in the back
On adventures we are keen to the outback that’s now green
From Bopeechee, how rarely to be seen
Along the Oodnadatta, that’s now green

The salted crust decreases
as Lake Eyre now increases
Calling on the flooded waters
To follow Warburtove Groove‘s waters
As Warbarton channel’s murky brown waters
Into Lake Eyre’s pristine blue waters

No longer parched those big clay pans
A sea of green or water pan
As we bounce, sway or glide past
Gibber glimmers as we roll past
Countryside‘s awash with green
And deep contrasts can be seen
As the orange, golds and browns peer out
As they hide beneath the foliage that’s now out

Grounds have now soaked up the rains
The train line’s silent without the trains
Water pools along the way
As cattle mustered on the way

Pools of water still abundant
Waterholes and clay pan lakes cannot be numbered
Yet lakes and creeks have flown on by -
Leaving shady rest spots for passers by
And cane grass metres high
- To quench the thirst of the mighty Eyre
As the sound of birds will fill the air.

Did not go far today. William Creek is the smallest town in Australia and is located on one of the world’s largest cattle stations – Anna Creek Station.   At William Creek we could not say no to a flight over the Painted Desert and Lake Eyre. It is always fabulous to see natural phenomena’s from the air.

Anna Creek Station is so huge – 24,000 square kilometres - larger than Belgium. The Painted Desrt is on the station taking up about 20by 18 kilometres of land. Ochre yellow oxide, red and deep brown with crisp whites and jet black on pedestal rocks and sandstone hills create an amazing landscape.

The dog fence (an ongoing straight line here) going on for thousands of kilometres is an amazing and unique structure.

We saw grasses from the air but close up the grasses were so tall swaying in the breeze.

The flight did not agree with me and really knocked me out for the rest of the day so we didn’t travel far after the flight and ended up in a most interesting place for the night – Old Peake ruins.