CAPE YORK TRIP DAY 8

23 June 2014

21km North of Dig Tree – 130km East of Birdsville (306 km)

There was a bit of a cold wind in the morning as the beautiful rosy pinks of dawn emerged over the horizon.  After a nice cooked breakfast a flocks of galahs and cockatoos greeted us.

Jump ups greeted us as we made our wayin what is known as Channel Country.  

Before long we encountered a groups of camels including what appeared to be a family – mum, dad and little one between them.  A little further we saw an old camel on its own.

As we made towards Birdsville the road surface was ever changing and generally was very good as it had been gradeds.  At one stage we were driving in the swales between two sand dunes.  Morning tea as always gave us time to explore a new area.  Little pockets of flowers continued to astound us.

My GPS decided to go crazy in the afternoon and suddenly told me it was 1298km to Birdsville whilst Min’s GPS on the other side of the car said it was 320km to go.  Funny that both were the same brand.

As we were in Channel Country the road had quite a few gentle dips. In places the road snaked through the landscape with sweeping curves.  In places, closer to Birdsville there was water on the road and we even came across a pair of emus.  

The grader had obviously been at work but that did not stop the dust.

On one of our stops we came across an amazing tree with unusual bark.

As we continued we came across a lookout.  We were hesitant of going there due to two of our party watching their fuel consumption very closely.  We were glad we decided to go there.  The view across the vast lands reinforced how far from everywhere you were.

Near Beetuta  there was an amazing sculpture on the side of a hill.  It is one of three dreamtime sculptures in the Diamantina Shire.

We camped near a sand dune to protect us from the wind.  It was a  strong cold wind so no campfire again tonight. 

The sunset was just spectacular.  I climbed the dune to get a different view and it was well worth it.  We were all out with our cameras trying to catch the amazing sunset. 

We decided to eat dinner in Bob and Žydre’s van.  Another magic evening in the bush with no one else about.

CAPE YORK TRIP DAY 7

22 June 2014

TIBOOBURRA – via Warri Gate to 21km North of Dig Tree (272km)

  

The granite rocks circling the campsite looked brilliant in the morning light as we had a leisurely breakfast.

After much deliberation about how to proceed to Birdsville because of the fuel range of the vehicles in our group we decided to go via Warri Gate to Birdsville.

Our mornings are getting ever so slightly warmer as we go.  As we set out it was an ever changing terrain - from rich reds and gibber country to grey harsh terrain against a beautiful blue sky and white clouds.  We saw a beautiful eagle.   There were actually quite a few eagles that we spotted as we travelled.  The trees along dry creek beds and waterways attest to how little water they need to survive.

We arrived at Waddi Gate and crossed the dingo fence that travels such a vast distance in Australia.

As we travelled we came across a number of dead roos.  We were all very disturbed at finding a badly injured roo for a second time lying on the road unable to move. 

As we had morning tea on the turn off to Nappa Merrie Santos Road two doubles pulled up at the corner carrying cattle. 

The brahman cattle looked very healthy despite the harsh conditions.  We travelled through immense gibber plains with extremely sparse vegetation.

Flowers are beginning to flower as they have had some rain recently.  It is hard to believe that things can grow in such dry places.

We stopped for a stretch in the afternoon when we noticed that Min had left his pliers on the roof rack and they were still there regardless of the road conditions. 

Then, after driving some more through still ever changing terrain  

I noticed that the pipe in the front of the vehicle had somehow moved and we stopped to see what was going on.

There appears to be a new sealed road from Innaminka to Thargomindah and we travelled along it for a while.  We asked a passing ranger about where to camp and got the impression that it was okay on the other side of Coopers Creek.  There were several other campers there.  We didn’t notice the ‘no camping’ sign on the way in.  

We had not set up when the ranger drove up and suggested we move on as the police will be coming to move everyone on.  He suggested that there is good camping with wood further on.  We followed his directions but there was no wood at all where he said.  We camped on a gibber plain just off the road.  We were made very welcome by the hoardes of flies.  Those that had them found their face nets very quickly.

As there was no wood – just gibber we had no fire.  So we all spent the evening in our Oka as it was just too cold outside.