Late into Port Augusta so booked into a Cabin which I was very grateful for. The next day proved to be a very mixed bag, warmer and depending which direction you looked either brilliantly sunny or black and threatening. Headed off to Wilpena Pound up the bitumen as it didn’t look like the Oodnadatta track was opening in the foreseeable future. Couldn’t believe how lush it was, my memory was of dusty and bleak but spectacular hillsides. Went into a small Gorge for lunch which was full of enormous red gums and lush grasses still with the morning dew in them. Such a change in scenery yet again. Morgan and Jack have been playing spy commando games with their camels having them hang from a piece of string and rappel of anything of height so climbing the tree added great new adventures for them.
The next morning saw a commotion outside our van, a Kangaroo had come calling and was intent on getting into our van, really a bit disconcerting as he was quite large, the people next door thankfully came home with some muffins for their breakfast so he decided that was a better option. He stuck round all day on the scrounge. Off for the day to check out the sights of Flinders National Park. Driving out of Wilpena and came across an Emu with 6 chicks by the side of the road, quite splendid. Saw several more sets of chicks and 20 plus adults, they are so healthy with all the fresh feed, quite a contrast to the few we have seen to date. Walked up a small ravine to check out some indigenous rock carvings which the local community attribute to the “makers”. Very splendid with the giant red gums, many of which have split at the butt but kept growing as two trees – splitting up to 2 meters apart at the base, otherwise lots of pine trees which jack has taken to seeing how far they will bend. Heaps of mud puddles which Gordon enjoyed decorating the car with. Had to pass through some fences so Jack our official gate opener stood on the side of the car until Gordon took a puddle a bit too fast and managed to splash mud as far up as his face. Neither Jack nor I were impressed. Heaps of wildlife again with Kangaroos lazing around in the grasses as if we didn’t exist.
Travelled diagonally across the ranges actually driving up the creek bed of a couple of the gorges – this was the road in dry season. Stopped in the bottom of one for lunch against a large dark scree hill which the kids just had to climb.
Wet, wet, wet so cruised around in the car enjoying the magnificent views and losing count of the emus, goats and kangaroos we saw.
The next morning looked a little more promising so Gordon set off for a walk to the peak which affords a view over the whole pound as it is now impossible to drive in. Another morning Kangaroo visit, this time a mum and Joey who was a lot less aggressive. The promise of fine weather did not last long so the kids and I caught the bus up to the old homestead and explored in between showers. You can understand how they convinced themselves it was going to be a farming gold mine here, lush grass everywhere you look. Picked up Gordon who was hiking out as we returned on the bus. He still didn’t get to see the Pound as when he got to the summit there was a white out of cloud. Back to warm up with pancakes for lunch but both Jack and Gordon unable to enjoy an afternoon listening to the rain reading so dragged Morgie off to do some more exploring in the car with the promise to find some more mud though it will just get washed off again. Spectacular place but hard to appreciate fully when so cold and wet. Tomorrow is forecast more of the same so will head south
The next morning saw a commotion outside our van, a Kangaroo had come calling and was intent on getting into our van, really a bit disconcerting as he was quite large, the people next door thankfully came home with some muffins for their breakfast so he decided that was a better option. He stuck round all day on the scrounge. Off for the day to check out the sights of Flinders National Park. Driving out of Wilpena and came across an Emu with 6 chicks by the side of the road, quite splendid. Saw several more sets of chicks and 20 plus adults, they are so healthy with all the fresh feed, quite a contrast to the few we have seen to date. Walked up a small ravine to check out some indigenous rock carvings which the local community attribute to the “makers”. Very splendid with the giant red gums, many of which have split at the butt but kept growing as two trees – splitting up to 2 meters apart at the base, otherwise lots of pine trees which jack has taken to seeing how far they will bend. Heaps of mud puddles which Gordon enjoyed decorating the car with. Had to pass through some fences so Jack our official gate opener stood on the side of the car until Gordon took a puddle a bit too fast and managed to splash mud as far up as his face. Neither Jack nor I were impressed. Heaps of wildlife again with Kangaroos lazing around in the grasses as if we didn’t exist.
Travelled diagonally across the ranges actually driving up the creek bed of a couple of the gorges – this was the road in dry season. Stopped in the bottom of one for lunch against a large dark scree hill which the kids just had to climb.
Wet, wet, wet so cruised around in the car enjoying the magnificent views and losing count of the emus, goats and kangaroos we saw.
The next morning looked a little more promising so Gordon set off for a walk to the peak which affords a view over the whole pound as it is now impossible to drive in. Another morning Kangaroo visit, this time a mum and Joey who was a lot less aggressive. The promise of fine weather did not last long so the kids and I caught the bus up to the old homestead and explored in between showers. You can understand how they convinced themselves it was going to be a farming gold mine here, lush grass everywhere you look. Picked up Gordon who was hiking out as we returned on the bus. He still didn’t get to see the Pound as when he got to the summit there was a white out of cloud. Back to warm up with pancakes for lunch but both Jack and Gordon unable to enjoy an afternoon listening to the rain reading so dragged Morgie off to do some more exploring in the car with the promise to find some more mud though it will just get washed off again. Spectacular place but hard to appreciate fully when so cold and wet. Tomorrow is forecast more of the same so will head south
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