We briefly visit the Little Dip Conservation Park to check out some of the campsites and 4WD tracks across the dunes. Lots more to see but another time as, for Liam, catching the trophy fish has replaced finding the priceless opal.
We try the lake again then the jetty. Liam caught his first fish within minutes then lots more. Little luderick and even a small whiting. All went back but great fun in any case.
Home via Mt Gambier tomorrow.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Wednesday 30 September
The only thing I didn’t pack (a last minute decision) was a fishing rod so we bought a couple of hand lines that ended up working very well on the second day. We tried the jetty, the lake and the boat harbour but with only a few bites. We decide to stay Thursday night as well.
Tuesday 29 September
We decide on a seachange – and head for Robe (after breakfast at Maccas of course). The GPS guides us through Adelaide, Murray Bridge and into Robe via the Coorong. The lady in the Information Centre is very helpful and we lash out on a nice motel room overlooking the lake for a couple of nights.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Monday 28 September
Need to decide where we head now. The original plan (as vague as it was) had us in Coober Pedy a couple of days later so we were heading home from here but the combination of dust storms and simply that the places we went didn’t need more than a night means that we have a week left. We take the Stuart Highway south.
Lake Hart is the highlight of the day. A vast salt lake separated from the rest area on the highway by the new Ghan railway line. We crossed the track and walked gingerly onto the salt. We then jumped as hard as we could. Absolutely solid. I had been disappointed that we couldn’t get to Lake Eyre South and didn’t make the effort to go out to Lake Eyre North. The experience on Lake Hart made up for this entirely. We took some salt to use at home.
We diverted back into Woomera to say hello to the cocky in Breen Park and to have lunch. Well watered lush lawn was a nice change (from where we had been and Yarraville).
A plan was hatched that seeing as we were heading past the Spencer Gulf, surely there must be some fishing charter we could hop onto and fill out the couple of extra days. We ended the day in Port Pirie after having tried Port August and Port Germein. No fishing charters to be had. At least we got into a motel in time for Top Gear. The tent is again spending the night in the car.
Lake Hart is the highlight of the day. A vast salt lake separated from the rest area on the highway by the new Ghan railway line. We crossed the track and walked gingerly onto the salt. We then jumped as hard as we could. Absolutely solid. I had been disappointed that we couldn’t get to Lake Eyre South and didn’t make the effort to go out to Lake Eyre North. The experience on Lake Hart made up for this entirely. We took some salt to use at home.
We diverted back into Woomera to say hello to the cocky in Breen Park and to have lunch. Well watered lush lawn was a nice change (from where we had been and Yarraville).
A plan was hatched that seeing as we were heading past the Spencer Gulf, surely there must be some fishing charter we could hop onto and fill out the couple of extra days. We ended the day in Port Pirie after having tried Port August and Port Germein. No fishing charters to be had. At least we got into a motel in time for Top Gear. The tent is again spending the night in the car.
Sunday 27 September
More noodling alternating between the Old Timers Mine in town (after another interesting mine tour), Tom’s and the public area.
A bottle of raspberry lemonade, Casino Royale on telly – does it get any better? (a nice chunk of opal probably would have made it better but we took what we could get).
A bottle of raspberry lemonade, Casino Royale on telly – does it get any better? (a nice chunk of opal probably would have made it better but we took what we could get).
Saturday 26 September
Liam stayed in bed while I drove back to the hills. The colours and contours changed as the sun rose but again the haze reduced the effect. Worth coming back for in a season other than Spring.
The Arkaringa “cabins” are mine Dongas which was lucky as I only had to reach up a bit to pull the smoke alarm off the ceiling after the burning toast set it off. There really wasn’t anywhere else out of the wind to set the stove up so I had to bring it inside (Liam was only a little bit embarrassed).
An uneventful drive to Mt Barry Station then onto the Oodnadatta – Coober Pedy Road. This took us through the Moon Plain that is dry, dusty and lifeless. The gibber plain before it could have been calls the Mars Plain – red, rocky, dry and lifeless. After a quick diversion through the Breakaways (another multicoloured set of hills) we came into Coober Pedy.
Every opal field we’ve been to has been so different. White Cliffs remains our favourite. Smaller, more “personal” with shafts and small but extensive diggings. Andamooka and Stuart Creek were “crude” – huge holes scraped with a bulldozer and spread over a much larger area (although Stuart Creek was barely visible because of the dust storm). Coober Pedy wasn’t at all romantic. An enormous field (well over 4000 square kilometres) with warning signs everywhere that if you didn’t have a claim you had no reason to be there. Far too professional for us!
The person in the Information Centre was very helpful (the best of the trip) and gave us a map with the public noodling area highlighted as well as a pointer to a suitable underground motel. We got the last room.
Unlike the room we had at White Cliffs last year which was a cosy cave, this was a 3 bedroom apartment. Although it was carved into the side of a hill, it was so big that it didn’t feel any different to a normal motel. We had two double and four single beds to choose from.
The moment had finally arrived when Liam could hit the mullock heaps. Again, the White Cliffs experience had set a high level of expectation. Unfortunately, the public noodling area didn’t make the grade. We found a few small slivers, a few better pieces in the car park gravel but not much to get excited about.
The manager of the motel had said that some guest had luck in the noodling area of Tom’s Working Opal Mine on the Stuart Highway so that’s where we headed next. Liam had found his first bit of colour within minutes than lots more. We did the right thing and paid our money to go on the self guided tour which was interesting. We went back to the noodling immediately after. One of the ladies in the mine shop looked at our collection from Andamooka and Coober Pedy and although she though some of the pieces were nice didn’t think they would pay for the holiday (Liam doesn’t believe her).
The Arkaringa “cabins” are mine Dongas which was lucky as I only had to reach up a bit to pull the smoke alarm off the ceiling after the burning toast set it off. There really wasn’t anywhere else out of the wind to set the stove up so I had to bring it inside (Liam was only a little bit embarrassed).
An uneventful drive to Mt Barry Station then onto the Oodnadatta – Coober Pedy Road. This took us through the Moon Plain that is dry, dusty and lifeless. The gibber plain before it could have been calls the Mars Plain – red, rocky, dry and lifeless. After a quick diversion through the Breakaways (another multicoloured set of hills) we came into Coober Pedy.
Every opal field we’ve been to has been so different. White Cliffs remains our favourite. Smaller, more “personal” with shafts and small but extensive diggings. Andamooka and Stuart Creek were “crude” – huge holes scraped with a bulldozer and spread over a much larger area (although Stuart Creek was barely visible because of the dust storm). Coober Pedy wasn’t at all romantic. An enormous field (well over 4000 square kilometres) with warning signs everywhere that if you didn’t have a claim you had no reason to be there. Far too professional for us!
The person in the Information Centre was very helpful (the best of the trip) and gave us a map with the public noodling area highlighted as well as a pointer to a suitable underground motel. We got the last room.
Unlike the room we had at White Cliffs last year which was a cosy cave, this was a 3 bedroom apartment. Although it was carved into the side of a hill, it was so big that it didn’t feel any different to a normal motel. We had two double and four single beds to choose from.
The moment had finally arrived when Liam could hit the mullock heaps. Again, the White Cliffs experience had set a high level of expectation. Unfortunately, the public noodling area didn’t make the grade. We found a few small slivers, a few better pieces in the car park gravel but not much to get excited about.
The manager of the motel had said that some guest had luck in the noodling area of Tom’s Working Opal Mine on the Stuart Highway so that’s where we headed next. Liam had found his first bit of colour within minutes than lots more. We did the right thing and paid our money to go on the self guided tour which was interesting. We went back to the noodling immediately after. One of the ladies in the mine shop looked at our collection from Andamooka and Coober Pedy and although she though some of the pieces were nice didn’t think they would pay for the holiday (Liam doesn’t believe her).
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Friday 25 September
The wind came back up at 3am and we were on the go by 5:30. No yabbies overnight but lots of weed. On the road by 7:30 heading into Oodnadatta.
The scenery keeps changing every few kilometres from dry lake beds to gibber to red sand hills. Quite a bit of water over the road coming into Oodnadatta. At least some of the red mud’s gone.
Oodnadatta……..not the most picturesque location. The Pink Roadhouse is, indeed, PINK. Inside is much nicer than the outside and they have LOLLIES:) We bought something PINK for Sasha. Had morning tea, topped up with diesel, quick tour of town then back on the road to the Painted Desert and Arkaringa Homestead. Again quite a few patches of water and even a creek crossing or two.
The Pained Desert is spectacular (although Liam’s a bit over looking at scenery and just wants to get to Coober Pedy to find the next priceless opal and stay in an underground motel).
We decide to stay in one of the cabins at Arkaringa because the wind hasn’t eased at all. No dust storms at least. We’re greeted by two kelpie-dingo cross puppies that were so soft and playful and reeeely wanted Liam to take them home but what would Henry say….)
Bit of reading, a few games, a walk to the dry creek and a slideshow of card houses and a Tech Deck and the day passes. Back to the Painted Desert an hour before sunset.
WOW!!!!! We walked to the top of the Arkaringa Hills – the view is stunning. The wind was blasting but the view was seemed to make it disappear. Drove back to the western side to catch the setting sun but it had already dropped and with the amount of dust in the air the colours were muted.
Up early tomorrow to catch the sunrise on the eastern side of the hills.
The scenery keeps changing every few kilometres from dry lake beds to gibber to red sand hills. Quite a bit of water over the road coming into Oodnadatta. At least some of the red mud’s gone.
Oodnadatta……..not the most picturesque location. The Pink Roadhouse is, indeed, PINK. Inside is much nicer than the outside and they have LOLLIES:) We bought something PINK for Sasha. Had morning tea, topped up with diesel, quick tour of town then back on the road to the Painted Desert and Arkaringa Homestead. Again quite a few patches of water and even a creek crossing or two.
The Pained Desert is spectacular (although Liam’s a bit over looking at scenery and just wants to get to Coober Pedy to find the next priceless opal and stay in an underground motel).
We decide to stay in one of the cabins at Arkaringa because the wind hasn’t eased at all. No dust storms at least. We’re greeted by two kelpie-dingo cross puppies that were so soft and playful and reeeely wanted Liam to take them home but what would Henry say….)
Bit of reading, a few games, a walk to the dry creek and a slideshow of card houses and a Tech Deck and the day passes. Back to the Painted Desert an hour before sunset.
WOW!!!!! We walked to the top of the Arkaringa Hills – the view is stunning. The wind was blasting but the view was seemed to make it disappear. Drove back to the western side to catch the setting sun but it had already dropped and with the amount of dust in the air the colours were muted.
Up early tomorrow to catch the sunrise on the eastern side of the hills.
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