Wilpena Pound to Port Augusta

Although it was still raining, we decided to venture out.

This is Bunyeroo Gorge area. We are driving on the same road as  SA Tourism use in their brochure.

 

 

More Bunyeroo Gorge. This area is very picturesque with old red gum trees lining the creek beds (where the roads are!)

 

 

Blinman was our destination for the day. It is the highest town in SA at 630 meters. Copper mining was the main industry in this area.

 

We returned to Wilpena via Parachilna Gorge which is one of the prettiest drives in the area. This is one of the peaks in the Flinders Range.

 

We left Wilpena heading for Port Augusta passing through Hawker. This is one of the paintings by local artist Jeff Morgan. He has painted a panorama of the Flinders Ranges taken from St Mary Peak. This painting of pelicans on the Coopers Creek sold for $22,000.

This is the countryside between Hawker and Quorn on the way to Port Augusta.

Lake Eyre to Wipena Pound

We went from Coober Pedy to William Creek and flew over Lake Eyre which is about 1/3 full. It was very hazy and you could not distinguish the water in the lake from the reflection of the clouds.

We flew to the northern end of Lake Eyre where  the water from the Qld rivers is slowly entering the lake. Pelicans are nesting on the islands in the Lake.

 

Surf’s up on Lake Eyre! Actually its salt where the water is slowly entering.

 

 

 

Then on to Talc Alf’s at Lyndhurst. It hasn’t changed since our parents were here 30 years ago. Talking to Alf, who is a staunch Republican, we found out that all his carvings have a story engraved on them.

This is the endangered Yellow-footed rock wallaby of the Flinders Ranges. This one was so tame he came right up to the caravan and stayed for some time posing for our cameras.

 

This  is Wilpena Pound from Hucks Lookout. The scenery is magnificent and you can see forever from the lookouts.

 

 

We took a self-guided trip through Willow Springs station. 70,000 acres of scenic mountain country where they raise sheep. It is very dry and all we could see growing were rocks.

 

Unfortunately, the day we were there, it started to rain and blow. Visibility was not good but there were plenty of medium 4WD tracks to try out our vehicles. We drove to the top of Mt. Caernarvon (920 metres) where the wind was howling. From here, on a good day, you get a panoramic view of Wilpena Pound and the surrounding Flinders Range.

From here we are heading south to Port Augusta and then west across the Nullabor Plain.

More Coober Pedy

Landscape around Coober Pedy

 

 

 

 

Opal mine hole

These holes go down 100 feet

 

 

 

Sign at entrance to opal fields.  There is also a sign saying that explosives may not be taken into the picture theatre

 

Sign on the side of the highway

 

 

 

 

Sunset at the Breakaways

We did have 3 spots of rain

 

 

 

Breakaway sunset

Coober Pedy 12.04.2009

Old Timers Mine – underground mine and house as well as beautiful opals

 

 

 

Camel sculptured in wall of mine by the same N.Z. artist who did the carvings at the Serbian Church

 

 

What life at Coober Pedy was like for the original miner who discovered opals – William Hutchinson

 

 

 

The Big  Winch

 

 

 

 

 

Overlooking Coober Pedy from the Big Winch

 

 

The wind generator which supplies about 4% of electricity for the town (when it is working)

Welcome to Coober Pedy.

 

Coober Pedy Town

 

 

Grassless Golf Club. Full 18 holes including Club house. Affiliated with St. Andrews Golf Club in Scotland.

 

 

Breakaways Reserve, 33km north of Coober Pedy. Once an inland sea.

 

 

 

Dog Fence stretches across Australia for 5300km.The desert area has been nicknamed “Moon Plain”

 

 

Serbian Underground Church. Absolutely beautiful.

 

 

 

Umoona Opal Mine and Museum. A maze of underground tunnels showing the history of mining and beautiful opals

 

 

 

Sunset over Coober Pedy

 

 

 

Opal Festival Parade through the main street.

 

 

 

 

Air Show – one of the events held after the parade

 

 

 

 

 

And almost forgot the eagle we saw on the side of the Stuart Highway near Coober Pedy

Paynter’s Photos

There are 23 Scouts lined up in front of the  Wheatsheaf  Hotel at Port Lincoln.

 

Sunrise over Port Lincoln

 

 

 

 

Overlooking Port Lincoln from Winter Hill

 

 

Coffin Bay, Eyre Peninsular

 

 

 

Point Sir Isaac, Coffin Bay

 

 

 

 

Had to include this one!

Flinders Ranges

 

 

 

Quorn, Beautiful Valley. Three hotels in a row  almost outdoes Toowoomba

 

Nice vehicle! Very arid area with salt water Wilocha creek flowing through.

 

 

Woomera –rockets from1960-70