Searching for sunshine

Note: had to amend the date of the Stainmaster ad. (below) Google gave me the wrong date!

It has been a couple of days since our last entry. The plan was to continue to the Flinders Ranges, spend up to a week there exploring and visiting Willow Springs Station, then make our way home.

By the time we got to the Flinders Rangers at Hawker, the temperature had dropped another 10 degrees (from 33 to 13 in three days, wind chill much less). This was just too much of a shock to our body. We had been used to wearing shorts and singlets for the past 3 and a half months.

Spent the night camped at Pekina Dam outside Orroroo, and despite unpacking our winter clothes, jeans, jumpers, beanies, scarves and boots, we tried to get warm by the fire, but the cold wind was swirling and blowing so we retreated inside and turned on the diesel heater and put the extra doona on the bed. Had a warm and cosy night, but decided we were not ready to face the cold weather just yet.

Change of plans. We decided to head to Broken Hill, then make our way home from there. The cold Flinders Ranges can wait for another time.
Our big problem is that we have no internet most of the time and therefore cannot research ahead, including the weather forecast.

Drove on the Barrier Highway, heading east for about 3 hours, and then we arrived in Broken Hill to sunny skies and a temperature of 23 degrees. That will do nicely. Thank you very much.

Theo was still keen to keep moving on, despite having time up our sleeves, but after a night camped outside of Broken Hill on the Stephens Creek, and while enjoying the campfire and sky changing colour at sunset, I managed to convince him that we still had enough time to explore Broken Hill. We have only ever driven through it before.

Fun fact: we saw 18 satellites and one shooting star while sitting around the campfire at Stephens Creek.

We did know that the Mundi Mundi Bash, a 3-day concert was on this weekend, held at a large campground on the Mundi Mundi Plains about 40kms outside Broken Hill, and was a bit worried at how busy the town would be. We also discovered a while ago that all the tickets had been sold, but as we had no idea where we would be, we had not planned on being in town. If we had known that we would have been at Broken Hill this weekend, and planned it in advance and got tickets, it would have been a good thing to have experienced. Found out that 12,500 people attended the concert and that the world record for number of people (6,500) dancing the Nutbush was broken, beating the Birdsville Big Red Bash record last month. This raises money for the RFDS (Royal Flying Doctor Service), which is a great cause.

While in town, we visited the Pro Hart gallery. Kevin James ‘Pro’ Hart, MBE was a very talented artist, sculpture and inventor, who captured the spirit of the outback, even painting his Rolls Royce Silver Shadow, which is on display in the carport at the gallery. I remember the Stainmaster ad in 1988 on TV where the cleaner was not happy that Pro had used the carpet for his art. ‘Oh Mista Hart Whatta Mess.’ Google this ad. Pro died in 2006.

Fun Fact: I had my photo taken with Jack Absalom, many years ago, another talented local Broken Hill artist, also now deceased.

We went to the Visitor Centre, got a few supplies, topped up our water tanks, and drove about 10kms out of town on the Silver City Highway, to a station stay called Nine Mile Station (after confirming with owner Greg that a site was available).

We have a lovely quiet site at Nine Mile Station, on the dry Stephens Creek for $20 a night. It is funny that it is the same creek that we camped on last night for free about 50kms south of here. Here though, we can unhitch and leave our van safely while exploring the area.

After setting up camp, we drove out to Silverton. We have been there before, but I wanted to see it again, and it was a lovely afternoon.

We have never seen so many caravans on the road, streaming down the highway coming from the concert, there were hundreds of vans. Many people chose to stop at Silverton on their way past, and the Silverton Pub was doing a roaring trade.

We enjoyed a beer while listening to some live music, then strolled past the (new) bakery. Had to pop in to check out their cakes, then walked around the town.

I think all the people have scared the donkeys away, as there is usually a couple wandering the streets.Meer informatie