Currawinya to Thargomindah

Light rain started stippling the tent in Currawinya in the early hours, prompting Sally to disrupt Martin's sleep with questions about road conditions and how much would need to fall before the main access would become impassable. As usual, reality sided with Martin's refusal to worry, and the rain stopped until we were leaving the park the next morning, allowing us to take the more adventurous northern exit road. We got through (or around) all the black soil stretches, spotting Bourke's parrots, assorted Thornbills, Southern whiteface, and Babbler parties along the way. The habitat was varied, and at one point we stopped at a small crossing not far from the park boundary to note some fascinating nodular rock formations that we speculated might have their geological-time origins in processes associated with the area's many geothermal springs.

After exiting Currawinya, we drove to Lake Bindegolly to check out the state of the lakes and the bush camping sites nearby. The southern side of the lake had a good expanse of water and significant numbers of waterfowl, but the vast northern side appeared mostly dry, with only a couple of smaller waterbird roosts on its margins. The bush camping sites were, unsurprisingly given the bleak conditions, unoccupied. Yet for some reason, Sal failed to leap at the opportunity of occupying one and reliving her memories of Scottish moors and British bird hides in winter... Indeed, faced with a fading afternoon of set-in rain, sub-10 temperatures, and a relentless wind chill factor, Sal spat the dummy. After a small stand-off in which we each marshalled the best and worst of our communication skills, we resolved to resort to man-made shelter in the form of motel accommodation in Thargomindah for the night. Phew.

After more than an hour of washing mud off footwear and the floor of the motel room, then sink-washing clothes that weren't going to dry for several days yet (!), Sal's spirits rose as the result of a hot shower, a change of clothes, and a stint tackling her just-released computer programming assignment that was due Friday week and pressing on her conscience - after which Marty's spirits also rose, because Sal was no longer shitty! 😝

Next morning, as the rain eased to showers, we stocked up on fuel, ice, fine Thargomindah produce and hot chips at the roadhouse-cum-general-store, and struck back out for Bindegolly...Meer informatie