Thick Black Line. An odyssey

A 108-day adventure by SpringWanderer Read more

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Trip start
March 15, 2017
Thick Black Line. An odyssey Traveler
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Day 1
Wednesday, March 15, 2017 at 3:27 PM
☀️ 15 °C
Altitude: 161 ft
England Sheffield Victoria 53.37821, -1.4621153°22’42” N 1°27’44” W
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Setting off
March 15, 2017 in England ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C
The beautiful rail line along the Edale Valley between Sheffield and Manchester Airport ...

Dear friends ... please be aware that these posts are public :)
Sarah BerthelemyBeautiful. Very green!
3/15/17Reply
Sarah Berthelemy Love the hat!
3/15/17Reply
Sally RoydsEnjoy Fliss!
3/15/17Reply
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Day 3
Friday, March 17, 2017 at 4:00 PM
🌧 23 °C
Altitude: 141 ft
Australia Central -27.46333, 153.0258727°27’48” S 153°1’33” E
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Brisbane
March 17, 2017 in Australia ⋅ 🌧 23 °C
Nice relaxed vibe in Brisbane. No rushing, just enjoying my apartment and the sub-tropical rain 😎
Sarah BerthelemyVery dramatic. Apartment looks very comfortable
3/17/17Reply
Sally Royds Looks lovely , bet you're having to pinch yourself , lots of love Fliss x
3/17/17Reply
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Day 4
Saturday, March 18, 2017 at 6:06 PM
⛅ 27 °C
Altitude: 43 ft
Australia South Brisbane -27.47167, 153.0183327°28’18” S 153°1’6” E
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Brisbane River and GOMA
March 18, 2017 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C
GOMA - Gallery of Modern Art on the South Bank, a really lovely area of paths, boardwalks, concert venues, art galleries, a big wheel, all sorts! All through rainforest and tropical planting. The land was saved from development some years ago. What a good decision, Brisbane would be a poorer place without it.Read more
Traveler North Bank of the Brisbane River ...
3/18/17Reply
Sarah Berthelemy That's pretty neat!
3/23/17Reply
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Day 6
Monday, March 20, 2017 at 7:28 PM
🌧 23 °C
Altitude: 89 ft
Australia Spring Hill -27.46229, 153.018227°27’44” S 153°1’6” E
2 2 1
Roma St Parkland and Lone Pine Koalas
March 20, 2017 in Australia ⋅ 🌧 23 °C
Top recommendation - Roma Street Parkland, complete with flying foxes (1m wingspan!) Bit of a shock after growing up with pipistrelles.
Totally touristy day today taking a river cruise to the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary. Highlights? The platypus tank and a dreaming wombat!
After the amount of rain today I can understand why the Aussies switched to polymer banknotes years ago. Everything I was carrying is sodden.Read more
Traveler Fantastic looking Lace Monitor
3/20/17Reply
Sally Royds Laid back !! Loving the photos Fliss.
3/20/17Reply
Sarah Berthelemy Cute!!
3/23/17Reply
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Day 7
Tuesday, March 21, 2017 at 6:11 PM
⛅ 25 °C
Altitude: 23 ft
Australia Clarkes Beach -28.64033, 153.6119128°38’25” S 153°36’43” E
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Byron Bay Arrival
March 21, 2017 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C
Feet in the Pacific for the first time ... might be just the tiniest bit excited 😃😎

Much simpler accommodation. No aircon, no en suite and no kitchenette (complete with dishwasher !), but I get the ocean right on my doorstep ... well maybe 70m. Bliss.Read more
Traveler That's the lot
3/21/17Reply
Sarah Berthelemy Looks nice enough :-)
3/23/17Reply
Traveler It's great now I've settled in
3/23/17Reply
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Day 9
Thursday, March 23, 2017 at 12:27 PM
⛅ 28 °C
Altitude: 26 ft
Australia Clarkes Beach -28.64202, 153.6110428°38’31” S 153°36’40” E
4 4
'Bluebottle' encounter
March 23, 2017 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C
I hired a bodyboard this morning - the surf is great - up to about 3' cresting waves (enough for me) even in waist deep water (safe 😉 ). Thought I brushed against some seaweed, that's my Irish Sea training showing through. But clearly not seaweed when I saw the welt - a bit tingly but not painful. I checked it out with Reception and they said it's a bluebottle sting. Apparently there have been a few reports this morning. They recommended a hot shower (denatures the protein ... I'm trying not to remember your weever fish experience Sis, this was 1% as bad). I've now found out that a 'bluebottle' is a Portuguese man o'war! I'm kinda excited to have been stung by one! Once the day cools off I'll head back to the beach and see if I can find any washed up.Read more
Sarah Berthelemy Ouch! Aren't Portuguese man o' wars really dangerous??
3/23/17Reply
Sarah Berthelemy Get some long trousers on!!
3/23/17Reply
Traveler They can be, mostly if you are a young child and your torso gets wrapped in the tentacles.
3/23/17Reply
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Day 11
Saturday, March 25, 2017 at 4:38 PM
☁️ 24 °C
Altitude: 79 ft
Australia Main Beach -28.64255, 153.6269228°38’33” S 153°37’37” E
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Cape Byron and a wallaby
March 25, 2017 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C
Bit overcast and cooler this morning so I took a track round Cape Byron. Saw dolphins ... amazing...maybe 30 or more around Watego's Beach, then followed the path up to the most easterly point in mainland Oz and on to the lighthouse. The walk got even better after that, with views over Tallow Beach, which is absolutely gorgeous and almost deserted, and on up Tallow Ridge through more rainforest. It's a round walk so eventually rejoins the road back into Byron. I paused to check where I was. Did I have the sense I was being watched? I'm not sure, but suddenly I was eye to eye with a swamp wallaby about 15 feet away, slightly behind me to the left. Wow. My first wild wallaby! Not a great pic, but I wasn't feeling very composed!!Read more
Sarah BerthelemyWhat a great trip out! This Holiday's turning into a wildlife- fest :-)
3/25/17Reply
Sarah Berthelemy That's a pretty cool tree!
3/25/17Reply
Sarah Berthelemy Me and Mark got the watchful silent treatment from a bunch of wallabies once. In the Cotswold Wildlife Park. It must be what they do :-)
3/25/17Reply
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Day 12
Sunday, March 26, 2017 at 5:32 PM
⛅ 26 °C
Altitude: 43 ft
Australia Main Beach -28.64785, 153.6294128°38’52” S 153°37’46” E
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Tallow Beach and Arakwal National Park
March 26, 2017 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C
Tallow Beach at the Cape Byron end seems to be THE place for serious surfing, so that means the rest of the beach is nearly deserted. South of the car park is the Arakwal National Park, which is really why I went ... to see what wildlife I could spot: the back half of a wallaby, a wallaby (hopping) paw print, countless birdsong, an unidentified bee-eater, evidence of a very neat beach creature (pic below), half of something large with a red tail moving fast! (bush too thick to see what it was) ... and so it goes on. Just my cup of tea! I don't think many people take the paths through the Park, but the surroundings are stunning.
It's very sobering to think about what Australia must have been like just 200-odd years ago.Read more
Traveler Lunch spot on the edge of the beach
3/26/17Reply
Traveler Swamp wallaby hopping paw print! I should get my Blue Peter badge now!
3/26/17Reply
Traveler View towards the lighthouse at Cape Byron (just visible) from a track in the Arakwal National Park
3/26/17Reply
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Day 14
Tuesday, March 28, 2017 at 4:54 PM
⛅ 27 °C
Altitude: 7 ft
Australia Julian Rocks Nature Reserve -28.61103, 153.6288128°36’40” S 153°37’44” E
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Julian Rocks Nguthungulli Nature Reserve
March 28, 2017 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C
Early morning snorkelling trip to Julian Rocks which is an important site for the Bundjalung nation.

"There are several important Dreaming stories associated with Julian Rocks.
In one story, Nguthungulli, Father of the World, who created all the land and the waters, the animals and plants, now rests in a cave at Julian Rocks. The Elders have instructed over the generations that Nguthungulli must be protected from any misuse or it will cause destruction."

Star of the show? The leopard sharks. But I'm very fond of triggerfish, so great to see a wedgetail. It's just great to be in the water surrounded by fish ... love it! Also saw a wobbegong, but it's so well camouflaged I can't find it in my pics.

So other than the obvious, the pics are a load (technical term) of common sergeants; leopard shark; wedgetail triggerfish; crested morwong; mingling with the blackfish 😎

Oh, and I did find Dory 😆

Thanks to Byron Bay Dive Centre for the great trip, and www.julianrocks.net for help with identification!Read more
Sarah BerthelemyWow! Bet you're on a super-high after all that!!!
3/28/17Reply
Sarah Berthelemy Shark!!!!
3/28/17Reply
Traveler Mnum mnum, human!
3/28/17Reply
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Day 16
Thursday, March 30, 2017 at 5:41 PM
☁️ 23 °C
Altitude: 30 ft
Australia Clarkes Beach -28.64191, 153.6127428°38’31” S 153°36’46” E
1 7 2
Debbie and the Creatures
March 30, 2017 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C
It's impossible to capture the wetness of the day as the remnants of Cyclone Debbie pass through. So far Byron Bay has got off lightly though the forecast is for much stronger winds overnight. A few miles up the coast towards Brisbane they've had an astonishing 15" rain. Schools are closed and there aren't too many tourists around. But some folk are still surfing!

I've just been down on the beach (low tide) to see what's going on and I'll go over again later tonight to see what it's like as the wind picks up and the tide comes in (safe! 🙂 ). Just now I found a washed up bluebottle - as stung me last week. Other creatures featured are 'Eric/a' my local Eastern Water Lizard who lives under the lodges, taken yesterday in the unbearable heat and humidity. Finally 3 pics taken on Monday when I went back to Arakwal National Park. That's a Robust Striped Skink, followed by a Little Wattlebird and finally a Lewin's Honeyeater.Read more
Sarah Berthelemy How big is this lizard? I was imagining a little, cute thing about 4" long - but this looks bigger than that. And it lives under your cabin???
3/30/17Reply
Sarah Berthelemy Great photo, btw
3/30/17Reply
Sarah BerthelemyThe sea looks impressive all right!
3/30/17Reply
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Day 17
Friday, March 31, 2017 at 9:26 AM
🌬 21 °C
Altitude: 23 ft
Australia Clarkes Beach -28.64068, 153.6158128°38’26” S 153°36’57” E
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Surf's Up!
March 31, 2017 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 21 °C
Today in Byron there are loads of surfers taking advantage of the high seas, and loads of photographs taking advantage of the number of surfers!
Traveler Time to sit back and chill 🙄 Green Coast lager going down nicely. There's another challenge to my daily budget!
3/31/17Reply
Sarah Berthelemy That's a proper wave!
3/31/17Reply
Sarah Berthelemy :-)
3/31/17Reply
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Day 20
Monday, April 3, 2017 at 3:40 PM
⛅ 20 °C
Altitude: 20 ft
Australia Byron Bay -28.64006, 153.6004128°38’24” S 153°36’1” E
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This is no laughing matter!
April 3, 2017 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C
I felt a little disheartened this morning, the weather hasn't really picked up after last week and as well as plenty of heavy showers it's cold! Of course that's relative, but I just couldn't think what to do.
Then I realised I've never headed west, and really close by is Cumbebin Swamp which is another National Park jointly managed with the Arakwal people. Now possibly a swamp isn't the best place to go after all the rain, and being bitten quite badly yesterday, but the blurb I found was enticing. Apparently there is a boardwalk, but I couldn't work out where so asked in tourist info ... the woman hadn't even heard of it, so I just went off exploring.

I didn't find a way in, but I did walk along a cycle path that skirts it and that was enough for today. There was a most beautiful flowering plant right at the start - no idea what it is yet. On my route back I saw a little bird doing some sort of display, which led my eye to my first laughing kookaburra, the state symbol of New South Wales. Not only was it resolutely silent it was sitting on electricity cables, not in a gum tree, so without help from that bird I never would have found it! Quite a thrill!

I decided to check out the angry-looking mozzie bite with a pharmacist, and have now 'sooved' myself physically and emotionally - can't beat an egg custard 😎Read more
Traveler Laughing Kookaburra, no old gum tree
4/3/17Reply
Traveler Mozzie bite recovery kit
4/3/17Reply
Sarah Berthelemy Ouch! Infected?
4/3/17Reply
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Day 21
Tuesday, April 4, 2017 at 4:39 PM
⛅ 19 °C
Altitude: 26 ft
Australia Byron Bay -28.64553, 153.6041528°38’44” S 153°36’15” E
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Today's animal: Red-bellied black snake
April 4, 2017 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C
Well I took a walk to try to find Cumbebin Swamp boardwalk. There are one or two vague references on the internet but nothing very precise, and all several years old so I'm beginning to suspect it may no longer exist.

I found myself heading up Skinners Shoot Road which heads past the brewery, (small) cinema and backpacker hostel then cuts through Cumbebin (2nd pic) - you'd never guess you are 10 mins walk from Byron centre.

After probably no more than 15m I spotted this red-bellied black snake basking (at a safe distance!). Cool!! At the time I didn't notice its tail which is towards the bottom of the pic. I guess it must have been at least 4' long. 😨 The 3rd pic shows the context. Sheltering from the rain in town this morning I'd been talking to a local guy about snakes. Apparently the black ones tend to be less confrontational than the brown - good info to have! Checking on the internet just now these are venomous but the bite is not generally fatal.

Just as reassurance, I'm not planning on being bitten by anything bigger than a mozzie 😉Read more
Traveler Skinners Shoot Road
4/4/17Reply
Traveler Red-bellied black snake nestled at the base of a tree
4/4/17Reply
Traveler Egrets I think
4/4/17Reply
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Day 23
Thursday, April 6, 2017 at 11:26 AM
☀️ 23 °C
Altitude: 13 ft
Australia Main Beach -28.63696, 153.6281628°38’13” S 153°37’41” E
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Final day in Byron Bay
April 6, 2017 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C
It was an absolutely beautiful morning, warm and not too breezy so I was able to get back in the sea on my final day here - so happy. It does my soul good.
Visibility is great so there's an amazing view north up the coast to Mount Warning.

This afternoon I headed back towards Cape Byron, only going as far as The Pass which has an unusual photographic vantage point from the Fisherman's Lookout. Then a stroll around the near-deserted Palm Valley loop (everyone else seemed to have a surfboard and be focused on the sea!) which is another beautiful enchanted woodland.

Next is a real change, giving a different way to feed my soul. Over the next couple of days I work my way down to Adelaide to pick up a 4x4 trip into the dusty red interior at the start of next week with, I just calculated, Easter at Uluru, arriving in Alice Springs a few days later. It's going be very different to the relaxed pace I've been going at since I arrived in Oz but I'm ready for a change and really excited about getting into the outback.Read more
Traveler Cape Byron
4/5/17Reply
Traveler Not so easy to catch a wave and video ...
4/5/17Reply
Traveler Cape Byron Walking Track heading towards The Pass
4/6/17Reply
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Day 24
Friday, April 7, 2017 at 6:28 AM
⛅ 15 °C
Altitude: 36 ft
Australia Clarkes Beach -28.6418, 153.611628°38’30” S 153°36’42” E
The kookaburra speaks!
April 7, 2017 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C
The recycling bin lorry came doing its daily empty soon after first light at 5:45. Beep beep beep, crash! No need for an alarm clock here.

Then something that sounded like chimps going crazy … that's my first kookaburra laughing 😃Read more
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Day 25
Saturday, April 8, 2017 at 2:59 PM
☀️ 25 °C
Altitude: 148 ft
Australia Hindmarsh Square -34.9241, 138.6056634°55’27” S 138°36’20” E
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Murray, Darling?
April 8, 2017 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C
I love looking at the lie of the land from a plane, how land is divided up, regularity of plots, irrigation, that sort of thing. Had a great flight from Brisbane to Adelaide today and was transfixed by a river we flew along which didn't only have oxbow lakes but had oxbows on oxbows! O-level geography never mentioned that as a possibility! This evening it's become clear to me again how I was in IT for so long because I've spent a bit of time geekily finding the route then matching my pics to google maps. Easy enough to find that coming into Adelaide it's the Murray River, but what I'm thrilled to realise is that we flew over the confluence of the Darling with the Murray. Love it. I knew those rivers when I was a kid with a map with stick-on place names. Big thrill to see them 🙄

As far as Adelaide goes I haven't done anything other than buy crumpets, avocado dip, beetroot crisps and milk from a petrol station, but the initial feel is different to Brisbane. Maybe I've been infuenced by not having a view of the Central Business District as we flew in - that's very impressive in Brisbane, but then it has twice the population. Adelaide seems flatter and more sprawling. See what tomorrow brings!Read more
Traveler The Murray River, flowing R to L (E to W) with the Darling River joining just downstream of the oxbow lake, and the confluence with the Great Darling Anabranch downstream again.
4/8/17Reply
Traveler Geek alert! Screenshot of my Google maps match 🙄
4/8/17Reply
Traveler Another striking wiggly stretch of the Murray near Cullulleraine, with added flooding
4/8/17Reply
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Day 26
Sunday, April 9, 2017 at 10:07 AM
⛅ 15 °C
Altitude: 151 ft
Australia Hindmarsh Square -34.92414, 138.6057134°55’27” S 138°36’21” E
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Adelaide
April 9, 2017 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C
Done it. Tried Vegemite. Had the same impact on me as Marmite - broadly harmless but unnecessary.
The place I'm staying provides breakfast - cereal (you need your own milk), bread, spreads, and a good supply of teabags - life is good! Simple but dead handy when you're only staying in a place for a night or two and don't want to buy the essentials from scratch every time 😃

Had an amazing accidental (meaning I stumbled across it after deciding against 'Versus Rodin' next door at the art gallery) visit to the 'Yidaki: Didjeridu and the Sound of Australia' exhibition at the South Australia Museum. Brilliantly immersive, inventive and moving collaboration between the museum and the Yolngu people.Read more
Traveler Breakfast essentials
4/8/17Reply
Traveler Adelaide pad
4/8/17Reply
Traveler (Half the) Mundrabilla meteorite, found 1966, 2500kg
4/9/17Reply
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Day 27
Monday, April 10, 2017
☀️ 16 °C
Altitude: 1,148 ft
Australia Flinders Ranges -32.18627, 138.0112732°11’11” S 138°0’41” E
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Heading Bush Day 1 - Warren Gorge
April 10, 2017 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C
Here goes ... Day 1 of my 10 day 4WD bush adventure from Adelaide to Alice Springs with the wonderful http://headingbush.com.au/

We had our intro to the van and our first 'all hands on deck' picnic lunch with washing up in 2 bowls at Port Germein which used to have the longest pier in the world until the end section burnt down.

Stopped at Lake Lochiel, pink from bacteria.

Took a lovely short but energetic walk in Mount Remarkable National Park. Saw kookaburras and red river gum trees, known as 'widow makers' because of the way the branches can break off apparently spontaneously - first bush lesson: don't sleep under one.

First rock wallaby, but I got an even better pic on Day 2 😎

Had our first experience of sleeping in the bush, in the beautiful Warren Gorge.Read more
Traveler Packing up the van after our first night in swags (piled by the van) in Warren Gorge. Toilet? Pick a tree 😁
4/21/17Reply
Traveler Port Germein
4/21/17Reply
Traveler River red gum
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Day 28
Tuesday, April 11, 2017
☀️ 10 °C
Altitude: 833 ft
Australia Mount Pollox -31.34419, 138.5561431°20’39” S 138°33’22” E
3 1 1 3
Heading Bush Day 2 to Brachina Gorge
April 11, 2017 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 10 °C
Spent the day around the Flinders Ranges, first around the Simmonston Plain which I loved for the wide open space. Simmonston is 'the town that never' was because the proposed route of the original GHAN railway (from 'Afghan') was altered.

This was a brilliant day for animals - saw my first red kangaroo ('blue flier' due to its colouring), emus (yes really!) and lots of wedgetail eagles.

Took a fabulous walk up to Akurra Adnya (Arkaroo Rock) which is a cave used by Aboriginal people as a schoolroom. Impossible to explain what that means here! Our guide Corbin used the walk to introduce us to some of the uses of bush flora.

Also fitted in Razorback Lookout. Busy and beautiful day!

Ended the day in Brachina Gorge, where fossils of the oldest known multicellular organisms have been found (Ediacaran biota). We camped under the cliff face (not too close!). It was a beautiful clear moonlit night with great stars. The wind picked up overnight so we became a bit more familiar with how to sleep in a swag, with its huge flap you can pull over your head 😮

Kangaroo bolognese for dinner.Read more
Traveler Brachina Gorge campsite 😆
4/21/17Reply
Traveler From Razorback Lookout
4/21/17Reply
Traveler Rock wallaby and joey 😃
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Day 29
Wednesday, April 12, 2017
⛅ 18 °C
Altitude: 56 ft
Australia Roxby Downs -29.24563, 136.6666229°14’44” S 136°39’60” E
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Heading Bush Day 3 and dingo country
April 12, 2017 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C
As if Day 2 wasn't amazing enough, Day 3 was even better!

Had an early stop at Copley for quandong cheesecake. Quandong is related to lychee but much less fleshy. Tasty enough, esp with a cuppa!

Quite a lot of the day built on some of the very basic info we had about Aboriginal culture from previous days. We had the great honour to meet an Arabana Elder who generously shared information about his culture. As a simple example, the type of boomerang that return look a bit like a hawk in flight so can be used to keep birds in a tree or on the ground and another type then used to kill.

Time started running out (getting close to sunset), so after a brief stop at Lake Eyre South we went into 4WD mode and bumped off the road into something like a moonscape - just about the most incredible landscape I've ever seen. Utterly flat to the distant horizon in every direction - one of the things I was hoping for on this trip and the best ever view from a toilet! We got a beautiful sunset and moonrise.

Just to add to my excitement we were under instruction not to leave shoes out at night but to put them in our swags because we crossed the dingo fence (5525 km long!) during the day and dogs like shoes!Read more
Traveler The best toilet ever!
4/21/17Reply
Traveler Erm... sunset from the toilet!
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Traveler Dried quandong halves
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Day 30
Thursday, April 13, 2017
☀️ 25 °C
Altitude: 751 ft
Australia Coober Pedy -29.01385, 134.7532529°0’50” S 134°45’12” E
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Heading Bush Day 4 - Coober Pedy opals
April 13, 2017 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C
Great start to the day with our first dingo sighting.

Then stopped in William Creek to look at the memorial park which has the first stage of a rocket used to launch British satellite 'Prospero' from Woomera (west of Coober Pedy) in 1971. The satellite is expected to be in orbit until 2071, which is kinda mind-blowing.

From there headed through Anna Creek (cattle) Station, which is the largest cattle station in the world - more than 75% the size of Belgium. Having said that I'm pretty sure I didn't see a single cow!

Coober Pedy translates as "white man in a burrow' which pretty much sums it up. You buy a plot and can hollow out, for opals or living space or both, to within 4m of the boundary. That prevents accidentally burrowing into your neighbour's bathroom. I've wanted to visit Coober Pedy for a few years.
I treated myself to a small stone 😆

Better still we got showers!

After that we headed off to an art centre and kangaroo sanctuary to meet Tommy Crow who is a well-known Aboriginal artist and digeridoo player.

Camp that night was on the gibber plain just beyond Mount Barry, maybe 40 mins from the Painted Desert - ready for an extra-early start the next day to get there before sunrise. Another flat stony camp, but firmer underfoot than the night before.Read more
Traveler Dingo!
4/21/17Reply
Traveler Great pizza!
4/21/17Reply
Sarah BerthelemyHope the stone you treated yourself to was an opal!¡
4/21/17Reply
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Day 31
Friday, April 14, 2017
☀️ 25 °C
Altitude: 1,604 ft
Australia Anangu Pitjantjatjara -25.24096, 131.3919625°14’27” S 131°23’31” E
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Heading Bush Day 5 - Northern Territory
April 14, 2017 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C
Up really early - soon after 4am rather than the normal 5:30 (gotta make use of all the daylight!) to get to the Painted Desert for sunrise. Beautiful. Followed by the Rainbow Serpent Creation walk.

Most of the rest of the day was a really long drive, getting on for 700km, to get us close to Uluru for the next day. Still had plenty of stops and interest along the way, like the Curtin Springs station. Pulled off the road to camp.Read more
Traveler The Rock Wallabies (team name 😃)
4/21/17Reply
Traveler Painted Desert from the Mount Batterbee Lookout, Arckaringa Hills
4/21/17Reply
Traveler At Curtin Springs
4/22/17Reply
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Thick Black Line. An odyssey Traveler
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Day 32
Saturday, April 15, 2017 at 3:59 PM
☀️ 27 °C
Altitude: 1,644 ft
Australia Yulara -25.23669, 130.9919925°14’12” S 130°59’31” E
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Heading Bush Day 6 - Uluru
April 15, 2017 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C
Brill! We got to do almost all the Uluru base walk. It wasn't quite what I was expecting. The rock surface is rougher and the whole rock craggier than the impression I'd got from the usual shots. It's completely obvious why it was, and is, an important meeting place, set in the landscape as it is. In some areas photos are forbidden because they are sacred women's or men's places.

Had the comfort of a formal campsite ... showers, the chance to do some washing, but also the strangeness of having other humans around.

Went to the Cultural Centre in the afternoon.

As thd day drew to an end we headed out to the Uluru sunset viewpoint, along with coach loads, hundreds, of other tourists. It seems the thing to do is have fizz and nibbles; we hadn't realised Corbin was planning the same for us. Magic, mate!Read more
Traveler The red dust gets everywhere!
4/22/17Reply
Traveler Experiencing the Uluru sunset throng
4/22/17Reply
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Thick Black Line. An odyssey Traveler
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Day 33
Sunday, April 16, 2017 at 10:00 AM
⛅ 23 °C
Altitude: 1,775 ft
Australia Anangu Pitjantjatjara -25.31935, 130.8232625°19’10” S 130°49’24” E
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Heading Bush Day 7 - Kata Tjuta
April 16, 2017 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C
Packed up camp before dawn to head to a viewpoint towarda Kata Tjuta and, in the other direction Uluru, for sunrise. Followed by the Valley of the Winds walk as far as the second lookout point. Stupendous.

Headed into the bush to camp; great until the ants arrived ...Read more
Sarah BerthelemyAmazing photos - what an experience!!
4/16/17Reply
Helen MaguireWow, that looks amazing!
4/17/17Reply
Sue TweedGreat pics Fliss
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Thick Black Line. An odyssey Traveler
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Day 33
Sunday, April 16, 2017 at 6:00 PM
⛅ 12 °C
Altitude: 2,329 ft
Australia Mount Katapata -23.94667, 132.1393923°56’48” S 132°8’22” E
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Heading Bush Day 7 - evening
April 16, 2017 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C
Just a few extras 😃
Traveler Cooking beautiful camp stew by torchlight 🤗
4/22/17Reply
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