Life in a Humpback

Day 19: Ghan to Yulara

Despite the road trains we had a restful sleep and were up early to continue our travels. We arrived at the Ayers Rock Campground in Yulara (just outside the Uluru and Kata Tjuta National Parks) before midday. We spend the afternoon taking our first showers in a week and doing a hundred loads of washing.

To wrap up the day we headed out to the Uluru sunset viewing point to watch the rock change colours for the first time. We arrived early which allowed the boys to play their daily chess game in the tray of the Ute while the girls did their daily NY Times puzzles until it was time to watch the light fade.

Day 18: Coober Pedy to Ghan

Today we were up early and out of camp heading north towards Uluru. We made it as far as Ghan, NT which is near the centre point of the Australian continent (no matter which method is used it is somewhere near by). The campground was full so we found a lovely pull out behind a utility shed and camped on the side of the road for the night - letting the road trains lull us to sleep. This was our first night in the Northern Territory.

Day 17: Coober Pedy (Day 2: Mum)

After the Tom's Opal Mine Tour we went out for a drive through the Kanku-Breakaways Conservation Park to the north of town. There were some amazing rock formations and a chance to drive along a section of the dog fence that runs through this area separating the stock animals to the south from the dingoes to the north.

Day 17: Coober Pedy (Day 2: Theo)

We went on two ople mine tours. There was one at the camp site. And one at the out scerts of the town. We got a few oples that were pritty good. I got a lizard called Opal!

While in Tom's Opal Mine (the one on the outskirts) I found the "X" rock that meant you get to choose a capsule full of opals for free. I also got a few other pretty good opals that I found there. At the end of the tour we got to trade and sell the opals we found on the tour. The tour guide wetted and sorted through the opals that I found. Then I attempted to bargain for one opal (a special rainbow opal) for $700 and the tour guide (who was pretending to be an opal buyer) said maybe - but in the end I didn't get it. Instead I kept the opal and got $3, 3 chocolate bars and 2 lollipops for the other opals that I sold to him.

Day 16: Coober Pedy (Day 1)

Our first full day in Coober Pedy. We spent the morning wandering around the opal shops and checking out the quirky street art around town. On the way home we stopped by the large public noodling area where we spent an hour or so digging through the large mounds of debris looking for opals. Sadly we did not find much.

Then in the afternoon we toured the Old Timers Mine. It was a self guided tour through an old opal mine followed by several rooms of a house that the previous owners of the mine lived in. To watch the sunset we drove up to the "Big Winch" and its attached cafe for drinks and NY Times puzzles while the sun set over the dessert.

Day 15: William Creek to Coober Pedy

Today we drove from William Creek to Coober Pedy. In Coober Pedy there was a metal tree, a tree with lots of helmets, and a big winch. We camped in the carpark of the Old Timers Mine. For dinner we went to Dad's Pizza bar.

Day 14: Marree to William Creek

Today we drove from Marree to William Creek and by the way William is very much lacking in creek. The road was very bumpy and the cutlery draw fell out and went everywhere. We had lunch at Lake Eyre and took some photos - I had been learning about Lake Eyre in school before we left. The truck light fell off so we had to stop to fix it. We also stopped at Mutonia Sculpture Park to look at some statues my favourite one was the flower.

Day 13: Flinders Ranges to Marree

Another day on the move. Today we are headed to the start of the Oodnadatta Track at Marree. Along the way we stopped at Nipena Ediacara National Park entrance for a road side lunch and fossicking for cool looking rocks. Next stop was at the Orche Pits, which were beautiful outcrops of red, yellow, white, and orange orche deposits. Our last stop of the day was at the ghost town of Farina, where a group of volunteers come for 8 weeks every year. They work on rebuilding the old town and running an underground bakery oven to supply the cafe next door with bread. We lucked out and were there while the bakery was running.

We rolled into Marree late afternoon, found a campsite, and wandered around town until sunset.

Day 12: Flinders Ranges (Day 2)

Today we decided to spend a bit more time around the Rawnsley Station. Turns out they have an orienteering course so the kids ran that and earned a sticker for completing the short course. Then we explored a bit more of the area with a walk up to Kangaroo Pass out the back of camp. Olivia even got in some clarinet practice this morning.

Later in the day we headed out for a drive along the Moralana Scenic Drive then circled back to Hawker on our way back to our campsite.

Day 11: Flinders Ranges (Day 1)

Up early we headed into the National Park today. Our first stop was Wilpena Pound and a walk out to Hills Homestead along the dry creek beds lined with the beautiful old red river gum trees.

Once back at the car we continued north stopping at several of the view points and walks including Cazneaux Tree, Hucks Lookout, and Stokes Lookout.

We saw lots of birds today - including a very large flock of galahs (pink and grey), emus, ringneck parrots (bright green), apostlebirds (dark grey) and plenty that I didn't get photos of!

To finish off a great day, we had our first campfire of the trip and of course roasted marshmallows for dessert.