Our party also stayed longer at Menindee to catch up on washing, relaxing and enjoying the
company, and was not without incident. We camped on powered sites at the lake with a
wonderful view over the water and glorious sunsets. One lovely morning as Sheena was making
toast and tea - oh no power!! what happened - blown a fuse on the van? Tried everything only to
find the power was out for the whole park. Sorry! then Laurie informs me I’ve not only taken out
Menindee but the entire region, Wilcannia and Broken Hill. (And I believed him - it was out but it
wasn’t me). We visited the B&W camp for luncheon on the amazing plastic coated lace table
cloth suppled by Wendy. Ralph, ably assisted by Robyn, showed us his camp oven skills with his
amazing Beer & Honey Damper, thoroughly enjoyed by all. Recipe to be found in an earlier edition
of the club mag.
We left the VEE track to head for Broken Hill to fuel up and shop before heading out to Mutawintji and resuming the B&W tracks.
Burke left Menindee with Wills and six members of the VEE, they had 16 camels, 15 horses and
carried provisions for 24 weeks. He was much happier as he could travel faster, was free of
the squabbles with Landells over the camels, the tension with Becker and Beckler over their
scientific role and was heading into country that only a handful of Europeans had ever seen.
They were also travelling in a good season with water and fodder being plentiful. The party
was accompanied by Wright an experienced bushman who was to guide them to Cooper
Creek.
We arrived at Mutawintj NP (Camp 40) to find excellent camping under shady trees with solar
showers and flushing toilets. The weather had improved markedly with warm sunny conditions
and cool evenings. While here we walked out to a colourful rock formation, Wright’s cave, to view
the aboriginal rock art and Wright’s markings, a blue triangle, from his earlier visits to this area.
We left heading for Tibooburra as the VEE had stopped in that area (camp 47). We drove out
along extremely dusty roads, passing two big trucks in enormous dust clouds. We stopped in the
historic gold mining township of Milparinka to be greeted by a light plane casually driving down
the main street making its way to the air strip. We had a poke around through the old buildings
and gaol then headed to the pub for a lovely cold beer/lemonade.
We then headed off to Tibooburra for the night. Would you believe it? - on a dirt road in the
middle of nowhere, who should be waiting for us, but the local constable with his breathalyser!!!
Arriving in Tibooburra we discovered the caravan park to be booked out by the Massey Ferguson
Tractor Club who were also following in the footsteps of Burke & Wills on their classic machines
and the celebrations for the 80th anniversary of CWA. Busy place.
The VEE made good progress through this area camping by water each night and averaging
35km per day. Burke wrote in a dispatch “We have now travelled for upwards of 200 miles,
(from Menindee) generally through a fine sheep-grazing country ; and we have not had any
difficulty about water, as we found creeks or waterholes, many of them having the appearance
of permanent water, at a distance exceeding twenty miles…..”
Burke realised he was traveling in a good season but avoided mentioning that in his
despatches.
We left Tibooburra and crossed into Queensland via the Warry Gate heading for Cooper Creek
and the famous Dig Tree. Our travel today was over, corrugated, dusty roads with some gibber
thrown in. We saw plenty of emus and kangaroos and wound our way through the hills and out
onto the open flat plains. The weather was warming up 33!!! Unfortunately later that day Robyn
discovered that her electrical cords had been completely severed between the car and the van,
with the seven pin and anderson-plug being left somewhere on the road, leaving her without any
power to the van, brakes or indicators.
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