EXCEED OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2017 oct_dec_2017_emag | Page 14
TRIP REPORT
Continuing on our next stop was the old Blanchwater homestead ruins. Evidence of the harsh
environment out here on the edge of the Sturt Stony Desert. Blanchwater would have serviced the
cattle route along the Strzelecki in the 1800s. It was as a result of floods in 1940 when a torrential
flood rushed through the old homestead that the buildings were irreparably damaged. Whilst
travelling we came over a hill and drove over the top of a very large shiny black snake, coiled on the
middle of the road. The next vehicle saw no sign of it, so its escape was rapid.
We continued on to Montecollina Bore where we stopped for the night. The camping area
resembled a moonscape from when flash flooding had occurred. You certainly would not want to be
there when it rained !
On pulling up Simon realised that there was no spare wheel on the back of the van. The complete
assembly, the mount and wheel and the tyre, had come off somewhere between lunch and the
campsite.
Simon and Liz headed back down the track to see if they might recover it. Alas, having backtracked
some 92km until it got too dark to see anything, they returned to camp empty handed.
In the meantime some took the opportunity for a swim in the warm waters of the bore.
We waited for Simon to return before settling in to have dinner around the campfire. A great day’s
travel along the Strzelecki but, alas, not for everyone.
THURSDAY – 5 th October
A lovely sunrise to start the day and a little light cloud around.
We headed off for the Moomba oil and gas fields further up the track. A lot of infrastructure to be
seen beside the track extracting and pumping gas around the place. Plenty more back behind the
dunes also. We reached Moomba but there is no access although there’s a viewing point with
information boards. Very impressive. In fact the number of gas fields out here is quite impressive !
Stopped for lunch at a wayside information board, the only place out here which offered any shade !
It is 36⁰ with gas field trucks active in every direction, many “drowning” us in dust when passing.
It then wasn’t long before we reached Innamincka. Unlike Marree, which at least had Optus and no
Telstra, poor Innamincka doesn’t have any mobile service what-so-ever, just the pay phone. In fact
there’s not a lot in Innamincka itself, the Trading Post, the pub, the community shower block, and
that’s it.
We fuelled up and headed out to Ski Beach on the Cooper Creek. Being the end of the season the
whole place was all but deserted. It was also quite a desolate landscape here and there was
evidence of the recent rains on the flood plains and the tracks out to Ski Beach. You certainly would
not want to be out here when the river bursts its banks !
After setting up camp we visited where Wills had died and also where King was found, there was a
blaze on the tree marking this spot. Along the way Graham finally managed to get the rear tyre
muddy. Heading out to the grave there were finally some puddles around to make the wheel look
like the rest of the vehicle. Apparently there was quite a bit of wrestling of the steering wheel trying
to line up the puddles.
11©
Back at camp it was time for some well deserved fivesees and a nice cool beer. Of course, the swarm
Vol 35 No. 6 - Oct / Nov 2017
of flies made for plenty of additional protein. 291 kms travelled today.
We’d been carrying plenty of wood but it was such a lovely evening we didn’t bother with a fire.