Tibooburra via Gammon Ranges to Lyndhurst Week 13 - September 20th 2010
 
West from Tibooburra to Cameron Corner, towards Merty Merty, shortcut to Strzelecki Track, to Leigh Creek then East to Gammon Ranges NP, then back to Lyndhurst.

Hema 7 P73
 
Saw quite a few Emu chicks but didn't have the camera ready.

Can't imagine why they hurry away from us...
The road from Cameron Corner to Merty Merty heads West. The dunes run North South. Result is hills. Lots of them.

The road was badly rutted on the hills but easily manageable.

The couple on the motorbike (just visible on road) told us of the shortcut that heads SW and avoids Merty Merty.
 
One abandoned double decker yellow bus is much the same as another but we camped beside it anyway.

Still intrigued by the Australian love of signs the tank is empty with no hope of being filled without some power for the pump.

We obeyed the sign and didn't swim.

A tank out here is like a four sided dam, dug out of the ground, with no top.
 
The shortcut.

Its not on any of the maps we have. Including the 1:250,000 topographic.

A bit sandy, and a bit damp, but easily passable. Beautiful flowers as we drove between the dunes (instead of across them).
 
Nankeen Kestrel.
 
The gps has been a bit iffy as we get off the bitumen.

Like all the other maps it didn't know about the shortcut.

Its lost!
 
But the shortcut does exist because we drove along it.
 
The speed limit was 40 km/h - yes, it had a signpost like everything else.

This is the T-Junction where it meets the Strzelecki Track.

We turned the indicator on and turned left.
 
Montecellino Bore on the Strzlecki Track is an oasis.

Stopped for a cup of tea and some bird watching.
 
First glimpse of the Northern end of the Flinders. Probably about 50km away.
 
The little white truck really is little.

Had to have a look at the Leigh Creek coal mine.

The tyre was used for a world record (for that type) over 400,000 km.

We'll be happy with a bit less on ours.
 
Since Mt Hopeless to Arkaroola road was closed we took the long way round through Lyndhurst.

Having walked through Weetootla Gorge to McKinley Springs we looked up at Mt McKinley Bluff.

Should have brought the tent and climbed the mountain.

The rocks are interesting, including tillite which is sandstone formed from the morraine (till) left by glaciers.
 
Following day through Weetootla Gorge the Monarch Copper Mine is on the ridge.

Only about 10 tonnes of ore removed and shipped North to a Smelter on the edge of the range.
 
Looking North East from the ridge.
 
Mt McKinley Bluff in the distance. Ali on the left.

Reasonable weather for walking if we got up early to avoid the midday heat.
 
Another Euro (we think).
 
This exposed Magnesite in the bed of Weetootla Gorge is part of a large proved deposit.

There were other, more economic, deposits available elsewhere.

Looked just as interesting close up.
 
Oodnadatta Track and Lake Eyre Week 14 - September 27th 2010