Vegetation shorter and more sparse. The ground hard and stony.

The sails are turning. But not connected to anything.

Mabel Creek flows south (when it rains) to the ephemoral salt lake Phillipson.

I count 29 carriages. A looong train.

A bit of a dip in the rails methinks ... unsuitable for high speed trains. Or different carriages in the middle?

Good track, on concrete sleepers.

I'll never tire of the coloured sands excavated in the hunt for opals.

We crossed into the Lake Eyre Basin at Coober Pedy.

The road passes through Anna Creek Station, and past the homestead. Australia's largest station.

The name means "stars dancing on water".

There's a big sign at the end of the road. We walk along remnants of the track that used to go further.

A kangaroo has crossed.

We saw one small bird on the far side, it flew before the camera moved. Emu tracks. But not a lot else ... we need more practice.

We decide to have another rest day.

I guess Anna Creek Station has fresh water.

The Lake Cada bore is about 10km north of us, behind fences. There's a spring marked on maps on the other side of the water.

I spent a couple of hours bending and aligning the driver's side rear view mirror. The brackets a bit bent, and fittings loose, after the pounding of trees too close to the tracks to avoid.

I had removed mirrors on both sides. Fitted driver's side at Mabel Creek. Despite my best efforts it was loose and survived just long enough to get us through Coober Pedy.

The near side mirror no better. I bent, fitted, and adjusted. Time for lunch.

Cleaned both with windex. Now they are sparkling, I hope they hold their adjustment.

We could walk across to the spring .... but decide not to.