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| Muloorina |
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August 20 - 21 2025 |
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We left Lake Cadibarrawirracanna as we found it, about 6km
to the main Coober Pedy to William Creek road. |
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About 130km north is the painted desert. Here the land is
flatter. Occasional dry lakes. And different colours. The road is good. |
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Turn right to William Creek. |
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Automated fuel pumps seems to have become part of the
social fabric of small towns. |
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The roads we need are open. |
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With recent filling of Lake Eyre we thought flights over
the lake would be busy. Apparently not so much. |
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The Oodnadatta Track is a road. We drove along parts in
2010 and 2017. It is very much improved. Progressively. At some stage it
will no doubt be sealed. |
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We don't stop. Counting off the sidings for the old Ghan
railway. Desalinator and water tank. |
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Lake Eyre South is damp. No water. |
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The road very good. A constant 80 km/hr for us. We've
rediscovered 5th gear. The traffic has changed for us. Caravans, suburban
SUVs. No camper trailers. |
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A reminder of the engineering required for the old rail
line. |
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Marree in the background on a slight rise. |
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We turn left almost immediately after the bridge. Towards
Mulorrina. |
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A working cattle and sheep station. The current family
purchased in 1936. Fourth generation. |
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An attraction is the camping around a bore fed billabong. |
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The bore was drilled in 1983. Flow from the artesian basin
about 20 litres/second. A water driven turbine for electricity, the water
then along a channel to Frome Creek where it formed the billabong. The
plastic pipe a later addition, flow reduced to 15 l/s summer and 10 l/s
winter. Part of a general reduction, or closing, of open bores begun around
2008. Mound springs at the edges of the Eyre basin have reduced flow or
dried up completely as ground water consumed through bores.
I'm not sure if the generator is still working. |
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The water clear. Drinkable. It flows along a channel to a
swimming pool where it is cool enough to swim. Thence into the billabong. |
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The main billabong. There are smaller areas. |
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Reeds along each bank making access a bit difficult. A
bried glimpse of an Australian Reed Warbler. They are very good at hiding in
the reeds. |
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We've seen these previously. A Spiny Cheeked Honeyeater. |
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We need a rest day. A day of relaxation and bird watching.
On the far side of the bush next to the truck I noticed some movement and
a bird leaving and returning. I investigated.
A couple of young White Plumed Honeyeaters. Perhaps their first flight.
Still being fed by parents. About to leave after another delivery. |
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Obviously lessons from Oliver Twist - "Please, Sir I want
more". |
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They kept me occupied for a couple of hours. I had time to
plant a chair in prime viewing position. Time to simply watch. Pics in focus
a bonus from a camera that is failing. |
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The billabong is just behind the truck. I cleaned the
outside of the rear window before raising the roof. Then the inside. The
perfect mobile bird hide. |
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But still a need to walk around. This a female White Winged Triller.
I've yet to see a male, I would probably mistake it for any other black and
white bird, of which there are several around us. |
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On the other side of the billabong and Australasian Darter
drying its wings. A regular visitor to the same, obviously favourite, spot. |
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| Kati Thanda and Muloorina |
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August 22 2025 |
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