Thurs, 20th Nov, 2025 Menindee Lake Lookout, Menindee to Camp spot by Darling River, Louth, NSW (Darling River Run -Tilpa & Louth cemetery)

The wind blew all night! Min 17 degrees, cloudy.

The wind blew the clouds eastward by the time we packed up. Next leg of the Run.

Back out and along to the turn off onto the West Wilcannia Road - unsealed and wide. Around the top of the Lake Pamamaroo - not that you can see it at all. Hard to believe there is a big expanse of water nearby when the grass and shrubs here look dry. The goats like it though - there are heaps of them. At least they have good road sense - always turning away from the big noisy thing on the road!

Balaka Lake’s (the northern lake of the Menindee Lake system) blue water shines in the distance to our right. The Darling River is further over from it.

Passed another small lake with water in it - Malta Lake. Haven’t seen any wildlife for a while other than the goats.

In some sections the table drain has become the new road!

An old boiler is the marker for the entrance to another Farm Stay Station.

Passed another couple of station turn offs and a big wedge-tailed eagle took off before we reached him for a change. I try to get a photo in flight but they are always blurry!

Left the red soil and back into the grey dirt as we near the Darling River again. Spotted a black pig in the grass.

Found a track down to the river for morning tea. A cool wind is blowing. Very steep banks here.

30km to go to Wilcannia. We haven’t seen another vehicle on this road. A couple of spots by the river then we turn away from the river again. 5 emus crossed the road well ahead of us and kept going - good emus.

Through low wetland sections where the road would be impassable after some good rain. Into roadworks where they are putting down a gravel base to stop the bog after rain.

Watched a willy willy full of dust cross the road in front of us.

Back onto bitumen as we near Wilcannia. We have explored this historical town before. Memories of our first trip down the Darling River - I decided to take a short cut when we were heading to Adelaide for Steve to race his Formula 500 in the Australian Titles. Unfortunately a storm hit but luckily we were in our Toyota ute and Steve got us through but very late into town so finding somewhere to stay was a bit of a bother and the worst part was it was my birthday.

Topped up the diesel (191.9c/l). Into town. When we were here last year they were working on this building. Looks like it is finished but not being used yet as a Cultural Centre.

Stopped near the bridge to read the Darling River Run info.

Checked out the info about the road bridge.

Not much remains of the old wharf.

Hard to imagine a rowing club upstream here.

Walked across to look at the old lift mechanism.

Then back to the info before the old bridge. Looks like the water level has dropped now all the flood rains have slowly made their way down all the rivers.

Still safe to walk across. Looking downstream - paddle steamers beware of the sandbar!

Next leg of the DRR. Through town and onto the West Tilpa Road (unsealed) and continued up the west side of the Darling River. Next leg of the DDR.

No water in the Paroo River which would empty into the Darling when flowing.

We are dodging little birds that want to sit on the road now!

Turned off onto a bush track to have lunch by the Darling River at a tight bend. The water goes on the other side of the island now rather than flooding over the sand bank.

Continued on through salt bush open country.

Met a road crew - onto smoother road as we travel through the Paroo-Darling Conservation Park. There is a National Park section further over on the other side of the river and another section east of White Cliffs. No access allowed so nothing to see here. No animals either.

The road is still good as we cross grey dirt grass plains and see 4 emus heading away from the road.

Met our first vehicle today (other than the road crew). Worthy of a photo.

There must be cattle about has there are big piles of dung on the road. A few more goats.

Passed ‘Rosedale’ shearing shed with a heap of shorn sheep in the pens. More are waiting in the paddock nearby, standing in the shade of the trees.

Three emus and lots of goats as we near Tilpa. A long low hill to our left rises out of the flat countryside.

Into Tilpa, another port servicing the river trade in the past. Memorial wall.

Walked over to the boat ramp near the bridge. Darling River Run and Major Mitchell info.

Onto the road bridge built in 1963. The river is quite narrow here. More goats!

A couple were here with their daughters and she was doing a video as the girls played on the playground. As we approached Steve recognised the chap from a You-tube video of him and family taking their VW Combi to Cape York. Steve chatted with Karstan about that trip - they won a adventure film award for it. Then they chatted about his Oka truck (has a Cummins engine) and beefed-up boat trailer. They are heading down to do some fishing off the Adelaide peninsulas.

Wandered into the Tilpa Hotel (Royal Hotel) to check out the signed walls. Karstan said that the lady owner is in the process of selling it. The lady behind the bar was a back-packer so didn’t know much of the history. There is an outback pub crawl if you are into that. Some great photos in the back room. We bought a couple of ice creams as it is quite hot so will skip our cuppas today.

Back to the park to find the Boer War Memorial. It was on the back side of the other wars plaques.

We turned west of town then onto the Tilpa-Louth Road - unsealed of course. This side is away from the Darling River then it runs alongside the Talyawalka Creek that would flow into the Darling when in flood. The Darling continues its wiggling path away from it (map of Wikicamps - the white roads don’t show up well on the light background).

Kallara Station have two great sculptures for their entrance.

More goats! Across a creek (can’t find the name of it) - a few pools of water.

We head back to the Darling River now. The road is near the river but we can’t see it and there are no tracks to the river here.

A plane came over the road near Idalia Station - we saw dust so thought it was mustering so we slowed down. A sign off the roadside said ‘Giveway to Aircraft’ so he must have just taken off.

Found a track across to the Darling River. Still a lot of water flowing along the steep banks but it is quite narrow.

Scared a kangaroo out of the bush as we continued on. The wind has blown the dry shrubs across the road like tumble weeds.

Across Talyawalka Creek Bridge with a small pool of water under it.

Onto bitumen as we pass the turn off into Trilby Station. Gary & Cheryl had said it was a great place to stay but it is closed at the moment. Not tourist time so the owners are on holidays overseas, according to their Facebook page.

Three emus wandered slowly across the road but kept going so we passed them safely.

A big sign - Lookout for Black Cattle. So black that we can’t see them!

Passed the turn off to the historic Dunlop Station. Famous fore being the first sheep station in the world to use mechanical shears.

Turned east onto Weelong Road towards the Darling River and township of Louth. More goats before we cross the bridge over the wide, dry Dunlop Creek.

Turned off before the bridge to the camping area by the Darling River. We will camp here tonight.

It is still windy but warmer. Got to 34 degrees in the camper with it closed up.

Sat outside for drinks then Jon called via video so we had a lovely chat with them all. Poor Beau had a stack off his trike down the driveway and has a nasty big bump on above his eyebrow but he is a tough cookie. Cooper is doing very well.

A kookaburra flew in and sat on the tree branch for a while. Nice not having flies to deal with.

I read about a cross in the cemetery that shines when the setting sun hits it so we put on our sandshoes and headed across the river into ‘town’.

Rushed along the road to the cemetery and got there just as the sun set but the trees in the river had blocked the last rays so I missed it.

Watch out for the big ants!

Walked back to the info at the cemetery entrance. We needed to be here in August apparently.

Back to the big Louth sign.

Back to the camper as the light faded. Got a bit of exercise any case and it was very pleasant with the nice breeze blowing.

The DRR map info.

The birds have settled down and now the frogs are croaking. The kookaburras had their last laugh.

Dinner outside. We have a small open area between the trees that we can see the stars. Relaxed back in our chairs and watched the satellites zoom across the sky. I counted 42! I wonder how many get hit by ‘rocks’ and go off course then crash into other satellites.

All quiet here - just the sound of the wind moving the leaves.