Sun, 16th Nov, 2025 Worlds End Reserve near Burra Creek Gorge, Worlds End to Bush camp by River Murray, Overland Corner, SA

14.6 degrees, overcast and windy again. Birds are up very early.

Went for a wander to find the ‘Gorge’. Lots of lovely trees. The creek is hiding under all the grass.

One lady had the perfect spot - right by a small pool with green grass.

The creek is full of reeds - some sections clear to make little pools.

Climbed up to the road where a couple of people with very noisy dogs are parked near the toilets. Big signs on the other side regarding Private Property. Another big clear area with pools below the hill.

Continued along the track to a causeway. There is a track appearing to head up into the hills so maybe it is up there but we didn’t bother as we think this might be part of the private property.

Found some information boards further along the track as we headed back but I could just make out they were about the history of Worlds End. 

There is no phone reception here but later I googled the area. Donald McDonald took up the “World’s End” pastoral run in 1853. Droughts in the 1860s led some to abandon their properties leaving the Worlds End run vacant. German farmers later moved into the area seeking new land. A town was then surveyed in 1877 near Burra Creek and called Lapford but it was never developed. Some blocks were sold though in 1941 but the town was officially declared to have ceased to exist by 13 Dec, 1962. There was a Worlds End Creek Post Office (1876-1971), a School opened in 1888 and closed in 1944 due to lack of teachers and a Wesleyan Methodist Church (built 1899 -1975, also used as a school). The town also had its own cricket and tennis teams.

Info says you can explore the striking Burra Creek Gorge so maybe we could go up that track. I also noticed that Burra Creek ‘flows’ into the River Murray near Morgan but it often dries up underground in it s lower reaches and has not reached the Murray River in over 70 years except during exceptional flooding events.

Back to the camper for a cuppa then I worked on my blog till lunch time. Finished off our tomatoes and oranges so we are all good to enter the fruit fly zone before Morgan.

The wind is still blowing hard as we head back out. This farm must be part of the heritage of the area but there aren’t any signs.

Further along is the Wesleyan Church. Nice view across the fields to the hills - shame about the wind farm.

Another road to mark off in my book as we head towards Morgan through salt bush country with sheep meandering through the bushes. Very rough road even though it is sealed.

Passed the entrance to the Fruit Fly Zone - only a small little quarantine bin by the road.

Met up with the Morgan-Whyalla Pipeline again as we near Morgan. We have explored the River Murray from source to mouth in 2016 - it was a great trip.

Into Morgan where we stopped at Billy Goat Hill Lookout for a wander. The wind is nearly blowing us off the hill. That was us in our van, haha, back in 2016 going on the barge to cross the river.

Nice homes on the other side. I wonder how they go with ‘flood’ insurance.

The old wharf is needing some repairs. When I looked back at the photos of our visit in 2016 it was needing repairs then too.

Walked to the other side of the lookout. When we were here in 2016 the Paddlesteamer ‘Canally” was being rebuilt. View over the green park and town.

Nice Birds of Paradise growing in the old water tank site.

Some happy locals.

Down the hill for a quick look. It is a lovely town with great museums.

Headed back out passing the No. 1 Pumping Station for the Morgan-Wyalla Pipeline. Back on the Goyder Highway towards Renmark. After the dry looking fields we start to see bright green grape vines as we near Lock 2. We have visited previously all the locks we were allowed to get to but it is always nice to revisit. Down the steep hill to the park near the weir and lock.

Made a cuppa and checked out the info again. The map shows our next adventure - the Darling River Run from Wentworth to Bourke. Chatted with a couple and he said a kid found a big gold specimen at Burra Creek Gorge, maybe we will have to go back and visit the gorge! He said the Burra pub owner has a gold mine out of town - fancy that. I googled it and found that there is the Mongolata Gold Fields near Burra where gold was discovered in 1930. A diesel-powered battery was built in 1935 to process the ore and it operated until the 1950s.

Lots of carp still swimming on the surface. Watched the pelicans catch their dinner, shame they don’t eat them.

Back up the steep road and continued on the rough road with the strong wind behind us which is good.

Turned off at Overland Corner - a few houses and a big farm here in this ‘township’. Down to the historic pub.

We had checked it out previously so continued down and through the gate to enter the Reserve which goes down to the river. Checked out the information boards.

Continued along the track. Across a ‘regulator’. ‘High tide’, a lot of extra water about because of the water coming down from the Darling River now, unlike when we came through in 2016. I checked back in my blog and we came down here to camp but then dark storm clouds were brewing so we continued on to another spot as this grey soil is not good to get stuck in if it is wet.

Normally we could drive down that track.

Through the trees and back to the river. Made sure we didn’t have any nasty tree branches to fall on us with all this wind and set up for the night. Looking back up to the houses of Overland Corner.

I googled up the info about this area. Overland Corner began as a stock route crossing in the 1830s. The Hotel was built in 1859 to cater for the traffic becoming an important staging post. The Hotel is the first stone building in the Riverland. It also served as a mail coach stop, fuelling station for paddle steamers and a small police post. There was a school, and a telegraph line passed through the area connecting Adelaide and Sydney. The Hotel was purchased in 1965 by the National Trust and is now a museum.

Too windy to sit outside. Lots of corellas in the trees on the other side. Hope they stay there.

Water views out my kitchen window.

The corellas flew off so all is quiet now, just the sound the water lapping the bank as the wind still blows.