Sat, 29th Sept, 2018 Bush camp by Wilson River, Noccundra, Qld to Bush camp, Mt Stuart Station, Tibooburra, NSW (sightseeing)

6.30am 18 degrees and overcast – very bleak look. The galahs woke us up and as I looked out an emu trotted by.

Flies moved in so we got up. Had breakfast and packed up camp. As we headed off a chap waved us down. He had a flat battery on his vehicle so Steve gave him a jump start. They are heading for Tibooburra too though she called it going ‘down the back passage’.

Onto dirt road heading south travelling through the Channel Country. Most flat open country though we are rolling over low ridges. Lines of trees only where the ‘creeks’ travel. Of course they are all dry.

To the east are some hills – mesas. I think that is part of the Grey Range. Through rocky rough section then into sand with a wide flat road. Still a grey sky though it looks like it will improve as we go further south.

Stopped at the intersection for the Qld access track down to Cameron Corner. The wind is blowing and it is cold so we parked beside a big sheep transport trailer that was on its side and made a cuppa. Lucky we kept out jumpers behind the seat as we need them now.

Spotted a dead VW in the bush – they go anywhere – well almost. The track got rougher. A big Wedged-tailed Eagle was very reluctant to leave his road hill but we had slowed down as you never know what they will do.

The sky is clear. Another wedgie left it to the last moment to take off.

Reached the Qld/NSW border at Warri Gate and we are glad to leave sunny ‘NOT’ Queensland and head to the sun shining in NSW though when we got out of the truck the wind was still cold and blowing hard.  

The Queensland sign we are leaving.

Checked out the ‘Vermin’ Fence and the Sturt (named after explorer Charles Sturt) National Park information.

Onto the Silver City Highway. Don’t think we will see any speed cameras out here.

Turned off to follow the Jump Up Loop Road through the National Park. Six pastoral stations were taken back to create this national park in 1972. It is one of NSW’s largest nature conservation reserves and covers over 340,000 hectares of semi-desert country.

Passed some goats as we crossed a little dry creek bed.

Checked out the old shed and shearers quarters of Olive Downs Station. More clouds are coming over.

Turned down Middle Road to check out the actual station homestead. No access into it so don’t know if it is being used by Rangers or whatever. They even had a tennis court.

Back to the intersection then around the end of the hill to the national park campground on the other side. There are toilets, BBQs, shade shelters and even rubbish bins. Bit of history information.

There is a walk up and around the ‘Jump Up’ escarpments but we have seen heaps of those in WA so will skip the walk.

Continued along the track to the Jump Up Lookout. Fabulous view.

Steve had a go with the Tablet as everyone says it takes better pictures but we need some more practice with that. I just love my little camera for its convenience and strap around my wrist.

Turned up and onto Stubberfield Tank which is actually a dam. Spotted 4 sheep on the other side – ferals in a National Park!! We were stunned to see so many dead kangaroos around the edge of the dam and wonder if they have been shot or poisoned or just died from starvation as there is plenty of water.

Continued along the track – the trees grow well in the creeks but not on the flats. We crossed over Connia Creek three times.

More dead roos around Mt King Tank/dam too. Plenty of live ones jumping about too and more goats.

The homestead has gone but there is still the water tank on the rise.

Next Tank/dam is South Myers and they have built a bird hide here. I walked up past more dead roos to have a look. A few live roos were having a drink but no birds.  The tank has an island in the middle.

Drove around the other side and spotted two ducks so got Steve to stop so I could get a photo.

As we came over a ridge the phone pinged through 2 texts from Ercia – she left a message saying her long time pen pal, Audrey, who we visited in Rockingham, WA had passed away. Sad news. I can’t remember if I wrote in my blog about a long time friend of Mum and Dad’s, Fred Bruce, had passed away too while we were in Cairns. This is the era of time now for them.

Back onto the Silver City Highway – loosely called a highway! 19km to Tibooburra. Great town sign.

Dropped down off the Jumps Ups and the granite boulders started as we entered town. This region was originally known as ‘The Granites’ and formed part of the Albert Goldfields. Gold around here was buried beneath deep alluvial muds and required special techniques to mine. Hopefully we will be able to find a bit with our detectors.

Stopped for lunch in the Pioneer Park. The wind is still cold and strong but we got out of it in the shelter shed. Chatted with another couple having lunch who were from Penguin, Tas. They had just completed the Simpson Desert, west to east, and said it was all good.

Replica of Sturt’s whale boat he hauled up here hoping to find the great inland sea.

More plaques on the cairn.

Old machinery and information.

Called into General Store to ask about detecting. There were 3 options, pay to camp and detect on either of two stations, Mt Stuart or Gum Vale or camp in the Lands Councils campground and pay $10 for a month to detect on the Town Common. The Town Common is a huge around surrounding the town in all directions after you cross the first grid. Cross the second grid and you are on Mt Stuart Station and you can detect anywhere up to their next grid – a huge area too. We opted for that one as she said people had reported finding some gold there. Steve remembered Mike saying they stopped there. We paid our fees, $15 to detect for one day and two nights camping @$5 which wasn’t too bad. We asked about the music we heard and then the noisy motorbikes zooming around and she said the town’s rodeo is on tonight. I asked about all the dead roos and she said it was just due to the drought.

Nice mural.

Old buildings here, like the hotel and hall.

Went into The Family Hotel for a look around – interesting art on the walls. This building was erected in 1882.

Before we left town Steve rang Mike to ask about their detecting here. They were in Bendigo at Whipstick Regional Park just heading out for a detect. That is where we met him 4 years ago. He said someone just uncovered a 200oz nugget on the middle of the track at Murder’s Hill in Dunolly – bet you Pete and Penny won’t want to hear that since they are overseas at the moment. Mike and Anne will be in Tassie in a couple of days.

Another hotel up the road.

These emus won’t run out onto the road. The roadhouse was dearer for diesel than the General Store.

We headed out of town on the road to Cameron Corner. Another good town sign.

Over the first grid then the second and we found a track heading off to the north. Lots of quartz around and there are lots of little hills and gullies to explore. Parked up near a lone tree and Steve got out his detector. I worked on my blog. No joy for Steve here other than a tent peg so we drove further along where he had wandered and found some recent detector holes.

Passed some old machinery – I thought it looked like a wool bailer.

Interesting how the quartz just stops and the other hills are completely bare of quartz.

Parked in a creek – don’t think there will be any flash flooding. Someone has recently been here and made a swing in the tree.

Our route for today.

The wind has settled a bit while we had drinks so we had an early shower in case it came up again. Into long pants and jumpers as it is quite chilly now. Even got our big boots out and sat right beside the fire.

Just have phone reception so rang Erica back about Audrey’s passing.

The sky is clear and I kept a look out for satellites – only spotted one. The breeze did come back so we played Dice rather than cards. 9pm it was down to 15 degrees and the wind was coming in the bedroom side so we closed it when we went to bed.