Fri, 28th June, 2024 Bush camp at Mud Tank Ziron Field, off the Plenty Highway, near Gemtree to Bush camp at Harts Range West fossicking area, off the Plenty Highway, NT (garnets)

7.5 degrees inside. Blood red early sun glow - what’s the saying, red sky in the morning, shepherds’ warning!! Checked the weather forecast, 1-10mm of rain on Sun and Mon - maybe there is something in that old saying.

By the time we packed up it was nice and warm outside. No wind.

Drove around to the young family’s camp to let them know we left the ironing board the chap left us and that our hole was free if they wanted to dig there. We drove back over the creek to check out the Mud Tank - plenty of water in there though it would be a bit of a job to get some out. Nice view of the hills from up here.

Lots of diggings around here on the side of the hill too - even on the track.

Headed back out through the gate and back onto the Plenty Highway. There are some adventurous people on the road - not our cup of tea, that’s for sure.

Continued eastward to the garnet fossicking area in the Harts Range.

Rick had given us instructions to it off one of the fossicking forums and there was a mark on Wikicamps. We came to a Y intersection and went right as per Rick’s directions. We were heading to the Wikicamps mark but then realised we were veering away from it. Must be on one of the pastoralists tracks. Turned around and went down the left side and eventually came to some old signs. Up a hill and onto a plateau area then we found the fossicking area sign.

We went down the hill to a big flat area by a dry creek. The ground was covered in streams of pink sand from crushed garnets and sparkles from mica. As soon as I got out of the truck I picked up a bright red garnet.

Set up camp.

Took our sieves up the dry creek and got to work.

Warmer day - 28 degrees in the camper but there is a nice breeze that comes and goes. I worked on my blog for a while and Steve kept sieving.

Not a bad haul. Will need to be put in a tumbler for a while to bring out the colour.

I still have phone service via our tall aerial and got a message from Lou, will call for a catch up soon.

Steve got a fire going and we settled in as the sun dropped. Then we heard a vehicle and a big truck came down the track. They stopped by us asking if the road continued - we said no, but they can camp here with us. They set up and came back to join us around the fire. Greg and Sue live in Woodgate - what a small world. They have only been there about 5 years. They just came up the Hay River Track which was good and heading over to Collie via the Gary Junction Road (which we did last year). We chatted on till 8pm as it was a lovely temperature and we all enjoyed being out under the stars.