Monday, July 21, 2014

Stzelecki Desert Trip - Part 3. The Flinders to Copley.

The next 2 nights will be spent camped at the Trezona Camping Area. We will then leave the Flinders Rangers National Park to spend our last night together at Copley. 


 Day 4, Wednesday 2nd July. Bald Hill camp to Trezona Camping Area,

 158 km's (98 miles).





A nice cool misty morning.

No, Zane wasn't there all night, she just liked the table so much.

We reach the back of the Pound and go to the information office.

He was checking to see if we had our park passes.

Lunch and working out which camping area to camp at for the next two nights.

A very scenic part of Australia.

Lining up at Razorback.

Razorback Lookout.

Razorback Lookout.

Razorback Lookout.

Our road to Trezona Camping Area.

Off we go.

Trezona Camping Area, Flinders Rangers.
We will spend 2 nights here.

The sun had just disappeared when M&M went for  sunset drinks.

Say 'cheese'.

Myf said, "if you jump like this it makes you smaller". She was right.


Sunset Games.
Myf hadn't done this for 30 years.





We may have been too late.


It was just a slither of a moon.



Day 5, Thursday 3rd July.



I didn't think it was going to get this cold. My plate was on the roof of the car over-night.

Welcome to the Flinders Rangers Ski Slopes.

Latvians really know how to dress for the cold.

Off to do some sight seeing and collect some fire-wood.

Aroona Lookout.
 The Heysen Rangers are named after Sir Hans Heysen (1877-1968), one of the first Australian painters to portray the dry
Australian light. he painted many scenes in the Flinders Rangers from the Aroona Valley.

The pastoralist John F. Haywood, the first man to bring sheep up this way,  commissioned a ship's carpenter, Jon Wilson, to build this (now a ruin) homestead in 1854.

A jonquil blooms out side the old hut.

A spiky bush-tomato.

This carpet of green everywhere gave the impression of lush grass, but  it was in fact mostly the plant shown below.

The plant that covered a lot of the ground.

The Three Sisters, Aroona. Painted by Hans Heysen 1940.
Charcoal and wash, blue and yellow watercolour, sanguine on ivory laid paper.
As at July 2014, on top.
.




A drive to Brachina Gorge.





Brachina Gorge.

Yellow-footed Rock Wallaby.
At about 100 meters away, and in amongst the rocks,they were hard to pick out until they moved.


Brachina Gorge.

Brachina Gorge.

Grass Tree at the Gorge




Arriving at the Gorge.





Brachina Gorge.

Brachina Gorge.

Brachina Gorge.

Heading for the Prairie Hotel at Parachilna for lunch.

Not many train bookings taken at Parachilna these days.

Prairie Hotel at Parachilna.

Road kill on a bun.
I did my best to keep down the goat population. One of the best burghers I have ever had.

Not a great deal to see at Parachilna.

You must admit they have good back-drop though.

'Jill In The Bag'. They  didn't have a cake so this is the best they could do.
Fire-wood collection stop.

Something new and bright.

A hole in the ground, or a tree upside down?




Scenic Drive from Parachilna Gorge Rd to Trezona camp via Moolooloo Homestead and Bilman.





I asked how and how long it took to get the ore back to the coast. Apparently it took about 3 months by bullock train
and with little water in summer and the high costs involved the novelty eventually wore off.

Blinman, in the distance, from the smelter.

Slag patterns and colours.

Blinman Memorial Hall.

The 3 main business in town,at the moment, all evolve around food and  drink.

Appropriately called Flat Top Range.

A feature called 'The Great Wall of China'.





Returning to our camp after collecting firewood.





Day 6, Friday 4th July. Trezona camp to Copley, 225 km's (140 miles).






In the light of dawn.

Aboriginal engraving at the Perawurtina Cultural Heritage Site.

Aboriginal engraving at the Perawurtina Cultural Heritage Site.

Aboriginal engraving at the Perawurtina Cultural Heritage Site.

Matt saw some reference somewhere about a 'secret cache' hidden under a rock shelf at the
Perawurtina Cultural Heritage Site. So using the latitude / longitude  coordinates given he was able to find it and put his name in the notebook that was enclosed. 

The clouds on the ranges only produced 2 drops of rain, or was it 3?

I was starting to get pretty good at  driving, changing gear, waving to passing cars and taking photos, all at the same. time.


Clouds on Wilpena Pound.
(....... and not too bad at videoing either)









Back at Wipena Pound we went on the Hills Homestead Walk and Wangara Lookout Hike.
We had better hurry, as going by this sign on the walk, there may not be any wildlife left to see.

Acacia sp.

I could see a tortured face, or 2, in this natural carving.

One of the native liilies.

The Hill family came here in 1899 from Hawker and attempted to grow wheat, which they had to cart it out via the narrow gorge. They were encouraged to plant wheat since the pound's rainfall is higher than the surrounding country. To the surprise of many their venture was successful. Their wheat was sent to Hawker. In 1914 heavy rains destroyed the road they had built and the damage was so great the Hill family abandoned the Pound. 
Renovated from ruin in 1995 by local craftsman Heath Fels, the crumbling walls, rotting beams and collapsed verandah were restored, bringing the homestead back to its original glory.


Part of the view into the Pound from Wangara Lookout.

I seem to be enjoying myself.

The view into the Pound from Wangara Lookout.

Rough Grevillea  (Grevillea aspera)

Back onto the road to Copley. We weren't on the black stuff for long.




Parts of this road were the best dirt road I've driven on. With Matt up front warning of any upcoming traffic the winding, undulating road suited the Forester,and me (forgetting I had the trailer attached) and I soon caught up with the other 2 cars which were always a long way in front. When Matt's voice came over the radio saying "what are you doing here" (me being so close)  I answered "this is my kind of road".




It's sometimes nice to look back.

See you next time Flinders Rangers.

Lynn and my trip in early 70's

Lynn and my trip in early 70's

Showing the way.

Settlers past.



Main road (Barndicoota Rd) to Copley.





Matt thought we may have gone too far when we sighted Uluru in the distance..

Copley caravan park.

Where we are.

Tomorrow will be a new adventure as our little group splits.
End of Part 3

Scroll to  bottom of page and click on 'Older Posts' to go to Part 4.


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