Today we only drove for 5 hours but we we've clocked up about 1,100kms since we left home already. There has been occasions on this trip where we haven't seen another car going in our direction for over two hours and those we see are often the grey nomads enjoying time together in their caravans. Memories of Norfolk Island and the one finger wave arose as Larry used what he termed the "Aussie salute" to any oncoming drivers............
It is still chilly and was still only 11C at almost 10am.......
There is wildlife everywhere but thankfully these emu's were on the other side of the fence......
Such a great wide land that we live in..........
It has been quite distressing to see the amount of road kill on the roads including wild boar, feral goats, sheep and of course emus and kangaroos. We started to count the kangaroos but when Larry got to sixty he stopped....it has been quite literally in the hundreds and so very sad to see entire families killed and lying on the road edge. Of course we are constantly on the look-out ourselves so no napping from the passenger just in case. Often there is a visual warning up ahead with the swarm of birds that have descended but it is still so awful to see.........
The Barrier Highway is a fabulous road to drive on with the added benefit of a lot of convenience stops which is great when one needs that due to jolly medication!! At this stop there were several caravanning groups who had stopped for a civilised morning tea..........
but the loo is not quite so civilised!! A 'long drop' but this time of year there are no flies or odours and some loo paper which is a bonus!.........
We decided to have an early lunch at Wilcannia where we saw evidence of the riots some years back and it is most unfortunate that media reports may have contributed to the town's demise. The link I provided does offer a most sensitive summary of it all and it is a subject that is ongoing. We did have an amble about town and it was sad to see so many shops having not been repaired after the fires and looting of so long ago. But several buildings were in good repair.........
We found the most delightful 'oasis' in the form of a cafe.......Miss Barrett's so do stop if you are ever passing through Wilcannia........
Tomorrow is a longer day of about 7 hours of driving as we reach Charleville so see you then!
Thanks for the tour of our country. Have not been up that way. I don't think we are in any danger of a shortage of kangaroos, and as a farmer's daughter, I have seen the damage they can inflict on the land. xx Have a good trip and look forward to more pics.
ReplyDeletewhat a journey you are having - where did you say you are headed - a workshop I believe it was? That is a lot of animals running wild and being hit - probably by the big trucks that run though at all hours of the day - that is how it would be here - in the west it would be deer and antelope - we count herds of antelope (pronghorns) when we travel out there in the desert areas and it is in the hundreds. Thanks for the link I will read it
ReplyDeleteThe farmers don't like the emu's because of the damage they do to the fences! They don't jump the fences like the roo's, they go "thru" them, hence the damage. Plus they knock of the crop. Not that you will see any crop out that way! Kangaroo's are good breeders, like mice and rabbits, so reproducing numbers quickly (if there is feed and water) is not a problem. Emu's don't self populate so readily or quickly. The pigs and goats damage the farmers land and the natural landscape in irreversible ways, they are "good" road kill....consider them food for the birds and scavengers! I know you don't have a caravan, but I think you might both fit into the nomad category now?...now that you are driving from one end of the country to the other..wink!
ReplyDeleteGosh, I'm learning so much with all your travels. Thanks so much.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was in Australia - way back in 86 - we saw a white cloud moving erratically - turned out to be a flock of corellas.
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