Beltana, Farina and Fresh Bread

June 14. Thursday

We woke this morning to clear skies the sun rising over the Flinders Ranges. Our first of quite a few Outback sunrises. We enjoyed a more leisurely breakfast, packed the car and drove out of the park just after 8am. That’s better than 6.30, which it had been the previous few mornings.

Our first side trip of the day was into Historic Beltana Township, 11 kms off the main road. Beltana is a State Heritage listed town still with an active community. Explorers commenced their inland journeys from this small town and Beltana is the home of the Australian Inland Mission, the forerunner of the Royal Flying Doctor Service. There are still some lovely old homes and buildings here and it was well worth the drive in. On the way in we stopped to look at an old Afghan Well which fed water into watering troughs and cattle yards.

Next stop was in Leigh Creek which is now only populated by 150-200 people. Previously when the Coal Mine here was operating its population was up to 550. The school is no longer operational and many of the homes stand empty.

After Leigh Creek we pass through Lyndhurst, the start of the Strezlecki Track, and then another stop at Farina. This was originally a stop on the old Ghan Route. There used to be quite a big Township here in the early 1800, and a restoration program is in place to save the remains. 250 volunteers will help out with this program this season. One of the best draw cards here is the underground Bakery and during the months of May to July while the volunteers are about, the bakery is operational. Bread, pies and some sweet goodies are cooked in the underground ovens and sold to the many tourists that visit the site. Of course we had to make a purchase to help support the restoration project, leaving with a fresh loaf of hi-top bread and a pastie and pizza pie. I think Philip will suffer tomorrow, but it smelt soooooo good. (P- the high top bread was just like we had delivered as kids and tasted the same! I couldn’t resist and fresh cream and homemade pineapple Jam will ensure a stomach upset but I couldn’t resist and it was absolutely delicious!.

It would be great to volunteer to help with this project – I am sure there would be something we could potter and do)

Next stop was Marree, where we stopped for lunch and a look around town. There is a truck at the rail yard that belonged to EG Kruse, Tom Kruse, the Birdsville Mailman and another truck belonging to D E. Scobie, a mailman that followed Tom Kruse. While driving we have been listening to the audiobook about Tom Kruse and the adventures he had as the Birdsville Mailman.

After lunch we began to undertake a trip we haven’t done before and have been looking forward to for quite a while, The Birdsville Track. I think we need to learn some new words though! Some of the local names are real tongue twisters like Mungerannie, Dulkaninna, Killalpaninna, Naterannie and Etadunna, just to list a few.

(P-I downloaded an audio commentary of the history and modern day life on the Birdsville Track. Jackie Stallard, a resident of Birdsville for many years created this informative Audio commentary and has the chapters matched to numbers on a map. We always enjoy learning about the areas we drive through it makes travel much more interesting.)

We stopped for the evening at Cooper Creek Campground, part of the Cooper Creek that floods and fills lake Eyre. Wouldn’t like to be here when there has been rain, it could get quite messy very quickly.

June 15.

Today we continue up the Birdsville Track. It’s continually changing from sand dunes to gibber plains, wide open areas and blue blue skies. First stop today was at Old Mulka Homestead Ruins, just off the road. Philip got the drone out and took some footage while I walked over to have a closer look at the ruins and well, crossing one of Cooper Creek’s channels to get there. Then just up the road a bit more was the Mulka Store ruins and the grave site of Edith Adeline Scobie, the 14 yer old daughter of the Scobies who ran the store for many years. What a desolate, lonely place to be buried.

Next stop was the Mungerannie Hotel. We stopped and wandered around the information boards, looked at the old trucks. (Another one with EG Kruse, Tom Kruse, Birdsville Mailman’s signwriting) and then wandered into the hotel and had a chat with the guy behind the bar. Purchased a stubble holder, to early for a stubby!!! Before hitting the road again.

Mirra Mitta Bore is our next stop. Here the water is pumped from the artesian basin and is 90 degrees Celsius as it starts it run down the creek. Way to hot for a swim. We walked along the creek for a while until the water spills into waterhole. Now the water is cool to the touch. It looks very nice with trees surrounding and overhanging the water. A lovely oasis in the middle of a very dry desert.

After stopping for lunch on the side of the road, we pulled out and followed a road train for several kilometres. As we followed we talked to the driver on the UHF. He was hauling 228 cattle, 6-9 months old and carting them to Mount Garnet in Queensland about 1700 kilometres away. Luckily he stopped not far up the road to check the cattle so we could get past. At the same time another road train was heading in the opposite direction. They cause quite a bit of dust to fly when they pass by.

We reach Birdsville after a most enjoyable trip up the track. So much to see along the way and we have learnt a lot of history about the area. Burke and Wills passed through this area and also explorer Sturt. (P- Another tick off the “bucket” list, must only be about 999 left on my list now! It’s a BIG bucket! It was set up camp ( 5 minutes) on the outskirts of town and out with the bikes for a ride around town. Very much more sedate than my last visit when I flew in with my Pilot friend Peter and went to the iconic Birdsville Races. The race track looks lonely without 4 or 5000 people in this little town (normal population 90. It is all new for Judith as she has never been here).