Corner Country

Emu's at Mt Wood station

Working The Whim, that Russ helped build in 1981...and it still works! (It's for drawing water from a bore).

The Family Hotel, Tibooburra

Looking north towards the Jump-up country, see the Mesa?

The Granites

Ranger Russell

Orb spider just for Camilla

Well we made it to Tibooburra, population 85, 320km north west of Broken Hill. We are camped at Sturt National Park, surrounded by the amazing red earth and orange brown granite boulders. There is only one other couple in the campground, so it is very peaceful. Russ has been playing Ranger Russell and taking us on walks. The camp ground is very basic, with drop toilets and untreated water for washing. Our solar shower has been getting a work out, and so far is very successful. (Don't worry, I won't be posting those photos...but if you see me after the show...). For those who do not know, a solar shower is a black water bag, that you lay in the sun until warm, and then hang it from a tree. We have solar panels for our light supply and have no need for mains power. We have 160 litres of fresh water in our jerry cans, so we are completely self sufficient. Russ has met up with people he worked with 30 years ago, when he was a young ranger, and has been having a yarn with them at the pub. We have toured some of the sites that he helped renovate or build. A couple of nights at one of the two pubs in town , and the girls are getting good at playing pool. The Family Hotel, built in 1883, has been visited by many famous artists, whose works are drawn and painted on the internal walls of the pub. Artists include Russell Drysdale and Clifton Pugh. We went for a drive today out to Mt Wood homestead, where the current head ranger lives. It's about 30 kms out of town, and is on an old sheep property. The homestead is open to the public, and you can stay there. We went through the historic shearing shed and the girls were able to play with orphaned joeys that the ranger is caring for. She currently has about 9 joeys. They are four different species, Eastern grey, Western grey, reds and Euros (wallaroos). Dexter, the 11 month old western grey who followed us around like a puppy, and is learning to spar, and Berry, the 5 month old who the girls carried around in her "pouch". This would have to be a highlight for the girls so far. Driving through the Gibber plains was beautiful. These are plains of stones, part of the Sturt Stoney Desert. The Gibber is formed when the Mesa's from the Jump-up country erode. The plains are currently very green with salt bush and native grasses. The Sturt Stoney Desert covers approx 200,000 hectares. Back at camp....and  we are again having to deal with mice.