Over the Divide and out onto the plains

The Dividing Range was a significant geographical separation from the coast for us and quite magnificent – towering wet and dry forests, geological formations that would keep an amateur geologist humming for weeks. We passed through places which boasted tin, diamonds and sapphires, but the metal detector, little rock hammer and panning dish stayed buried in the back of the Beast under the recovery equipment.  The region remains a promise – we will return!

The trip west from the coast was like stretching and taking a deep breath. Out on the plains we struck Moree with it a huge developing solar farm and cotton growing but it was just a place on the road west. Changing vistas kept our eyes scanning the horizon as we loped along the road.  Just as a little aside – Walgett, which we passed through on the way to Bourke, is the largest producer and exporter of chick peas in Australia and the southern hemisphere. So eat up your humus it’s good for our GDP!!

We were heading to Bourke and a 4^th attempt at driving the largest section ~350Ks of the Darling River Run which actually ends at Menindee and starts at Brewarrina where the Darling and Barwon rivers flow through what is thought to be the oldest man-made structure on earth – the Brewarrina fish traps which are believed to be 40,000 years old. We were in the land of spinifex, sand hills, big skies, land of flooding plains and wildflowers – and loving it.  We spent a day exploring the Gundabooka NP with its ancient rock art and, for us, new and different flora. Then drove back to camp through the pearly golden slant of the setting sun watched over by a yellow moon peering through slats of clouds like a nosy neighbour peeping through the venetian blinds.

Sadly the river run was closed between Louth and Tipla because of the water still lying around after a 30 mm downpour a few days before we arrived.  In spite of patiently waiting a few days, the road remained closed to us yet again.  We will return – not just to do the run but also because we love Bourke and surrounds. It is close to corner country, opals, numerous national parks including Lake Mungo, and, right in the middle, citrus farms!  It is quite amazing.