Valentines Day plus one - wine, wind and wonder

And so to one of the aims of this trip - to drive the Darling River Run! After years attempts waiting for the roads to be open when we’re there, we did it - at least from Brewarrina to Wentworth over 800Km. Hooray!

The Darling River system is huge. From Walgett to Wentworth where it meets the Murray, it measures about 950 km; the third longest river in Australia. Its source, a matter of some debate, is a collection of rivers and creeks which fan out like unravelling rope snaking east and north into Queensland.  However from somewhere around Walgett (Aboriginal meaning ‘meeting of two waters’) where there is confluence of major tributaries, the ‘river’ flows on to Wentworth where it joins the Murray.  It is the lifeblood of the NSW outback - if they get the water! A destroying combination of low rainfall, damming and cotton (damning!) - diabolical! 

I’ve talked about the busy river trade, ports and bridges along the extent of the river so now let me tell you about the last leg of our little adventure along the Darling between Bourke and Wilcannia and back again - a round trip of close to 700Km. 

It was awe-inspiring in its vastness - the diversity and ruggedness, the colours and textures of the land were fascinating to see and to experience. Endless stretches of flatness, beautiful trees, bare earth, scrubby dry saltbush and grasses, brilliant patches of green where recent rain had stirred dormant plants to raise their hopeful heads. Along its course, the river varies from scattered water holes (when we were there) to a width of 80Km when in flood.  Interestingly it seems that salinity is not a new phenomenon (although it is increasing).  Along the river there are four lift span bridges built in the 1880-90s to allow the paddle steamers pulling barges loaded with wool and supplies to pass up and down the river. Explorer Charles Sturt named the Darling ‘Salt River’. Chunks of the region have been designated National or Conservation Parks so hopefully that might give the land a little time to recover - if the stock is kept off it. The dryness is sad to witness and the struggle to survive that the graziers are facing is heartbreaking. We passed one farmer and his family dragging dead cows into a pile to be buried having been poisoned by hay that had been brought in the help feed his stock. He lost 80-odd head and more were at risk. Tragic! 

The quietness was a balm - in spite of the heat and wind, the dust and rough roads (we saw only one or two other vehicles). Being out there in that stillness away from it all, you come back to what’s important, you come back to yourself. It’s wonderful! 

The road was full of surprises

The end of a memorable day

This was the halfway point on our adventure on the Darling River Run. We ended our first day camped out on the ‘flood’ plains of the Darling River. Life doesn’t get much better than this! Silence but for the whispering of wind across the plains and the quiet mumbling of birds. Loving life in our own little utopia!

Outback sunsets are soft as the landscape is harsh and unforgiving

The journey was a tad taxing physically because the road was badly chopped up in some places, corrugated and/or deep in sand and dust in others. We saw lots of evidence of past flooding with wide swathes washed away to form undulating renuded hills and in places deep gullies. The van? Not too bad all things considered. Bloody good rig and driver combo!! Two intensive days - we celebrated with bubbles in Louth on our return trip. 

The Louth pub. We stayed in the caravan ’park’ beside the pub on the way back to Bourke

One of the four liftspan bridges built in the 1880-90s along the river. This one is at Louth

At Louth, and elsewhere, the river is just a series of  scattered waterholes

The Tilpa pub is corrugated inside and out and almost every inch of wall and ceiling is written on.

Copperbur has forced its way up through the now drying mud

A lot of saltbush popping up is perhaps a sign of recent rain. It provides feed for the cattle

What an expanse! The horizon was punctuated with countless columns of dust rising high in the air

Almost park-like - but for the lack of grass!

Sign of rain not too long ago. The surface of the mud was shrinking up in curls like wood shavings

A bee hive in a tree hollow.  Good to see insects in this arid land.