A truly lovely day

I sit here late in the evening enjoying a date scone and a proper cup of brewed tea – what luxury! Today has been a truly lovely day – a 9.00am start saw us re-fuelling and topping up the mobile fridge with picnic items.  A phone call came letting us know that one friend has been able to secure a buyer for another mate’s truck – it had been a $12000 noose around the second friend’s neck and the persistence of the first friend has paid off with the unexpected sale.  A great start to the day and a reminder that there are good guys out their looking after their mates.

There was a bit of stirring by Will who was suggesting we were going to the Finke Road but he hadn’t fooled me, I knew he was ready to take me to one of the three places of my choice.  The place was Arltunga Historical Reserve, the ruins of a gold mining town out in the East MacDonnell Ranges.  We whizzed past places we visited last year with lots of reminiscing and laughs.  ‘The flies are definitely worse in the East MacDonnells,’ – ‘Yer, remember last year when we pierced the Aeroguard in the car and it stunk all the way home?’  ‘That’s the road we were on when we got the flat tyre,’ and so on and so on.

Once again we were amused by the sights and signs along the way.  A sign saying ‘No through Road,’ we couldn’t even see a road!! A sign saying beware of road trains – had I not been a loyal watcher of Outback Truckers I wouldn’t have believed a road train could possibly head down such a dirt road. Then we saw a big cat – just like the one Will’s boss owns – only this time it was a roller not an excavator.  As we slowed for the road works we spotted a dog or was it a dingo? We thought probably a dingo but seeing as there were men around working we thought maybe it was one of their dogs.  Will called them up on the radio and we were assured it was a dingo, just a very timid one that really couldn’t care about the trucks, earthmoving equipment or Nissan that was in its way. 

The next sight that had us hanging a ‘u-ie’ (u-turn) was a lizard sunbaking in the upper branches of a tree right on the side of the road.  The wandering cattle over the main road are par for the course these days.  I then spied a beautiful vista that just cried out for me to take some photos and when I asked Will if we could stop he was happy to oblige as the grader had stopped short a few kilometers back and the road was rough and rocky.  With our mates compressor (and satellite phone) on board it was time to lower the tyre pressure a little. (Look out, we’re becoming real 4WD people ASAP)

By lunch time we’d arrived at the Information Station at the historical reserve, so after a brief wander and a bit of drooling over the headlight guards on the old Inter ute we had lunch in a quiet spot in the shade.  With a few discussions regarding which road to take we decided to head on up the nearest road to the historical sites.  We found the ruins of the government buildings and the police station.  Will offered to show me the inside of the cell but as he had his had firmly on the heavy metal door that could be locked from the outside I declined his invitation.  We then went on to Joker Gorge however after walking 10km at work on Thursday and 8km on Friday Will’s feet were still feeling the worse for it, so I wandered off on my own to explore.  Having a little difficulty following the map and the sign posts I began to wonder why I’d left the satellite phone in the car??!!  I retraced my steps and found my way for a short distance.  I came upon a dry river bed with huge boulders and lots of dry grass.  After discovering that some boulders were quite slippery I decided it would be wisest to return to Will and see the gorge another day. 

So off we headed on Binns Track.  We came to the sign to Hale’s River Homestead and camp ground and the original homestead of Old Ambalindum.  So we decided to take a side track and check it out.  The ruins weren’t much but the lady in the kiosk and camp ground was friendly and welcoming.  So after an ice-cream and a wander around we headed back down the few kilometers to Binns Road.  It wasn’t long before we came to a gate – yes, that was Kate’s problem – and then we passed another modern homestead and then a stretch of red bulldust that had the passenger nervous but a little intrigued while the driver held the speed steady and safely made our way through.  Before we knew it we’d found a sign for a private road to the Old Ambalindum homestead and then not much further on we found the same lovely Hale’s River Homestead.  We gave the friendly lady another wave as we  passed on the other side of her property!! A detour of only a few kilometres (which out here takes quite a while)!

We then continued the next 40kms on Binns Track, including the 30km stretch of winding road, to get back to Stuarts Highway. We smiled as dark clouds formed – we knew Steve Graham would be worried if he saw them – but we made it safely back before anything bad could happen.  Just in time for a refreshing shower and drinks around the camp fire.