And on to The Flinders Ranges

In our travels we have passed through numerous small Australian country towns – many with indifference, some with a feeling of “No, this one's not for us” and some with a feeling of “Yes, there's something about this place we like”. Melrose fell very much into the latter category and not because it has the same name as a small town in the Scottish Borders that we also like. There wasn't much to the town – just a couple of pubs, a few shops and cafes, a bowling club and one of the most interesting museums we have visited which kept us engrossed for a whole afternoon. We were camping at the Melrose Showground a couple of kilometres out of town. The following week it would have been packed as it was to host the South Australia Land Rover show and the week after there would have been 2-3000 people supporting the local football team called Booleroo Melrose Wilmington – but when we were there it was almost deserted with only half a dozen campervans and us in a vast area in which for us to get lost.

The pub in Melrose

Drinking in the pub in Melrose

Just up the road was a working dog training school run by a husband and wife team – Ben and Lyn Page – who trained Kelpies and Border Collies to work mainly as sheep dogs. As they were having an open day demonstration we paid our $15 each and were entertained by tales of Ben's life as a corporate magnate who retired from flying a desk and reverted to a former life of working with stock and training dogs. His dog training school is apparently internationally famous with students attending from all over the world. His dog handling skills were amazing – as were his dogs who effortlessly controlled and manoeuvred the small flock of demonstration sheep. Mind you I was not alone in thinking that the best trained creature at the demonstration was not one of the dogs but his wife Lyn who jumped to his every command!

Ben using a rake to keep the dog from attacking the sheep!

Stretch, Johann and Sandra watching sheep

After a couple of nights at Melrose it was time to head north towards what was to be one of the highlights for Johann – The Flinders Ranges, which she has always wanted to visit. Sandra and I had spent about a week in the Flinders during our 2010 trip although most of the time seemed to have been spent sheltering from the rain or travelling through a sodden landscape, so a visit in better weather might show it up in a better light. After a trip to Port Augusta, the last substantial town we will see for some time, to pick up supplies and get new tyres for me and a new battery for Stretch, we set off towards Hawker.

That night we found ourselves camping in Willow Springs Gorge on the 11,000 acres sheep station that had been run by five generations of the McInness family. Mind you we almost didn't get there. Arriving at the entrance to what we thought was a free campsite (we are from Scotland after all) we discovered an unwelcome sign – Camping by Permit Only. With no mobile phone access to call the number at the bottom of the notice Sandra and I were detailed to drive several kilometres back up the track to a house which we thought might be the land owner's. Arriving we found the place deserted – we rang the bell, knocked on doors and shouted but no-one appeared. With light fading and Johann and Stretch waiting down the road for us we decided to leave a note and just camp anyway. When I returned from sticking the note to the back door an interesting sight met my eyes – Sandra was being attacked by a large pink pig! We did find out later it was a family pet which was allowed to roam at will and was very friendly – but Sandra wasn't convinced.

On the way to The Flinders

Willow Springs was about 75k from the Flinders and we decided to use it as a base to explore the National Park. Whilst Johann and Stretch went for a walk in the Park, Sandra and I drove around looking to see if there might be suitable campsites within the park so we didn't have to make the 150k round trip every day from Willow Springs. The park is big – almost 100,000 hectares and it took us most of the day to drive round the campsites. Initially we thought that we were best staying where we were as the site by the creek in Willow Springs Gorge was pretty good - until we stumbled upon Aroona, one of the more remote sites in the park. It had good sites by a dry creek bed, ideally situated for a number of walks, beautiful views, a water supply and good, long-drop toilets – no more disappearing over the nearest hill with toilet paper and a shovel!

The Flinders Ranges

Some residents of The Flinders making friends with Sandra

This resident wasn't quite so lucky!

Unfortunately we had lost track of time and I realised we were not going to make it back to Willow Springs before nightfall and would have to navigate in the dark. I also soon realised that we had another problem – the thirsty little Honda had just about finished its tank load of petrol and didn't have enough to get home. Luckily I had a spare can of petrol on the roof and stopped to top up – then two things happened. Firstly, Sandra looked up at where the full moon should have been and could only see a sliver – it was in total eclipse, at point which she went into ecstasy with her camera. Secondly, as she was being ecstatic, I discovered the spare petrolcan was faulty and was pouring more petrol over and the ground than into the tank (it has now been replaced) So, smelling of petrol and enthralled by the earth's shadow drifting across the full moon, we finally limped home where Johann had a welcome meal waiting.

The Eclipse

We are now ensconced at the very agreeable Aroona and have had a day exploring the Flinders. The highlight for visitors to this part of the Flinders is Wilpena Pound where two mountain ranges form an enormous bowl enclosing a vast plain with only one entrance through a gorge. We made the fairly easy walk to the old Wills' Homestead before clambering up to a view point to get a spectacular view of the Pound where a century ago the Wills family had tried, largely unsuccessfully, to rear sheep and grow wheat – the elements were against them.

We are likely to stay in this part of the Flinders for several more days before moving further north.

 

PS I wrote the above some days ago, As I type this PS I have just bought my FIFTH tyre!