How do we get home from here?

From Roxby Downs, we headed down the Yorke Peninsula stopping for the night at Clinton Conservation Park. The park, situated around the head of Gulf St Vincent, is home to a large variety of birds (200+ varieties) and breeding ground for fish. It is also home to lots and lots of ants!  This was a free camp and only intended to be a stopover.

The following day, we headed to Mannum, an historic town located on the west bank of the Murray River 84 kms east of Adelaide. European settlement in the town started in 1840, the first paddle steamer built on the Murray River was built and launched in Mannum in 1852. Ship building continued in the town well into the 20th century. 

In 1954, the Mannum – Adelaide pipeline was built, taking water from the Murray to provide Adelaide with a reliable water source. Today Mannum is a popular tourist destination, the population of the town growing significantly during the summer months. For our Mannum stay we parked the Tvan and enjoyed a couple of nights in an Air bnb.  Our digs were in a beautiful home, sitting elevated above the main street,  86 steps down to the main street. We ventured down to the pub one afternoon and the heavens opened … worked a treat as we stayed on for dinner!

Back on the road we headed towards Mildura, just out of Mildura we found Bottle Bend. Bottle Bend is located on the banks of the Murray River, fortunately the tracks had dried, and it was an easy drive in but there was plenty of evidence of others that were not so lucky. We found a lovely site right beside the river. Pete did some fishing; I think the fish had seen humans fishing before as they spent the time jumping out of the water very close but not close enough to his line.

The next morning, we headed into Mildura for a quick restock of food and fuel before heading towards Broken Hill. It is rather strange being back in a city with lots of people and cars and traffic lights and roundabouts. We had hoped to stay at Kinchega National Park, just south of Menindee. Menindee is located 110 kms south of Broken Hill.

This time we weren’t so lucky with the roads; recent rains (as in while we were there) had made them very muddy and slippery.  I dare say that they would’ve been closed shortly after our exit. Both the Prado and the Tvan were caked in orange mud up to 2 inches thick which dried like concrete.

Having stopped at Lake Pamamaroo, located just to the north of Menindee, at the start of the trip we decided to head back there. The roads were in much better condition, we found ourselves a great spot right beside the lake.  During our stay we have been treated to a couple of great storms.  Today is clear skies and low 30s, so very nice but we seem to be on another ant super highway where you can’t stand still without the little critters making their way up your leg.  The birdlife is prolific with fleets of pelicans cruising in formation past us; water birds searching on the edge of the lake; ducks and ducklings doing a procession along the waterline … and nobody else in sight or earshot!

Tomorrow, we head towards Cobar, about 560kms. We then need to make the big decision … which way home … head north or east!  There is rain (big falls and storms everywhere), with road closures happening by the hour.