Bunyeroo and Beyond

Today was the big explore. A loop that would take me halfway back to Wilpena Pound, then a 50klm cross country trek to the Outback Highway and a 20klm run to Parachilna for lunch and (of course) the AFL Grand Final. Then, alcohol intake permitting, an easy run back to the van.

The Great Wall of China was easily seen from the main road. One of those serendipitous geological events, where the mountain has been eroded to a layer of rock. Very impressive battlements for a Chinese emperor.

Next stop was the Wills Historic Homestead. I guess an all too common story of a young couple setting up a family farm only to be squeezed out by mining companies in a dispute of water access. (some things never change eh?). Their story is laid out in full on site and as you can see, no building regs. here. As luck wouldn’t have it, on the way back to the main road, I passed the tour guides on their way in. Even the offer of a free tour couldn’t turn me around – it was only mid-morning, yet lunch and a cold beer was niggling me.

Aaah, Bunyeroo Rd…what a buzz!! This dirt track was the complete 4WD experience, without the perils you see on those outback reality shows. Well almost, but more of that shortly. Nooo, not me this time! The road became interesting very quickly and soon I had reached the top of the Bunyeroo Valley. It wasn’t long before I started dropping down into Bunyeroo Gorge. The road narrowed up and sometimes became part of a creek bed that I crossed back and forth many times. Once again in the shadow of ancient cliffs and giant river gums I picked my way along the track, along with an irregular bunch of fellow adventurers both in front and behind. Once I moved through the gorge the landscape became more open. Still with cliffs on all sides, but the trees thinned out dramatically.

Now, I’m not sure how he managed to end up in the creek, given that it was twenty metres off the track, but this Russell Coight wannabe found himself literally between a rock and a hard place. Luckily it was a long weekend and he was already under winch by the time I pulled up for a squiz.

The final third of Bunyaroo Road found me on the western side of the Flinders Ranges chasing the thirst that was leading me to the Prairie Hotel at Panachilna. At the T-interstection, it was left hand turn into the outback, an endless plain stretch out to the horizon. Hit the tar 15minutes later then 15 minutes to a cuppa, a muddy waters and some authentic roadkill for lunch. Capped the great day with an epic AFL Grand Final, and a deserved victory to the Pies. I mean what choice did I have? – it was Brisbane !! Managed that ‘easy run’ without a hitch and managed to caught the sunset with a Stella Atoris in hand.