Northern Territory!

Yahoo! We've hit the NT at last. Stayed the night at Kulgera Roadhouse with a whole heap of other travellers. Mass exodus in the morning, with everyone hitting the road!

Coober Pedy

Very interesting place Coober Pedy. Stayed here two nights. After taking ourselves on a bit of a cooks tour, we took the advice of a couple we'd befriended and went on a five-hour tour run by    
BIG4 Stuart Range Outback Resort. Most informative and entertaining. Sounds like all you have to do is dig a hole and you'll strike it rich!

Interesting to hear that there is no more mining allowed in the town, but you can excavate extensions, new homes and sewers! As a result, some underground houses have many rooms. They seem to struggle with ineffective sewer lines too! One family bought a new house block, excavated the hallway and the sewer, then promptly left town! Hmmmm...

The wider Australian Serbian Church excavated a massive underground church, a 300 seat hall and then completely excavated a 300 space car park while trying to sort out the sewer.  When I asked how many Serbians were in town to justify such a massive church? We were advised that there are about 2500 people in town, 75% of whom are Italian or Greek, with the rest of the population split amoung another 100 nationalities.  Surely there's some in town??  Any??? ... I suppose all they needed was one clever one!

Driving around town, out to the Barrier Ranges where Mad Max 1 & 3 and many other movies were filmed, plus on the way to Yulara the next day, highlighted just how many mines there are. Mullock heaps everywhere. Apparently, due to the nature and fragility of opals, mining is best done by two men in small scale mines. Big machines in big mines destroy the gems.

Woomera and the rocket range

Our Woomera overnight stop-over was an interesting time. From being a heavily restricted military base in the 50s and 60s with a population of over 7000, it's now a well maintained, but seemingly 'ghost town-ish', base town of only 162. It's still in a restricted area and the base is still active, so you can't go wherever you want. Apparently a Hornet fighter jet dropped in to refuel just before we arrived.

Nevertheless, the boys and Andrew enjoyed looking at the rockets and jets in the Missile Park, as well as spending ours in the Woomera Heritage Centre, learning about Australia's involement in rocket programs in the 50s, 60s and even 90s and as late as 2005. The range has also been used for much other testing in the decades since the rocket and nucluear testing was completed. 

Heather enjoyed a sleep in the van!

Port Augusta, SA

We spent Thursday afternoon looking through the Wadlata Outback Centre,  at the recommendation of friends. What a fantastic place to visit!

It interactively covers the social and ecological history of the Outback, from dinosaurs, indigenous Australians and early European migrants, through to things like the early explorers, the RFDS and early road, rail and air transport. We all loved it, spending over three hours there.

Later on we discovered an observation point in a converted water tower. Clever!

Back on the road again!

Yesterday was a big transit day - Broken Hill NSW to Port Augusta at the top of the Spencer Gulf in SA. Today we'll be checking out the Wadlata Outback Centre, among other places, before another big transit day heading to Coober Pedy.

Oh well..... could have been worse!

Stuck in Broken Hill for a few more days; blew a brake hose as we left the racecourse. At least we weren't in the middle of nowhere or barrelling down the highway. Parts are so dear here though. $198 delivered from Jefferson Ford in Mentone, but $330 plus freight from Far West Ford in BH! Must drive the locals crazy! 

RACV Total Care just paid for itself through towing, car hire and site fees for a few days.

Mmmm... maybe not.  Better wait for the Terra.

Have fun at school tomorrow 2L!

Have fun going back to school tomorrow 2L (and 6F and TransQ). We'll be thinking of you as we travel from Broken Hill to Port Augusta.