Almost Broken Hill

Leaving Mutawintji National Park the illuminated sign said the road was closed to Broken Hill and Tibooburra, which meant the Silver City Highway. So I had to take the only alternative, Waterbag Rd, which had been closed only days ago. Being in an AWD, but not a 4WD, I was justly nervous.

But the only iffy parts were in washouts near the beginning, and from the dreadful roads at my Mountain I was used to picking the highest and driest path in advance as I drorve up to them. Most of the 65 or so kms were through properties and more like this.

I did see emus… but also goats…

Some stretches had a bluish tinge to the paddocks. The fact that there was a green layer in most places has to be unusual, from the recent rains .

But I did reach Broken Hill. I cannot credit that the old overburden heaps are so close to houses; surely they must still blow dust over them?

Not being tempted to hang around the city, I headed out to view the famous Sculptures.

But I do not relate easily to most abstract artworks, and I found the natural rocks on the walk from there more to my taste.

More interesting, more varied. OK, so I’m a Philistine…

I was to stay close by, at the Starview Primitive campsite that night.

There was only a short walk there, and as on the one downhill (and unfortunately then back uphill) from the Sculptures,  I mainly saw rocks and some familiar plants, like this yellow Cassia (Senna) and a Nightshade (Solanum) struggling on the harsh hillside.

Every now and then there were isolated scatterings of lumps of a white marble-like stone. I asked a passerby, but he was as ignorant as me.

But tomorrow I am heading north to the Flinders Ranges, and I expect to see many different and unidentified things there…