Leaving Arkaroola we headed north along the Strzelecki track. It skirts the Strzelecki, Simpson and Sturt’s Stony Deserts. Most of the track was in good condition, but very dusty, which didn’t bother us much, since there was no traffic.

North Mulga Station – a long way from everywhere!

Sturt’s Stony Desert

Santos manage to suck oil out of all this dry sand.

In 2010 this rig and all the others in the lower Strzelecki sat in 2 meters of water for the best part of 12 months. It’s hard to imagine that volume of water spread out over this incredibly flat land.

These cattle must live on dirt and rocks – there doesn’t seem to be anything else to eat.

We spent a night at Innaminka on Coopers Creek, then wound our way over a slow track full of bad corrugations, washouts and bull dust. This took us to Coongie Lakes – a strange sight after winding over desert sandhills. The lake is massive and supports all sorts of birdlife

Caspian Tern

Corellas

Pair of Grass Parrots

Serious looking Willy Wagtail

Dingos howled most nights but they are very cautious and hard to see. I managed to get a photo of this guy early one morning.

ARCHITECTURE

These are some of the best examples of bush architecture we encountered along the way.

Windorah – Once the old court house, now a comfortable abode

Dynevor Downs shearing shed – like much of western Queensland wild dogs have forced a change from sheep to cattle, so this once mighty shed is in decay.

Yowah Qld – Corrugated Iron Paradise

Beltana SA – What cant you do with corrugated iron?

Maree SA – simple but effective

Warrego Hwy – This old place has been added to and extended over the years – sadly, now abandoned and slowly disintegrating.