18.7.18 Innamincka to camp near Lake Frome

After one of our warmest nights where we all ditched blankets/thermals/beanies etc it was up and out of camp pretty early. I needed to fill the jerry for our trip down towards Lake Frome today (and on to Yunta for fuel) as the distance is close to my range. I did a run to the dump and had to wait for the store to open at 8. Then Steve came up and tied the jerry to his roof rack. 

We were on the road by 8.30.

The roads update leading Innamincka- very different to last year having spent 3 days rained in at Innamincka and limited roads open to get out.

The Strzelecki Road ro Moonba.

Quite a lot of oil drilling industry on the route today.

Some buildings along the way.

And some more

Heading south towards Moomba on the Strzelecki Track. There was quite a bit of traffic - mostly oil/industry related. A good road allowed us to travel at 80-90kmh. 

It was rather dusty in places. Steve had a truck pull to the right of road so he could pass on the left so he could see. The breeze  was blowing the dust to the right at the time.

Heading for Moonba on the good road as we had to get some kilometres under our belts today.

Some more buildings, aerials etc.

There were many trucks and tankers today.

Travelling both ways.

We met several huge crane trucks too. I’m curious to know what they were lifting and where.

Approaching Moonba.

Moonba off to the right. We didn’t go in

We passed through some of the most inhospitable country we have passed through. Sandy desert like scrub with Small hummocky sand hills. 

We even had two sealed sections of the road today. Felt very odd.

We travelled through several cattle stations today. Lindon and a few others I didn’t catch 

Lunch was at Montecollina Bore. Lots of water, reeds and birds. 

Here we are all parked to create some shade at back of vehicles to make lunch.

I had a vanilla slice in the fridge from Birdsville Bakery -Yum

Then we turned off onto a lesser track through farming country to look at Lake Frome, we saw some bores and the vermin proof fence. They have replaced the original with a new fence. We got down to Lake Frome along a small section of Dog Fence Track. It was good to see it. 

We stopped at Old Mooliwataa to view an old grave. A Victorian from Mt Moriac. 

We passed through the Gammon Ranges NP and found our last campsite. 

A big day on the track - we did 9 hours or so with half hour for lunch and a couple of short breaks to discuss game plan when tracks were hard to find etc.