Days 19-21 of Trip Destination Unknown (Yunta - Mt Remarkable NP - Port Augusta: Ngadjuri - Nukunu - Barngala countries) 23/5/2022

 Day 19: Our intention was to head to Arkaroola in the Gammon Ranges but many roads around there are still closed due to rain so we headed west again. Stopped for a while in Peterborough, a fascinating railway town and well worth a visit. There was an excellent history of the town in an old railway carriage and after reading that we headed off to walk the sights.  Originally called Peterburg, this was one of the many places in South Australian in which names were changed to make them less German during the wars. This is acknowledged in the history and on a number of signs.

 

 

 
As is often the case in these old country towns, there were many of the old buildings and of course, the requisite number of hotels (in Peterborough's case 4 - could have been 6 but for the moderation of Methodists!) In fact Peterborough could be made into a living museum if all the old places around the town were renovated.  There is also what must be one of the oldest pedestrian subways around, built in 1900. This was because with up to 100 trains passing through this town each day in its heyday, crossing over the railway line was too dangerous.

Onwards we then travelled to Mt Remarkable National Park via some of the towns, namely Appila and Booleroo Centre, where my great-grandfather grew up and worked.  Appila exists in about name only these days while Booleroo Centre appears to be growing.  I've been writing up a little bit about him, so visiting these places was interesting.

 The old pub at Appila - not open anymore

 Grave of Thomas Hawke (my great-grandfather)

We reached our destination, Baroota Ruins Campground, late in the afternoon in time to peruse the old homestead ruins there and enjoy sunset. 


With no camping neighbours, I was able to set up my moth trap for a little while, not long because I seemed to be attracting not a lot more than one species. Barcoota Ruins Campground Moth+ Watch

Day 20: We explored the beautiful River Red Gum and Cyprus-pine forest around this part of Mt Remarkable National Park by following the Mambray Creek track for quite a way. The River Red Gums are stunning. They seem to survive almost anything that is thrown at them, fire, chopping and drought with tap roots of around 9 metres seeking water from deep down. Here they are known as Wira.

We then noticed a Daveys Gully trail so had to follow that.  It led down a lovely gully and up over a hill to a wonderful view of both the national park and the Spencer Gulf.
 



Of course I did my usual wandering around looking for interesting critters and plants.  I managed to find a few. The beautiful Adelaide Rosella (a type of Crimson Rosella) and Mallee Ringneck  were among these.
 

Also among the intersting critters was the Urodacus elongatus or the Flinders Ranges Scorpion - a young one I think - and a tiny jumping spider (about 4mm long). The latter was on the toilet door!

 

Day 21: A beautiful day for a beautiful walk up to Hidden Gorge.  While I was hoping to see a Yellow-footed Rock Wallaby (I didn't), we were delighted to witness a sight I'd never seen before - two emus bathing in one of the rare pools of water around.  Pete thought they were a couple of ducks because they were fully submerged with only their heads showing.  When they noticed us, they stood up and dashed out of the pool absolutely dripping!  Then of course, as emus will do, they chose our path as their escape route so we followed the drips for a couple of hundred metres until finally they found sense and moved off somewhere else.  On our return journey there were no emus in the pool, but little Silvereyes were bathing and Brown-headed Honeyeaters drinking at the same place. 

 Very poor image of a sodden emu taken on my                                                                                             phone

 Brown-headed Honeyeaters

The little bathing Silvereyes

The walk passed through a variety of landscapes but the beautiful pinkish red colours of the gorges, and the patterning of rocks were highlights.

 

 

A few flowers and berries were out but we were just a little too early for these tiny little orchids that I managed to find budding. The whole plant is just 2cm high although I guess the flowers will make it slightly higher.

 

 

 

In the afternoon we headed to Port Augusta to spend a night. Our caravan park was next to the bay where we managed to witness a stunning sunset.


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