Autumn 2018

This year western New South Wales is in the grip of a record drought.

Cobar to Bourke

According to our mate El Prado as we drive north up the Kidman Way, we’re on KEG watch, Kangaroos, Emus and Goats.

The road from Cobar to Bourke is superb, smooth wide graded edges make it easy to see wildlife as it hurtles out of the scrub. And there’s plenty of wildlife. This is red dirt country lined with mulga all the way to Bourke. As we enter Bourke there are dozens of emus anxious for grass, grazing on parkland.

Bourke to Cunnamulla

Driving on this stretch of road is like a slalom, dodging bloated roo bodies, bleached rib cages and enormous mounds of feathers. Thankfully there is little oncoming traffic. To amuse ourselves (if one could call it amusement) we do a body count. In one ten kilometre stretch we count 250 Roos, 1 emu and 1 pig, all dead.

It’s heartbreaking.