Day 4

Tuesday 10th March

Mildura to Burra SA

The Ollies water system has failed so Double or Nuthin changes the filter. We fill up with petrol and coffee and leave the oasis of Mildura for Renmark in South Australia.

We pass fields of wheat stubble and dozens of emus enjoying the pickings. As we ate all our fruit and vegetables last night we sail into the quarantine checkpoint with nothing more than a banana skin. The inspectors are thorough and helpful giving us quarantine info booklets and Riverland maps. Renmark is simply beautiful with lots of green grass and fountains. Even the public toilets are a 5star architectural masterpiece of stone, wood and glass with everything operated by sensors. Grape vines abound here. We visit the bakery and Woody tucks into a lambs fry pie! No one else is game to try it….

There are several roads to Morgan and we each take a different route, due to either confusion or frustration with the GPS. Thus the Ollies and Veewee end up riding on a car ferry and on the prettier drive.

Morgan sits high on the banks of the Murray and is quite spectacular with views over the wide expanse of river. There is an old stone morgue on the riverbank. Apparently when the town cemetery was being laid out one of the surveyors wondered who would be the first to be buried there. Sadly, next day he drowned in the river.

I drive the last leg with Veewee and as we discuss the merits of Milenco mirrors Woody calls out for us to pick his up, off the road. I guess you could describe it as fractured. Thankfully Double or Nuthin has a spare set on board. After many miles of skinny sheep and saltbush the Porcupine Range comes into view and what a pretty sight it is with the plains sweeping up to undulating hills in the late afternoon light.

Burra Creek Gorge is down a road called the World’s End Highway (now there’s a name). Beside sheep paddocks, the dry stony creek has carved a small gorge. There are large gnarly gums and plenty of room to camp. We sit outside and celebrate Shirley’s birthday, perhaps a little too hard, under a magic carpet of stars. Of course, I can walk. If you hold me!

Facilities: 0

Towing Kms: 337