We start heading south

 

Wednesday 3 August 2022 – We start heading south

Last night we were awakened by dingoes howling all around camp and this morning there was evidence of their tracks right near the van.  Lucky we have been careful to pack away all our rubbish and even tuck our shoes away in the van as M read somewhere that they have been known to take off with a shoe!

It was still very windy and overcast and this morning the coffee machine didn’t want to work even though there was apparently still enough charge in the batteries.  Sorry, change that to battery, as this is when Larry realised one our batteries had gone back into safe mode again.  After problem solving the issue for a good hour or so L&H decided that it has probably been in safe mode all trip and it’s only because we have been constantly in the sun and on the move that we hadn’t noticed.  Further, they think it has probably been in safe mode ever since our trip to Jarrahdene early this year where we had the same problem.  As the same battery has gone into safe mode we have to charge it with a 240V charger so will do that at Kings Canyon Resort where we will have a powered site and hopefully that’ll fix it.

Heading off a little later than planned we made it back to Hermannsburg where we topped up with fuel, visited the supermarket (and bought a billy so we can make mulled wine) and got our little serve of internet and Larry posted the latest batch of this blog. Visited the Hermannsburg historical precinct which is the Lutheran mission from the late 1800s. Hardy folk these Lutheran missionaries and it is in the middle of nowhere. The buildings have been preserved very well and apple strudel and cream were devoured at the little cafe which was originally the family home of one of the German families.  All five of the children were sent back to Germany to attend boarding school and the mother wrote of feeling saddened by the ‘quiet, empty rooms’.  Unsurprisingly, none of the five children ever came back to Australia having compared greenery and mountains to red dust and heat.

Onwards to the dirt and more rough roads of the Mereenie Loop and after a few hours we arrived at the Kings Canyon Resort/Caravan park. Even though we had asked for adjoining sites when booking we were split up but only by a few sites so all good.   There are multitudes of amenity blocks here and they are building more so we can pick between walking 20 metres to one behind us or 25 metres to one in front of us.

Off to the pub for dinner and a few drinks as it ended up a longer day than planned and the rough roads do take it out of us.  Very, very windy this afternoon and evening and a huge dust pall hanging over the area.