Road Trip

The town, Hay, on the Bidgee, was formerly Lang's Crossing begun in mid 1800s, on the travelling stock routes or Great north road or The Long Paddock that saw flocks of sheep, cattle, walk hundreds of miles.
  First a punt crossed the river and the river was busy with trade and shipping.
 A timber and iron bridge with a special turntable middle section that swung open was built in 1874. Replaced in 1946 by this offering.  The railway line added to decline in river trade.

.....no stock to cross bridge without 24 hrs prior permission....

The travelling stock routes were/are over a lot of the state and seem to be a 'corridor' for stock, near the roads.
 As well as stock and fodder, the strips of land are a special source of biodiversity, where longstanding plants and trees are left standing.
Humans and vehicles have some access.  Take a long hike, camp.

 There is risk that the zones will be sold for state revenues or unlawfully occupied by local stock or for crops and their amenities neglected - it is believed. 



  

Road Trip

The Murrumbidgee, from the bridge at Hay, had volume and pace and had spread into the riverside parks late October. To the east, flooding had cleared from sections of the Sturt Hwy.

Road Trip at 7600 ks

   Becoming a 'true blue'. Is that what it takes to enjoy the dry unruly bushland.
Trees reach up then reach down again. It grows on you!   Could it be mallee scrub.



THE highly enjoyable concert last night was life affirming or was it about all that has changed on our home front?   Thanks ABC TV.


 

Road Trip

Morning light on bushland........neural networks...parallel  processing....

Road Trip

Darling River  Wilcannia. NSW.
A series of connected lakes are filled by periodic flooding of the river...a process that is becoming rarer and rarer.
Lake Woytchugga (2000 hectares) is one of the ephemeral overflow lakes, getting water every 7 - 10 years. Overall, water birds and others including the red-tailed cocatoo use the vegetation to nest and to survive. Aquatic life is present.
The area is full of cultural significance in the life of the traditional inhabitants.  Fish, yabbies, mussels, shrimp, ducks, swans and waterfowl were foodstuffs during gatherings.
Sufficient water is key to survival of these age old remote environments.
Data displayed by river authorities. 

Road Trip

Harvesting was afoot in the 'Bidgee district.  But not by backpackers.
 A Backpackers rate of taxation for fruit picking work is hotly debated.  Farmers depend on the visitors - legal or otherwise - and seek legislation yesterday. Visitors probably gain 'brownie points' towards a visa extension by working in rural areas.
  A grower in the N T relies on a team from Taiwan to pick the Mango crop. No locals prepared to do this work .....the low pay..... the grit....the distance? 
  Complex times.  Exploitation of overseas workers, banning free trade, bringing back the old ways and making things great again is debated. Unlikely to go back. 
Globally, these times could be interpreted as a very slow inevitable move towards more equality and global social justice.

   

Road Trip

The state of South Australia was looking near perfect during a quick little tour last month. Good rainfall resulted in thick green crops and bright vistas all round.
Wind turbines - could be anywhere - but these are north of Adelaide S A where wind power was unfairly seen as notorious for the role it played in a state wide power failure in recent times during an extreme weather event.  Climate troubles, yes, and a positive move to overcome this portrayed as second best.
Green power like Green politics falls far short of approval. As if it is on a par with the lowest of the low.

 A closer look at the blade of a wind turbine, its big, and displayed in the same district.  The village was a real scene of horror because of murders most foul committed in the 1990s.
  

Story teller, writer, Frank Clune, wrote of a group of prospectors who gathered at Uluru in 1940 getting there by motoring along in wheel tracks and then changing to camel train.
 He said of the rock 'the natives name it Oolera' and  'it has power to throw its magic spell on the beholder and 'no man could feel egotistical as he stands in its mighty shadow'.
   He felt the lure of Centralia and its immense solitude and peace.   He climbed the rock as a matter of course attended by 'the native tribe'. Luritchas. The group camped in the shadow of Uluru and even cleared an area for a plane to land.
Later, were busier times in 1944 when military operations were set up in Alice Springs to defend northern Australia and General MacArthur looked in.

Currently, Stan Grant, journalist and more, of Aboriginal heritage, has drawn attention to the truths of our shared history and developments.

The same for the anniversary of the visit of Pope John Paul 11 who, surprisingly, visited Alice Springs to address the indigenous people and tried and say it like it is. 29th November 1986.
\
SBS TV has a doco beginning on Tuesday 29th Nov,  venturing into the indigenous world and it is sure to be confronting and stirring.

In the country, a path with markers of a tragedy, to walk, to ponder on the Wirrayaraay people who were murdered on the slopes of this ridge ....1838.....Myall Creek ....
 The memorial is near Bingara NSW. 

Road Trip

Parliament House displays a whole wall of large panels: Six River Odyssey.  In vain.  Green wash.  That's all it is.
Many of the politicians therein are incapable of a noble decision. Anti environment. Water - Water minister!!

Dedicated heros work to prolong the life of the Murray Darling Rivers while others ignore all the science and work in opposition.
The overall picture is of most importance and those who suffer up stream could restructure with assistance.
Deals are broken and South Australia, a small threatened but competent state, has been doubled crossed.

  From Hindmarsh Island, S A -  the ultimate mouth of the Murray River, in the distant centre is the outlet to the open sea and a dredge or two are in situ, this October. Water was less scarce at the time.

Coorong National Park in its beauty was the setting for the classic nature tale Storm Boy by Colin Thiele which was also made into a film.  And it has an indigenous aspect.
The National Film and Sound Archives is currently featuring an on line revival of this significant film.
 See nfsa.gov.au
 

Albert Namatjira, an aboriginal artist, revealed the landscapes of central Australia painting in the 1940s onwards in Western style.
 The tourist can see the same vistas as the mountains are permanent and reassuring but not unchanging as far as lighting is concerned.  The focus has changed for Uluru itself was not a popular subject in Namatijira's paintings.  Mt Sonder in the Macdonnell range (top pic) is not a late work
 These prints decorated many a family home in retro times in the fifties.
 In a different category, another vintage print, Chinese Girl, by Vladimir Tretchikoff was also well liked.  
 

Fake, imported, art works in traditional aboriginal style have found their way onto the market.

Souviners in Mulga wood. 
Mulga, Acacia aneura, tree grows extensively inland, is a hardwood hence very high adurability and has various uses.
Traditionally found in spears, clubs and boomerangs.  Makes fence posts and is fodder.
The wood turns well and takes a high polish and in times past was seen in small ornamental pieces for the tourist.

Vintage souvenir in Mulga wood.  It would seem to be the work of a non-indigenous artist.  Assume nothing.

  Now days,the Aborigines have been creating works of art for the market place and can be seen painting in studio or retail space in central Australia, women in particular, where trendy and outstanding traditional works are seen in a variety of mediums.  Painting are very appealing.
  It was notable to find the aborigines employed in the tourist village and good to be in the same space as them for myself who normally has very little contact.  In one other town less positive aspects were apparent. 




  

Items like this large plate with an image of an Aborigine were in production at one time probably in the 1950s or 60s.  And there were smaller items.

Vintage road trip last century

History last century
Yvonne Margarula Senior Traditional owner of the Mirrar Gundjehni homelands surrounding the proposed Jabuluka mine site:
 We live the environmental damage and negative social impact from mining development.  We believe that uranium mining has negative consequence for all Australians.  

............................it is hard to say what the current status is of the uranium mine inside a World Heritage Park......see Ranger web site.....Yvonne Margarula's work has been recognized and awarded...also Jacqui Katona....

Road Trip at 4 500 k's

 Spuds Road House, Pimba S A. And fuel tanker arrived.  Six sets of fuel tankers were seen going north that morning.  What about rail transport instead?  This is right near the road to the atomic testing township of last century.

   Is Mr Trump swotting 'The West Wing' and 'House of Cards' for a crash course in presidency? 
Heard on financial reports: Bipolar market with a Trump jump and a Trump dump! 
 
 

Road Trip

Underground church, well, semi-underground. The religion has not been driven into secrecy - not yet - it has been built underground, as in a mine, in this hot dusty stark town of opal mining fame.
 It is cool inside.      Next door has underground rooms to stay in.  The edge of town is a luna landscape of little mines with low piles of dirt - all to a certain height.
 

...............Rest in peace, Gwen, of PBS news.

Road Trip Stuart Highway

These relay communications to central Australia, every so often all along the highway. And celebrate this small scale solar power.
  Anyway, this communication network could be in part to support an obscure American spy installation in the centre (began in the cold war in the sixties) or the foreign military who train in the N T such as those from Indonesia or U S.

'On ya, Senator Penny Wong, who, I heard, writes of more focus on our neighbours as well as the US in a post-Obama world.  How do we ingratiate ourselves into S E Asia?  Its not easy.

On Safari

 Refugees. Mr Turnbull's plan.  Yes, it is plain to see we are short of space.
 Negotiations are made with the US to take our refugees away. Incredible ins and outs.

  Resettlement in Guam, Puerto Rico, Samoa, Alaska, Uninhabited island territory, Micronesia, the Marshalls -  all likely candidates or far too good? Life wasn't meant to be easy. To a far away struggle street? To Trump towers?
Will there be mercy they never had?

....you can tell a true Territorian by the iced coffee they knock back!.....
Where's the NSW version?

Crossroads. A hub in the outback.

 Even more strife for our detainee refugees. Reports are they are going to the USA.  Is that a threat or a promise?

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  Mystery object.  Polish with a series of fine discs then apply a paint.
  Clear plastic goes cloudy after some time on the car headlights etc.  Are the solar rays more destructive here than in Japan - the origin of the import. The vehicle must pass annual inspection if it is more than several  years old.
 In Japan, summer is so so, one reads, for example, that a national park, will be closed over winter till late April and that is in the warmer south.  Cherry blossoms and plum blossoms mark spring tho autumn would be appealing.  How's the yen holding up?  
  
 

Road Trip

Town of Alice Springs N T. in part, almost the centre of the continent.   Circled by ancient dry rugged hills that are the stuff of indigenous legends.

Road Trip

Backpackers on location in central Australia.

Too weird to live.....bat country....

Realms of analysis describe Trumpism.
 Popularism.  Is it possible that the racism from Trump, the insults and threats to minorities, insults to women and threats to the foreign alliances are only designed to promote a reaction,
to fool the people and grab attention
and all the rhetoric will be dropped soon like a lead balloon. His voters double crossed.
 Anti intellectual.  Anti environment.  Climate change denier. WHATEVER IT TAKES.

Road Trip

Walking on water.  A salt lake. Lake Hart S A. By the highway in the Woomera Prohibited Area of early atomic testing by UK, in the main.

The ABC (Au) is taking it for granted there is a whole lot of interest in THE elections live now this Wednesday morning onwards. A number of their journalists are on the ground all over. What you see is what you get. Hours and hours of it. Nothing rigged in ABC coverage!
  Hope the broadcaster has not overspent and there is something left in the budget, say for a new science show or an Australian drama.
Never the less, the results will be interesting.   

On safari

Sunset and salt lake.
Our planet is grand.  Endless blue skies and colourful sunsets, Or are we after more drama. Whats it like on Neptune?

On Safari

Glam camping - Not!  Camping, three, all alone, on a big vacant lonely roadside rest area, close to the geographical heart of the continent and miles and miles from signs of habitation.

In the steps of the explorer John McDouall Stuart hence the Stuart Highway.  His exceptional explorations took him across the continent from the south to the north coast in 1862 - on his third attempt.

Three times.  Persistence pays off.  Vote early vote often. 
 Australian correspondents will be relieved when the U S election ends and they can finish taking us to state after state to witness all the whohar while autumn leaves in Pennsylvania and all sorts of backgrounds flash past on media.
Democracy has declined and some wish to go backwards to certainty while change is where it is all at.
Forget about the biggest and the greatest. A just society is best but look at the opposition to any good moves.  In the U S it gets the label of socialisation and meets resistence - all our minds are shaped along certain lines while we could expand and explore new ways.
AT least the $US exchange rate is becoming more favourable for us - it is such a temptation.
  

Road trip

Motorhome towing a fully equipped 4x4.

The Indonesian president has cancelled a visit to our shores due to protests and riots at home. Locals are taking exception to Jakarta's Governor and maybe other aspects as well.
Our Dept will notify travellers of oncoming problems and warnings were issued so as to avoid these protests predicted in various cities of Indonesia.
If Mr President did visit our outback he would have seen the sights and seen live export cattle on the road over which he supports a number of demands. Any of our value added aspects are hard to find.  Ban live export!

Expeditionsmobile on Fuso Canter 4x4.  The photo is pale.
 Tourist vehicles are usually more conventional than this personally fully imported model, reminescent of the Dakar Rally.
A search finds that it is made by Woelcke from Heimsheim area which is not far from Stuttgart.
That's in the area of the Romantische Strasse and it would be hard to find a scene less like that delightful region in southern Germany.
All the major destinations in the Outback can be reached by normal two wheel drive on sealed roads. It is a different matter if a car gets off the sealed roads into sticky mud or sand or creek crossings or obstacles requiring high clearance.