Silverton to Tibooburra - 22 July 2014

We had to go back to Broken Hill to head out to Tibooburra, which is due north about 330 kms. We stopped in Broken Hill to go to Howard William Steer’s Gallery. We had seen some of his paintings in Silverton and really liked them. He was opening up early for us as I had rung him yesterday. We talked to him for quite some time; a lovely man. A lot of his paintings have a Royal Flying Doctor theme and he raised lots of money for them. He has lived in Broken Hill all his life and his father was Mayor from about 1912-1916. He has been painting for 41 years and was a Vietnam Vet. He has raised $360,000 for the Royal Flying Doctors. He showed us a painting he is doing for the AFL Footy Show. He did one last year and it raised $10,000. We even gave him an idea for a painting. We did ask for commission! We bought one of his paintings – not an original though.

We didn't get away from Broken Hill then, till about 10.15. As we were leaving, we heard on the news that the thief had struck in a caravan park in Broken Hill again. Thank heavens we got away unscathed.

The road to Tibooburra is a combination of dirt (about 100 kms) and sealed. The fellow who looks after the roads out there used to work in Sydney in the same capacity. Each time a culvert or floodway/causeway needs repair, he requests the same amount of money he used to in Sydney. And of course the roads out here are not as wide as on the east coast. As a result, a little bit more of the road gets sealed! Very good way of getting things done.

Seeing we were getting more remote, it was greener than I expected. We drove past a group of about 6 sheeps and a cow that were dead on the side of the road. Hard to work out how that happened - maybe a truck?

About half way or so along the road is a place called Packsaddle. You can actually turn off there and head into a property of the same name, but on the roadside is a Roadhouse with a café and petrol bowsers, as well as accommodation. Petrol was $1.84, which wasn't too bad. We stopped here for lunch in our van.

We passed Fowler's Gap, which is a University of New South Wales Arid Zone Research Station. They couldn't have picked a better place for it! It was quite a big complex.

 

There were graded culverts/dams on the side of the road as we drove along. We had seen similar out near Eulo and Thargomindah and assume they are for water collection when it rains.

 

We were lucky enough to spot a few wedge tail eagles feeding on some road kill. Of course, they flew off when we approached but settled in a tree back a bit further. I managed to get a reasonable photo and will be able to crop it when I get home.



There was also quite a bit lake along the way, called Salt Lake. Across from that were clay pans. Such a variety of scenery.

Along the roadside was the grave of Eliza Kennedy, who died in 1886 aged 32 years. So many people died around that time due to typhoid. It didn't say on the headstone. It was restored in 1997.

 

We checked into The Granites Caravan Park in Tibooburra. Again there is no water to connect to, and in fact the town is just about out of water. Rain is forecast for Friday. Hopefully it is good to them.

We went for a walk around town to stretch out legs. There is an outdoor theatre, a bit like a drive in but no speakers. Not sure how often it is used. The school here is actually a School of the Air.

There are 2 hotels in town, both dating from the 1880's.

It was a pretty good road from Broken Hill to Tibooburra, but we drove about 60-70 kph through the dirt strips. So, it was a long day. We left at about 10.15 and didn't get here till 5. It does stay lighter longer here, which is good.