Day 177 - Balladonia to Mundrabilla

We left our overnight camp 635km from the WA/SA border.  Today we covered 479km of the Eyre Highway so we still have a way to go before we reach the border.

Not surprisingly the countryside “deteriorated” as we travelled east and the trees and foliage changed to reflect this.  There are some photographs below, which demonstrate the changes.

300914 Countryside east of Balladonia

300914 Fewer trees as we went further east

Our excitement rose as we read the sign to say we were about to start on the longest straight section of road in Australia.  146.6km later we took delight in taking a photograph of the first turn at its eastern end.

300914 Self explanatory except for the graffiti

300914 A few more trees appeared on the straight stretch

300914 Smaller and fewer trees on this part of the straight stretch

300914 Still on the straight stretch

300914 Still on the straight stretch

300914 The first turn at Caiguna, as we finished the straight stretch

We were cruising along an excellent road, commenting on the general flatness of the countryside when all of a sudden we came across Madura Pass.  Seems we had been on a bit of an escarpment and before our eyes the road plunged downwards to a very, very flat plain.  We crossed this plain for another 100km or so with the range hugging our left hand side.  It is still with us at our overnight stop at the Mundrabilla Roadhouse.

300914 Madura Pass - note the plain on RHS

300914 On the plain after Madura Pass.  Followed the escarpment
 on the LHS for over 100km to Mundrabilla

The changes in trees meant changes in colour too. There was another gum with different buds from yesterday’s example but with similar white flowers.  A large wattle tree caught our eye.  It was prolific.  The trees were quite large and the flowers up close were beautiful.

300914 Gum tree buds - different from yesterday's tree

300914 Flowers from the buds

300914 The gum in full flower (almost)

300914 Spectacular wattle appeared after Cocklebiddy

300914 The wattle close up 

Our days do not often pass without seeing something unusual.  Today it was:

•      A 1928 Ford in mint condition.  Its owners had just attended an exhibition of old cars in Perth.  We would have thought it better to ship the car over to Perth.  They, on the other hand, chose to drive it from their NSW home to Perth and back.  Their only failure had been a broken spring holding one of the brushes in the generator.  The owner proudly told us, “Part of a paddle pop stick was substituted to keep the brush in place”.

300914 A 1928 Ford at Caiguna Roadhouse



300914 Measured at 80kph

•     A mother emu and two chicks crossing the road.  Sadly, with a road train following us at 100km/h, we could not stop to photograph them.
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•       Three emergency RFDS strips on the road.  One is unusual enough but three? 

300914 This was the third emergency airstrip seen today

    The overwhelming feeling we got from our travels today was one of an immense country, with so few people living in it.  Lack of reliable water and the quality of the land must be contributing factors.  In this regard, there is no comparison with the Argyle region in the north. 

The Gnome was pretty impressed with Cocklebiddy. He was delighted to hear that two quails were born last night, so the quail population had risen to nine.

300914 The Gnome offering his welcome to Cocklebiddy

300914 Sammy the wedgetail eagle at Cocklebiddy Roadhouse