The road from Bourke south is good – mostly long and straight through very flat grass lands with scattered trees. Lots of sheep and cattle.
Kidman way = Kidmans owned huge areas of this country – around Yowah as well.
Evidence of the bores being closed in – lack of windmills and water tanks on
mounds all over the place. Was a great scheme while it lasted – pity the gov
has pulled the funding before it was finished. Capped the bores and piped the
water to prevent waste from evaporation!!!
Pleasant evening chatting to Asian newly retired couple
who are dashing around Australia in 3 months!!!
Big mobs of cows and sheep – calving and lambing. Not
much feed around though. To Mitchell Caravan Park – kiwi couple running it. Had
shower, did lots of washing etc. Neighbors had their very
bright outside light on all night – ugh – and dogs barking.
Checked out first camp south – nothing but scrub and
tracks. Same with the next one but stayed back in the scrub. much cleaner and quieter than the sealed roadside area. Chatting to a couple with Model A
Ford and camper. A few others stayed the night. Very quiet.
Went for a drive one day to a dam much further out. Checked for gold in a few creeks and around the trig. Nothing. About 30 goats in the trap pen – one old nanny put her head down and shot under the gate followed by her kid! I fixed a gate that had its bar knocked off. Saw a couple of roos, and more goats. The hingelock fence is certainly effective for stopping the goats. Went back to watch the goats being loaded on to the trailer. They are easy to smother it seems – stupid things. There were less than when I saw them before so obviously several know how to get out those gates!!!! Watched a DVD on problem solving for this sort of land. Very interesting and I certainly look at the countryside with different eyes now.Went to Cobar. Up to the mine lookout over it. Did laundry, had a face neck and shoulder massage – Vietnamese – includes hair wash and dry for $30. Lunch then washed ute. The 2 minute slots go really fast I decided. Bought hanging tomato plant things and strawberry seeds for the kids. 
Said a reluctant goodbye to the family after 6 days and to headed towards Wilcannia. Checked a couple of camp sites and stopped at a new area at Lilyvale. Will be finished in a week or so with toilets and covered tables on both sides of the road. More a truck stop I think but only 25km to camp areas off the road either side of this stop. Decided to stay at Emmdale roadhouse - $10 for a key to loo and showers. Bit worried that if it rains I will get stuck at the free camps. Chatting to some Tasmanians Acacias starting to flower. Very undulating but straight road. Pretty good surface most of the way. Heaps of goats on side of road, and sheep in very bare paddocks.
Woke at 6.30 to the sound of gentle rain. Decided to shift to the sealed area! Had a shower, breakfast then on the road before 8!!! So many goats drinking off the road, also fat family of pigs, and a few roos. Nearly collected a roo who decided to shoot across between me and an oncoming car. Luckily I was going slow as I wanted to go around the dead one on the road ahead! 
Up gentle rises to the Maccullochs range camp by 8.30. This is a great spot with a childrens playground, sealed parking and plenty of camping areas off to the side. Pity about the weather as I think there would be a great view from up here. Was going to stay but decided it was too wet and cold to camp so down to Wilcannia – new Caravan Park out of town. 
Miserable wet day parked beside a billabong. A
day for the computer I think. Rain did ease up a bit during the night but more rain in the morning. Tried to tune TV so I could watch the Bledisloe Cup but no luck getting 10 yesterday so decided to shift the van up about 4 sites in the morning – a
little better and almost have it! Did washing – but no driers here so place is
like a chinese laundry. At least it is cool enough to have the heater going!
Stayed an extra day - still wet and cold then on to Broken Hill. Flat dry high plain with salt bush and scrubby scattered trees. Stopped at Netallie Hill and Dolo hill – both exposed truck stops and not at all inviting. After Dolo the road wound down a bit through wide gentle hills with more casiurina trees and salt bush. A few yellow, white and purple (Patterson’s curse?) wild flowers around. Stock look health though – sheep and cattle. Had Spring Hill stop all to myself so practiced backing and got tucked in behind the playground! Supposed to be phone here but not getting anything! So much for updating the sites I have photos of! Still a cold wind so a day for reading I think! Chatting to a few campers. Full overnight including some noisy ones.
Thought about staying an extra day but moved on to Tobar roadhouse. Not inspiring – big truck stop - and still no internet. More vast wide flat saltbush plains, (150m ASL) and more feed around. Closer to Broken hill the land is more hilly. The town looks very old with lots of small cottages, and lines of little old accommodation blocks. Built on hills and has deep drains and floodways at all intersections in town.
Went out to Silverton – Penrose park. $10 pp plus $5 for power so staying a couple of nights. STILL no internet though. Very undulating road – am told 39 floodways in the 25km. Would not like to be out here in rain especially with the floodway road through the river with dirt piled up! Interesting large park with heaps of camping spots. No taps but plenty of drinking water tanks. Limited power sites also.
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