Day 16-red centre trip. Breakfast time creek to Cambrian campsite, northern Flinders Ranges.

Day 16

5th August

Breakfast time creek to Cambrian campsite (Flinders Ranges) -161km

We had a reasonably slow start to the day, waiting for Erica's swag to dry out from the cold night air. This did give us a chance to admire the many caterpillars who are having a party after the recent rains and chomping on the tasty greenery.

A quick loo,stop at Parachilna , and we were heading for last night's intended route.

We took a quick break at the end of the Heysen Trail.  This 1200 km walking trail snakes across SA, and one day we might learn how to camp from a backpack and do  multi day walks.  If that ever happens we ight try at least some of this trail.

The road towards Moolooloo Homestead is a lovely one , tracking over many creeks and along them. We were forced to stop for a cuppa in a wide pebbly creek bed with huge old gums, and young Flinders Ranges Pines.

Eventually we turned off of the road on to a PAR travelling through Moolooloo land which became even more attractive with a lovely winding track even more narrow than the road. We stopped to gape at Hannigan Gap before taking the side route to Patawarta Gap. This was a much slower drive, with many deeply rutted creek crossings, and routes that needed careful navigation across uneven ground.

We were rewarded with some breathtaking views of the surrounding ranges, and by finding a geologists hammer, when we stopped to check out an old hole in the ground. At times the area looked like a park, with old green pines towering over grassy ground,with drifts of yellow flowers.

Returning on the Patawarta track, we continued on to the Artimore homestead ruins where we expected to find a campsite, but did not.

It looked as though the cache there would also elude us for quite a while, but eventually this was found after a pause for lunch. There are a few ruins of buildings here, one being a huge building. We wondered if maybe that was a barn of some kind.

As we continued our drive we spotted a bunch of camels and riders (out on a tour?) along with many skittish euros, kangaroos, wallabies, goats and emus. We also had a brief chat with the only person we sighted, an American geologist camping out there and doing her PHD.

We popped out of the other end of the PAR and headed towards Blinman and into the national park. We stopped and looked at the Great Wall of China formation (very impressive)

 and then turned in along the geological trail towards Brachina gorge. The geological features are signposted and require regular stops to read the signage and to try to grasp the information. Earlier  alongthe road is a small walk in to see Emma Smith's grave. National Parks have put a replacement  plaque saying that she was a 2 year old, who died during transporting of copper. There must be more to this story.

Eventually we arrived at our campsite for tonight - the Cambrian campsite (it is a 4WD campsite, so we thought we might have it quieter). Sure enough we have the place to ourselves and Trevor had time in daylight to tackle the nearby mountain and find yet another cache, while I set up dinner, built the fire and took some photos of the strange rock arrangements that people have left behind.

It is going to be yet another clear and chilly, starry night. We are burning the last of our wood, and wish we could prolong this last camping night of our red centre adventure for 2016.