We drove on the Old Strzelecki Track in outback New South Wales because the Bore Track was closed. We stopped to take a photo of a giant handmade human skeleton made from cow bones. The Old Strzelecki was like the world’s biggest roller coaster. Up and down we went. Repeat.
On the Strzelecki
I can taste the dust so dry
Flat red dirt, big sky.
Roller coaster track
A dead cow desiccated
We just love Outback.
Stopped for an outback birthday picnic. Dave is 44 today. Hip Hip Hooray! So we ate smoked trout sandwiches, drank coffee and sang Ted Egan songs before continuing on our sandy corrugated track. We’ve hardly seen any animal life today, just cows wandering in the unfenced Merty Merty cattle station and three eagles, some snake poo and a few camel footprints.
We met up with Dad (who we hadn't seen since a music festival 18 months ago) at Cooper Creek Innamincka in South Australia and we drank champagne and beer and vodka to celebrate Dave’s birthday in liquid style. Two pelicans on the creek caught two large fish. Dan and Dave tried and didn’t catch any. In front of the camp fire, Dave read out a poem he had written, while a dingo strolled casually passed our camp.
Met Dad at Cooper
A scrawny dingo walked by
Travelling convoy now.
The weather is becoming mild as we head further north, so we went to bed in our tent without using the fly. The stars above were visible through our mesh tent. Who needs a five star hotel when you have a million star view from the comfortable mattress in your tent?
