Woke up to a great view from my bed, the gum trees silhouetted against a beautiful sunrise. Got up to take a photo which didn't do it justice then went back to bed to admire from the window instead. All was quiet. Even the generators at the other side of the camp ground had stopped and there was only the faint sounds of the odd vehicle in the distance and birds in the trees. Too cold to leave the back door open at the moment. Off to Beasley River today.
Checked oil at Nunatarra road house as I put half litre in at Exmouth. All Ok. Jude and Leo stopped to see if j was OK. Lovely drive today. All the reds, pinks and greens again with hills of all different shapes and sizes. Some were in the distance and others the road cut through.
Not long after Barradale I saw a large bird the size of a small emu but it took off in flight so not sure what it was. Saw lots of pink galahs and single big brown birds with mottled feathers always sitting by themselves on top of sign posts or trees, maybe hawks?
Stopped at House Creek picnic/free camp area late morning. No one else was there. Very nice but small area. Made spag bol for
tonight's dinner. Passed lots of signs to mines. Drove in to get a closer look at Mt de Courcy.
Arrived at Beasley River about 2pm with plenty of time to find a camp site. Decided to camp in the dry river bed with fellow Victorians Jenny and Ross, teachers from Warragul Victoria, where I did my secondary schooling. We collected some wood, had drinks at 5pm and some ukelele tunes, cooked dinner by the fire and were later joined by Bruce and Janine, 2 Brisbanites who have emigrated to Vancouver, Canada. Nice relaxed night swapping stories and information by the fire under the gums in the middle of a dry river bed.
