Sunrise 7 - MENINDEE to MILDURA
For the first time on tour we backtracked the Menindee road to Broken Hill as all roads to our next destination were closed by recent rains. Scouring the horizon after yesterdays delightful sighting of wild Emu, we were fortunate enough to spy the even rarer Brasserie Tree. These colourful trees are only found close to the road and it was a privilege seeing one in the wild. Buoyed by the discovery, we travelled mere metres before finding a Mob of Emus trotting along with our vehicle only 20 metres away - as interested in us as we were with them. Hastily clicking the 600mm Moon Bazooka onto the closest DSLR, we managed to capture a few wonderful shots before they lost interest in our antics.
Once again, what should have been a one hour trip turned into a 120 minute journey – but that’s what happens on such a photogenic strip of highway.
Wild Emu on the Menindee Road
The extremely rare Brasserie Tree
Back at The Hill, we noticed massive changes. The council workers seen only yesterday, had managed to actually pick up their shovels and move a barrow full of dirt to their vehicle to rest once again. Like the Emus, we quickly lost interest and moved southward for the first time since leaving Sydney along the Silver City Highway.
The gun-barrel stretch of 300km road varies only by scenery. Dense Saltbush turn to lush pastoral lands, which then turn to the richer alluvial soils of fruit country as we crossed the border at the confluence of the mighty Murray and Darling Rivers. This network of waterways is the largest in Australia and 16th globally and synonymous with the rich, fertile, Sunraysia region heading toward Mildura.
Silver City Highway, NSW
Having evidently consulted with the town planners of Broken Hill, Mildura shire council took the bold initiative of naming their streets a little more intuitively. Seventeenth St, Sixteenth St, Fifteenth St……it made finding our turn on Seventh St that much easier.
With only a brief stay in Victoria – and let’s be honest, that’s all you need – we again crossed the Murray and encamped at Buronga right along the shaded banks teeming with bird life and a cooling breeze whipped off the wide expanse of river. The only thing left was a quick dip in the river – a first for us both – which was surprising cold. However given the river flows westward from the Kosciusko region, perhaps we should have been more aware of what was to come.
Traditional paddle steamers, and the more recent collection of larger than life houseboats, punted their way to and fro as we continued our tradition of afternoon drinks before the setting sun. Inspired by our recent visit to Silverton, we took the night off and downloaded Mad Max onto the iPad accompanied by a ritual White Rhino.