Outback – Travelling Worm

Category: Outback

Roads of the Outback: a collage

This is the blog of Mark Wordsworm, the travelling worm. I’m a 40-year-old bookmark (give or take a few years) and I proudly boast my own Hallmark serial number, 95 HBM 80-1. You’ll probably want to read all about me and my Travelling Companion (the TC).

Today’s travel notes

Me and the TC recently took our first extended trip into the Australian Outback. My previous posts describe the sights at White Cliffs, Lake Mungo, and more. This post is slightly different: it focuses on the roads. If you’re thinking of making this trip yourself, this collage gives you an idea of what to expect.

In total, we travelled approximately 2,850 km (1,770 miles). We started in Sydney on day one, passing through Dubbo to Nyngan. On day two, we drove from Nyngan via Cobar and Wilcannia to White Cliffs. Day three took us through the Willandra Lakes Region to Mungo National Park. On day four, we explored the park. On day five, we started our trip back towards Sydney, stopping overnight in Cowra. Day six saw us arriving back in Sydney in time for a late lunch.

The book I’m in

Where Song Began, by Tim Low. A telling of the origins on the Australian continent of all the world’s songbirds, rich in detail and convincingly told.

Travel tips

Some parts of the Outback are far from anywhere else. Take supplies of food, water, fuel for your vehicle, and warm clothes. If possible, travel in a convoy of at least two vehicles and take a personal locator beacon (PLB).

The photos

Heading west from Sydney towards Cobar, the roadside alternates between red dirt and silver grass:

Opal Miner’s Way, on the way to White Cliffs:

Garnpung Lake Road and Ivanhoe Road, Pan Ban:

Garnpang Road, entering Mungo National Park and later with the Lake Garnpang sign:

Mungo National Park, approaching the Walls of China:

On the self-guided drive in Mungo National Park:

Entering Lake Mungo, a lake bed that’s been dry for more than ten thousand years:

More Lake Mungo road scenes:

Leaving Mungo National Park and Arumpo:

Sturt Highway, with cotton clouds and a cotton lining left by the road trains:

Getting close to home, on Murrumbidgee River Road and Mid Western Highway:

That’s all for today, folks.
Walls of China at Lake Mungo

This is the blog of Mark Wordsworm, the travelling worm. I’m a 40-year-old bookmark (give or take a few years) and I proudly boast my own Hallmark serial number, 95 HBM 80-1. You’ll probably want to read all about me and my Travelling Companion (the TC).

Today’s travel notes

Me and the TC spent a day at Lake Mungo, deep in the Australian Outback. While there, we visited the intriguing sand dune formation named the Walls of China, or the Mungo lunette.

The book I’m in

Where Song Began, by Tim Low. A telling of the origins on the Australian continent of all the world’s songbirds, rich in detail and convincingly told.

Travel tips

Sign up for the sunset tour of the Walls of China. The evening lighting adds beauty and drama to the scene, and you’re able to walk right up onto the dunes with your guide.

Recommended accommodation

Mungo Lodge offers camping and cabins. The TC opted for a cabin, which was very comfortable. The welcome is warm and the restaurant food is good.

The photos

To reach the Walls of China, you drive across the dried-up bed of Lake Mungo. The road is good and wide. On the horizon, the Walls of China grow as you approach:

The extra width of the road is especially welcome at dawn and dusk. It gives you time to see the kangaroos that pop out of the bush at random intervals.

The colours are fluid, changing with the time of day, the weather, the camera settings. In the middle of the day, the sand is all silver and pale yellows. Perhaps this is where the name “Mungo lunette” comes from:

In late afternoon, the yellow of the sun exerts more influence:

We were with a guide, which meant that we could walk onto the dunes and see the formations up close:

Wind erosion has formed narrow gullies which you can walk through, to avoid damaging the fragile dunes:

Colours deepen as the sun moves lower:

As the sun disappears, it’s time to make our way back:

Come daylight, and we’re on the road again, saying farewell to Mungo National Park:

If you’d like to see more pictures of the national park, read my post titled Lake Mungo.

That’s all for today, folks.
Lake Mungo

This is the blog of Mark Wordsworm, the travelling worm. I’m a 40-year-old bookmark (give or take a few years) and I proudly boast my own Hallmark serial number, 95 HBM 80-1. You’ll probably want to read all about me and my Travelling Companion (the TC).

Today’s travel notes

Me and the TC reached Lake Mungo, deep in the Australian Outback. This post is about Mungo National Park and the dry lake that forms its centre. I’ll write a separate post about the Walls of China, an unusual sand formation in the middle of the park.

The book I’m in

Bitter Sun, by Beth Lewis. I’m tucked in near the beginning of this book. The story is unfolding, and I’m intrigued by the characters and the setting.

Travel tips

Take spare supplies with you: lights, water, food, warm clothing, and extra fuel for your vehicle. Mungo National Park is remote. The closest fuel is about 110 km away. It’s a good idea to be self sufficient in case of emergency.

Recommended accommodation

Mungo Lodge offers camping and cabins. The TC opted for a cabin, which was very comfortable. The welcome is warm and the restaurant food is good.

The photos

Me at the Red Top lookout in Mungo National Park:

From the direction of Ivanhoe and Clare, Garnpang Road provides entry to Mungo National Park:

We were somewhat later than planned. The sunset over Garnpung Lake, though pretty, was a trifle scary — it meant we’d be driving in the dark. Janet the Jeep, along with others of our party, couldn’t resist the photo opportunity:

After a nail-biting drive, ably handled by the TC and Janet, we arrived safely at Mungo Lodge. Janet sashayed merrily across the corrugations, dodging kangaroos that bopped out of the bush at random. By the time we arrived at the lodge, it was full dark. The photos are from the following day.

The reception at Mungo Lodge is friendly and welcoming:

The dining area is spacious and warm:

Our cabin looked out over a grassy area, where kangaroos and birds frolicked in the early morning. (If you want to see the birds, take a look at the TC’s bird blog, Sydney Birder. She’s posting the birds from our Outback trip. The Mungo shots will be there shortly.) Here’s our cabin at Mungo Lodge:

This worm was delighted to find evidence of my cousins, the Witchetty grubs. They’re imposing larvae that transform into Ghost Moths. A shed Witchetty grub skin lay on the ground outside our cabin, about as long as the TC’s longest finger:

Next morning, we headed out on the self-guided driving tour through the park:

One of the stops was at the Red Top lookout:

The sand formations are the result of wind erosion:

A sign welcomes you to Lake Mungo:

Despite the name, there’s no water. The lake has been dry for more than 10,000 years. The next shot was taken from the Walls of China viewing area (which will be the topic of my next post). Behind the bench, the dry expanse of Lake Mungo stretches out:

The round balls in the foreground are Paddy Melons, an invasive fruit that occurs in much of the Outback.

Every now and then, a flower softens the harsh beauty of the landscape:

Next up are the Walls of China. Until then…

That’s all for today, folks.
Salt pan in Willandra Lakes Region

This is the blog of Mark Wordsworm, the travelling worm. I’m a 40-year-old bookmark (give or take a few years) and I proudly boast my own Hallmark serial number, 95 HBM 80-1. You’ll probably want to read all about me and my Travelling Companion (the TC).

Today’s travel notes

Me and the TC left White Cliffs and its opal mines (check my previous post) to drive deeper into the Australian Outback. We stopped at a dry salt lake in the Willandra Lakes Region, near Ivanhoe, NSW.

The book I’m in

Bitter Sun, by Beth Lewis. I’m tucked in right at the beginning of this book, and already I’m intrigued by the main character.

Travel tips

Hop out of the vehicle and breath in the air. You never know who’ll pass by.

The photos

Me and Peg on the edge of the salt pan:

The vegetation around the salt pan is low and sparse. Just behind yours truly is a small Old Man Saltbush, one of many in the area. The leaves are edible and, you guessed it, salty.

The next pic shows what the scene might look like if you forget to don your sunglasses (or if, like the TC, you forget to adjust the camera settings to cater for the bright light):

But wait, what’s that shape on the edge of the salt pan? Zooming in reveals the passer by:

It’s a feral cat. They can survive even the harsh conditions of the Australian Outback.

Viewed through sunglasses, or with adjusted camera settings, the salt pan is easier to view but less aetherial:

The salt pan is on the edge of Garnpung Lake Road, which passes through the regions of Ivanhoe and Willandra Lakes. It’s a dirt road, but good driving through beautiful country. Janet the Jeep was in her element :

Next stop, Lake Mungo. Until then…

That’s all for today, folks.
White Cliffs opal mines and underground motel

This is the blog of Mark Wordsworm, the travelling worm. I’m a 40-year-old bookmark (give or take a few years) and I proudly boast my own Hallmark serial number, 95 HBM 80-1. You’ll probably want to read all about me and my Travelling Companion (the TC).

Today’s travel notes

Me and the TC spent the last few days in the Australian Outback. Although it was a short trip (six days in total), it was the experience of a life time. This post tells of our stay in White Cliffs, a small and remote opal mining settlement in far western New South Wales.

The book I’m in

The Book of Eve, by Meg Clothier. Ancient intrigue and engaging characters. I’m now nestled near the end of the book. It’s been quite a ride.

Travel tips

Take spare fuel, in case the fuel station at White Cliffs is closed or doesn’t have the right fuel for your vehicle.

Recommended accommodation

White Cliffs Underground Motel. The experience is unique. The rooms are entirely underground, as are many of the homes in the area, dug out to provide cool shelter from the extreme heat in summer. Some of the dugouts are converted opal mine shafts and tunnels.

The photos

Me and Peg in our dugout at the White Cliffs Underground Motel, catching the breeze from a ventilation shaft:

White Cliffs is in the middle of nowhere (by some definition of nowhere), at 1,025 km west of Sydney and 781 km north-east of Adelaide. The last part of the route is Opal Miners Way, picturesque especially in the late afternoon with the colours blowing across the landscape:

Janet the Jeep waits while the TC snaps the sundown shots. Janet herself is picturesque at sundown too:

The entrance to the Underground Motel is long and low, with the rooms built into the hill behind:

Being a bookmark, yours truly is comfortable with snug spaces. Other folks might worry that the underground corridors and rooms will feel small and close. However, inside the Underground Motel, the walls are painted white, good for giving an impression of cheer and space:

In search of our dugout:

Passing the stairs that lead up to the roof:

Our dugout:

We arrived quite late, and so missed the famed sunset. The TC, bless her cotton socks, sprang up before dawn and led us up to the roof to catch the sunrise:

The rectangular low blocks are covered air shafts for the rooms below. In the car park in the distance, Janet the Jeep waits patiently.

After breakfast, we explored the opal mines. Mounds of white dirt encircle the mine shafts. Take care, dear traveller, not to misstep and fall down a hole:

Pieces of equipment stand around, some in use, some not:

Inventive methods are used to cover open shafts, like these old bed frames:

Underneath the bed frames:

Swallows perch on old metal drums, which are also used to warn of open mine shafts:

Old working vehicles rest in peace, like this Commer truck:

Your trusty bookmark cosied up to Commer the Truck:

Janet the Jeep needed fuel, but we discovered that the fuel station at White Cliffs opens late on Sundays. Janet was keen to be on the road again, so the TC Once Removed (he’s the TC’s other travelling companion) topped up from our spare tank:

Bonus tip from the TC Once Removed: Cover your sleeves and wear gloves if you can, otherwise you’ll smell of fuel for the rest of the trip.

Stay tuned for more of our Outback adventures. Until my next post…

That’s all for today, folks.
Outback Emu

Me and the TC (read about us) are on the road again. During our Outback adventures, we’ve met several other travellers. Not least are the Emus.

Tracks in the red dirt alert you to their presence:

These birds can run at a speed of 50 km per hour (30 miles per hour). We had proof of that when a bird charged out of the bush, ran behind one of the cars in our convoy, hugging the bumper so that the driver had no idea it was there, then spun around the car and dashed in front of it. Luckily, bird and driver avoided a collision.

From an Emu’s point of view, it seems that cars are either play things or creatures that need to be challenged. This bird is most likely considering a dash onto the highway:

Emus are the second-largest bird in the world. They’re nearly 6 feet tall (1.9 metres). That’s a lot bigger than yours truly.

The next encounter is too close for comfort, methinks, but the TC (bless her cotton socks), was keen to get the shot:

That’s all for today, folks.
Big Bogan at Nyngan

This is the blog of Mark Wordsworm, the travelling worm. I’m a 40-year-old bookmark (give or take a few years) and I proudly boast my own Hallmark serial number, 95 HBM 80-1. You’ll probably want to read all about me and my Travelling Companion (the TC).

Today’s travel notes

Me and the TC continue our Outback adventures. Our first overnight stop, after a long day of driving, was Nyngan. This is a little Australian town with a big heart. In the middle of the town is a large steel statue of a fisherman, fondly dubbed the Big Bogan. There are layers of meaning behind the word bogan. Read on to know more about the statue, the name, and the town.

The book I’m in

The Book of Eve, by Meg Clothier. Ancient intrigue and engaging characters. This worm is about a third of the way through the book, and is thoroughly enjoying it.

Travel tips

Take the time to stop at little towns along the way. There’s a story at every town.

Recommended accommodation

Nyngan Riverside Tourist Park. It’s a well-kept camp ground that has place for tents and trailers, and also offers stand-alone cabins for hire.

The photos

Me with the Big Bogan and his dog, Rusty:

The town of Nyngan lies in the Bogan Shire council in western New South Wales. With a population of around 1,900 people, Nyngan is a small town with a big heart.

The Big Bogan statue was erected in 2015, to give the town a tourist attraction and to honour the history of the area. The dog, Rusty, was added in 2022. The Big Bogan is made of steel and is nearly 6 metres high:

On the statue are various decorations, including a large spider on its leg and the Southern Cross star formation on its arm. Between the man and the dog rests an esky (an Australian word for a cooler).

What does the word bogan mean, a faithful reader might wonder, and where did it come from? There are numerous stories about the word and its origins. Your trusty Wordsworm likes to tell it like this: The word bogan has acquired an unfortunate meaning over recent years. It’s used to refer to country people, along the lines of country bumpkin or redneck. However, the original meaning of the word in the Aboriginal Wiradjuri language is “birthplace of a great man”.

Through the town of Nyngan runs the Bogan River, on its way from the Harvey Ranges to join the Darling River. The TC snapped this photo in the early evening, at the Riverside Tourist Park where we spent the night:

Early the next morning, a fearsome raptor surveyed its territory from the river bank. Needless to say, yours truly, Wordsworm, stayed out of sight. There’s no place like a good book, especially when danger looms:

In 1990, Nyngan was devastated by the worst flooding since the settlement of the town. Almost all residents had to be airlifted to safety. To commemorate the rescue, an Army helicopter stands on a pole outside the railway station:

The railway station itself has been converted into a museum:

Outside the museum stands a replica of an old Royal Mail coach that used to travel between Bathurst and Bourke. Imagine traversing the Australian Outback in a horse-drawn vehicle like this:

The Commonwealth Bank building in Nyngan was built sometime between the First and Second World Wars. The building was designed by E.H. Henderson, who was Chief Architect of the Commonwealth of Australia from 1929-1939. He designed many of the Commonwealth Banks buildings in Australia:

Our Outback adventures continue. Until my next post…

That’s all for today, folks.
Water tower art at Nevertire and Warren

This is the blog of Mark Wordsworm, the travelling worm. I’m a 40-year-old bookmark (give or take a few years) and I proudly boast my own Hallmark serial number, 95 HBM 80-1. You’ll probably want to read all about me and my Travelling Companion (the TC).

Today’s travel notes

Me and the TC are heading west, into the Australian Outback. On our first day, signs beside the road welcomed us to the Blue Mountains, the Inner West, and then the Great Outback. We took an interesting route, inadvertently stumbling across part of the Australian silo art trail. Along the way, we encountered our first road trains and found some cotton.

The book I’m in

The Book of Eve, by Meg Clothier. Ancient intrigue and engaging characters. This worm is about a third of the way through the book, and is thoroughly enjoying it.

Travel tips

Be off the roads before dark, if you can. There are no lights in the Outback, and the kangaroos like to cross the road in the dark.

The photos

Me at the water tower in Warren, New South Wales:

Warren is a small town in the middle of a thriving agricultural area: sheep and wool, wheat, and cotton.

In fact, the road to Warren is lined with cotton:

It’s white and fluffy, just as you’d expect cotton puffs to be:

We encountered our first road trains, the infamously long and fast semi-trucks that transport produce around Australia. Notice the warning boards on the front (and back) of the truck, announcing that it’s a road train. Notice also the length (this is all one truck) and the size in comparison to Janet the Jeep behind the truck:

In this case, the produce was, you guessed it, cotton:

At Warren, we found our first water tower art. The tower was erected in 1939, and the artwork was added in 2021. The concept design was by Sam Brooks. The work was painted by Bastian Allfrey.

Maggie posed in front of the tower for scale:

Nevertire is one of those Australian towns with an amazing name. The town’s water tower depicts the agricultural activities of the area. First, sheep shearing:

The artwork was completed in 2022 by Artist Bastian Allfrey. Another side of the tower shows wheat:

And, this worm’s favourite, cotton:

A posse of kangaroos kept an eye on the TC as she took the photos:

I’ll post more of our Outback adventures. In the meantime…

That’s all for today, folks.