Deserts and Mountains

Pinnaroo main drag with veterans clock.

One of many different signs warning about speeding.

Xanthorrhoea quadrangulata, can't find a common name.

The Kangaringa shearing station.

The plains of Victoria.

The wildflowers of the Little Desert National Park.

Another unhappy blue tongued lizard.

An old homestay in the town of Harrow.

The Grampian Mountains.

Sunday, October 30^th

I woke up at 7:00 and got organized. I explored the town a bit before going to Foodland for some fruit, yogurt and a chocolate milk. The weather has turned again and it was cooler with more clouds and a few showers.

I drove out of town and south along the west side of the Big Desert Wilderness. I could see the sands dunes under the layer of vegetation. I drove past a few sheep shearing sheds, beef cattle stations and lots of grain farms.

Then I turned east and drove across the northern border of the Little Desert back into Victoria, before turning south and driving through the desert. I came across a nature trail that offered an hour walk and showcased the vegetation of the desert. It was great because the desert was in bloom and there were several different colours of flowers to light up the drab, dry colours of the trees. As it turned out it was neither sunny or hot in this desert and I got sprinkled on.

I came across a couple more blue tongued lizards on the road today and managed to get a couple of good shots of their tongue when they felt threatened by me. I also came across a turtle crossing the road and again I stopped to make sure he didn't get flattened. When I tried to move him he went into his shell of course, and I had to pick him up and move him off the road. I sat and watched but a while but he would not come back out of the shell and when it started to rain again, I left.

After the desert the land became hillier again and I found the hamlet of Harrow which looks like a pioneer village, complete with old homes, a wooden gaol and some old looking shops. Just after leaving town, I saw a tree get blown down in front of me that luckily didn't land on the road! I also came across a small mob of kangaroos who hopped up a rise and then looked down at me.

Eventually I reached the Grampian Mountains. The weather cleared for a bit and I drove from Dunkveld through the valley to Halls Gap. The valley is beautiful and I want to come back in a couple of weeks to cycle the area and to do some hiking.The weather here was really cool and I saw some unhappy looking campers. From there I drove back to Melbourne via Ballarat. I arrived back home about ten, after driving over 1600 kilometres over the two days.