Crossing the Australian Outback 2011: Day 1 - 5 Sydney to Broken Hill via the Cameron Corner

In 2011 August, we embarked on a trip across the Outbacks of Australia in our 80 series 4x4, camping for 74 days, covered 22,500 Km. We only slept in a bed for 3 nights, the first, the last, and one was during a thunder storm when crossing the Nullarbor Plains.

The trip started from Sydney with rain bucketing down, then not a drop to be seen for the next 61 days of the trip.....

An aboriginal flag flies next to the Australian flag

School of Air

On Day 3, the 19th of August, we reached Cameron Corner, The Corner Country is the conjoining region of the Northwestern corner of NSW, Southwestern corner of Queensland and Northeastern corner of South Australia.

We were intending to go into the Simpson Desert ( just to get a taste) after reaching Cameron Corner, by going north along the border of SA / QLD to Haddon Corner then Birdsville. However, on reaching Cameron Corner, I noticed a funny clicking sound from the front end of the vehicle when making tight turns. That and plus the fact that people coming down from the north are talking about a rodent infestation nearby the desert because of the unusual rains this year, causing food sources for the rodents to flourish ( a once a decade thing), spooked me. So we turned south towards Broken Hill (NSW) for some mechanical advise. One driver was talking about taking 3 days to get rid of a hidden mouse in his car, amongst all the camping gears.

On the way south, we stayed at White Cliffs (NSW) overnight, a town renowned for its hobby Opal Mining and cave living, not unlike Coober Pedy which we shall visit later. It is a life style chosen by many, especially retirees, to get away from the cities.

We visited a couple of underground galleries, everyone are so friendly, they treat their customers like friends coming in for a chat, absolutely no hunger for a sale. They are quite happy to give you the lo-downs on the science of Opal formation, nothing magical about it once you understand. They are not trying to sell the mythical ( or superstitious ) side of these gems, nothing other than their beauty.

When passing Menindee Lakes, a system of lakes fed by River Darling, it was overflowing with water. Two years ago, it was bone dry when we saw it. We decided to pick a spot by the side of Lake Pamamaroo for our tent and soaked in the sunset. The nearest camper to us and the only other one we can see, is 300m away.