Tues 20th May – Day 12: Tibooburra – Cameron Corner

An early start so we could do the Dead horse walking track – the morning light makes everything look deceivingly beautiful with none of the harshness that overlies the area where drought, famine and death have been common place. Spotted a few timid Euros and the odd finch but otherwise nothing moved in the cool early morning air, nothing except Toby’s tummy who was forever turning back to camp with hunger pains, or so he kept saying!
We had noticed a few more repairs needed on the van yesturday afternoon, so back into town to visit the local hardware store (which only opens 9am-12pm!). Some things fixable others not, and they will likely wait until Alice Springs are we are really heading off road today.
Outside Tibooburra we turned west into the sun for the sand dune hopping ride to Cameron’s Corner, we all know the meaning of dips, crests and grids now! We found ourselves some abandoned yards complete with shearing shed, shearers quarters and water tanks. The last time the gas bottles were serviced was 1985, so we figured the property was sold to NPWS soon after this. The place looked like they had just up and left with fridges, cutlery, beds, various machinery and quite a few wool clips just lying around. Surrounded by sand we wondered just how the poor sheep foraged for food and just what possessed humans to live out here in such conditions. I didn’t think I was soft but the dry air is killing my hands and I find at the end of each day my fingers have swollen and the skin threatens to crack open as the moisture is sucked outwards – thank god for hand moisturisers! Don’t even ask about my nails!
Another mishap today as we lost the UHF aerial on the car – snapped clean off at the base – ARB will hear about this one – the bloody thing has only been on 3 weeks! Further on the dog fence held the kids attention and we opened and closed the gate just like the signs told us.
Cameron Corner seemed like a mirage as we topped the crest of yet another dune to find a lone building surrounded by dusty red earth. Pine-lime Splices have never tasted so good, the earthy smell and taste of dust gets into every pore.
Camp tonight was out in the open on the sand next to the Corner Store, no facilities but with the moon full again we ate outside and talked of dingoes. Pete took off across the road to meet some of the local characters at the pub which was in full swing with generator, fairy lights and BS flying all around! (Tues night and they turned up from all around, some the owner knew, others just passing through, even a bloke on his way to work – in Broome!). Pete had ulterior motives though as he desperately need to send an email and thought he could sweet talk the owner into using his internet connection – at this point we have absolutely no ability to contact anyone as both our mobiles stopped working outside of white Cliffs, the UHF is stuffed and the 3G has no reception.

‘Cameron Corner Store Campground ($5/night thrown on ceiling of bar for Flying Doctor Service!)