Halligan Bay Lake Eyre

 

Halligan Bay Lake Eyre.

Not far further on is the Public access road to Lake Eyre North. A 60 k journey each way You don’t come all this way and not go, so off we went.

The road is maintained by Parks and Wildlife, they hadn't been here for a very long time. Corrugations so bad in places that others had made their own track beside the road, we followed most of them. With tyre pressures down as far as I dared and slow driving the ride was still jarring.

Took us over two hrs to get to the Lake but we’re not complaining. When you approach the lake you go down on the foreshore where the salt pan meets the red earth, and drive along to the info bay and camp ground. Had a read and look around and drove over to a camp spot.

No one else in sight, spent the night in solitude. Morning came, and so did the punishing drive back, but in our mind, it was worth it.

On to William Creek.

About half way along the Oodnadatta Track there is the town of William Creek. Well, the word town might be stretching it a bit. There is a pub however and fuel is available at $2.20 a litre, what you gunna do? It is a long way from anywhere.

Flights over Lake Eyre and the Painted hills leave from here also. I enquired about a flight but they didn't have anyone else booked for the next day and couldn't take just one person, Din wont get in a light plane, a helicopter, yes, but they only had planes. So that was that, we weren't hanging around.

Had a pie and beer at the pub instead, went and filled up with fuel and water which was desalinated from their plant at the campground.

After that, we had sampled all the town had to offer, so off we went.

Anna Creek Siding.

Only 10 or so ks out of William Creek a sign appeared on the side of the road, EGGS 1k, a little unusual out here. One k on there was the turn off for Anna Creek Station and a small painted box with cartons of eggs in it. Couldn’t resist, we were short of eggs too. $10.00 a dozen, small price to pay for fresh eggs out here, probably a project for the station kids. We happily bought some.

Then some 20 ks on the turn off for Anna Creek siding on the old railway came up. It wasn’t too late in the day but would be a good camp, so off we went.

This ruin was crumbling but in better condition than most, maybe because it was a long way off the track and not many thoughtless people came here to deface the property. Anyway we camped up for two days as it turned out and even used one of the old fireplaces to heat water for a welcomed shower.

The Peake Telegraph Station Ruins.

The overland telegraph line followed the Ghan railway from Adelaide to Darwin opening up communication from one end of the country to the other. Repeater stations were an essential part of this. The Peake station was one of these. It’s about 35 ks off the track on another badly corrugated road, but maybe not as bad as the last one.

When you arrive a stand of magnificent date palms greet you at the bottom of a rise leading to the ruins. These palms are watered from a series of the mound springs dotted about. They had finished fruiting for the year sadly, but what a bounty they would have provided.

A small village of stone buildings are up the rise, another example of the hard work from the people who built and lived out here.

After it was built they discovered copper in the surrounding hills so a mine was also established and a smelter for the copper ore was also built. Unfortunately after some time the mine became unprofitable and was abandoned. The site of the smelter is seen on the hillside and piles of green streaked ore are at the top ready for crushing, but never will be.

Two caged off mine shafts are at the top of nearby hills, along a walking track circuit. A very interesting place. Again no one in sight, these are the places we love, as well as the isolation and vastness of the country.