Painted Desert

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April 1st 2012

Published: April 1st 2012

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GUNTOUR 12

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Hi All

Our last contact was from Streaky Bay on the Eyre Peninsula. From there we moved on to Melrose just south of Port Augusta where we left the camper and headed half way home to Keith to meet Craig and Sarah and pick up the bud. He was a bit strange for a couple of days with all the travel but has now settled in quite nicely. Our next port of call was the Painted Desert where we set up camp on the cattle station Arckaringa . It is east of the highway approx 90 km's from Oodnadatta and run by a 4th generation family who run 5 stations in the district. To give you an idea of how vast this area is Arckaringa is 4300 square km's in size and runs just over 2000 head of cattle. Fortunately for us the tourist season does'nt really start until after Easter so we had the place to ourselves. The only occupant was an 83 year old caretaker named Whitey who had not had company for about a month. Whitey was one of those blokes who had been everywhere done everything and knows everybody. He had been a drover for a

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Sunrise on the road

lot of his life, worked on just about every station in the land, ran the meat industry in SA for years and even managed Coles stores. He was one of those blokes who you could talk to for hours. He took a real shine to us and in particular the bud and spoiled us rotten. The morning we departed he cooked us a full breaky at the homestead to send us on our way. The painted desert was spectacular as you can see in the photos. We are now staying with Erin Raskas at Umuwa, an aboriginal community approx 200 km's southwest of Alice Springs. For those who don't know Erin she is a young lady we have known since she was a little tacker who went through primary and secondary school with our Jess and is the daughter of John Raskas a good family friend. Erin is working with the disabled within numerous communities in the Northern Territory ,South and West Australia. For those who do know Erin you would be amazed at the job she is doing here under very difficult circumstances. Yesterday we rounded up a group of ladies from the Pukatja community and headed out bush

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Early morning painted desert

for a picnic. Not the picnic you are accustomed to. We spent hours digging for honey ants and enjoyed kangaroo tails cooked in the coals for lunch all in 37 deg heat. Women in their 60's digging holes often over their heads chasing these little ants that have a big ball of honey hanging out of their bums. Magnificent to eat. Erin was chief co-ordinator,caterer,taxi driver,and general hand even being called on to do her share of the digging. She really is a little saint! As for me l was the only male there and the call of " Woody dig here" rang out during the day. l was nackered by the time we got home. Deb did well considering how hot it was but balked at the roo tail. We are here until Tuesday when we will head for Alice and surrounds until Easter. Take care and we will catch up soon.

Woody and Deb

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