DAY 46 WARAKURNA-YARLA KUTJARRA (a stopping point in the bush about 800m off the GCR)

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A leisurely get up. A solid breakfast. Systematic pack up.



Onto Giles weather station, a short drive from Warakurna. We were to be disappointed. Sunday, closed to visitors. Appointment by internet had to be made. We hadn’t.



The road was ‘pretty good’ even though corrugated in a few sections. Some sections were as smooth as a baby’s backside. We stopped to help 3 young Aboriginal men (all in their 20’s) who had ‘numerous’ problems with their vehicle. They had improvised extremely well (see photo and description). We lent them the tyre plugger for their front bald tyre which had already been plugged 3 times (thank you Widodo). The windscreen was smashed but hadn’t caved in (see photo). We shared good conversation and laughs. We shook hands, wished them well, waved goodbye and moved on. Burnt out or abandoned vehicles number 66 at present (not counting the 100 or so in a large yard at Warakurna). We will conclude our count at Laverton.



We stopped quite early, camping at Yarla Kutjarra, a rest stop in the bush about 800m off the road. The men from Warburton and Wanarn communities built the rest stop. It is Ngaanyatjarra Peoples Land. 2 vehicles towing caravans and 2 single vehicles pulled in to have a break, but all continued on. I conversed with a 22-year-old German man who was heading west. He was pouring unleaded fuel into his vehicle (no unleaded is sold on the GCR). Gave him my number for when he hits Perth so he can have a home cooked meal. Jane and I collected firewood for the campfire from atop a ridge we had climbed. It gave a great view of our campsite and the surrounding terrain.



Dinner as usual was superb … Mexican … soft tacos with all the ingredients. We watched the sun set over our campsite and prepared the kindling to begin the fire.



Sitting around the campfire with a cuppa and no one about, looking up at the stars that we felt we could touch, listening to bush sounds and the wood crackling. What a way to finish the day.

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