Innamincka and the Dig Tree

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Day 3 - Innamincka and the Dig Tree

We started the day off with another BBQ of patties and sausages. We travelled along the remainder of the Bore Track and came across a few oil and gas pumping stations. Its pretty amazing that they are just in the middle of nowhere and you can just walk (or drive) up to them and have a look about.

We then headed towards the Dig Tree, made famous by the explorers Bourke and Wills who missed their fellow campers by half a day after trekking from central Australia up to Queensland. More info at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burke_and_Wills_expedition

Esther & I kept thinking "what dig tree?" we thought there wasn't a tree that said DIG, more a couple of trees with a few scratches in them... however Luke and Robin insisted that there was a Dig tree…

We headed back towards Innamincka and were going about 70km/h when we came across some rubbernecks (4wd drivers who take their shiny new 4wd's at about 30km/h throughout the outback) who soon enough got on the two way radio and were abusing us for our fast driving... needless to say Luke had a field day and soon got on the radio and pretended to be in the campervan following us, explaining how he has a short wheel base and its a bit of a rough ride. The rubbernecks were quick to praise us saying we were doing it in style... I think they just wanted someone to talk to.

We then drove to Innamincka and went across the creek crossing. There was actually quite a bit of water flowing through the creek, although it was ice cold! I walked across the crossing bare-foot and my feet were frozen by the time I reached the other side. We then had our first shower of the trip and filled up at $1.70/l for diesel. We then went along the Cordillo track and saw the Wills memorial a few km out of Innamincka. We travelled for about another hour before making camp somewhere between Innamincka and Moomba.

We found a dead cow and Matt had great delight in making its hoof move, whilst Esther took the backbone as a souvenir.


Distance today: 249 km
Total distance: 1369 km

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Photos

Gibber plains
Lots of rocks....

Dig Tree - Wills carving
what dig tree?

Cows backbone
Great find!