Hopping Up the Red Centre, Part 2

William Creek

William Creek is an iconic hotel, pub and way station in the middle of the dusty, barren and remote Outback. People drop in for a cold one and/or a night’s rest while traveling by land or air.

Not a glamour destination – our accommodation was a metal “donga”, a transportable building often used in isolated locations as quarters for seasonal workers in mining or construction operations…..

But it was air conditioned and the food in the pub was good! Also of interest are the nearby Anna Creek Painted Hills, colorful outcroppings which stand out against the flatness of the surrounding desert. They are only accessible by light plane…

An ancient sea laid down striking layers of sandstone…..

Even in the bleakest landscapes, life asserts itself.

Sometimes the stark landscape encourages dark impulses……

Coober Pedy

Another major center of the opal mining business…..

Coober Pedy is notable as residents – mostly in the mining business – traditionally built homes underground to insulate them from the intolerable heat of summer. We stayed in an underground motel….

It was very dark, very quiet and quite comfortable.

We got to go “noodling” in one of the underground opal mines….

… but emerged – alas – with no significant finds.

Henry did score some nice raw opal material and samples from Bill, a soon-to-be-retired Italian miner…

The Breakaways are another sandstone stand-out in the desert near Coober Pedy.

And we had some fun with iPhone visual effects….

A brief word about Vegemite, a distinctively Australian culinary product. It’s a paste made of the yeast that is left over after brewing beer, mixed with vegetable and spice additives.

It was first manufactured for mass consumption in 1923 and marketed as healthful for children…. Full of B vitamins. Savory. Definitely an acquired taste – not too bad when lightly smeared on very heavily-buttered toast.

Mt Dare

Mt Dare is almost exactly in the middle of the continent of Australia, located on the edge of the Simpson Desert.

It is also a haven for travelers through the far reaches, with a pub, recreational vehicle park and simple accommodations. Witjira National Park is a bumpy hour’s drive from Mt Dare, featuring Dalhousie Springs, a natural warm-water pool that is quite pleasant in the cool winter air….

Back at the pub, the owners have a small animal menagerie, including an orphaned joey (baby kangaroo), named Didgeridoo.

He enjoys being cuddled in his pouch, while the dog gets a little jealous…..

They also have a couple of Gouldian finches, gloriously vivid birds that are native to Australia.

A word about the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS)….

Remote, sparsely-populated locations and communities – such as William Creek, Muloorina and Mt Dare – have no medical facilities, and depend on the RFDS for crucial emergency services as well as routine health care. Founded in 1928, the RFDS is supported by the government, but also relies heavily on donations.

The folks at Mt Dare promote the RFDS enthusiastically. Visitors are invited to hang a memento from home – such as a beer holder or T-shirt – in the pub in exchange for a donation to the medical service.

Henry just happened to have a Texas license plate and a bit of cash so that we could hang a Lone Star trinket from the ceiling…..

Will close this post with another pretty-plane picture as we prepare to depart Coober Pedy….