2^nd October: Port Augusta

We celebrated Glen's birthday with some style. Gail and I both gave him a bottle of good whisky (Shivas Regal and Glenfiddich), we had bubbles for afternoon tea, Shivas for drinkies and bubbles for dinner. I cooked rissoles which fell apart, with gravy (an unprecedent effort!) and we ate in the camp kitchen, with a clean tablecloth!! All very proper! We say grace wherever we are – it usually silences those around! The children all rang despite the fact that we had no reception for most of the day! My birthday will be worse as we are travelling from Broken Hill to Wilcannia, Cobar and Nyngun that day!

Travel to Port Augusta was past huge fields of wheat in various stages of ripening – green through to harsh gold- and numerous tall white silos in every little rail head. Those sticky little wheat flies pester every time we step out of the car!! We are careful not to swallow or breath in any. This park is beside the head of Spencer Gulf and the sun is rising golden over the water. Once again, we are near a train line (I do pick them!) and trains rumbled in all night! I suspect they are ore trains going to the port. Once again, the park is packed and people are being turned away although this is an enormous park. Just as well I make a habit of booking ahead!!

We had lunch at Iron Knob which I remember from Primary School: Iron Knob and Iron Monarch. I wonder if there is any mining happening now as the town is almost a ghost town with old galvanised iron shacks and houses. There are trucks on the huge hills of over burden but mabe they are rehabilitating the mountain! I must research when I get home!