Silver City and Surrounds

Leaving Marree, we backtracked down via Peterborough and crossed the border into NSW.  Checked out the Ochre Pits on the way to our overnight camp beside Yanyarrie Creek just off the highway (RM Williams Way).

Turnoff sign might have been made Friday afternoon after a liquid lunch!

Ochre Pits/Cliffs near Lyndhurst

 

A couple of locals at Yanyarrie Creek

Our campsite for night at Yanyarrie Creek

Then onwards towards Broken Hill where we stayed at the Regional Events Centre for a few days to restock supplies and check out the 'Silver City'.  Fun fact:  Broken Hill operates on South Australian time zone despite the fact it's in NSW.

The street names in Broken Hill are a step back in time to high school chemistry lessons - Oxide, Boron Bromide, Iodide, Argent, Silver to name a few.

As well as mining, Broken Hill (and Silverton) has a substantial history in the art 'industry'.  

We visited Jack Absolom's Gallery, Pro Hart's Gallery and the Silver City Art Centre - home of "The Big Picture".  It's reputed to be the world's largest acrylic painting on canvas by a single person - 100m x 12m.  It took Peter Anderson 2 years to paint it. 

Pro's collection of Rolls Royces - four of them

"The Turnstile" by Pro Hart

"Bushtown Christmas" by Pro Hart

"Shed Hands End of Season Party" by Pro Hart

Pro's workspace

Pro's tool box

Part of the big picture

The Big Picture

Pro Hart's daughter, Julie, is also a painter and has her own gallery.  We dropped in there too.  Her style is heavily influenced by her father.  Got to have a chat with her.  She told us of a time when she would be working on a piece and she went off to make him a sandwich and a cuppa for lunch.  When she came back, he had painted a couple of people and sheep in her painting - he said it needed it.  There's a painting in her gallery he'd done so much to, she told him he should sign it so he did, both signed it.  That painting is not for sale!

We took a trip out to Silverton, about a half hour drive away.  Some wonderful relics of 19th century life and architecture around in this old ghost town.  It gives off a Ravenswood vibe as you walk around the 'streets'.  As most know, one of Silverton's claims to fame is as a location for shooting Mad Max II the movie.

 

Onwards!

 

Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre

Leaving Rawnsley Park Station, we headed northwards to Marree which was our destination to board our scenic flight over Lake Eyre.  Took in some more grand vistas along the way as we travelled with the Flinders Ranges on our right, we got to see them from the other side.

One last beautiful sunrise over Rawnsley Bluff as seen from our campsite

Motpena ruins

 

We parked up at the pub in Marree - free to camp as long as you come in for a meal, so we obliged.

Marree Hotel

 We had booked a spot on the early flight (at 7:30).  The two hour flight took us in a NNW direction to the northern part of the lake to where the Queensland floodwaters are currently pushing down the Warburton groove and spilling into the reaches of the lake which is predominantly covered in salt.  The salt lake is a sight to behold stretching to the horizon in places - it's difficult to distinguish the horizon.
I enjoyed the abstract shapes, patterns and textures from the aerial perspective.  The headwaters have pushed around 50km into the lake so far and expected to start filling the southern end in a few weeks.  Pelicans, swans and gulls have begun to show up for the action.
 

The head waters pushing into the lake from the north

Head waters of the Queensland floods in March

Artesian spring in the salt lake

Wildlife moving in

Marree Man - Google it to see the story behind this largest art piece in the world

Our 'Arid Air' ride

We stayed one more night at Marree and headed back southwards to resume our originally planned tour of the back blocks of NSW.  The Flinders Ranges and Lake Eyre were not on our original itinerary but we seized the opportunity as we were in the area - almost.

I went for a morning shoot around Marree before we left.   Beautiful light!

We were originally planning a land based trip out along the Oodnadatta track to the southern lookout but decided against it at the last minute.  We thought what we'd seen from the air was going to be a hard act to follow.  

It was pretty special!!

Catch ya next time.