Day 7 – Erldunda to Coober Pedy

No toaster meant bread and Vegemite for breakfast and the bread wrapper served as a plate to make the lunches on again. Drove past the cages before we left, to see Chook Norris, the chicken that thinks it’s a kangaroo, actual roos and a camel.

Then it was on to Kulgara with the tyre and beer can Christmas tree.

Fuelled up and headed for the border where Joshua enjoyed practising his tradition of standing in two States/Territories at the same time, the Northern Territory and South Australia on this occasion.

We lost an hour moving to SA time so it was about one o’clock when we stopped for lunch at Marla, but it was so windy and dusty we had to eat inside the vehicle.

Saw another goods train after we left there – still a novelty especially as it was about 100 units long. Other than that there were a few lakes and some cattle with calves but nothing of any great interest between there and Coober Pedy.

Joshua was delighted with our ‘cave’ at the Underground Motel in Coober Pedy. This is a gorgeous place. We received a very warm welcome and were taken to our room and shown the kitchen which we were free to use and where breakfast would be available next morning free of charge.

We went for a drive to the Serbian church of St Elijah but it was closed so we returned to the cool comfort of our underground room. It was about 44 degrees outside.

We had dinner at John’s Pizza Shop and Restaurant. The food was delicious but the flies we very annoying.

Darwin to Adelaide Roadtrip – December 2017

Day 8 – Coober Pedy to Port Augusta

Before we left we went for a tour of the Old Timer’s Mine which combines the mine, a museum and an example of an underground home.


We tried to visit the Serbian Church again but Elijah must have gone home for Christmas because it was still closed.

We fuelled up at Shell where the diesel was 2c a litre cheaper than Brian expected, then headed for Port Augusta.

We had a pitstop at Bon Bon which was pretty basic to say the least.

Our lunch stop was at Glendambo, a large roadside stop with two petrol stations and a hotel but very little in the way of facilities otherwise. We managed to find a rickety old shaded table and made the best of it.

We passed Lake Hart which Joshua said looked like ice – the sky was overcast and grey.

We stayed at the Shoreline in Port Augusta. We were hoping to catch up with a friend there but she was out of town so we just shopped and Brian and Joshua had a swim while I tried to pay the recharge for my iPad with help from Aisling on the phone from Wagga. Why does it always have to be so complicated!?!

The water was a bit colder than expected!

Day 6 – Uluru and Kata Tjuta – Erldunda

Made our tea in the room but had to go to the communal kitchen to make the toast. Showed Joshua how to make a bowl out of his cereal box, you know, the individual serves that come as a variety pack of eight. They’re perforated on one side and when you open that you can then pull the inner bag apart then add the milk. Made the sandwiches for lunch with his help, using a bread wrapper as a plate and the individual salt and pepper packets that have been in the emergency lunch kit forever.
Brian was reloading  all our gear into the vehicle. With the temperature in the forties we had to bring the fridge and esky inside which meant unpacking the contents first then repacking once inside, then the same in reverse when we were leaving. Not the best way to spend our time in this iconic location!

But of course it was all worth the effort. Joshua was thrilled to have his photo taken wearing his Solid Rock t-shirt from his school performance, at the actual Rock. We all enjoyed driving around the base in the comfort of our airconditioned vehicle looking at the different formations such as The Tail and The Brain.

We drove to Kata Tjuta, previously known as the Olgas, and ate lunch before undertaking the walk to the first lookout through the Vally of the Winds. The walk to the second lookout was closed because of the heat.

It was very hot and the flies were annoying but it was a good walk otherwise with great scenery. If you look carefully at the top photo above you can see Uluru in the distance.

Our Olgas history

I always remember the Olgas as one of the places Brian tried to get rid of me. It was about 1981 when we went to Central Australia for the first time. We climbed Ayers Rock first, then another day the Olgas. It was late afternoon when we started our descent but somehow Brian got us off track. As a result we ended up negotiating our way down the sheer rockface and I had to jump the final section. It’s a wonder we’re still alive to tell the tale!

On this trip we tried to find which part we’d come down but the surrounding area is so different now, it was impossible. It will just have to remain a distant memory.

Back to Yulara to fuel up, then the return to Erldunda where the pool was a welcome source of relaxation, followed by dinner in the restaurant. Bring on tomorrow and South Australia!