 Darling River campsite at Kinchega / Outback mailbox |
Never a dull moment on the long, dusty road which follows Australia’s largest river, even when the drought-stricken Darling is little more than a string of stagnant pools.
It’s a long dusty drive between dots on the map on the Darling River Run, a touring route which follows Australia’s largest river across Outback New South Wales, but there’s never a dull moment as yet another kangaroo bounds off into the brick-red sand or a family of skittish emus appears; crows gorge on the unlucky ones as wedge-tailed eagles circle in a flawless blue sky.
“Catch you later, I have to clear the kangaroos off the airstrip!” For Liz Murray another day is drawing to a close on Trilby Station, a sheep ranch and host farm. Her husband will soon be pointing the Cessna homewards after a day mustering sheep on their 52,000-hectare property astride the Darling River.
From Bourke, the Darling River Run links the old paddle-steamer ports. Close by are the opal miners’ molehills of White Cliffs, the legendary mineral lodes of Broken Hill and the aboriginal rock art of Mootwingee, plus the evocative prehistory of Lake Mungo’s Walls of China.
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