Thursday 17th May - Woomera to Coober Pedy

Into warmer climes

Long, long boring drive today.  375kms with only 2 roadhouses on the way and nothing else.  The cattle and sheep stations in this part of Australia are huge and the Stuart Highway passes through several.  One was at least 60kms across.  Stuart was the first explorer to go from Adelaide to the Gulf of Carpentaria and get back again alive.

Lake Hart - Salt

Stopped and walked to Lake Hart on the way. 

Old wagon wheel at Lake Hart.

This is one of the salt pan lakes which cover this area and actually a very small one. Not a sign of any water but a thick crust of salt which is crunchy to walk on, like ice.

The reflection is so bright it is blinding.

The name Cooper Pedy is a corruption of an indigenous phrase meaning 'white man in a hole'.  I expect the locals wondered what all the fuss was about when opals were discovered in 1915. 

Sunset at the Breakaways

No time for much today after arriving but we drove out to a national park called Breakaways to view the setting sun on amazingly colourful rock formations formed by erosion.  Noticeably warmer now but still chilly at night.