Arkaroola

[xoxoxoBruce]

River? Not potable? The first picture looks like ankle twisting terrain, were you following a trail with smoother walking?

[ZenGum]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

River? Not potable? The first picture looks like ankle twisting terrain, were you following a trail with smoother walking?

I guess I should have said "... following the river bed..." I guess it's potable if you're a rock-monster:



That is how it is for 99% of its length; it is the end of the dry season for that area, and we've had a 10-year dry period as well. It would be a fantastic place if there was regular water.

As it was, I had to do plenty of research to plan for the water situation. As well as getting guidebooks and talking to locals, I even dug out some books about the traditional Aboriginal culture in the area, because I know many Aboriginal songs/stories are verbal maps of the land with important resources mentioned. I was following a story of Arkaroo, the great serpent who drank Lake Frome (a nearby salt lake) dry and crawled back into the mountains, creating Arkaroola creek and leaving a chain of waterholes as he went. I drank from these waterholes.

But as well as no water, there are no paths (now you see why I took the emergency beacon). What you see in those pics is all I had to walk on. I have good stout boots with high ankles, tied tightly. Mind you, they are less than 6 weeks old and already the tread is breaking off the soles so I am not too happy about them.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by ZenGum

I have good stout boots with high ankles, tied tightly.

Wouldn't be much help against Arkaroo.
Is there much in the way of fauna, like small critters, snakes, birds, reptiles, scurrying about the bush?
Thanks for the tour, by the way.

[glatt]

Beautiful country. I don't envy you, carrying that much water.

[ZenGum]

On three occasions I came across stumpy-tailed lizards sunning themselves on the rocks, and could easily have clubbed and eaten them had I wanted too. (Not my photo).



I also saw an echidna which was also catchable if necessary (but a real prick to skin). (Not my photo).



There were plenty of kangaroos (you know what they look like) and an emu (my photo):



And lots of birds, including the wedge-tailed eagle (not my photo):



Although more important birds were the white cockatoos because, as seed eaters, they need to drink regularly, so their behaviour is a good guide to water supplies.