After brekkie We headed for Springsure, just 20K further on. Here we refueled (taking ages – hope this problem gets a solution soon!), filled the water tank at the Information Centre, got some info there and went to the Spar supermarket for eggs. We were down to 20% water in the tank – good to know we can comfortably carry enough for a full week including showering daily. And we read our emails, caught up with Facebook and rang family. Not having internet is good for a little while, but we’ve become so dependent on it that it is truly appreciated when you get it back after going without for a while.
Heading off from Springsure we left the highway after 50K, heading south towards Ka Ka Mundi. The road serviced the cattle stations along the way. There can’t be much money in cattle judging by the very modest station homesteads. The countryside was open, undulating grasslands stretching to the Great Dividing Range seen in the distance. it was quite striking against the cloudless deep blue sky. Most of the road was unsealed, but in very good condition, maintained for the cattle trucks I guess. The last section before the park was through Yandaburra, one of the cattle stations.
Once in Ka Ka Mundi the road condition deteriorated, but wasn’t too bad. We put Priscilla into 4WD to be on the safe side, only needing it in a few sandy sections. Not too bad really. The campsite was about 12K inside the Park.
Ka Ka Mundi is in a remote section of the Carnarvon National Park. It had sandstone escarpments which we found to be weathered quite uniquely – different to the other parks. There were many caves in the escarpments formed in startlingly white sandstone.
About 250metres from the campsite is a spring – Bunbuncundoo Springs. The Aboriginals who used to live here before European settlement believed this spring held healing powers and would bathe their sickly children in its waters. It’s a lovely spring, quite fast flowing considering the predominantly dry countryside. The little brook fed by its waters is lush with tree ferns and coral ferns. Quite an oasis. The aboriginals also believed the caves around the Spring were home to Eunjies, contact with the spirit form of them leading to illness. Hence they didn’t wander from their campfires until daybreak. Neither will I!!
We sat beside Priscilla after dinner gazing for ages at the beautiful sky filled with stars. No lights to detract for many, many kilometres around – what a treat!
To see the photos for this section of the trip click HERE.
Distance travelled: 158K
Here’s a map of the routes we took getting to the National Parks: