Cobb Highway

The Cobb Highway runs from Moama on the Murray river to the plains surrounding Hay and on to outback Wilcannia. The Hay plains are notable for being the flattest region in the Southern Hemisphere.

North of Hay there is little point fencing off the massive stations so watch out for the cows. All you can see poking above the horizon are the windmills stretching off into the distance. An extended dry spell has reduced the grass to dust.

On this 400 kilometre stretch from Hay to Wilcannia you drive through a few small villages but Ivanhoe, about halfway, is the only town of note. Make sure you fuel up before the next 200 kilometre leg because there is precious little other than a few scattered stations.

Mount Manara

A collection of rocky hills break up the endless plains. I can't remember the name. Google doesn't say much. After scrolling through google maps with the terrain switched on I find its Mount Manara.

The road stretches on to the horizon. Time to move on.

Old Junkyard

I'm …. I really don't know where. There are no place names of note for about a hundred kilometres.

I spot an old rubbish dump by the side of the road. It contains old carts, an abandoned grader, a jeep, old vehicles made before WW2.

I found a couple of bottles with company logos on them that allowed me to date them to about 1950. A whole pile of history, just sitting there next to the road for the last 70 years

Broken Hill

A quick 300 klicks later and I'm in Broken Hill. I decide I like it and I'll stay a few days. Its a large town with plenty of mines, shops and art galleries. About 15 kilometres north it looks like public land.

I drive my car up a steep bumpy track and somehow seem to have ended up on Mars. In the evenings I watch sunsets made of fire. In the mornings I bump down the track back to town and have poached eggs for breakfast.

Living Desert

Just over the hill is the Living Desert State Park. It features a collection of carved rock statues.

Lake Menindee

About 100 kilometers south-east is Lake Menindee. Its part of the Murray-Darling river system. Its used a catchment to supply water for stock and urban needs. But not today!

Barrier Highway

On the way back to the coast approaching Cobar. There has been a bit more rain on this trip and we are getting close the end of the outback so its a tad greener.

But North, South, East and West. Just the straight-as-a-tack road and the endless sky.

Rufus River Road

For much of the Murry's length it forms the border of the outback. Cross it around Mildura or Robinvale and almost immediately the wheat farms and citrus groves give way to seemingly endless expanses of salt flats and cattle stations.

Rufus River road is a mostly dirt road north of Wentworth that follows the river. It ends in a small hamlet called Cal Lal close to where the borders of Victoria, N.S.W. and South Australia meet.

Following it is an easy day-trip from Mildura, but very rapidly you feel like your a long, long way from the comforts of civilization.

Lake Victoria

Half way along the Rufus River road lies Lake Victoria. Its an important part of the water supply for South Australia.