Menindee Lakes

After our relaxing and informative stay at Trilby, we headed to Menindee following the Darling. Tilpa was a hamlet of 95 people with a great little pub. Check out the fuel pump. ($2/L & diesel only!)
Vinnie was keen to read Breaker Morant's name on the War Memorial but there wasn't much else to see in Tilpa. The pub staff were keen for visitors as they were isolated for nearly two months in the recent flood.
We had to divert from our original plan to travel straight to Menindee as the road was still closed after the flood. We had to travel over some rough terrain to the Silver City Highway then when we looked at the distance we decided to go via Broken Hill as we had to stock up on supplies. The road from Wilcannia to Broken Hill was long and boring. The Motel however was welcome and so was the meal at Dunes restaurant. Blew the budget but what the heck!
After stocking up at the supermarket (plan was for 4-5 days bush camping) and finding a good coffee, we headed for Menindee.
When we arrived in Menindee we drove to the Kinchega  National Park to check out campsites. This was an old property, reclaimed as a national park when the pastoral lease ran out in 1967.

The shearing shed from the old station. It was originally twice this size.

 Unfortunately many of the campsites were still under water and it was only when we chatted to some fellow travellers that we found out about a campsite by the weir. It had a toilet but no shower (40km return trip the the NP for a shower...) Vinnie was keen to try some fishing so I agreed to stay there. The toilets were flush...such luxury. It was cold so we gathered some wood for the fire and tried to stay out of the wind. I guess one advantage of the cold was the lack of sweat and hence the ability to go without a tub for a day or two...
Vinnie did the environment a favour by catching many carp (again!)

Sunrise on the lake

The birdlife was phenomenal, more pelicans than the whole of Ballina I reckon.
Next stop the ancient environment of Mungo National Park and hopefully some indigenous history.