Day 54: Fri 07 Apr 23 - Good Friday

Day 54: Fri 07 Apr 23 - Good Friday - Wudinna

April 07, 2023

Fri 07 Apr 23 (Good Friday) - Wudinna

Down to 14 Deg overnight, reaching 23 Deg through the day. We had light showers before dawn, then it cleared for a while, and rained on and off again from mid-morning with strong winds easing in the evening. Thankfully the wind didn't get as wild as it did yesterday. I got up and went for an early walk around town. It was ghost town quiet, then I returned for breakfast, and at 0900 we drove 38 km back west along the Eyre highway to the small township of Minnipa, and another 15km along a dirt road north towards the Gawler Ranges to Pildappa Rock. I thought about free camping there for one night, but I didn't know what the road condition was like for towing the caravan in, so we opted for a two-night stay at Wudinna instead. The drive was quiet and enjoyable with little traffic, and after visiting the rock, it was definitely worth the drive. Pildappa rock is a spectacular sight with long and high wave formations all around it. A climb to the top provided beautiful views across the surrounding farmland and to the Gawler Ranges, but you had to be careful on the damp moss covered rock as it was a bit slippery in places. After about an hour exploring, we returned towards Minnipa stopping briefly at Minnipa Hill (another rocky outcrop), but it was raining so we continued to Tcharkulda Rock, about 4km along a dirt road on the other side of Minnipa. Tcharkuldu Rock is another massive rocky outcrop covered in massive and spectacular tafoni and boulders. During the early settlement, Tcharkuldu supplied the township of Minnipa with its water via an extensive gutter network and dam. We had a sandwich and cup of tea for an early lunch, before setting off to explore this amazing sight for about an hour also. The weather was being kind to us, the rain clearing long enough to allow us to explore both rocks. We returned to the van by 1300, then I had the longest afternoon sleep this trip (it wasn't just a nap and apparently it came with some strong snoring). I woke to Noel baking some fresh cooked scones which we had with coffee (and shared with our neighbours). We're not sure where the rest of the day disappeared too, but before we knew it, we were having dinner and settling in for the night (another night without TV as there is no TV reception here). Tomorrow morning we leave for Port Augusta for 2 nights before heading into the Flinders Ranges on Monday. Quorn was my preferred option, but it is fully booked, and they required a minimum 3-night stay anyway, so we'll make the most of Port Augusta and drive a little further on Monday.

Morning Walk - Distance to drive (left) tomorrow

Morning Walk - Australian Farmer Statue

Morning Walk - A lovely green strip along the Eyre Highway - not that green in town and the surroundings unfortunately. Still, it's a nice quiet little town and a great place to base yourself if wanting to explore the area.

Pildappa Rock - An impressive granite outcrop which is the exposed part of a large granite rock which is 5kms deep

Pildappa Rock

Pildappa Rock - Impressive wave formations that rival WA's Wave Rock. The wave shape was caused by moist soil in contact with the rock causing the granite to weather inwards. As the soil lowered and granite became exposed, the weathered rock surface was removed causing the wave.