Early wake up by 6am with the sun rise. Breakfast of pancakes which Alex made. I had toast with Vegemite!
After breakfast, we hiked into the Wilpena Pound, up to Lower Wangara Lookout and back via Hills Homestead. About 12km in total and home in time for a quick dip before lunch.
The dip wasn’t quite as relaxing as we’d planned! The pool was infested with wasps and hornets, all drinking water! We managed to have a dip in one corner, the water was very cold, which was refreshing. We didn’t stay long since we didn’t want to push our luck and get stung so far from civilisation.
Back to camp for the usual lunch of wraps with tuna and salad.
After lunch, we jumped on the bus and went on a circuit of the Wilpena Pound. Through one gorge, around the back and then returned through another to look for Yellow Tailed Rock Wallabies which we find.
On the other side we stop at a refurbished hotel which is next to one of the historic railway lines. It’s closed because no one comes out here during the summer, too hot.
After that we carried on down the road until Dan slams on the breaks and stops to catch a breaded dragon which brings into the van and shows us. It has a mite attached to it so Dan removes with some tweezers before putting back. They have soft spikes which run all along its body, we all take a turn gently stroking it.
It’s a dirt track, and we’re going at quite a pace.
A few kms after we get back to the highway we get a flat tyre which provided some drama but Dan being a trained mechanic it doesn’t slow us down for long. In a very proud moment as a parent, Alex raises three cheers to Dan when we all get back on the bus, and we’re all in good spirits.
We get a few more kms down the road and Dan slams on the breaks, and we stop to look at a very special Kangaroo mother who is grey with her Joey who is red. Apparently a rare genetic condition and Dan has never seen it in 20 years of guiding tours.
Back to camp for a well-earned cold beer. We take a selection of cheese and biscuits and hike up a nearby hill to watch the sunset before making a start on dinner.
Chicken stir-fry with rice which Alex also made, it was tasty with lots of vegetables which was welcome. Washed down with more beer!
After we clear up dinner its showers and then bed, ready for an early start.