Monday 30th April 2007

   I woke around 6 and went outside and surveyed the sky. It was clear all round and a rich blue. But interestingly there was no one around. There were no sounds other than a few birds. Even the town dogs were still asleep.

   Back inside I showered and finished off the packing up that I had made a good start on last thing yesterday. During a good look around, I realised that I had developed a certain affection for this room. It was my refuge from that wet, windy, wintry afternoon when I arrived in Blinman disguised as a drowned rat. Happy that I had not left anything in a corner or behind the TV set, I strapped on my belly bag and solar panel. Then I hefted on the backpack and walked out with a "thank you" smile and a nod as I turned off the light and closed the door behind me.

   I walked just 30 metres across the road and took it all off again. The bench outside the pub was my first stop for the day. I needed to say goodbye to Tony and Maureen and I could see John, the yardman, on the verandah having his early morning iced coffee and smoke. And Tony had allowed me to put a collection tin on the end of the bar and leave it there for the next few days till I left. I wandered over and joined John where we chatted for 15 minutes or so till he had to go to start his working day.

   There was no one else around so I got out my camera and took a few more pictures and read up on the Blinman town history. There were plenty of plaques around, one surprisingly telling me that Blinman is the highest gazetted town in South Australia at 610 metres above sea level. When I think of the magnificence and glory in which we hold the Flinders Ranges and Wilpena Pound, I am reminded that we live in a relatively flat land. In some countries in Europe, and of course most countries in the Himalayas, Blinman may have the distinction of being named the lowest gazetted town in the whole country.

   The original discovery of copper in 1859 led to a rapid development of the town with population peaking at 1500 (2000 by some accounts) around 1918. The  population today is down to less than 20 but from the few I have met, they make up for their small numbers with their big hearts.

   William Kekwick, famous for being John McDouall Stuart's second-in-command on several expeditions, is buried in Blinman. He was on a SA Government sponsored expedition through this area in 1872 when he became seriously ill and did not recover. He was only 48 years old and left a wife and 4 children. If I had been living in those times, I may well have been lured into such exploration parties and led a similar exciting but, hard and short life.

   The townspeople slowly started to emerge. The post office lady delivered 5 parcels (cartons of wine) to the pub. Earlier this morning she had driven to the nearest post office parcel depot, possibly Leigh Creek 200km away for the weekly parcel run.

  Robyn from the Wild Lime Cafe arrived at 8:15 but did not open up straight away. Lisa, with Baily and his sister tagging along, arrived around 8:30 to open the general store. I followed her in for an iced coffee and a short chat and the goodbyes.

  The pub doors opened at 9 and I followed Tony back inside where we also had a final chat and had just started on the goodbyes when I remembered there was still a 'tin' on the bar counter. We counted it up ($90.50) and I gave him a receipt. As I handed over the keys to room 1, with deep felt thanks, I once again tried to pay for some accommodation but he would hear none of it. With a good, strong handshake and a weak, aussie, blokey hug I hitched on my all and headed out of this great little community with my vision just a little blurred. I must have a speck of dust in my eyes.

   With thoughts of Blinman and the its folks still swirling in my head, I covered the couple of kilometers back along the bitumen to the turnoff on the left to Wirrealpa Station, 35 kms away, and from there to Arkaroola and onwards north. This road immediately became gravel but was surprisingly hard and there were no puddles. It was heading more or less due east and winding its way in and around low hills with side roads going off left or right every kilometer or so.

  I took a break around 11 to send off my noon position (noon in Newcastle that is) and took out my map as the surrounding countryside "looked interesting". There were the usual creeks and hills shown on the map but what was different was the number of mines. Most, if not all, abandoned but still on the map. And mines almost always have interesting names. There was Carey Hill mine off to the right. Wheal Butler and Ango mines off to the left. And Eregunda mine up ahead near tonight's camp. I planned to stop at or near First Hill which is just under 20kms for the day, but I was late getting away and my pace was definitely slower than usual after my 4 day layover in Blinman.

   The road worked its way clockwise around the base of First Hill and and I found a good spot for my camp about half way round on the northern side. There was a good spot for my tent, a couple of trees at the right spacing for my antenna and lots of firewood about. After my small fire for noodles/soup and I had made an instant coffee, I hunted around for some larger wood and stood around a decent sized camp fire as it got chilly fast as the sun went down.

   I stood there, watching the sky change from blue to pink, drinkin' and thinkin' and once again congratulating myself on being the happiest, luckiest bloke in the world.

          
   Tomorrow, finding Wirrealpa and the Farghers