4 April 2010. Early this morning left the Stuart Caravan Park in Coober Pedy heading towards Uluru (Ayer's Rock). The distance is approximately 750 kms so we won't go all the way today but will aim to cover 550 kms and reach Mt Ebinezer.
As we drive 30 and 40 kms away from Coober Pedy there are still hundreds (thousands!) of mullock heaps. Mechanised Caldwell drills can sink a 10 metre shaft and as there is no test or predictable way to prove the presence of opal, these mines are very hit amd miss affairs.
A gecko on the opal field.....
Wolfgang taking photos on the border....
These large animal sculptures were kept under cover at the Erldunda Roadhouse. Here we turned west onto the Lasseter Highway towards Uluru. About 20 kms down the road we were stopped by the Police - in the middle of nowhere they did registration and licence checks and breathalyzer tests. The young bunch of rookie Police looked very hot and bothered in the high temperatures!
A dramatic storm at Mr Ebenezer - rain fell in great sheets across the desert. This is one of the few roadhouses owned by aboriginals. Here they also have caravan/camp sites and an art gallery. The roadhouse is built around the original homestead which was the first station in the Territory owned by a person of aboriginal descent.
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