Day 22 - Mildura 9/10/15

Today we all had a bit off a sleep in and a lazy morning. We had pancakes for brekky and then I went to the pool with the other kids. We stayed in there for a couple hours and then got out and had some lunch. After lunch we went on a Paddle Steamer called the Rothbury. The ride was 2 hours down the Murray and into the lock chamber. In the lock chamber we got to watch the water level go down so that we wouldn't have a waterfall drop into the lower section of the Murray. It was really cool and the ride was quite nice. The captain told us some interesting stuff about the Murray and Mildura. At one point he asked if any of the kids wanted to steer the boat. Darcy, Indi, Ra and I all had a go t steering the paddle steamer. It was way harder than it looked. The wheel everytime you tried to turn it one way, would try and turn back the other. It took a lot of effort and muscle to steer the boat ini the right direction. We all did pretty good until Indi almost banked us twice which was pretty funny. She started steering towards one river bank and went told to turn the other way she went to far and was heading for the other river bank! The captain made it pretty funny though, saying things in the speaker so everyone could hear and tried to make it that she was meant to steer towards the bank. On the way back we went back into the lock and watched the water level rise so we could go back into the higher part. It was really hot so when we got back to camp us kids went back into the pool for a few hours before getting and having a shower to get ready for dinner at the pub/restaurant place. Dinner was really nice and Kenna wrote us a real cute and nice message on the chalk board. Before we left we all had a go at the chocolate game. The one with the claw that you have to pick up the chocolates to make them fall. We all did really well, but I was so good at the game and ended up pushing a couple of toys down with the chocolates. When we ran out of money Adam put them on the table and the kids had to line up youngest to oldest and pick one thing at a time. In the end I think we all ended u with 6 chockies each. When we went back to camp it was still 35 degrees outside so again we all sat outside Jackos tent and talked and looked for the moop whoop owl. Tomorrow we finally go home. I'm looking forward to see Amber and Minty again.

Today's blog is written by Chloe :)

Day 21 - Mutawintji to Mildura 8/10/15

Today is Jacko's Birthday. We all said happy birthday to him and slowly packed up and set off at about 8:00. When we started driving it was the time of morning for kangaroos to be out and about eating. Luckily we didn't hit any but there were some very close calls. There were thousands of them jumping out in front of the car or sitting on the side of the road. We finally reached Broken Hill without hitting anything and had a break. We stopped at the shops to get a couple of supplies and brought a cake for Jacko. We then drive to the visitors centre and had some Gloria Jeans for morning tea and looked in the suvinear shop. We then set off again to Mildura. We didn't stop again until we reached Mildura and had set up in the caravan park. It was a really nice caravan park, the grass was green (which we hadn't seen in 3 weeks), the pool was cool and the toilets were the best. They were clean and the showers were the best we had all trip, they also had in the soap dispenser, soap and lotion. It was really nice. We set up on the Murray River and us kids went in the pool for a bit before we got out and got ready for dinner. We had a BBQ for dinner in the camp kitchen and saw the first T.V in 3 weeks. It was quite strange actually. When all 3 families had finished eating dinner we gave Jacko his prezzies and did cake. We all sang happy birthday and then sat around the Jacko's tent for the rest of the night. 

Today's blog is written by Chloe :)

Day 20 - Tibooburra to Mutawintji 7/10/15

Today's drive wasn't too long. Some of it was on bitchumen and some was on dirt but finally and thankfully not corrugated. There was nothing interesting that happened on the drive. We saw a lot of road kill and then a plain nothingness all around us. When we got there we set up and all sat around in the shade. I had a bit of a nap and when I woke up and sat back outside, Tracey Downs asked if I wanted to go for a walk. So about 20 mins later Tracey, Kenna, Indi, Ra and I were in the car going to a walk into Mutawintji Gorge. It was nearing sunset when we started out 6km walk and we saw a million goats and kangaroos all eating. There were a lot of cute joeys. The walk felt like it was going on forever and it was all through paddocks and stuff so there was nothing really too interesting to look at. When we were almost at the gorge we swooped by a flock of budgies. They scared us quite a bit because we weren't expecting to be swooped by budgies! When we reached the gorge it was really pretty. The creek bed was dry but the trees and the slowly setting sun was an amazing sight. We took photos and explored a bit before having a short break with chocolate eclairs Tracey brought as a treat. We then started to make our way back to the car. On the short car ride back we saw heaps and heaps of goats and kangaroos again. When we got back to camp we told everyone how I walk was and sat around the fire for the rest of the night.

Today's blog is written by Chloe :)

Day 19 - Innaminka to Tibooburra 6/10/15

This morning we woke up and had breakfast in SA. We then packed up and said goodbye to Steven, Sharron and the kids. They left us today to head back to there home mp near Sydney. We then left and had a very long and very corrugated drive along the old strezlecki track to Cameron's Corner. Cameron's Corner is the corner where the borders of SA, NSW and Queensland meet. We were meant to camp there but it was another over 40 degree day and there was no shade and the camping looked pretty bad. So we drove over the border into the Queensland for the second time in 2 days and had lunch at the Cameron's Corner pub. The pub was pretty cool and had a wall of hats and the roof had money pinned to it and there were stickers and stuff too. We had some lunch and sat under the shade for a little bit before we jumped back into the car and drove over to SA again so we could get to the point of the borders. It was pretty cool there was a podium thing that said the states and the remaining 3 families (Jackos, downs' and us) all put there hands on the podium so we were all in the 3 states at once. Mum, Dad and I had a photo taken where I was in NSW, Mum was in Queensland and Dad was in SA. After everyone had taken photos and stuff we hopped in the cars and drove over to NSW to Tibooburra. When we finally got to Tibooburra we set up,had dinner and then we all just sat around. It was a really warm night and we were all still in shorts and t-shirts at 9:00. The one thing I found awesome about today is that we had breakfast in SA, lunch in Queenslasnd and dinner in NSW. I thought that was pretty cool.

Today's blog is written by Chloe :)

Day 18 - Burke and Wills 5/10/15

Today we had a bit of a lazy morning before we took a drive to Queenslant to look at the Dig Tree. The story of Burke and Wills is that they lived in Melbourne and was sent off in 1860 to fill in the blank spaces of Australia in the north and central. They had many failed attempts and when they reached there 65th camp from Melbourne, along the cooper creek, they split the party in 2. 5 people when with Burke, including Wills, to explore the Gulf of Carpentaria, which is why they were called the gulf party. Brahe was one of the men left at camp and was put in charge with orders from Burke to wait for the gulf party for 3 months. Brahe and the others waited 4 months and only decided to leave because one of them fell sick. This is whenthe dig tree was first 'made' when Brahe wrote on the tree 'DIG 3 FT NW 21 April 1861' which means dig 3 feet North-west and the date it was written. Turns out Burke and Wills got to the depot camp 65 the night Brahe and the others left, it was only hours later. That's when Burke saw the mark and they found supplies. Brahe was the one who left most of the markings. You only see one of them clearly and the others are gone because of the trees natural healing process. We saw Brahe's blaze, B LXV, indicating it was Burke's 65th camp from Melbourne. We also saw the face tree. The face tree is called that because in 1898 a man came and decided to carve Burke's face and initials into the tree. It was an awesome site to see and I wish that the other carvings didn't heal over so we could see them. After that we then drive back into SA to see Burke's grave. It was a 300m walk on sand to see a rock with a plaque saying Burke's name and the date he was born and the date he died. This little grave is actually where he died and he is buried in the Melborne General Cemetery. When we got back to camp we all relaxed for a bit and sat by the cooper creek until we decided to head out to the Innaminka Pub for dinner. Dinner was really good! I had the best chicken Parma with shredded ham, cheese and chips. When we had finished dinner we all sat outside until about 8:00 when we went back to camp. While we were sitting outside all us kids were playing mini golf. It was a really fun a don good night. Also apparently the temperature got to 42 degrees today. No wonder we were all so hot and tired! 

Today's blog is written by Chloe :) 

Day 17 - Arkaroola to Innaminka 4/10/15

This morning everyone was up early and packing up to go our separate ways. Once someone was packed up we would say goodbye to them as leave. It was a really nice morning and and once everyone was packed up and most people gone we left. The Butchers, Downs and Jackos are coming with us part way home and then we will split off. We took off to Monta Colina where we were supposed to stay but decided to keep going to Innaminka. When we got to Monta Colina the reason we didn't stay was because it was 40 degrees and there was no shade at all. There was nothing at Monta Colina except for buches and sand, it wasn't that nice of a place. So we had some lunch under Jacko's car annex. It was the only shade we could get so it was a quick lunch with everyone very hot before we took off again for the drive to Innamika. The drive to Innaminka was another 2-3 hours of very hot and cramped driving along the new strezlecki track. We stopped for a little break at a lookout to Moomba which was a really cool sight. Moomba is a gas mining station where they process the gas and burn off the excess. That's where the big flame comes from. It looks awesome! After we tried to take some photos from a distance we jumped back in the car and drove the rest of the way to Innaminka. When we finally got there and set up it was about 6:00-6:30 and thankfully for daylight savings that started last night, the sun was only starting to go down. We started the fire and started dinner before we all just sat around the fire for a bit and then went to bed.

Today's blog is written by Chloe :)

Day 16 - last day and grand final 3/10/15

Today is our last full day of the MySwag Flinders Rangers trip. It is also Grand Final day and my Pa's Birthday, so happy birthday Pa!

It was really hot today, something like 38 degrees, so in the morning everyone just did there own thing and relaxed in the little shade we had. Indi, Ra, Darcy and I went in the pool for a bit after breakfast and played around with Beccy the local dog. She was so cute and every time someone jumped in she would jump in with them. We stayed in there until use before lunch, then we got out and had some lunch before we all wandered up to watch the grand final. All the MySwagers went up, either to watch the footy, get out of the heat or use the places wifi. The girls and I watched the footy up until about half time, then we went back into the pool for a little bit. When we went back inside it was getting to the end of the 3rd quarter and you could clearly tell that Hawks were going to win. John was still hoping that the Eagles had a chance because he made a bet with Darcy and he was loosing. The game started to get a little boring because there was no way Eagles could catch up but we stayed and watched until the end of the game anyway and as soon as the full time buzzer went Darcy was over getting his chocolate off John. For the rest of the night Jacko and Darcy were singing the Hawks theme song. After the game we all went back to camp to have showers and get changed before we went up to the restaurant for dinner. It was a really good night, all the kids talking and laughing on one table and the parents doing the same on another. When we all decided it was time to go we all just kind of went to bed and didn't start the fire. I guess because we all have big days tomorrow to get to the next place we are staying or home. It has been an awesome 2 weeks with the MySwagers! 

Today's blog is written by Chloe :)