14 June 2026
I was reflecting on our passing through outback South Australia and on some of the cattle stations in those parts. We came across so many with names like Mt Eba, Welbourne Hill, Mount Willoughby, and Commonwealth Hill. Be assured these station names are not marking some distinctive geological formation. In fact they reference the merest interruption to what is otherwise flat and vast expanses of marginal agricultural land. Don’t be fooled by their names.
The McDonnell Ranges in Central Australia are in contrast striking landscapes. These ranges are intersected by numerous gaps, chasms and gorges which after a strong wet season have water. Each one is spectacular in its own way. We explored Emily and Jessie Gaps and rode our bikes to Simpson Gap. We also explored Trephina Gorge which I mistakenly recalled as having extensive rock art, mistaken memories from long ago.
We have now crossed the Topic of Capricorn which means our winter wardrobe is evolving to the back of the wardrobe. Coats, beanies, gloves and scarves have become ballast.
Those of us who have travelled around this country will have come across many ‘big’ things. There is the Big Banana, the Big Trout, the Big Spud, the big sheep, the Big Prawn, the Big Pineapple and the Big Mango. We have now discovered the person who must consume all these big food products, it’s the Big Man. I am going to refer to him as the Big Bloke.
The Big Bloke is mounted on a hill top behind the Aileron Roadhouse in the Northern Territory. He is 17m tall and that is pretty big. As an aside the homemade sausage rolls and pies at the Aileron Roadhouse are some of the best we have ever enjoyed.
In the past the mark of a true remote traveller was a 4WD vehicle fitted with an HF aerial and HF transmitter/receiver. These systems were seen on private 4wd vehicles and NT police cars and emergency vehicles. No longer, HF radio and long distance comms is now delivered by Starlink. The up to date remote vehicle now carries the Starlink system. It appears HF has gone the way of typewriters and the telegraph.
More to come…..
A Traveller's Tale 