day 1 done… 1170km

We are excited to be on the road. 

Gorgeous vistas today, endless skies and in the growing storm to our north as we headed west, I expected lightning to fall on us. I saw flocks of choughs and galahs, several wedge tailed eagles on the ground, such imposing regal creatures, emus, a few foxes and rabbits, and of course a gazillion kangaroos.

I can’t quite believe we made it from the Southern Highlands to Broken Hill. Having two drivers makes it a whole lot easier, but it was a mammoth effort, taking around three hours longer than I expected and I’m feeling pretty smashed, to tell the truth. We had an early wake up, leaving at 6am, and sadly left our dog, Chef, with his grandma. Don’t feel too sad; it’s dog heaven with her! 

We were diverted to Barton Hwy, Canberra, following a fatal car crash on the Hume in the early hours of the morning. While frustrating, any car crash like that makes us grateful for 

safety and good health. We detoured via Gundaroo, to Yass, Binalong, Harden, Wombat, Young, Hillston to Ivanhoe on an unsealed road, then Ivanhoe to Menindee, around 200km of unsealed road as well. We were surrounded by steel blue clouds threatening to rain, which is did ahlfway down the road. It was a cause for some concern as we know the impact one or two millimetres of rain can have on roads out here. In 2020 We saw loads of vehicles limping into Tibooburra after a quick 3mm dumped in a sudden storm. 

We deflated the tyres to 25 PSI just outside of Ivanhoe as the roads vary in quality, from sand and thick dust to fairly solid road base, and we knew it was quite the stretch of road. Our first sunset of the trip greeted us as we arrived in Menindee to reinflate the tyres before the final push to Broken Hill this meant 110km at roo hour. We made it for a Junction Motel goat curry, Kerala veggie curry and papadams, a beer, a shower and sleep.