Arrived at the opal town of Mintabie and stopped at the IT Centre who arranged for a local "Jack" to give us a small tour and show us where we could noodle for opal. We camped at the hotel caravan park, only $10 a night for a powered site! That afternoon we followed Jack back to his place for a coffee and talk with his brother Steve before heading out into the opal fields. We found a few small pieces of opal then back to the hotel for the Melbourne Cup night. Horses were drawn and auctioned off with first prize the next day at $8,500 unfortunately we didn't win.

I found out that my radiator was leaking (Tanamied) where a plastic standoff had rubbed thru the radiator core with the vibration caused by the rough road. I ordered a new one from Port Augusta to be delivered to Coober Pedy later. Had a terrific storm with dust, wind and torrential rain which closed the road out to the highway. Lucky we weren't leaving for another day. Our chairs, which were covered in dust, soon became mud as the rain set in. A bit of cleaning was done the next morning.

The Breakaways just north of Coober Pedy.    Scroll right for a panoramic view.

Next stop Coober Pedy where I installed the new radiator. The town has changed so much from what it was like 20 years ago. It is just a tourist town now, your not even allowed on the opal fields anymore. We took the road out to William Creek and stopped at Lake Cadibarrawirracanni. The lake is possibly famous because it has the most letters of any place name in Australia. Plenty of water in all the lakes around here as over the previous few weeks they have been receiving the same rain as we have. On via William Creek on the Oodnadatta Track following the old Ghan railway line to overnight at Beresford Ruins. The old stone building had been restored  so that you could camp inside if you wanted to. One room even had flywire on the windows. A capped artesian bore was next to the old desalination tower. Turning the tap on sent a plume of slightly smelly water 20 metres into the air. Further on down the track we dropped into Coward Springs which had a lovely camping area and a railway sleeper enclosed swimming area on the spring itself. This area of Australia has many artesian springs and a more popular one was the one pictured below in the Mound Springs Conservation Park.

Blanche Cup

You can see other springs in the distance, the white is the minerals and salt from the water. As the water dries it leaves behind the impurities creating, over time, the mounds. This one, the Blanche Cup was about 10 metres high. I found one dead fish in the runoff water which turned out to be a desert goby. Further on, still following the old Ghan railway line, we passed many ruins, bridges and railway sleepers. We turned off the Oodnadatta Track towards Roxby Downs which is just a large mining town. Kept on going and stopped at Andamooka for a couple of days and ended up staying two weeks. Andamooka is, at the moment, like Coober Pedy was 20 years ago. Val and Arthur caretaked the Caravan Park and gave us as much information as we wanted. While here they took us for a look down their current mining lease but no opal yet. Next year they will be bringing in a bobcat to help dig.

Arthur and Val digging for Opal

Andamooka has preserved some early mining houses in the main street which gives you a glimpse into the past.

Built of local stone with earth roof to keep cool.

We had to ask a local to show us to the old cemetery and found a grave there from 1930. It was an unknown person and they buried him where they found him and that was the start of the cemetery!

We went for a drive with Betty (a regular tourist to Andamooka) up near the rubbish tip where we found some opal, matrix and concrete. Arthur cut the matrix and treated it for me but it hasn't got a lot of colour.

Betty took me out noodling and on the way stopped at the bottle shop. Here she showed me a large piece of matrix for sale at $5,000. While Betty was talking to the locals in the shop we were invited out to a noodling machine to see how it works. They told us the directions and said we could go thru the buckets near the machine, as that is what they discard and keep for tourists. Needless to say it was a lot better than what we were finding so we both came home with quite a few good bits.

The next day we met Marie, one of the owners who fired up the noodler and we all had a go in the ultraviolet lighted darkroom looking for opal as it came thru on the conveyor belt. About a dozen pieces were found but were discarded as "Horseshit". A common term used in the opal mining industry as opal that is not even good enough for a tourist.

Noodler machine in action.

All the dust, mud and small chips are screened off before the rest is dumped on the belt for viewing in the darkroom.

I took Sandy out to a place Betty had shown me called the Cross. Sandy found a good heap which had concrete opal in it. We returned to this spot a few times and I sifted thru the pile and ended up with a large bucket of concrete. Concrete is Opal formed in a cement like rock which, when heated and dipped in a sugar solution, turns black and makes the opal stand out. It can be used in jewellery or as specimens. Another hobby to keep us amused on the road. We both enjoyed ourselves here and look forward to visiting again one day.

The Ghan on its way to Alice.

Via Woomera we headed to Port Augusta where we picked up some food and our mail. On the way to Adelaide we camped at Port Parham which is OK if your after crabs as that would be the only attraction here with low water and tidal flats. At Adelaide we decided to camp in the hills at Hahndorf and this was a very pleasant but cold place to stay. Again things have changed so much, about 12 years ago the tourist trade stopped and most of the German style shops closed. Now all you have left are cafe's and souvenir shops, possibly the last time we will visit as the atmosphere has gone.

Did a lot of shopping including some fresh seafood for Sandy's birthday. Toured the town and the hills and we both enjoyed the ease at which the driving was able to be done and the many road signs telling us which way to go.

25th of November was Sandy's day when she received a few phone calls and cards for her birthday. Tea that night was fresh prawns, cheese, bread, wine, olives and chili mussels. Just the way Sandy likes it.

The markets in Adelaide are small and local with one we attended no more than a church bazaar. I picked up a box of caravan magazines for $2 which I perused for a few days before discarding them. I spent a day detecting for gold at Jupiter Creek but no luck. I had to buy a new laptop computer so once that was done we had a walk up Rundle Mall where we also picked up some tools and silver for Sandy's jewellery making.

I finally finished my painting (see main index page) and we both believe it is my best one yet.

The next few days will see me transferring all my programs to the new computer and doing this webpage.

Next stop Murray river.

Peter and Sandy