Checked out the Dig Tree, one of Australia’s most famous landmarks. It was here that explorers Burke, Wills and King returned from their historic first south-to-north crossing of the continent only to find that their supply party had left the camp 9 hours before (after waiting 4 months for the explorers return). Burke and Wills lasted another six months and made several serious mistakes re being found and relieved by other search parties before dying of starvation on one of the Cooper Creek, on of the most food rich rivers in inland Australia (wouldn’t learn from the aborigines). King survived, fathered a girl with an aboriginal woman and was rescued 18 months later.
The Dig Tree is where the departing supply party buried a cache of supplies should the explorers return. A tale of endurance akin to that of Lewis and Clarke in the USA.
Then it was a slow 1.3 hours back along the corrugations to the Arrabury Road followed by another 3 hours of corrugations climbing up to the St Anne Range. Hard work.
Finally got on to the level in the sand at the edge of the Sturt’s Stoney Desert for a final 30 odd km to camp on the edge of a gravel pit. Little protection from the wind and the termites had eaten most wood so that there was little to have for a campfire. Still managed to cook dinner and retire.
Hi Stu i stopped and talked to you as you went into Dig Tree then next day after you had climbed the Saint Anne Ranges I was in a White Landcruiser Wagon. I camped that night at Arrabury Water Hole then next day drove into Haddon corner.I meet a bloke in Birdsvillie that missed the Haddon Corner Sign as there is not much of it left.I went on to cross the Simpson Desert and get rained on and road closed just as I got to Lyndhurst. So no Strzelecki Track to Cameron Corner so went to Peterborough,Broken Hill then Tibooburra to get to Cameron Corner was rained in for 3 Days at Tibooburra. Now back at work in lismore NSW. I found a Swiss Army Pocket knife in Middle of Simpson Desert.