3rd to 4th March - Orroroo

We met this pair of mates at Wilpena Pound, both riding Russian Ural bikes with side cars.  Patrick on right and Gary all the way from Sydney doing a bit of a trip around.  We were amazed at the gear the guys were carrying in their side cars, apparently they can take up to 180 kgs.  Patrick had a bit of a fetish with ropes, he had about a dozen or more all rolled up and laid out neatly - reckons it's the truckie in him.  

Leaving Wilpena Pound, the weather was looking quite dodgy, black clouds looming all around.  We took time to stop at the little photo points along the road.   This one looking over the Hills of Arkaba.    We travelled back through Hawker, then turned into RM Williams Way and headed through wheat and sheep country.  Craddock a small town of only 1 pub, 2 churches and a couple of houses.   The pub was operating but I don't think the churches are these days. 

The landscape throughout SA is dotted with cottage/homestead ruins.  This lot was along the RM Williams Way before Craddock.   The weather continues to look dodgy.   The next little township we come across is Carrieton.  Not a lot to see within the town, though we decide to get a refreshment at the pub which had the Open signs out, from 11am and it was 1pm.   They unlocked the doors for us, served us a drink, we left then they locked the doors behind us...........strange.  

 Carrieton population is 50, they have won tidy towns a couple times. Once they tidy the town up it's pretty easy to keep tidy.   The pub trading hours:   Open most days about 10 or 11, sometimes as early as 9, but somedays as late as 2-3, close about 5.30 - 6pm sometimes 4-5pm, sometimes as late as midnight or later, somedays they're not there at all, but lately they have been here a lot, unless we're not here.....confuscious!  Carrieton pub to the right...........

We pulled into Orroroo, another little country town.   Quite friendly place, we book in for one night at the van park.   We have GRASS!  And I am excited, it has been so long - I reckon since we left my mum and dads way back when some 8 months ago.....  We have nice views too, overlooking the country side.   The lady at the park was nice too, Heather her name, reckon we would only get a light sprinkle from the looming dark clouds.  Well the sun come out, then next minute the dark clouds back and it bucketed down!   A good 10 minutes later it was all over and fine the rest of our stay.

We liked the look of this place, the park was like a home away from home, down to the lounge and TV in the laundry, lace curtains and soft as soap and handtowels in the loos, cheap too $23 a night so we decide to stay another night and have a look around.   We jump on the treddlies and check the sites, the first is the Big Gum Tree - 500+ years old, 10 metre circumferance and 6 m before it forks in the trunk.  One of SA significant historic trees. 

We treddle along the dirt track around to the Red Bridge.  The track is not used anymore, built in 1882.  From here we took a scenic route back into town, via the wheat silos, butter factory etc.  We find the locals here are pretty friendly.

Contrary to what we were thinking, that Orroroo had something to do with Kangaroos, it is an aboriginal name meaning Meeting Place of Magpies.   We did see a few around.  There is also a roo butcher here (Dew's meats), the publican talked us into trying some, we got snags and snitzels..... this could be interesting.

 I made friends with a couple of old nags, just hanging around down town.  They are made from corrugated iron, there is also several corrugated roos at both ends of town.  Who ever made them is very clever.  I had to do a double take when I saw the horses heads moving....  We dumped the bikes and took the ute out for a spin to Tank Hill Lookout, then through Pekina to Magnetic Hill, where cars roll up hills, when placed in neutral, ignition off, and it may be an optical illusion but it does happen. 

We went back to Orroroo via Black Rock, there was an art gallery there, with an open sign out front.  The music and lights were on, but the doors locked, we thought it another Carrieton pub, but no one answered my knocks.   So we give this one a miss, dumped the ute back at camp and walked on into town for a drink at the Orroroo Pub, built in late 1800's.  They were little people back then, check the size of the doorway. 

We got a late check out so we could go for a bike ride, walk down along Pekina Creek to the Reservoir and to take a look at the Rock Poem.  Two poems carved in a rock face in a gully by Donald McDonald.  The 2nd poem dedicated to his two mates passed away.  It was an interesting little walk, the track was over grown some parts, we had to ditch the bikes, then we walked through the gully, rocks, reeds, water to get back to other side where we left them...... Never a dull moment.  We enjoyed our stay here and found everyone friendly.