“It’s All About The Experience – Yours and Ours ” Volume 10 Issue 2 Telephone : 08 8356 1874 April 2008 ur 2008 program began with a The Queenscliffe ferry took us to There are probably not too many people O very successful trip to Wilson’s Sorrento, and we made our way to Fish who can claim to have celebrated their Promontory early March Creek. 80th Birthday at Fish Creek ! The trip has a diverse range of scenery, Unknown to Merv, Ruth had organised ranging from the beautiful Grampians Where is Fish Creek?....well it is the a birthday cake for us to share at dinner. National Park to the unique coastal gateway to Wilson’s Promontory - attractions of The Great Ocean Road. approximately 165 kilometres south It just happened that Fish Creek was east of Melbourne, and 25kms from the hosting a “Fun Festival” that day, so The re-growth in the Grampians since entrance to Wilson’s Promontory. with the help of a jazz band which was the January 2006 bushfires is very playing in the hotel garden, Merv noticeable In total the fire burnt out The Promontory Gate Hotel ...(or received a good rendition of “Happy 130,000 hectares and destroyed 40 “The Fishy Pub”), as it is affectionately Birthday”. The previous night Gordon, dwellings, 72 farm sheds and more than called ,was our base for 4 days of another of our group celebrated his 62,400 sheep. One of the great features touring around the Promontory, birthday !! of the Australian bush is the way it Waratah Bay and the Strzelecki regenerates after a bushfire. Ranges. Just out of interest, some great footballers have come from Fish Bluestone buildings and hundreds of Creek— among them are Wayne kilometres of dry stone walling are a Weideman, Barry Standfield, Ian feature on the landscape of western Dunstan, and Barry Walpole. Victoria’s “Volcanic Trail “ which commences at Penshurst. Volcanoes in The return home was via the Bellarine the area provided a source of basalt and Peninsula and Great Ocean Road to bluestone, which has been utilised in Skenes Creek and the inimitable duo buildings and paving. characters Andrew and Roger at the One of Fish Creek’s famous features is the remarkable Daliesque mullet Skenes Creek Lodge Motel . balancing in a seemingly precarious Hosts Doris manner on top of the pub. and Andrew The Prom, with its beaches and short certainly walks is a great day trip. provide a friendly and The Strzelecki Ranges were next. welcoming Agnes Falls at 59 metres, are the atmosphere. highest single span falls in Victoria,. Left: Roger Further on, the spectacular Tarra Bulga adjusts Merv’s National Park features lush fern- birthday hat ! This style of building can be seen in the gullies, giant Mountain Ash and Myrtle Photo courtesy old Hexham Hotel (above) . It was built Beech trees towering up to 100 metres. Andrew—Skenes Creek Motel c.1863 as the Woolshed Inn, and is a A highlight was a walk through a 300 two-storey structure of squared coursed year old Mountain Ash Forest to the bluestone rubble and a slate roof. The Over the years we have travelled the popular suspension bridge, before stables were originally used as a Cobb & Great Ocean Road a few times—and returning to Fish Creek via the hilltop Co changing station. each time we hope the weather will be Grand Ridge Road, Port Albert and It is an interesting example of Victorian good for photos and sightseeing. Foster. Vernacular—(ie architecture which is Well this time it was perfect! - and typical for an area or region). the 12 Apostles looked spectacular. DESERT SKY TOURS……….. 1998 Finalist – Small Business Award Finalist …….. 2002 Winner – Northern SA Business Awards Desert Sky News Page 2 Kalamurina Station Andamooka Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC) has secured an opportunity to Andamooka’s population is expected to purchase Kalamurina for conservation. double within three years following a flood Kalamurina covers 667,000 hectares (nearly 1.7 million acres), connecting of development applications in the town Lake Eyre National Park (to the south) with the Simpson Desert Regional worth more than $14 million. Reserve (to the north). The opal town is now experiencing a ‘Gold Rush’ for real estate. The total development applications currently before the Building Assessment Commission provides for 520 bedrooms. This is comprised in a number of developments for double and single unit accommodation such as the 94 unit expansion at the Opal Hotel, another 62 units planned by Unique Accommodation and another planned development on the old caravan park site. Olympic Dam’s super pit, Prominent By connecting these reserves, the acquisition of Kalamurina will create a Hill and all of the other major mine single protected area in central Australia that is larger than the entire state developments within the region have of Tasmania. The regional significance of the property is further contributed to the expansion. demonstrated by its role in hosting the confluence of three of central Australia’s most important rivers: the Macumba River and Kallakoopah In other news, the town has grabbed relics Creek converge with the Warburton River on Kalamurina, before flowing of its past history and put them on display into Lake Eyre. in a new open air mining museum on the approach road to town. The diversity of Kalamurina’s habitats supports a wealth of desert mammals, birds and reptiles. Perhaps the most significant of these animals You’ll now notice on the left hand side is the Ampurta, an endangered mammal with its stronghold centred on of the road in front of the playground a Kalamurina. collection of dozers, Studebaker drilling rigs, and an old excavator. AWC will carry out a baseline survey in 2008 which is sure to reveal many other previously hidden biological treasures. Over time, the recovery of They’ve been placed there by the species such as the Ampurta will be measured as AWC’s on-ground Andamooka Progress and Opal Miners management improves habitat quality and reduces the effect of competition Association with the help of local residents and predation by feral animals. and businesses, to recognise the town’s link to its Opal mining history. At the time of printing this newsletter, AWC had raised the funds required In the 1990’s the Excavator was used as to complete the acquisition of Kalamurina but is still several hundred the backdrop to the annual school photo- thousand dollars short of the target for long-term management. graphs and has been viewed by many thousands of tourists over the years. The management priorities include: APOMA President Peter Allen said • Appointment of experienced, practical staff as Sanctuary Managers. much of the machinery was donated by • Rationalisation and, as necessary, restoration of infrastructure. the owners of Unique Accommodation • The removal of cattle, which is vitally important for the conservation and which was clearing its block ready for regeneration of riparian ecosystems, particularly along the Warburton and building units. Macumba Rivers and Kallakoopah Creek. “We’ll lay some blue metal down and • Culling and removal of camels. (AWC has already participated in a place descriptive signs up on each piece of regional program which resulted in the culling of over 130 camels on equipment telling of the role it played in Kalamurina.) developing the opal fields of Andamooka,” • The control of foxes and rabbits. Mr Allen said. • Developing and implementing a strategy for the management of “It just shows what a small town can visitors (large numbers of people now visit the Simpson Desert region do without all of the red tape.” every year on 4WD expeditions). Desert Sky News Page 3 Cooper Creek! Itinerary Comments Itinerary for Residents of Innamincka were given a Coongie Lakes: 2008 taste of things to come recently, when Within the Innamincka Regional the Cooper rose to about 2 metres at Reserve lies the World Heritage listed the causeway. region of Coongie Lakes. The track to Birdsville/Innamincka (9 days) ~ $1950 pp the lakes takes us roughly north-west Tuesday July 15 Innamincka township received 27 mm of Innamincka through dry sandy Wednesday August 13 of rain over two days. Scattered heavy country. Two regions are explored rainfall in the area also caused many along the way. Scrubby Camp Water- Cooper Creek/Innamincka road closures. (7 days) ~ $1525 pp hole provides some excellent views of Friday July 4 the North-West branch of the Cooper , The summer rainfall not only and further along is Kudriemitchie Flinders Ranges/Arkaroola replenished rainwater tanks, but (5 days) ~ $995 pp Outstation. Including “Ridgetop Tour” stimulated growth of herbage and Tuesday September 9 grasses on the parched gibber plains The Coongie Lakes system has been Tuesday September 23 and sand hills near the town. recognised for its importance in Sunday October 12 providing a unique environment for Gawler Ranges The flow resulted from heavy falls of plants and animals of the desert. (5 days) ~ $830 pp rain over the hills to the north of Wading birds are plentiful, and the Saturday August 30 surrounding bush is full of other desert Innamincka which caused Oonabrinta Kangaroo Island Creek to run into the Cooper. bird species. (4 days) ~ $875 pp Thursday November 13 We have a 4WD trip departing Sunday The high water closed the causeway to June 1st and travelling the Strzelecki Skenes Creek/Great Ocean Rd traffic between February 2nd and Track to Innamincka and Coongie (5 days) ~ $925 pp February 5th. Lakes. Sunday May 11 William Creek & The Painted Desert As the creek fell, water birds and birds The 7 day personalised tour will take a (9 days) ~ $1745 pp of prey congregated to feast on maximum of 4 people, and we have Sunday April 27 schooling fish.