Position 32 49.5S 138 11.2E

Decided to come into Flinders Ranges.  It has to be better than the coast.  In a lovely caravan site next to a (not) bubbling brook and not a sound of a car, or lead smelter, in the town of Melrose.  A whole bunch of rosella's were messing around on the grass when we arrived.  As soon as got out of the car started to fly off.  Just managed to get this shot – bit blurred.  I think this is the northern form of the Adelaide Rosella (Platycercus elegans subadelaidae).

Melrose sits at the base of Mount Remarkable and it is the oldest town in the Flinders Ranges.  We went for a short (3.5km) walk but it was up hill!  Before we got to the uphill bit passed ‘Jacka’s Brewery’.  It was originally a flour mill but was sold to the Jacka Brothers Brewers of Melrose who converted it into a brewery.  They won loads of awards for their brew but closed in the 1940s depression.  We found out later on, at the War Memorial that one of the Jacka brothers was killed during the WWI and is buried in France, or was it Belgium?  One or the other.

The foothills of Mount Remarkable made of sandstone (which is about 800 million years old).

Guess what this hole is????

A saw pit.  You knew it really.  The sawn timber would have been used for early building in the town and some would have been used in the railways.  Timber cutting was an important activity after settlement of Melrose in 1848.  This is porcupine grass (Triodia irritans) and the species name gives it away, because if you brush up against the outward point spears you’ll get a nasty irritating rash.  This grass was deliberately burnt during times of drought to encourage new soft shoots, for the stock to feed on. 

The dark bark of the rough-barked gum tree (Eucalyptus gonicalyx).    

Looking across rolling hills of Mount Remarkable.

You see lots of eucalypts with bunches of golden greeny leaves hanging down in amongst their normal foliage.  Paul insists it’s the tree leaves and I keep arguing that obviously a parasite because the colour of the leaves, and the way the leaves hang, are totally different between tree and parasite.  So it’s a parasite, and I’m assuming some sort of mistletoe.  

Views of Melrose below from Don’s Peak …

… and across the flat Willochra Plain.

You can see how straight the roads are in this picture.  You have trouble telling if cars/lorries are coming towards you or moving in same direction.  There are signs everywhere saying take a rest every two hours, you need it.  The light is also intense that hurts your eyes after a while.

This fine gravely patch is a Meat Ant’s nest.  I kept stepping into them, the smooth area is all the material they have removed from their nests below ground.  Several holes lead into the nest.  They got very upset when I started to put stones over the holes. They are fast moving and can give a nip if you interfere with them – as I found out.

A friendly passer-by took a picture of Paul and I.  Note, Paul has got his old hat on, so have I come to that.  You can see across the plain to other side of Flinders Ranges.