29-Dec-2002 --

This confluence forms part of an eleven-confluence journey that starts at 27°S 150°E.

After spending the night in Bourke, famous for the term “Back O’ Bourke” implying that a location is in the absolute middle of nowhere, we headed down Kidman Way towards Cobar for about 100 kilometres before turning left on the road to Byrock.

We pulled into the homestead of “Glenvue” Station and introduced ourselves to three blokes who were in the middle of cutting the head off a dead goat. The nature of the land around here doesn’t lend itself particularly well to cattle or sheep farming, but running goats is often viable – albeit a little bit controversial for environmental reasons. At the moment, goats are all that is farmed on “Glenvue”.

After a brief chat about the Degree Confluence Project and review of my maps, we determined that the confluence was on their property. The guys gave me some pointers as to some potential tracks that could get us closer to it. They also commented that it was a good thing that I came up to the homestead to speak to them as they were intending to go shooting that morning in the same area as the confluence.

Just as we getting ready to leave, Ada noticed that the left front tyre was flat. I proceeded to get the spare and jack ready and was thanking my lucky stars that the flat didn’t occur in the middle of the bush somewhere. The problem was that I couldn’t find my jack. Fortunately, the guys who were working on the goat came to my aid and pulled a jack out of one of their Landcruisers.

After a short delay in repacking the car due to taking everything out in my fruitless search for the jack, we headed off to the confluence. The tracks got us to within 500 metres in the car and I walked the remaining distance.

Continued at 31°S 147°E.