10-Mar-2002 -- Near Karpa Kora Station, NSW.

Continued from 32S143E.

Coming from the road between Menindee and Wilcannia, we took a track south directly opposite the Barraroo Station and drove through Blantyre, Denian and Ashmont Stations before reaching the main road between Menindee and Ivanhoe.

At Sayers Lake we drove over the railway line onto the Pooncarie Road and headed towards the Karpa Kora Station.

On arrival at Karpa Kora, I spoke to the wife of the owner and learned that the land on which the confluence is situated was sold some time ago and is managed by a station about 50 kilometres away (the name of which I have forgotten unfortunately).

I was also told that the track that I was intending to use had been fenced over and she wasn’t sure if there were any gates. She also alerted me to the fact that the land there is very sandy and hilly and to be extremely careful not to get stuck. She strongly suggested that we go and speak to the managers of that land and she explicitly stated she wasn’t in a position to give us permission and nor was she in a position to render any assistance if we got stuck in what is some pretty remote bushland.

So armed with all of that information, we headed towards the western extremity of Karpa Kora and then headed north away from the confluence back onto the Pooncarie Road. On the other side of the fence to Karpa Kora, there was a reasonable looking track heading straight towards the confluence, so rather than embark on a 100 km round trip to seek permission from the right people, we carefully drove on and got within about 2 kilometres of the confluence where the track ended.

I stocked up with some water and headed off to the confluence while Ada and the kids stayed with the car. The land was very sandy and apart from some kangaroo droppings, there were no signs of any wildlife or livestock. I walked to and from the confluence in just under an hour and we headed back to the Pooncarie Road the same way we came.

We got into Pooncarie about an hour later where we refueled and bought some ice and other provisions at the general store.

Continued at 34S143E.