William Creek and Lake Eyre redux - 3 and 4 August 2009

From Coober Pedy we drove to William Creek. William Creek was once the dinner stop on the Ghan. While the train loaded coal and water the passengers ate dinner. The decline of William Creek began when dining cars were installed on the Ghan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today, William Creek is just one hotel and a stop for those crossing the Simpson Desert, heading further North or going to see Lake Eyre, with an occasional road train.

It is also within Anna Creek Station part of Sydney Kidman's Cattle Empire. Anna Creek is the world’s largest working cattle Station. At 6,000,000 acres it is larger than Israel. It is largely destocked at the moment as it is in drought.

We had dinner at the William Creek Hotel. The meal is ordered when you book. We were served dinner by a nice young Canadian Woman. Since we have been in the outback we have been served by a United Nations of young women. If they spend 88 days working in Remote and Rural Locations they can possibly extend their visa by a year.

  This is a standpipe. The pink Galah's are a favourite, colourful and playful in flocks.

 
 

The next day we drove to Heligan Bay and ABC Bay at Lake Eyre. This was a rough road but the scenery was worth it. We had a picnic at Heligan Bay.

We were lucky to see a Lake Eyre Lizard a native of the salt pans.

 

 

 

 

The sign on the road to William Creek is explicit. As Trish took the photo a young Frenchman in a beat up combi van stopped - shrugged his shoulders and said he had nozzing on the list - and then drove on.

 

 

Perhaps only Austrian tourists die, this grave of Caroline Grossmeuller is on the road to Lake Eyre from William Creek.