Getting to the next bit
Posted by Melissa on | July 19, 2008
We are keen to continue north along the dirt Oodnadatta Track and William Creek Road, but are advised that our friendly Corolla would not survive the experience. Our route is set south again to retrace our steps before heading north up the Stuart Highway - the road that connects north and south (approximately 4000 kilometres).
We drive in and out of the town of Hawker for the third time and head south-west to skirt around the outer suburbs of Port Augusta, passing fast food chains and a road train depot where the monsters of the roads begin and terminate their trips between north and south.
The country is flat and bare again and we spot plenty of wedgies picking at dead roos on the side of the very straight road (more cheers from the Corolla at the sight of these awesome birds).
Our trip takes us to Woomera - a colourless ‘town’ that betrays its origins as a federally funded centre in its uniform buildings and sombre lifeless streets. We circle, seeking the centre (and soul?) of this place and a place to stay.
At Hotel Eldo I survey the TV screens and pokies in the bar/lounge/dining room and ask my helpful barman if they are the only ‘pub’ in town and learn that there is, indeed, a club but that it closes on Fridays. He confirms that there is SBS reception and that we will be able to see a stage of the Tour de France, and talks enthusiastically about a drugs scandal that has erupted.
The next day, on our way out of the grey deserted streets of Woomera we stop at a park and read plaques and see planes on poles and space junk protected by cyclone fences - homage to the missile testing that went on there in the sixties, when the location of the town was a big secret (it only became a public town in the eighties). We decide not to drop in on the detention centre, depressed enough at this grey place.
We continue north up the Stuart Highway, buffeted by gusty side winds, our little car clinging to the road and grinding through a lot of extra petrol to Coober Pedy.
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