Merhaba from Menindee,

I departed the motel ’round 7:30, visited the bakery, refuelled, then headed south west, following the Darling River. Morning coffee was had near 10, just beyond the hamlet of Tilpa, and lunch ’round 12, along the Wilcannia to Menindee Road. I was in my motel room by 2, after covering 494km.

Like yesterday, all but a few kilometers were on gravel roads. The road conditions on the first half of the trip were excellent (like yesterday), but deteriorated, becoming rougher, with patches of corrugations, near Wilcannia. The fact that the change occurred shortly after crossing from the Bourke Shire to the Central Darling Shire is probably relevant.

From Louth, 100km from Bourke, there’s a road on both sides of the Darling River, all the way to Wentworth. I took the eastern route, as it runs closer to the river. However, there wasn’t really any access to the river, except at Louth and Tilpa. The river level was quite low, and it wasn’t particularly photogenic.

I decided to have a takeaway for dinner (fish & chips) for a change, rather than a sitdown meal at the pub across the road from the motel.

Cheers,
Julian