Streaky Bay to Renmark

Now we really feel we have the drive to Sydney in front of us and that our trip to the west is finished. When we reached Wudinna we went looking for a toilet block and discovered that Wudinna is quite a nice little town.  Had a really good coffee and corn flake biscuit at the bakery.  Today was a rather windy drive.  called into Iron Knob to find a spot for lunch.  Iron Knob is a very sad place with a lot of derelict buildings although it appears there is some activity still at the mine.  Not somewhere I would want to live.  Spent the night in Port Augusta and aimed for Burra the following day.  Stopped in Crystal Brook for morning tea and had a stroll through the historic township.  Lots of lovely old stone buildings and a delightful park and children's play ground, but like so many small towns we have seen, is really struggling with lots of empty shops. The countryside today was very picturesque with rolling hills and seemingly endless vistas of green wheat and acid yellow  canola crops.  In Burra by lunchtime so had plenty of time to have a good look around this lovely old town.  While walking past a row of historic cottages were invited into a gallery by the artist in residence.  Glenys was friendly and chatty and told us much about the town and also showed us around her cottage which was an original from the 1800s.
Next stop, Gluepot, which belongs to Birdlife Australia.  A large property in the mallee about 60kms north of Waikerie up a dirt track that was at first very corrugated but later improved.  There are a number of campsites and roads around the property to bird hides dams etc where one is likely to see a variety of birds.  We picked up maps etc at the Visitor Centre and Tony, the volunteer ranger, directed us to Babbler Campground which was 3 kms further along a track.  It wasn't easy to get into but some clever wriggling saw us safely ensconced.  After lunch we took a long slow drive around a couple of the bird hides.  Sadly, because it has been so terribly dry there is no water in the dams and birds have largely deserted Gluepot for the moment which  was most disappointing.  It also got far too hot to do any of the walks.  Gluepot is mostly red sand, spinifex and mallee. It did cool down at sunset but then we were invaded by zillions of the tiniest insects.  The next morning after a slow breakfast we drove first of all to the Airstrip walk which was notable for the swathes of healthy large eremophilas in full bloom.  A great range of colours, reds, pinks, oranges, yellows, apricots. Yellow plumed honey eaters darting around everywhere enjoying the bounty of nectar.  Continued on to Old Gluepot and bird hides.  A few more birds than yesterday but mostly brown headed honey eaters, weebills, galahs, a raven, and a couple of wagtails.  By this time it was very hot, 33 deg, so we returned to camp, had an early lunch, hooked up and left.  The drive out was decidedly dusty but the van didn't leak any.  Got the ferry across to Waikerie found a service station, pumped up the tyres, had a coffee and a tart, then continued onto Renmark.