GOODAY AGAIN FROM INNAMINCKA

Just got back from a week at Coongie Lakes NP, 105 k's north west of here.  The Cooper creek goes from Innamincka up to there where the creek is full of water and runs into the Coongie Lake.  The Cooper diverts south towards Lake Eyre from there as well.  I had a great time there, but the heat, low 30's most days wears you down a bit.

You could describe it as a very remote one road in and back out place and a water oasis amongst sand dunes, with masses of birdlife.  Over 200 species of birds recorded, I saw between 50-100 different birds there.  A lot while kayaking on the creek and lakes.

I spent a lot of time swimming due to the very hot weather.  The water was a little bit cold but once you get in its great.  After spending a fair bit of time kayaking I found the entrance from the main lake to a 2nd lake and went in there for a bit too.

Lots of tortoises in the creek and lake  and big rabbits there plus the odd dingo and a ginger feral cat but mostly birds and more birds.

I got a bit excited during the week when I spotted a pair of rainbow birds + 2 more pairs later on. (see pic below)  Hadn't seen any rainbows since Fraser Island in the late 1980's

HEY CHECK MY BLOG, CLICK ON THE 'INTERACTIVE MAP' PAGE TO SEE WHERE I AM TRAVELLING.   IF YOU FORGOT THE ADDRESS IT IS:
WWW.MERGY60.BLOGSPOT.COM.AU

Am in Innamincka till at least monday as I want to see some of the AFL finals footy games on TV at the Pub including Geelong this weekend... Yowwww...

Then I am heading south to Lyndhurst (south of Marree) on the Strezlecki track approx 470 k's trip

Innamincka, only a pub and store not much else

Camping at Cullymurra waterhole on the Cooper Creek 14 k's from Innamincka, Great time kayaking here

View Cullymurra waterhole

Following pics at Coongie Lakes Nat Park, view of Coongie Lake

Corellas on Cooper creek

Wildflowers on dunes around lake

Shells around lake??

Camping on the Cooper Creek.  Lake and creek come close together separated by a sand dune

Rainbow birds, yowww......

Wildflower bushes on dunes

Pesky Wabbits

I think these are large spinifex bushes on the dunes

check this out.  see the beans on the right.  Well they aint beans to eat, but turn into wildflowers on left.  Cool..

Early morning on the dune overlooking the Coongie lake

I moved camp from the creek to the point of land in the middle. Real cool, had an inlet full of birds on one side and the main lake on the other side.

When I went swimming in the Lake found heaps of these freshwater mussels growing in the sand bottom.  Cooked some up to try.  they were average. Need some sauce and seasoning etc I think.  Had seen lots of these shells open and broken  in waterholes in the outback previously

sunset over the Lake inlet