Wednesday 4th August - Ruby Gap Nature Park to Cattlewater Pass

Darkness always adds a little something to off road driving.  Unable to find a suitable wild camping spot at the start of the Cattlewater Pass Track, we carried on until long after the sun had set, with spotlights ablaze to illuminate the steep and bumpy route that climbs to 730m (which is about the height weíre at now).  A shortcut in distance but not time to the Plenty Highway, the 56km track takes about three hours, but because there was so much to see at the Arltunga Historical Reserve which we visited earlier we were never going to complete the pass before darkness fell. SPOT

It was a somewhat chilly start to the day when we awoke to find ice on the roof tent and Land Rover.  The thermometer read 2.5oC when we got up, making it our coldest night yet.  I know it's winter in Australia, but this is getting silly.  At least our reward for the clear skies last night was a cloudless sunny day.

A stroll up the Hale River bed confirmed our wise decision not to try driving any further when one of my feet disappeared up to the ankle in quicksand.  A swift withdrawal was required before Anne's rope rescue was put to the test.  We were disappointed not to find any rubies, but that wasn't unexpected as despite the name, Ruby Gap, and being the site of the Territories' first mining rush in the 19th century, the "rubies" turned out to be worthless garnets.  We didn't find any garnets either.

What we thought would be a quick stop at the Arltunga Historical Reserve after lunch took all afternoon.  Arltunga was officially Central Australia's first town, born out of a gold rush in 1887.  Those seeking their fortune had to travel 600km from the railhead at Oodnadatta to the south, often on foot, and there were up to 300 people living around Arltunga at any one time.  The centre of the settlement was the Government Works where the manager and assayer lived and the quartz ore was processed to extract the tiny amounts of gold found within (about 1oz per tonne was the normal yield).

The old police station was nearby, built in 1912,

with its separate goal to incarcerate troublemakers and the like.

You can also explore several of the mine sites, including a descent into the MacDonnell Range Reef Mine to experience what it would have been like working underground.

Two cemeteries remind you of the harsh conditions endured by the early residents, with few reaching old age to enjoy the proceeds from their toil.

Our final stop on the Arltunga trail was Joker Gorge, where a mineshaft high on the hill affords excellent views over the surrounding countryside.

There are also meant to be Black-Footed Rock Wallabies in the gorge below, but this must be the fourth place where they are meant to live and weíve yet to see any.  Iím starting to think that they have been invented by the parkís authority to lure in the tourists, with claims that they are shy or only come out at dawn and dusk the reason nobody ever spots them.  They're made up I tell you.