A Trip in Three Parts ....

Carrieton, Carinya Escapes and The Bridle Trail

Iggy, Jocelyn, Bill (Toyota), Colleen, Marylyn, Gidget, Les, Joy, Paul, Barb, Rick, Cindy, & JC

Carrieton - Off we go!
Our meeting point for this trip was the Munno Para Shopping Centre. Because our locations were fairly close to Adelaide some members of the trip joined us at various stages. Friday morning only two cars started from our starting point, Iggy and Jocelyn in one and JC in the other. At Clare we were joined by Bill, Colleen and Marylyn. Morning tea in a park, it was overcast, cold and a little drizzly as well.

Onward to Orraroo where we had lunch in the park, conditions hadn’t improved, even for us robust adventurers it was bl- - dy cold. Then we were of to Carrieton where we had arranged to meet our hosts Phil and Jayne Fisher in the main street. While waiting for them Bill and I checked out the main landmark of the town, which just by chance, happened to be the local pub.

Yankamittie
Yankamittie, the Fisher property, is 20kms east of Carrieton in the lower Flinders Ranges and their shack has some interesting history attached to it. In the old days it was a large stone water tank where the bullock teams used to drink. This structure has now been converted into a cosy shack which Phil, Jayne and family use regularly.

We set up camp and prepared for our evening meal. JC supplied some of his King George Whiting (see article in last months magazine) for all to sample during our happy hour. The camp fire log was a part of the base section of a very large gum tree which had stood next to the shack but had been cut down some time before our visit as it was dying due to a white ant invasion. It was about 5 feet by 5 feet with a nice size hole in the middle of it which turned out to be like a wood oven. The log served as our camp fire for both nights.

Phil cooked us some scones and billy tea on the campfire. The fire was so hot that he had to finish them about metre from it because they started to burn. Late Friday night Katy, Phil and Jayne’s daughter arrived for the weekend. She had driven over from Mildura where she is working.

Mimburra Station Trip
Saturday morning was very cold and getting out of the campervan the valley was like a scene from an English Christmas card. Everything was white; my gas stove would not light until the sun’s rays rested on the bottle. We had breakfast then hurried off back to Carrieton where we were due to meet Les and Joy at 10am; well we were only 20minutes late.

With Phil in my vehicle giving commentary (all be it reluctantly [watch out for those scanners]) we were off towards Johnsburg which was up until just recently a ghost town, but now a family has moved into the old Post Office and are restoring it.

Through the Nutts property and on to the Gibbs 4 and 5 mile property where we travelled on a 4WD track till we arrived at a bush shack where Phil cooked us lunch which consisted of some lovely local country made sausages and bacon.

Then it was back to their property and in doing so we went passed a herd of cattle. The effects of the drought were unfortunately obvious with the body of a black steer on the side of the track. The herd, which included some calves, were very inquisitive, standing on the road and not moving until we sounded the horn.

We travelled back towards Carrieton going back into the Yankamittie property via the other end of the track which is a gazetted road. Back at the shack area and Phil showed us how to shear sheep offering to let any of us have a go but no one took the challenge.

Country Hospitality
While we were on our trip both Jayne and Katy stayed back and prepared our evening meal with Joy joining in later on. There were 3 camp roasts, chicken, beef and lamb along with vegetables. For afters Katy made us some chocolate and blueberry muffins. After all this lovely food we were serenaded by the wonderful voices of Bill and Marylyn, what more could you ask for?

Our evening meal along with the country cooked lunch Phil had supplied on our trip was unexpected but typical country hospitality. To the Fisher family from the Wanderers 4WDC thank you very much.

Goodbye to Yankamittie
Sunday morning and it was time to leave Carrieton and head to Carinya Escapes at Pekina. On our way out of the Fisher property they took us to see what they called the graveyard. This was an area where past generations’ stored bits and pieces of useful junk of all kinds waiting for further recycling. Then to a ravine where there were some Aboriginal paintings in a rock overhang.

Thanks again Phil, Jayne and Katy.

Carinya Escapes at Pekina - Bush Campsite
When we arrived early afternoon at Tony and Marilyn Moten’s Carinya Escapes Property Rick and Cindy were waiting for us. Tony took us to the camp area which is on the self drive 4WD track where we put up our tents then because Les and Joy were leaving that day we tackled the 2½ hour track before they departed. We had just started when along came Paul and Barb who were on their way to check out the Bendleby Ranges the next day, so they joined our camp. It turns out that the Bendleby property is adjacent Yankamittie and the Gibbs 4 and 5 mile property.

Leadership Training
Considering Rick was going to lead his first trip to Mannum Falls the following week I took him under my wing and made him Tail End Charlie.

Teaching him the finer points of handling a convoy, how did he go? Let’s just say 'More training required'.

The Track
It was a tight interesting track with great views from the high look ... out and the testing drive through the secluded valley was picturesque. Being only 3 hours from Adelaide, Carinya Escapes is a great weekend destination.

The Dunnies
The ambience of the bush drop dunny is wide and varied and usually very difficult to deal with without a gas mask or no sense of smell. Both dunnies, the one at Carrieton and the one at the campsite at Carinya Escapes were exceptional at probably about 8 out of 10. During one of my visits at Carinya Escapes Paul and Barb left for Bendleby.

The Bridle Trail - Magnetic Hill
After making our farewells to the Moten Family we decided that with Magnetic Hill being only 6Kms from Carinya Escapes we to visit it before we left. The locals called it B - ll S - - t Hill and we thought we would try out the test for ourselves. It was interesting but I can see why the locals call it what they call it.

A Track Back in Time
So then it was on to Melrose where a mud map made by Ruth Cranwell on her last trip was invaluable to me to find the Bridle Trail. It is a gazetted track which starts about 10kms west of Melrose and goes over the mountain range down to Port Germaine.

There were fantastic views in abundance as we wound our way down the track stopping in a clearing for a windy but scenic lunch then off again to the bottom. This was where Bill, Colleen, Marylyn and Gidget said goodbye as they were going on to visit relatives.

Homeward Bound
At the bottom of the Bridle Track the rest of us turned straight around and went back through the range via the Germaine Gorge. Our journey home took us through Wirrabara, Laura, Gladstone and Clare saying goodbye to Iggy and Jocelyn at Laura.

To all the people who helped make these wonderful 4 days so successful thank you for your company.

John C

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