SA to Broken Hill

Our decision to high tail it east has come with some regrets as we traversed the breadth of SA straight to the NSW border. The country is magnificent. One minute it’s quintessential outback and the next rolling hills and paddocks. The Richi Richi pass just out of Port Augusta saw us ramble through picturesque hills and valleys with the most gorgeous little towns like Peterborough to mark our passage.  

Towards the evening I guide us to a fabulous camping site called Olary Creek. The dirt is red loam made deeper as the sun sets on the horizon. The evening is rainy but the panorama is pure joy. The inner artist fires her volley and the camera is a blur as the day turns to night.  

Olary Creek

Next day we padded our way into Broken Hill. I had read on some of the travel forums that caravanners were robbed constantly as they stayed in the local parks. Thinking that maybe this had been overstated we arrived to find that our next door neighbours had been robbed the day before. We then made security a major priority although our reason for coming to town was much more esoteric.

Broken Hill is one of Australias major realist Landscape Art centres and Michael was on a mission to visit as many of the 30 odd local galleries in this small town as possible. Pro Hart’s gallery was my favourite and very inspiring although a visit to local artist Howard Steer’s place showed just how diverse the talent in this area could be. I wasn’t a big fan of the town itself. It felt oppressive to me and I was glad to leave after a couple of days. With Michael satiated in arty inspiration we left for for our next adventure.