25-Jan-2004 -- Map: NATMAP SI 5406 – Chowilla

I thought the Australia Day Long Weekend should be a good time to “bag” another confluence! A telephone call to the land managers had cleared the way for my attempt with the one proviso - that I maintain UHF radio contact with the homestead whilst on the property.

The weather forecast for the day was ideal with a temperature in the low 30s (degrees centigrade). Approaching from the west, the 150kms drive out was through Blue Bush and Saltbush pastoral country with rolling hills to the north. There hasn’t been any rain for a few months in this area so as a result, the ground was dry and it was also very dusty.

The confluence site is on Lillydale Station with access via a 4WD track past a dam and then along a fence line. I was able to get within 600 metres before I had to leave my vehicle and complete the remaining distance on foot. The confluence site is situated on a flat, sparsely vegetated, plain in the middle of a sheep paddock; hills can be seen in the far distance. All this can be seen in the photographs. The final photograph (No. 7) shows a resident mob of sheep generating their own dust near the dam.

Once finished, all that remained was to give the homestead a “cheerio” radio call and head for home with another confluence "in the bag".