Making Merry on the Murray

Having spent several days holed up in Berri, waiting for roads to dry, we couldn't be off quick enough on the road to Menindee Lakes. We stopped for the night outside Wentworth, having followed the tarmac road out of town past Lock 10 astride the Murray River then via unpaved track to Thegoa Lagoon.

We followed a smaller trail into the dry lagoon bed which was dry enough not to bog us.

What sheer joy to be bush camping alone again, just us, the corellas, and lots of gorgeous bugs.

Gen spotted a wolf spider which was intent on hiding. Each time we removed a twig on top of the hole, the spider quickly repositioned a leaf or another twig. The wolf spider in question was palm sized, so care was needed to dig and then to discover she was carrying an egg sac half her size. Wow!

Leaving her in peace, Gen then hurried over to a nearby tree where Robert had spotted the biggest bull ant, an inch or so in length, with fearsome mandibles in which it carried a freshly envenomed bee to a large black hole in the earth for processing.

Robert met an attractive golden orb weaver. He was as startled as she was smitten. Love at first sight.

Sleeping in the van at night we looked out into a starry sky filled with constellations.

Next day, we visited the Wentworth Pioneer Museum which has an eclectic mixture of memorabilia which even included memories from my childhood. The prehistoric monster department had hilarious models.

Genevieve was delighted to find pride of place given to an ancient vehicle called Genevieve.

A display of telephone exchange equipment included the old plug/unplug system which meant the exchange operator knew everything about everyone, gleaning tidbits of gossip from the galah sessions, the name given to gossiping.