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Greetings!
Welcome to another edition of our Newsletter!
It is an exciting time to visit the Flinders Ranges and Outback South Australia, with floodwaters from Queensland set to flow into Lake Eyre North, The Cooper Creek is flowing over the causeway at Innamincka and into the Coongie Lakes freshwater wetland system located in the Far North region. (see update in this newsletter).
If you are thinking to visit the Flinders Ranges and Arkaroola, there's general agreement that spring is the best time.
Although spectacular at any time of year, spring avoids the heat (and flies?) of summer, the dust of autumn and the bitter cold of winter. Spring also offers an extra benefit - there can sometimes be a gorgeous display of wildflowers!
Further north on our "Legendary Longreach trip", the Waltzing Matilda world class museum is now open at Winton Qld. The first museum in the world dedicated to a song, the new Waltzing Matilda Centre boasts state of the art interpretation, telling the story of Waltzing Matilda.
With so much happening - see you on the road!!
Thank you for your continued interest in Desert Sky Tours, and
I hope you find interest in this newsletter.
Cheers........
Howard
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News from Kangaroo Island
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New Ferry Service delay:
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| The James Cowell - KI Connect Ferry |
The operators of the new KI Connect ferry service have conducted test crossings between Cape Jervis and Penneshaw and are keen to start operations.
They have decided improve the berthing facilities at the Cape Jervis boat ramp area before starting service to make berthing safer, particularly in windy weather.
The KI Connect booking system and website are now ready to go and will be fully activated a couple of weeks before starting the service.
New Power Cable:
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The Cable being prepared for shipping
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A new undersea power cable to supply Kangaroo Island is on its way from China by ship, with installation expected to be completed in early June 2018.
Weighing 600 tonnes and 15 kilometres long, the new cable
will be the longest continuous, joint-free power cable to be installed in Australia.
It will connect Kangaroo Island to the SA electricity distribution network via connection points at Cuttlefish Bay on Kangaroo Island and at Fishery Beach on the southern Fleurieu Peninsula near Cape Jervis.
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"from the Betoota Hotel Blog":
After one long, hot, Easter Week spent restoring the Betoota Hotel we have made some great progress. Brad, Carlene, Nigel, Shelly, Robbo, Wayne and Rodney all devoted many days slowly chipping away at the restoration of The Betoota Hotel, Outback Queensland.
After a camp fire, cold beers and the brilliant Aussie outback night sky we celebrated our arrival back at The Betoota Hotel once again. We rolled up our sleeves, put on our fly netting and grunted away at the many hours of labor. All that work added a bit more value to our new working holiday hot-spot.
Check out the new website - http://betoota.com.au/
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| Outback Rivers Update |
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The following table is from the Lake Eyre Yacht Club
website:
Flood waters from the Diamantina River have filled Goyder's Lagoon approximately 65km south of Birdsville and water is now flowing from Goyder's Lagoon. From here it will flow into the Warburton River, and then to Lake Eyre North.
The latest report is that the Warburton is now flowing at Cowarie Station.
This leaves about another 120km for the water to flow before it will reach Lake Eyre North. It then has to flow along the Goyder Channel before it will reach the SW corner of Lake Eyre North at Belt Bay - the lowest point in Australia at 15m below sea level.
The DEWNR water gauge at Poothapoota Waterhole on the Warburton River near the Warburton Crossing 10km SW of Clifton Hills Homestead has risen 4.5m since the beginning of May. It has now peaked and beginning to fall but there is still a substantial water in the Warburton to push the flood waters to Lake Eyre so within about a week there could water flows into the Goyder Channel making its way south toward Belt Bay.
This could mean within the next few weeks we could see some water in Belt Bay.
Regardless of whether it has water or not, a scenic flight over the Lake and the arid South Australian outback is a great experience!!
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| Marree Camel Cup |
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| Innamincka Races 29th & 30th September |
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Please note the change of date for the Innamincka Races.
In previous years it has always been a week before the Birdsville Races, however this year it will be held on the last weekend of September.
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| Personalised 4WD trips 2018 |
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These trips are in a Toyota Landcruiser vehicle with a maximum of 4 passengers:
CLICK IMAGE TO VIEW Itineraries 2018 !
Yorke Peninsula
& Southern Flinders
(5 days)
$1650pp
Ardrossan, Port Julia, Port Vincent, Edithburgh, and Wool Bay. Scenic drive to Troubridge Point and Marion Bay. Innes National Park includes Cable Bay, Cape Spencer and Pondalowie Bay. Corny Point, Warooka and Yorketown.
Moonta and Wallaroo. Banking museum Kadina.
Southern Flinders Ranges, Alligator Gorge, Melrose.
Bridle Track to Port Germein.
Dares Hill Circuit
On Demand
(2 days)
$700pp
Gilbert Valley, Terowie, Peterborough (overnight and we visit Steamtown's Laser Light Show), Franklyn, Ketchowla, Dares Hill, Mt Bryan, Clare Valley.
(Includes Sealink ferry)
Penneshaw, Antechamber Bay, Cape Willoughby,
American River, Kingscote, Flinders Chase National Park,
Cape Borda, Admirals Arch, Cape De Coudic, Seal Bay, Emu Bay, Stokes Bay, Snelling Beach, Western River Cove.
The Gawler Ranges
Saturday 8th September
(5 days)
$1995pp
Port Wakefield, Port Germein, Port Augusta, Iron Knob, Corunna, Siam, Nonning, Mt Ive, Lake Gairdner, Yardea, Hiltaba, Paney Station, The Organ Pipes, Pildappa Rock, Tcharkuldu Hill, Minnipa, Wudinna, Kimba, Wilmington, Melrose, Gladstone, The Clare Valley.
Lake Eyre
on demand
(3 days)
$1625pp
Includes Plane Flight!
Clare Valley, Leigh Creek, Marree, One and a half hour plane flight over Lake Eyre, Farina Ruins, Ochre Cliffs, Hawker, Orroroo, Terowie, Burra. .
Coongie Lakes
Saturday 2nd June
(7 days)
$2995pp
Old Strzelecki Track, Innamincka, Coongie Lakes, Cmp LXV, Cameron Corner, Sturt NP, Tibooburra, Broken Hill, Loch Lilly and Quandong Stations, Burra.
Legendary Longreach
& Winton
Monday 9th July (12 days)
$4595pp
Strzelecki Track, Innamincka, Windorah, Lark Quarry Dinousaur Trackway, Winton, Waltzing Matilda Centre, Longreach.
Visit The Stockman's Hall of Fame, Qantas Founders Museum,
Sunset Cruise on the Thomson River.
Barcaldine, The Tree Of Knowledge, Blackall Woolscour, Tambo, Charleville. Cunumulla, Currawinya National Park, Hungerford, The Darling Track to Yantabulla, Fords Bridge and Bourke.
A day exploring Bourke visiting Mt Oxley and local attractions and a cruise aboard the Jandra paddle-steamer on the Darling River.
Wilcannia via The Darling River Run through Louth, Tilpa and on to Broken Hill. Old Pastoral route to Burra, Adelaide
Birdsville & Innamincka
Saturday 16th June
(9 days)
$3850pp
Clare Valley, Leigh Creek, Marree, Mungerannie, Birdsville,Innamincka, Cameron Corner, Sturt National Park, Tibooburra,Broken Hill, Old Pastoral route to Burra, Adelaide.
Birdsville & Windorah
Saturday 4th August
Clare Valley, Leigh Creek, Marree, Mungerannie, Birdsville,
Betoota, Windorah, Quilpie, Toompine, Thargomindah, Cunnamulla, Bourke, Cobar, Broken Hill.
Flinders Ranges
&
Skytrek
Saturday 1st September
Rawnsley Park, Wilpena Pound, Willow Springs Station, Skytrek, Bunyeroo Valley, Brachina Gorge, Blinman, Parachilna Gorge, Moralana Scenic Drive, Melrose, The Bridle Track. Port Germein, Laura, Orroroo, Burra, Eudunda, Kapunda.
Flinders Ranges
&
Arkaroola
Monday 17th September
Rawnsley Park, Wilpena Pound, Bunyeroo Valley, Brachina Gorge, Blinman, Arkaroola, Ridgetop Tour, Nooldoonooldoona Waterhole, Gammon Ranges, Moralana Scenic Drive.
Flinders Ranges
& Outback
on demand
(8 days)
$3995pp
Rawnsley Park, Wilpena Pound, Bunyeroo Valley, Brachina Gorge, Blinman, Arkaroola, Ridgetop Tour, Nooldoonooldoona Waterhole, Gammon Ranges, Moralana Scenic Drive.
Marree, The Oodnadatta Track, William Creek, Coober Pedy,
The Painted Desert, Woomera, Roxby Downs.
Tumby Bay
&
The Eyre Peninsula
Monday 8th October
Port Germein, Arno Bay, Port Neill,Trinity Haven Scenic Drive, Poonindie, Port Lincoln, Sleaford Bay, Whaler's Way, Tod Reservoir, Cummins, Mt Hope, Point Drummond, Greenly Beach, Dutton Bay, Coffin Bay, Koppio Museum.
Enjoy a Clydesdale Horse and trolley ride!
Return is via Horrock's Pass to Flinders Ranges, Orroroo and Burra.
Head of Bight
&
The Eyre Peninsula Monday 20th August
(9 days)
$3700pp
Port Germein, Arno Bay, Port Neill,Trinity Haven Scenic Drive, Poonindie , Port Lincoln, Sleaford Bay, Whaler's Way, Coffin Bay, Lock's Well, Elliston, Talia Caves, Venue Bay, Murphy's Haystacks, Point Labatt, Streaky Bay, Smoky Bay, Ceduna,
Penong, Cactus Beach, Fowlers Bay,Nullarbor Roadhouse,
Head of Bight Whale Centre, Minnipa, Wudinna, The Gawler Ranges National Park, Kimba, Iron Knob, Australian Arid Lands Botanic Gardens, Wilmington, Melrose, The Bridle Track to Port Germein, Clare Valley.
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Thanks for your continued interest in Desert Sky Tours
Sincerely,
Howard Humby
Desert Sky Tours
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