Packed up and left Melrose Showgrounds round 9. It was actually a great place to stay- had a good, albeit a bit chilly nights sleep. But with threat of rain we skipped breaky and hot tailed it out of the camp ground. We couldn’t resist going into the ‘Bike Cafe’ for obvious reasons. And what a find- best toasties ever (all in the fresh made bread and home made chutney) and great coffee.

Fuelled up and set to go we did one more once around of this gorgeous little town and headed north west – to Woomera via Port  Augusta.

Another day of diverse and amazing scenery. Pretty much drove straight through only briefly stopping for fuel. Main stop was in Pimba- a one roadhouse town at the gateway to the outback.

Roadhouse was like Bourke St as it’s the last place you can get fuel. Then we pressed on to Woomera- a 1960s RAAF town previously used for testing rockets, missiles and a whole lot of things they probably don’t tell us about. The town still functions as a RAAF base and is quirky/interestingly 1960 ish.  Well appointed with amenities like pools/playgrounds/bowling club etc but no physical redeeming features. We did get the sense there’s a thriving community here though.

We rocked up to the Woomera travellers rest- the one and only camp ground (more like parking lot) come motel/cabin site within 200km. Rudimentary but scrupulously clean and lovely guy at the front desk.

We arrived at 3.30 and so did the winds…

We had a camper half unwound (just beyond the point of no return) and a gale descended on us. Lucky for us (very lucky actually) the campground goodwill prevailed and with the help of 4 men plus David and  I we managed to finish the tent assembly  and lash it down before it literally blew away. 

Spent the next couple of hours feeling like Dorothy being blown away to Oz. 

Gales are still howling and we’ve come up to the RSL for their famous pizza night to eat what are professed as ‘the best pizzas in South Australia’ and escape the roar of the 92km /hr gusts. BOM warning says they’ll finish round midnight so if we’re not in tatters (or in Oz) we’ll get some sleep then.  I’m personally going to sleep on my clothes and wear my ruby slippers just in case…..