Bourke to Pooncarrie

Thursday 13th October: We left Bourke at 10:00, heading to Louth with the plan to stay beside the Darling that night. We stopped at "Shindy's Inn," each bought a very cold Tooheys Old, and inquired about camping along the river.

The publican gave us directions, but neither north nor south of the bridge on the western side suited us, so we moved on to Tilpa on the western side, passing Trilby and Kallara stations, both of which have camping along the Darling. We arrived and had lunch at the pub with another cold "old" to quench our thirst before heading about 6 kilometres north on the eastern bank to camp at the Tilpa Weir. Camp #1066.

Friday 14th October:

Weather forecasts predicted rain for the coming days, so we left the weir heading towards Wilcannia on the eastern side. We found this part of the trip to be the most scenic. We stopped for coffee and a refuel at Wilcannia before taking the western route towards Menindee and our planned camp for the next three days at Lake Pamamaroo, which is sixteen kilometres north-east of Menindee. We set up camp and erected our awning, having to quickly pack it away because of severe winds rushing across the lake towards us. That night, the heavy rain forecast arrived, and the next day we heard that the road to Wilcannia was now closed. Camp #1138

Saturday 15th October: Next morning, the wind was still strong, so we packed up and retreated to Pooncarrie, where we camped beside the Darling River, protected by some river red gums about forty metres away. Camp #1151

And showing the watermark on the gum from the latest floods:

After reading so much about the "Darling River Run," we were surprised that the only times you really see the river are when you cross from west to east or vice versa, or if you camp beside it.