The terrain is 'Saltbush' a few sheep can be seen, but they are scarce as hens teeth :) also about three Stations and the Homesteads with most of them 50klms from the Highway. The people that live in the Homesteads, live in the middle of nowhere. It takes special people to live and farm in such areas.
The photos taken with my phone of the Airstrip in the middle of the road.
The photos taken with my phone of the Airstrip in the middle of the road.
Margaret your country is amazing and there are so many deserts .. In europe is completely different Living is that place is a brave decision
ReplyDeleteYou are correct, lots of deserts here in the outback. Not many people live in the outback due to no water, lack of facilities and other factors.
DeleteWhat an extraordinary place for people to live - they must require lots of resilience and determination to survive in such a remote area.
ReplyDeleteNo one lives there. People live far from that Airstrip Rosemary.
DeleteAt the places where one gets diesel there is only one building, a food shop, a small restaurant, sometimes a pub all under one roof. The people live usually in the house at the back of the building. Backpackers often work in these remote stop overs.
That is long way from nowhere, to live, so secluded from the rest of your country and the world. But maybe we all are secluded in many ways just the same.
ReplyDeleteLots of people would be secluded anyway, it's human nature for some. Very isolated is the Highway.
DeleteSuch a harsh and lonely environment. There must be compensations or no one would do it but I can't think what they are! And what does the motorist do when it's time for a plane to land? Or is it the plane's responsibility to make sure there are no cars? It's all so interesting!
ReplyDeleteI don't believe there is any compensation for anyone. Depends on how far one lives from civilisation, and if the remote distance is far enough people are paid an allowance for such places by the government.
DeleteTo answer your question: the Airstrip is used for emergency only by the Flying Doctor Service 'the aircraft'. The Police close the road both ends at a safe distance for the plane to land on the roadway strip designated. There is not heaps of traffic either, for not everyone comes up the middle of Australia. There are no Motels/Hotels but a few and I would sleep in one.
Whoops...I wouldn't sleep in one, meaning Hotel/Motel.
DeleteWhy not? They are clean and safe and probably airconditioned too.
DeleteIt is rather strange , referring to the runway ... I do not know how they manage to organizaar car traffic and airplanes.
ReplyDeleteKisses
There is not a lot of traffic. The police come and stop it, they drive a long way to do so, it's well organised. The strip on the highway is for emergency only, the Flying Doctor Service...a Doctor is usually onboard the plane, depends on the severity of the illness.
DeleteSuch a big country. Such a harsh and unforgiving country. And very, very beautiful with it.
ReplyDeleteIt's a beautiful country we live in, I always see things others don't always see :) I just love driving in the outback of our country.
Deleteairplanes to land on the road, I don't think I've ever seen it. When I was a kid, I wanted to ride a helicopter instead of a airplane because helicopters could land almost anywhere.
ReplyDeleteYes helicopters can land almost anywhere and here in the outback of Australia they are used for seeing places that vehicles can't get to easily. They are also used in rescue operations if needed as does the Flying Doctor.
DeleteHow very interesting!
ReplyDeleteIt is travelling it too.
DeleteLook at that road! Nothing for miles! Dad was telling me yesterday that the eye can see for about 5 miles before the horizon drops off over the sea. I wonder if it's the same for land? I suppose it depends on the level of the plane.
ReplyDeleteYour dad is right. Don't know about land but expect it would be the same. So much of the land is so flat, it's no wonder it floods if it ever rains. Haven't seen rain since we left home 3 weeks ago, and we most likely won't.
DeleteIn outback Australia roads especially ones like as shown are all straight and
ReplyDeleteare used as airstrips for small planes.
The Flying Doctor aerial service being one, police planes, fire fighter planes, the small
planes used for "culling" of feral animals.
The onus is on the vehicle driver as signs would be prominent and cleanly seen that this part of the road is used by small planes in emergency circumstances. Anyhow no bloody pilot with any sense would land a light plane in front of an oncoming cattle train truck or even a small car!
I don't envisage an A380 Qantas flight putting down on that strip of road just because someone wanted to smell the saltbush or photograph a flight of galahs - ha ha!!!
Very monotonous driving on those straight roads. I've only done the West Wyalong to Hay one and there was far more to see on that stretch than what you and Bevan would be seeing. Thus those rest places as falling asleep at the wheel is the cause of most if not all accidents in regions like this.
Great informative narrative with explanatory photo of our wonderful, great, large, diverse, colourful
country - just like Dorothy MacKellar's poem - "I Love A Sunburnt Country". I wouldn't trade Australia
for any other country in the World by a long shot!
Keep enjoying the warmer climes whilst down south we suffer the winds of the South Pole.
Cheers
Colin
PS: Bloody cold here last night - sunny outside and cloudless and not as cold
as was expected??????? Maybe Monica sent the KL warmth down??
The Rescue of the ill/ injured is used by The Flying Docotr Service and other life saving services.
DeleteYou would have to drive or be a passenger up this Stuart Highway to totally understand straight roads, but I see the arid landscape and I think of the people that explored the area, how they lived, how harsh it must have been, yet, how much easier it was for the Indigenous people of this such harsh land....though they didn't and don't wander like we white people do.
Thanks also Colin....
Cool I couldn't handle living in the middle of nowhere but there are those who would not live anywhere else
ReplyDeleteYou are dead correct Jo-Anne. I could live in such areas for awhile if I saw people :)
DeleteIt's very fascinating. I've read about such places of course and seen documentaries but you're living it! Do you give people your daily travel plans on such travels so if you experience a problem and don't arrive, they know roughly where to look for you (assuming no phone signal)?
ReplyDeleteI'm pleased that you have some knowledge on my travels :)
DeleteWhen we arrive at certain places we phone our sons they then know we arrived....if no phone as there isn't most of the way to Darwin, we have a UHF Radio, if that didn't work we would stay 'put' till someone drove past and we would 'flag them down'....it's an unwritten rule of the outback....this is why we carry plenty of water..
Probably not a lot of traffic on land or in the air--huh?
ReplyDeleteNo there isn't....thank goodness.
ReplyDeleteI've lived and worked in an area like that, on a sheep station about halfway between Glendambo and Port Augusta. I wasn't there very long, but long enough to appreciate just how isolated we were and how some people might find it lonely. Being a loner, I didn't mind at all, as long as I had enough books to read when my work was done. It's a beautiful country and the moonrises were sometimes as spectacular as fiery sunsets. I was very young then and didn't mind the heat like I do now.
ReplyDeleteI bet the moonrises would be lovely...something I haven't seen, as yet. I would find that interesting, living on a station...I bet you also saw some brilliant sunsets..
DeleteThere is a way of collecting water in the middle of nowhere if you are stranded and run out, but it is slow and not much is collected at a time. it has been known to save lives, however you must know the method and be prepared before you even leave home. I'll write about it on my blog, Saturday.
ReplyDeleteYes I do know what you are referring to...better than nothing at all. I shall look on Saturday..
DeleteThis is all so very interesting. I'm enjoying journeying with you through inland Australia.
ReplyDeleteThanks. I expect we maybe over your way in the next few years,..
DeleteBad luck if you were driving down the road at the same time an airplane was landing. It sure is outback there. The farmers are to be admired.
ReplyDeleteDiane, the
DeletePolice close the road both ends..
Oh that would take a very strong resourceful family to live out there in the middle of nowhere. Beautiful spot to land I suppose:) M. HUGS xo G
ReplyDeleteReally flat there to land a plane if necessary. Hugs M xox
Delete250km, that's like almost 3 hours drive (I think) without any communication. Take care, my friend driving in these conditions.
ReplyDeleteThat's correct...thank you...
Delete