Friday 10th April 2015 – Grindells Hut Camp – Gammon Ranges NP

Overnight was 16c – we are a little further north, but the higher temperatures seem to have returned.  We are expecting lot warmer days than the low to mid twenties of the Southern Flinders Ranges.

This morning the Emu were walking around our camp area.  There are lots of birds here but very difficult to identify.

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Our camp.  It was very hard finding a level spot not under the gum trees.  We have seen so many large branches snapped off these trees, yet everyone seems to camp happily under them.  National Parks have also graded the camping areas – obviously because they are destroyed each time it rains, unfortunately the dirt is like very fine powder.  Most campers coming in are only for the one night – too busy to stop and really see the park.

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I found out how to take a panoramic photo on my new camera :)  This is the view from our camp site from the hills to the creek.

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The creek.

Today, we had a day at camp with a little walk around and a short drive.  That darn washing bag was getting full again.

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The Mistletoe is in flower and is everywhere.  It is more noticeable when in flower.  I haven’t heard any Mistletoe birds but they must be around.

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This is the farm house restored and is available for hire.  It has all the amenities and looked really nice inside.

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Above right is Grindells Cottage, the original settlement.  In 1918, Grindell was accused of stealing cattle off a nearby station part owned by his son-in-law, George Snell.  George Snell disappeared and Grindell denied any wrong doing.  He confessed while drunk and the Copely police used a native tracker and found the cremated remains of George Snell. 

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After lunch we took a short drive further along the track to another camp spot.  It only had two camp spots and no facilities no better than where we are. 

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We saw a very large family of Emu – there were 14 in the group.

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Wild Orange – also called Native Pomegranate  Capparis mitchelli       Bush Tucker

The name for this plant here is IGA (no not the supermarket)  :)   Just to be sure, we found it in my bush tucker food guide and it said that it tastes like mango – and it does.  We were lucky to find a ripe one to taste test.

I am getting better all the time, on the track, I also recognized a Bush Banana – which we stopped to take photos of.  We didn’t taste test this one, although it is edible and tastes like fresh peas.   It is surprising how much knowledge you take in from reading the book and can instantly recognize it in the wild.

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I spotted the vine growing in a Cypress tree on the way up the track – it stood out because the Cypress has small brown cones and not green mango looking fruit.  Of course once we spotted the first ones, we then started seeing it growing elsewhere.

 

 

 

 

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Bush Banana also called Native Pear Marsdenia Australis

I struck out on the third one I found.

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I thought it may have been a prickly cucumber, but could not find it in the Bush Tucker Book, so it is probably some obnoxious weed.

 

 

 

 

We are off on a track walk tomorrow.  A few more people have arrived at camp – today is the start of the SA school holidays, so it will be busier with more campers.

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