Flinders Ranges/Broken Hill

We drove to Parachilna where we had a late “road-kill” lunch and a beer.

If you have not visited this pub, it has to go on your its of places to visit it is the most amazing place. you are in the middle of no-where, all there is to Parachilna is the hotel, (founded in late 1800’s) an air strip.
They serve absolute gourmet meals, have the most amazing art-work for sale, as well as knick-knacks, pottery, sculptures etc etc. AND all sold with a friendly smile!! Which is something missing in a lot of places.
From Parachilna we drove across the Blinman track, and stayed behind the pub. not a place i would recommend as the town diesel generator is 30 metres from the car park and runs all night.
The next day, bleary eyed we set off on what was to be 300 kilometres of an unknown dirt track that would take us through to the Broken Hill Road. Little did we know that it would be the flattest, featureless, most boring road we had been on in our 3 month travels. It was sheep station, after sheep station. The only saving grace was that the road was pretty good. The aim was to camp toward the end of the track, where we had read was one of the best camp sites near the flinders Ranges. We both agreed that the writer was hallucinating that day, as there was simply no-where to camp, so we turned towards Stuffed Hill looking for a roadside stop. Most of these were full, so we decided to keep going into Rooted Hill.
as the time was getting on, we decided to ring ahead and treat ourselves to a cabin in a caravan park. Mmmmm to be in a warm cabin for the night. Arriving after 7 in the dark, we were so glad to be able just to walk in and go to bed after a quick tea. we had been about 11 hours on the road covering over 500 klm of all types of road surface.
The next day we had a lazy morning, then went in search of Pro hart’s Gallery. we were amazed at the amount of his art work still hanging for sale, along with his bits’n pieces. Even his Rolls Royce cars are in car ports, including the one he totally painted with an Australian landscape all over the car.
From here we went to my favourite, Jack Absolum’s studio. we were greeted by an old lady, who turned out to be Jack’s wife. this gallery is so good, we could not leave. After about half an hour the lady disappeared, and a little man appeared from a door. It was Jack! He maybe short, but his personality is as big as the beautiful out-back murals that he has painted over a life time. we spent over an hour withy him, as he related story after story and educated us in his style of painting and how he has spent his life.
It was one of the high lights for nus of our trip, and we felt privileged to be able to spend time withy this 86 year old person who still paints, gets up at 5;30 every day and does the garden, and works (part-time in the gallery (which is attached to their house).