Part 2 Day 2- Wilpena & Melrose

We started out with the intention of taking a bus up to St Mary's look out but upon arrival at the info centre discovered we had missed the first bus & the second had no return trip ( we thought that was a bit odd). 
I didn't want to risk any health issues with dad if we had to walk all the way back! He was disappointed but we managed to find plenty more to see. 

 We took a shorter walk along the trail to view the solar plant just out of Wilpena and then to the near by Cazneaux tree. A river red gum tree from a famous photography taken by Harold Cazneaux in 1937,  The title he gave to the photograph was "The Spirit of Endurance", for the qualities he felt epitomised the tree's survival in a harsh environment. After that we made our way down another dirt track to the Sacred Canyon, a dry river area used by local Aboriginals, which housed a few rock engravings. 

After a spot of morning tea we decided that there really wasn't that much more we could see, as dad wouldn't have been able to do the many long bush walks in the area so as short as the visit was we decided to move on. Back to Quorn for a spot of lunch and got a look at the Pichi Richi engine as it travelled past our roadside picnic area. 


Melrose was our final destination for the day, the oldest town in the Flinders Ranges. Dad showed me around the town as he'd been there before. We found some quaint little unit's built on the back of 2 trucks, an amazing museum in the local police station & court house. Both of us were very surprised at how much history it held, not only on the local police & courthouse but also much regarding the early pioneers and agricultural pursuits of the area. Along with Aboriginal history, war service history and larger items of farming machinery. Well worth a visit if you are in the area.

Just over the road was Bluey's an old blacksmith's which had been turned into a cafe and B&B, it still kept the memorabilia & decor of the blacksmiths and had a few rooms in the cafe section out back, with a lovely little outdoor court yard, and undercover seating out front, with a larger dining table in the horse stables at the side.The B&B was to the side of the main building and sectioned off but after investigating online we discovered that it too was a quaint little residence. 


Then down behind the local hotel and the truck houses was an old mill, which had been turned into a brewery in the late 1800's but now a ruin on private land. We discovered an old woman (who we assumed was the owner) rounding up 2 stray sheep, directing them back into their paddock with her ute, so we stopped to help block the road with the van. After our day full of adventure we decided to find a spot for dinner, there was a great little roadside rest stop just out of town on the Goyder line, overlooking a creek Mt Remarkable and some grazing sheep so decided to spend the night. 

For a tiny little town this place really hit a spot, it was small but vibrant bursting with history & plenty of people around camping in the local caravan park & show grounds. I also noticed a bike shop, open on both days we were in town ( Saturday AND Sunday) there also appeared to be many bike trails in the area and a "fat tyre" mountain bike festival held earlier in the year. Melrose would certainly be a great spot to ride if that's your thing.