Silver City Highway, NSW

We pulled out of Silverton on a cool, clear morning. Drove to Broken Hill, topped up the fuel tank in the car and the caravan water tanks at Coles Express and headed north on The Silver City Highway. We will eventually follow this highway through to the NSW border and into Queensland. This highway is not sealed all the distance but we found that by reducing our speed the unsealed sections were no problem. Approximately half the distance is unsealed but is well maintained. Also, it hasn't rained heavily in the area for some time so the roads are not damaged by the run-off. We planned for four camping stops before the Queensland border, two of these stops are described in separate posts on the blog, they being, Milparinka and Tibooburra.

At two sites along The Silver City Highway there are Commemorative Displays dedicated to the history of the early pioneers in the "Corner Country". The first of these is at Fowlers Gap and was commissioned to Alison Coultson. The River Red Gum branch represents the trees of the creek beds. This is connected to four original telegraph poles from when wired communications spanned the area. The meandering fence feature represents the many creek beds that cross the arid country. The posts are original Mulga Tree posts from the era of the first settlement. 

A  second view of the display with our roadside camp and Fowlers Gap visible in the background.

The second night saw us camped beside the neat Packsaddle Roadhouse.

At a morning tea stop at an intersection on the highway. The sign indicating the direction of several Homesteads.

There was also a bit of 'local art' here as well. Driving outback routes is never boring!

Jude with Little Tool Tree. Sign says "Do Not Water".

Noel with mature Tool Tree.

It came as a complete surprise to see a lake in these arid areas. This is Freehold land but I later learned that the owner does allow lakeside camping but please "Take Your Rubbish With You".

The grave of Eliza Kennedy lies beside this lake. She died 1886 aged 32.