An Unexpected Pitstop

I was headed west towards the Aboriginal town of Ikuntji (Haasts Bluff) on the Namatjira-Kintore Link Road. After a pretty lumpy start and one unplanned jettison of my 10L water bladder, the road condition improved greatly and I was zooming along towards more magnificent mountains in the distance.

There were signs of brumbies everywhere with horse poo littered tracks leading into the bush. Keen to get to Papunya before the General Store closed, I skipped the town of Ikuntji. The store was surprisingly well stocked considering its remote location. The locals were either confused by my presence or nonchalantly said hello as they popped in to do their shopping. I topped up my fresh vegetables, enjoyed a chilled bottle of coke and hit the road again. I wanted to get a few more kilometres on the clock before dark and preferred to camp in the solace of the bush and away from civilisation.

The Outback treated me to a vibrant sunset paired with dark and moody clouds. Finding a campsite amongst the dense spinifex was a challenge but I finally came upon a spot that had been burnt out by a small bush fire with enough space for my tent. 

The first twenty kilometres from Papunya had consisted of hard compacted dirt and made for some dreamy cycling. The next fifty would prove to be some of the most sandy and challenging of the trip to date. A pattern emerged, about two hundred metres of hard stuff would give way to small but significant sand dunes, with each one I found myself pushing the bike on foot through deep red sand for another fifty metres. It was slow going and hard work. A few four wheel drives passed me throughout the day – their passengers giving me a wave but also scratching their heads as to what the lunatic on a bike was doing out here.

My hard work was rewarded with glimpses of rocky outcrops rising above the desert oaks. I finally came upon my first feral camel. The Australian Outback is reportedly brimming with camels. They were imported to Australia from Afghanistan and British India during the 19th century and used during the colonisation of Central and Western Australia. The feral population are descendents of camels that were released after motorised transport replaced the use of camels in the Outback. I had been warned about aggressive bull camels but was unsure as to the true level of danger. Fortunately the one I came across was passive.

My next stop would be the Aboriginal town of Yuendumu. This would be my last official food and water supply for over six hundred kilometres in the Tanami Desert. I took my time in town to top up supplies, have a look in the Aboriginal art centre – Warlukurlangu Artists and to see if I could charge my power bank there. I had noticed a bit of rain was forecast. Heavy rain on dirt roads like the Tanami can be crippling and by the time I’d returned to the art centre the heavens had opened. Rain was plummeting from the sky in big fat drops and it looked to be a lot more than what was forecast. Frank, the friendly fella who let me charge my power bank at the art centre, suggested I speak to the manager, Gloria about staying for a few days whilst the rain passed and the roads dried.

Frank explained that before Covid, volunteers – usually backpackers, would come and stay for a few days to a few months at a time. It had felt like I’d lost a lot of the momentum of my expedition during my five weeks off the bike and at first I was keen to keep moving. But then I realised that this was exactly the type of experience I am seeking on this journey. Plus it is without a doubt much better to be stranded in town than out on the Tamami Track.

After a brief chat with the friendly Gloria it was arranged for me to stay in exchange for a couple of days of volunteering. I headed for the donga (an Aussie word for dorm-like accommodation) to settle in. The rain continued for the next day and I was glad to have the shelter of the centre. 

My work consisted of priming canvas and touching up the black edges of stretched art. It was an awesome experience to watch the hustle and bustle of the art centre and the interactions of the staff and the artists. Many thanks again for having me folks!

My second day was nice and sunny and it looked like the road might be dry enough for me to continue in the morning. The following day the track was dry enough to continue as hoped. What a gift to experience life in an Outback town for a couple of days – roll on the Tanami!