Red Center, Simpson Desert
20th to the 22nd July 2022
Site is 25 to 30 million years old (undated currently ± a few million years), possibly an old river flood deposit above a slow deep water billabong or flood plain environment. Some remnants of green clay in other areas at the bone bed level. Bone is crushed beyond recognition but some crocodile Baru teeth are visible. More birds and crocodiles are visible and very few mammals which is more backwards for a site like this. The above formation is comprised of heavily mineralized sandstone and hematite as well as quartz veins, its capping the mesa near camp.
The campsite is in a completely restricted area near the main train line that runs from Darwin to Alice Springs to Adelaide, sometimes the Ghan runs down this line on the way to Darwin along with other freight trains.
The Ghan passed our site while we were working at 12:15, the second train we have seen on the tracks but two have passed overnight so far, I’m guessing that was a freight train as the Ghan comes every two days and is a luxury passenger train. (July 21st 2022). Three trains passed by us overnight and in the early hours of the morning while two passed in daylight (22nd July 2022).
Two of the others took a bite out of a random melon on the way to the camp on the side of the road, and no it’s not recommended, we all know that wouldn’t have been good.
We visited Rainbow Valley, I wasn’t expecting to be able to stop for it, we didn’t have time to go right up to it but we got to a few of the lookouts. There is a large clay pan in front of it and two medium sized camp grounds (definitely a future camping spot).
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