On the way to Tom Price

Yesterday's trip took me as far as Barradine Camp where I stayed for one night on the way into Exmouth last week. I left this morning about 8.30, my navigator telling me 360km and I decide I can do this in one day. Mind you, its headwind all the way, Diesel being guzzled at a premium rate.


I re-fuel at Nunatarra Roadhouse ($2.20/L), no choice, I follow the main highway for about 4km to the turn-off to Tom Price.

Mount Murray by the side of the road

Flat country here initially but about 25kms into the turn-off the landscape changes to a huge variety of hills, rocky outcrops and bizarre looking mountains, some just gently rounded and covered to the top with green cushions of spinifex, looking very much like Aboriginal dot-paintings. Others are sharply outlined against a blue sky, in a variety of colours.

The white clouds we are having today, together with that really beautiful and interesting view of the land, reminds me a lot of drives across New Mexico, many years ago. Each time I cross one of these rocky paths in my road, a new vista opens up yet again. Definitely not a boring drive today, coming down this road in the morning light. Finally, I am given a choice to drive straight ahead on a dirt road, or to turn right to stay on the sealed road and drive via Paraburdoo, another mining town. As I don't know the condition of the dirt road, I take the longer road via Paraburdoo.

Coming into Paraburdoo
This road does add a few kilometres, but I am not running the risk losing half a muffler or worse on the corrugations.

I arrive at Tom Price just after 1.00pm, go into Coles Store to buy some Sour Cream for a salad I want to make today, then drive out of town to fill up my tank yet again. Turns out, I used 55 litres for just over 350km. Battling a headwind does dearly cost, particularly, when you consider that today I wanted to get there in a hurry...