25th & 26th August

The scenery and drive from Dajarra to Boulia continued to impress with it's dramatic countryside of rocky outcrops, sandy hills, slick mud flood plains and dry river crossings. Mirages travelled with us all day till it was easy to imagine this area as the vast sea it once was.
 
Boulia sits on a gentle rise and you begin to have glimpses and flashes of roof reflections from about 30klm out. On the way in we pass the turn-off to Alice Springs by the generously named Donohue Highway marked by a large waring sign that this dirt Highway is 4WD only!

Once we turned into the main street of Boulia we were unexpectedly confronted by the wreck of Nick's ute at the Police Station. At least the local lads had thrown a cover over the roof so we couldn't at once see the total damage. It was hoped by the Police that the ute would be gone before we hit town. To say it darkened the day would be no exaggeration. 
 
We booked into the nearby caravan park and the lovely couple that runs it gave us a shady site with our own rustic shower/toilet. They knew Nick's story and we thank them for their hospitality, as we do several of the locals we spoke to.

The 2nd day we were up to meeting the Police, picking up Nick's phone and wallet (which had the unprecedented amount of over $250 in it, wonders will never cease with our boy). We then uncovered the ute to rescue his swag and several other items.