Take-off, runway 11 at YWMC. Chasing our shadow towards the south.
The contrast between "water" and "not water" is pretty jarring in the Australian outback.
Here's a creek flowing towards the south west out of the southern tip of the lake (which is off the top-left of the shot):
Trees, bushes. Greenery. Teeming with life.
Here's the shot out of the other side of the cockpit:
UPDATE: Jason is a smart cookie. My brother has pointed out that if Lake Eyre is the lowest part of Australia, the creek can't be flowing OUT of it. And even if it was, the salinity would mitigate against "Greenery, teeming with life." So, uh, yes. The creek is feeding INTO the lake. From somewhere. Probably an artesian spring.
An hour later, we're overflying Leigh Creek, with about 30 minutes to run.
Leigh Creek is a coal mining town. The mine's sole purpose is to supply coal for the Port Augusta power station about 300km to the South. Two trains run down the railway line between the mine and the power station daily (including one train which derailed while I was on a flying trip in the Flinders Ranges last year -
That made a big mess.
Here's the mine:
(I'd say, "Beautiful, isn't it?" except that it isn't)
Back near home, one final circumnavigation of The Pound:
Saint Mary's Peak, highest point on Wilpena Pound
Then, finally, back to Rawnsley Park.
How was your weekend?