Tobin Lake

Tobin Lake, Tobins Grave, Lake Guli 8.10 Departure. We quickly reached the edge of Lake Tobin about 4Km away. It's unsheltered but the surface is good for emergency camping if needed as there is no spinfex. The previous afternoon had drawn very few sites for our five cars as there was a constant ground cover of spinifex. Our previous nite sight was far more comfortable. Lake Tobin doesn't look like a salt lake. Its covered in low grass, not white salt or salt bush. Some lone trees on the n. side. Tobin is part of the larger Percival Lakes system. Museum Victoria organized a large archealogical dig on one of the other lakes in this system. They were looking for evidence of early settlement by Aboriginal people similar to that found at Lake Mungo in NSW, which discovered Mungo man and later Mungo woman, the male skeleton being about 40,000 years old. Lake Tobin (if similar to the other lakes in the Percival system) is similar in some respects to Lake Mungo. Its wide and shallow with lunettes formed on the lake sides relevant to the prevailing winds. They are set in a low basin and either would have been joined up or formed over a large area over 150km in length, currently in a wide arc. Tens of thousands of years ago they would have been a fresh water system and still may be when filled as they grow grass and not saltbush. 8.20 Stopped near edge of Lake Tobin. Met two vehicles travelling south. 8,50 Well 40 (Waddawalla well) At a T intersection there is sheltered meleleuca scrub to the right with enough room for five vehicles to camp, a good night site. To the left, is the well and grave of Michael Tobin, a member of Cannings 1907 survey party who was speared by an Aborigine on their way back south. He was in advance position and allegedly had taken a young Aboriginal woman into his camp for several nights. Her husband came and speared him in the chest, while he grabbed a gun and shot his attacker. The main party found both bodies when they arrived. They were buried in separate areas near the well. This appears to be a nineteenth century custom in the bush. White fellas are buried away from Aborigines, Chinese or Afghans. The Lands Department, who was the employer constructed an elaborate grave with an inscribed marble and tin grave stone above Tobins grave. Wooden rails that were restored a few years ago have disappeared eaten by white ants. The reason for his killing became known much later when a local Aboriginal woman told the story. 9.10 Departed well 40 after visiting Tobins grave. Found flowers on the grave. Driving through red sandhills in the swales between the dunes Low spinifex scub, tinsel bush and sparse tree cover on dunes. The general terrain consists of East/West dunes that we climb over, with open spinifex plains inbetween. We are making good time in this country. 9.35 Have done 34 km so far. Good. 9.45 Driving through narrow avenues of 20m high scrub. Side mirrors are in and lots of scratches. 9.58 Seismic cut line running along a swale in between dunes. Barely visible as we crossed it due to vigorous regrowth of low vegetation. Steels posts on either side of the track mark it as we cross it. 10.05 Well 41 (Tiri well) Looks like the previous haunted well: white clay dirt, lots of white trunks of dead trees around the area. The well has been restored by teams hauling in the materials from Halls Creek to the north. Must have been rugged getting it over the dunes. This restoration appears to have been recent (last 10 years?) Departed well at 10.30. H.V. (Bill) Johnson put in a new track between wells 41 - 42 in the 1960s and picked the path over the highest dunes from which he read his trig points. We expect to climb the highest dunes on the CSR today in this area. 11.20 So far the dunes have been similar in height to those we crossed yesterday. Nothing has stood out as more difficult. Our cars are having no trouble climbing the dunes although the Nissan has found them very bumpy. We have had to retry two dunes to get over. In both cases Terry was trying out a higher gear. 11.25 Stick caught in side top rail on roof rack. Stopped to remove it.The track weaves in and out of the low scrub. Was the track maker drunk? 11.50 We drove over the CSR highest dune. Quite easy to drive over. Not sure how high it was a sit is difficult to determine where it starts. Probably round 150 mts. High. One of yesterday's dune was a amore difficult climb. Others in the party said some dunes on the Simpson Desert trip were higher and more difficult. 12.00 In more open plains now with low scrub. Some trees on dunes. 12.10 Met three south bound vehicles on a sand dune. They pulled over in the middle of one dune. Despite radio chatter its difficult to assume that everyone on the track understands track "give way" etiquette and safety. 12.30 Arrived well 42. (Guli well) This is an abandoned well. Only a hole in the ground left in the white clay. Water was available in it and it was a good source for birds. Departed 12.40. 12.40 Crossed Lake Guli. Low scrub cover on it, no shade, lunettes on the N. side. 12.48 Still seeing purple tinsel bush for most of the day on the track. 12.55 Lunch stop. We all clustered in the shade of one tree; it was around 32c. and very warm. Departed at 1.25. Corregations got very bad quite quickly. 2.00 Well 43 (Billowaggi well). A small salt lake with melaleaca scrub, pig face and a dried out well. All dusty but you could camp here with trees for wind break. Dave has been radioing ahead to other groups to check where people are camping and news of good sites. Sounds as if another group is camping beyond this well in the spot we expected to use. This is of great interest to Meg as she is cooking the roast for 10 tonight and asked for an early camp around 3.30pm. She is also quite anxious about it. Time is needed to get coals going and for the cooking time. Also there is very little wood available on the track on this part of the CSR. Departed well at 2.05. 2.30 We met 5-6 cars cars from an Adelaide club camped in the dunes where we expected to be. Oh well! Onwards. We will head for the next well about 30 km on. 3.30 Still no camping spots. Spinifex everywhere. Have seen spots for 1 or 2 cars but not for 5. Now collecting firewood and its hard to get!. 5.15 Finally arrived at a camp site. Had to rush to get dinner ready. Boys got the fire going and ladies helped get meal ready. Kay did mardarin pancakes for desert. Ate at 7.15 and roast beef was great. Meg was mightyly relieved and started to relax.