Coober Pedy has to be the most devastated but fascinating of towns in Australia.
Having driven for hours over the gibber I was not expecting to see wildlife, but the first bird I noticed seemed totally out of place. A tern, miles from the sea!
I have put this one down as a Whiskered Tern, non-breeding Chlidonias hybrida .
Then a kingfisher! Miles from water. I was too far away for species ID, but it was probably a red-backed which does follow inland water courses.
Zebra finches and….
galahs were easy to see
especially early in the day.
A day drive to the Breakaways, due east of Coober was not to be missed.
Views from the top of the escarpment looks down to Moon Plain, a place where Woma pythons hunt Gile’s Planigales in the clay cracks. Woma, a beautiful creature, have deceased in population by 50% in the last 10 years and now on the IUCN red list as critically endangered.
Nankeen Kestrel however were in large numbers, they use dis-used mine shafts for roosting and breeding.
This one was riding the updaught with his mates for hours while I walked the clifftop.
Only a few hundred more kilometers and I would be in APY Lands.
SLOW-BOIL A FROG 
Hi Peter,
When did you leave Melbourne for this destination?
ps. It was lovely seeing you both again before Xmas.
Let’s do it again in a year…or maybe less.
But I’ll know more of you adventures via this mode.
Julie Brand Xx
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Hi Julie, I left early in November and took a week getting to Coober. I was with Dr John Read for a week in APY Lands then took a week to get home. I have been posting what I saw on the trip in between other posts. Currently busy making huge ‘rocks’ for Melb International Flower & Garden Show for early March. Highly influence by Musgrave range (photos next post). I will also post on our sculpture progress etc. Peter x
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