Outback journey-Page4

18th August, 2005
Bourke & Mt Oxley

Headed out onto the Kamilaroi Hwy towards Narrabri and turned off to have a look at Mt Oxley. Not knowing you’re advised not to drive to the top, I drove to the top. I felt really alive that morning, but Julie might put it another way.

The view made the detour worthwhile.
 

I got a little too overconfident racing back to the highway and had my “second of terror” as the Celica slid sideways on a right hander. On the dirt we christened her “Celica ATV”, and like always, more power pulled it back together, no worries. We drove on past the dykes of flood and cotton country.

Brewarrina is mainly an indigenous town and so we went looking for the indigenous museum near the river. The traditional owners who were hangin’ were friendly, but the building was closed. Leaving the boys smokes, we got moving. After lunch in Walgett, we pressed on to Cryon, Burren Junction, Merah North and finally reached Wee Waa in cotton and cattle country and got a first peek at a dish. The Australia telescope is pretty sexy stuff.

On site are five radio telescopes on tracks that can be pointed and positioned with great accuracy, often used with the radio telescope at Parkes, and others like it around the world to construct scopes with tremendous resolution. Mostly home built technology and a complete Aussie VLBI triumph.
It takes these kind of pics.

http://outreach.atnf.csiro.au/images/astronomical/etacarinae.html


Arrived at Narrabri and spent the night there.



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