Not quite a birdman

I've driven over this track many times. It makes it's way up and over a mountain range to the highest point in the area; A point from which people launch hang gliders, taking to the air to catch thermals off the mountain side. They soar far above the plains below before finally landing at the bottom, exhilarated and wind-tousled, but happy. It's a pretty nice thing to see, a person floating around with nothing but a few poles and fabric holding them in the air.

I never did it myself, it all seems a little flimsy for my liking, hang gliders I mean, although I think it would be a nice way to spend some time - G-dog the birdman! It was never to be though. I was more about the off-roading and hiking and this track took me to some places that many will never see, or get to drive.

This location is a few hours north of where I live and is one of my favourite places to go. We would camp nearby and take off on driving and hiking adventures into the mountains, often walking for hours, with sweeping views over the gulf available from the top and western slopes. There were rarely other people around, one of the reasons I love it so much, and the hiking and off-roading it offered was simply splendid.

This area is now closed off and not accessible. It's actually a part of a working sheep station, a very large one, and this section has been closed to the public due to insurance issues, the rising cost of insurance as it turns out. The owners, who I know personally, simply cannot afford to cover the insurance premiums required for commercial eco-tourism operation any longer and this area is now reserved for the sheep, the station owners and workers.

But the G-dog can still go there.

I am one of the privileged few who is given access to this place on occasions as I am friends with the owner. I am not permitted to take other people there, but Faith and I are able to head up there from time to time for a camp and hike. We don't off-road much here anymore, those spots are still closed to vehicles but we get to do a little of the rough stuff and can hike all over the entire property which is about 44 kilometres long and some 19 kilometres wide...So plenty big enough to get lost on.

We don't get to sit and watch the birdmen take off and spiral downwards to the plains anymore, but we find solace and enjoyment in each others' company, and the fact that there's no one else there and no noise but the sounds of nature.

We know how fortunate we are to have built relationships with property owners, graziers and pastoralists right across the State in which we live and therefore have access to their properties. Stations here are usually huge, like really huge - Sometimes hundreds and thousands of square kilometres...The largest, Anna Creek Station totals and area of 23,677 square kilometres! Some permit tourism as a way to help pay the bills and some don't. Faith and I are lucky to have access to some of them though; A privilege we are grateful for, and protect through being well behaved when there.

This spot is one of our favourites and is probably where we'll be in July if our flights to Scandinavia are not permitted due to COVID-19 travel restrictions which looks to be the case. There's worse places to be though, and I'm looking forward to blue-sky days of 18-20°C, cold nights and crisp mornings sipping hot beverages and eating foods cooked on the open fire.

I'm not quite a birdman, but feel free as a bird when in places like this!