Day 66 | umm ... still at Wilpena: rest day number 3

If yesterday was day of the reptiles today was day of the marsupials.

What those big hoppers are living off is a mystery. There’s only been 3mm of rain to date this year with the biggest rainfall of 1.2mm which hardly wets the ground now six weeks ago.

I haven’t seen any grass left in the hinterland on my wanderings and even the well maintained greenness in front of the swimming pool at the resort is trimmed to half a millimetre long by tameish animals. The goats seem happiest of the creatures around as they seem to be able to eat the shrubs. At least there’s permanent water up the gorge. But the kangaroos look emaciated and are really scratching around for anything at all to eat.

I’ve finally worked out what they are existing on: the dessicated golden stalks left after the biddibids have fallen off. Doesn’t look too appetising to me. That’s all that’s left on the ground that isn’t eucalypt or otherwise aromatic in nature.

The inside of the Pound was unbelievably dry with just dead leaves on the ground. I guess it’s only going to take one decent rain to have the area springing back to life. There has to be something in the next month, some autumn falls.

If not, the prognosis for those furry critters is not looking good.