Rural Ruins and the Land Tadpole

Station Ruins, May 2020,
Southern Flinders Ranges
A glimpse of what was thought to be cropping country from c 1870-1920
..but the rains stopped.
It still produces sheep.
The Land tadpole makes an appearance.....
More pics in the vid


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Reply By: Mick O - Tuesday, May 26, 2020 at 21:13

Tuesday, May 26, 2020 at 21:13
Probably would have helped a lot if they'd listened to Mr Goyder!

Goyders Line - Check 'Description' for a full history




''We knew from the experience of well-known travelers that the
trip would doubtless be attended with much hardship.''
Richard Maurice - 1903

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Reply By: Peter_n_Margaret - Tuesday, May 26, 2020 at 21:59

Tuesday, May 26, 2020 at 21:59
My forebears settled and farmed a property just north of Amyton, on the Willochra Plain.
The substantial house they built where they brought up a soccer team of kids is now falling down, but that property is still sown to grain crops to this day during good seasons, despite being slightly north of Goyder's Line.


I have also flown gliders over the country around Rawnsley Park, just south of Wilpena Pound. Just across the road to the east it is clear from the air that that country was also cropped in the past. The plough lines are still visible from the air, but nothing shows from the ground.
No cropping there for a very long time.

Smart bloke that Goyder. His very accurate line was established from wandering that country on horse back and noting the native vegetation.
Cheers,
Peter
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Follow Up By: Member - 2208mate - Tuesday, May 26, 2020 at 22:51

Tuesday, May 26, 2020 at 22:51
Nice pics, there are a lot of furrows visible from the the air around here.
The pic shows an example of furrows made by a single ripper plough for the purpose of seed preservation.
I have been following a few paddocks for a local bloke over 4 years and nothing good has occurred yet.
According to the neighbour this practice was done extensively years ago and is enjoying a resurgence.
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Reply By: Member - Gordon B5 - Tuesday, May 26, 2020 at 23:32

Tuesday, May 26, 2020 at 23:32
If any one is interested in farming in that area, there is a very good book "On the Margins of the Good Earth" It's about shallow till farming, starts at the Broughton River north of Clare & follows farming up into the country as described above. Sorry I can't remember the authors name, the book was lent to me about 30 years ago. I do know it was written by someone from a university in the US & was a very good read IMO
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Follow Up By: Member - 2208mate - Wednesday, May 27, 2020 at 00:56

Wednesday, May 27, 2020 at 00:56
On the margins of the good earth : the South Australian wheat frontier 1869-1884 /? D.W. Meinig.
I found a copy but am debating the price of second hand($35), new copy in the USA $851 definitely not hehe
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Follow Up By: Member - Gordon B5 - Wednesday, May 27, 2020 at 13:14

Wednesday, May 27, 2020 at 13:14
Thats the book but bit dear for an older book. guess thats why I'm a member of the library lots cheaper, but don't always have what you want. Wife like's the op shops so I look at books in there but they are never in any order would be helpful if they put romance in one section & the rest in another less rubbish to look through then
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Reply By: Member - Jim S1 - Wednesday, May 27, 2020 at 08:00

Wednesday, May 27, 2020 at 08:00
Hey there 2208mate

What on Earth is a " Land tadpole"? Never seen or heard of it. Or is it a joke ?

Cheers
Jim
"Sometimes I sits and thinks, and sometimes I just sits." A fisherman.

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Follow Up By: Member - 2208mate - Wednesday, May 27, 2020 at 09:53

Wednesday, May 27, 2020 at 09:53
Does it not look like a tadpole?

Hehe, if you can imagine it rains here, you can imagine anything. QED.
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Follow Up By: Member - Jim S1 - Wednesday, May 27, 2020 at 11:59

Wednesday, May 27, 2020 at 11:59
OK ...... so what is it ?

Cheers
Jim
"Sometimes I sits and thinks, and sometimes I just sits." A fisherman.

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Follow Up By: Member - MIKE.G - Wednesday, May 27, 2020 at 12:20

Wednesday, May 27, 2020 at 12:20
Its the dehydrated head of a Shingleback Lizard. Very common in SA.

Cheers,

Mike
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Follow Up By: Member - Jim S1 - Wednesday, May 27, 2020 at 12:47

Wednesday, May 27, 2020 at 12:47
Thanks Mike ..... bit slow here !

Have seen loads of shinglebacks , usually on the warm roads, but still looking for a thorny devil ( in the wild ).

Cheers
Jim
"Sometimes I sits and thinks, and sometimes I just sits." A fisherman.

"No road is long with good company." Traditional

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Follow Up By: Member - 2208mate - Wednesday, May 27, 2020 at 14:21

Wednesday, May 27, 2020 at 14:21
Another chap has also suggested it could be a skink (shingleback), while the head is tight and the neck has shrunk to a tail, it is too fragile to handle, so couldn't see into the jaws.
At the moment the head is more snake sized than lizard size and not an arrow head shape, so I have no idea, even a legless lizard... hehe
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Follow Up By: Frank P (NSW) - Wednesday, May 27, 2020 at 14:45

Wednesday, May 27, 2020 at 14:45
Whatever it is, it's an ugly bu99er and would be best not shown to little kids just before bedtime. LOL
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Follow Up By: Mick O - Wednesday, May 27, 2020 at 17:42

Wednesday, May 27, 2020 at 17:42
Jim, here's one specially for you then. Cheers Mick






''We knew from the experience of well-known travelers that the
trip would doubtless be attended with much hardship.''
Richard Maurice - 1903

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Reply By: Rangiephil - Wednesday, May 27, 2020 at 16:26

Wednesday, May 27, 2020 at 16:26
If you want to see Thorny devils drive into Quobba Station.

In the area with the dry lake on the right they were all over the road and you had to swerve to miss them.
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Follow Up By: Peter_n_Margaret - Wednesday, May 27, 2020 at 17:42

Wednesday, May 27, 2020 at 17:42
Western end of the Holland Track.


Cheers,
Peter
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Follow Up By: Member - 2208mate - Wednesday, May 27, 2020 at 21:55

Wednesday, May 27, 2020 at 21:55
Nice pic, that's an obliging little imp. hehe
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Follow Up By: Peter_n_Margaret - Wednesday, May 27, 2020 at 22:19

Wednesday, May 27, 2020 at 22:19
They are absolutely nothing like their appearance suggests.
Quite docile and easily handled.

Cheers,
Peter
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