We promised a friend that we would visit the ‘Silly Goat’ for a coffee but did not check opening times. So alas they were closed the day we were leaving, now who’s the Silly Goat?
The flat soon turned into hills as we journeyed through the red earth surrounds of Broken Hill, heading for Menindee. This gorgeous and neat small town was a treat. We visited the tourist office to ask about the Menindee lakes . She told us that we had missed the turn off so we gladly back-tracked a few kilometres, after first taking a short river walk.
Firstly it was Lake Menindee, a huge ‘dry at the moment natural lake’, but which was due for water replenishment from one of its man-made lake relations. On the other side of the road were three full natural lakes that filled lake Menindee at times like this. We travelled round to three other smaller lakes which were also vast and full. The geographical size of these lakes are huge
However not all was happy in this idyllic part of Australia where signs criticising government policy and cotton farmers were aplenty.
It was then on to the small very ordered town of Pooncarie, yet another town on what they call the ‘Darling River Run’. We pulled in to The Old Wharf Cafe where there was more antagonism especially against the QLD govt., who were seen as holding the water back for their own use.
We took a long walk along the river, bathing in its beauty, as the many pelicans we saw were also doing.
We were confused by the different water levels in different towns and wondered why this was so. As we settle in to our new home right alongside this famous river we got one answer. The reason it is at full capacity here in Wentworth is from the back up of the water from the Murray (or Tongala ) river.
My poem is one I had written previously which refers collectively to many situations, and I think the water allocation issue is one of those.

Our selfishness defines our wounded soul
That bleeds because we’re mosly unaware,
Our little world is nought without the whole
We have our gift, with others we must share.
Connection is the blood that warms our being
The hug that binds us closer than we know,
Removes the hidden fear that we are fleeing
And nourishes the love that we don’t show.
While many strive with passion unabated
Another does the same in isolation,
Together, what a world could be created
And show what really does define a nation.
So when there is an opportunity
To share, then do it, for community.